Selling Your Car vs. Trading It In

BAY CITY, Mich.- Have you recently taken on the task of selling your vehicle on your own? Have you been wondering if you'll make less money by trading in your vehicle? If you're looking for an honest explanation that will help you understand which option is best for you, check out our truthful series: What To Expect When Selling Your Vehicle Yourself and What To Expect Before Trading In Your Vehicle.

In our opinion, selling your vehicle outright isn't for everyone. If you enjoy meeting new people, have no problems negotiating or working with the public, and have your vehicle priced at less than $8,000, then it may be right for you. But if you're not interested in the hard work, liability, and details that go into selling your vehicle on your own, then you may be better off trading in your vehicle. There are many different aspects to consider in both situations and you should definitely take the time to consider which is best for you. 

See what some of Hank Graff Chevrolet's clients had to say about the process of Selling Your Car vs. Trading It In:

"In regards to my aspect of purchasing and trading in to obtain a new vehicle I have to say the trade in process was much nicer than dealing with selling it outright through different sources.  First, working hand and hand with the dealer (Graff of Bay City) I was able to find and customize the vehicle to my particular liking. I wasn't forced to settle for part of what I was looking for, I was able to get 100% of what I wanted making it a much easier process than looking through multiple sources.  I have sold vehicles on my own before in front of my house and that can be a long and tedious process, not to mention dealing with all the paper work of transferring and State papers. While this was the first time I have ever traded a vehicle in, I have to admit it was the most relaxing process ever and took little effort on my behalf. The dealership took all the hassle out of the transaction.  I received an excellent quote for my trade and didn't have to do anything outside of supplying my title and a signature.  The nice feature of trading in my truck was being able to use it directly to take expense right off the top of the new purchase. I looked at it in the aspect of an equation ( my time saved + no hassle selling the vehicle on the road + being able to apply the trade immediately to my purchase = any difference in price I may have gotten from trying to sell it any other way if any difference at all) Basically time saved and hassle averted makes trading a very viable and sensible decision.  It makes it much nicer when a dealer works as hard for you as Graff did for me and I will always remember that experience and work with Graff in the future.  Even though this was my first new vehicle purchase I am sure down the line I will purchase another vehicle and will take advantage of trading in."
     -Aaron, from Mid-Michigan 

"I tried for over a year to sell my Yukon.  I thought initially that this would be no problem since I always take good care of my vehicles.  I reached out to Lisa at Graff Chevrolet because I have purchased from her before and she gave me a fair trade in value, however I thought for what the difference was I would still try to sell it outright.  I had several inquiries plus an offer to trade for jet ski's(not sure how that would have worked out), but nothing ever came together.  In looking back I wish I would have sold the vehicle to Graff Chevrolet sooner.  It all turned out good in the end and because I am limited on my time have learned that in my situation it is best to trade in compared to selling outright."
     -Ben, from the West Side of Michigan

"Marc and Lisa were extremely accommodating during my entire experience in purchasing my new vehicle. Both of them provided excellent communication during the entire process.  The customer service that I was shown was above and beyond anything that I was ever expecting!  Marc came by my work with an Equinox to test drive, while he drove my car back to the dealership to get a quote on the trade-in value.  I am so extremely happy with the way my transaction took place, and will definitely send everyone I know to have the same great experience at Graff Chevrolet in Bay City!"
     -Jordan, from the Great Lakes Bay Region Michigan

If you're looking for an honest opinion while debating Selling Your Car vs. Trading It In, we'd be happy to help! Just stop by your Female Friendly Dealership, Graff Bay City, located at 3636 Wilder Road, Bay City, MI 48706. For more information on Graff Bay City, or for any questions call us at (989) 684-4411 or visit our websites: www.GraffBayCity.com.

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Lisa Rechsteiner
General Manager
Graff Chevrolet, Inc.
Any questions or comments please do not hesitate to contact me at lrechsteiner@graffsales.com.

What To Expect Before Trading In Your Vehicle

BAY CITY, Mich.- If you are, or have ever been, in the market to sell your car in an effort to purchase a new vehicle, you had to make the decision whether to sell it on your own or trade it in. You may have read our feature on What To Expect WhenSelling Your Vehicle Yourself, and now we’re going to take you through What To Expect Before Trading In Your Vehicle, honestly. This is not your typically How-To explanation. We’re going to tell you exactly what you can expect when you’re thinking about trading in your vehicle.

First off, it doesn’t matter if you’re selling your vehicle yourself or trading it in, it’s important to be upfront about the condition of the vehicle. If you decide to trade in your used vehicle, the dealer will usually check the history of the car so there is no use in hiding information about its condition.

Now, the first thing on your mind is probably your vehicle’s trade in value. While you have an advantage here by being able to shop around for the best trade in offer, you must also keep some other things in mind. Yes, some dealers will just tell you what you want to hear in regards to price, but that may not be how much you will actually get and that it most likely not the type of dealership you want to work with. So, prepare yourself by first researching what your vehicle may be worth on a site such as KBB.com.

Next, What You Can Expect Before Trading In Your Vehicle if you choose to work with a reputable, honest dealership, is that you will begin to build a relationship with one of the sales people or the sales manager, whether it be over the phone, online, or in store. You should feel comfortable working with your dealer, and while you may have no experience in the automobile industry, it’s important to keep in mind that your sales person is actually at a disadvantage too. Why is this? An honest, knowledgeable salesperson knows that they must first gain your trust in order to proceed. They want to understand your ultimate goal in order to help you trade in or buy a vehicle that is truly beneficial to you. By understanding your needs, they can help you better. Not to mention, trading in a vehicle that is worth something to you, or purchasing a new vehicle, are both huge investments. It’s worth the time to build the relationship and feel 100% confortable with your dealer and salesperson.

Once that relationship is built, you can expect that the trade in value of your vehicle will be based on the actual cash value of the trade, not on the value of the vehicle you are interested in purchasing. While you can negotiate the trade in value, you will mostly only be able to adjust the price by the $100’s, not $1,000’s. You can also expect this offer to be less than if you were to sell your vehicle yourself. But this is okay because the dealership is now doing all of the work instead of you: advertising, insuring, and taking the liability of the vehicle, while covering the costs of doing business.

Whether you’re interested in selling your vehicle yourself or trading it in, there is a lot to consider before making a final decision. Take the time to decide which is best for you, and don’t be afraid to get the opinion of your reputable Bay City Area Chevrolet Dealer. We would be more than happy to help you figure out which option is best for your needs and wants. If you have any questions on What To Expect When Trading In Your Vehicle, feel free to stop by! Graff Bay City is located at 3636 Wilder Road, Bay City, MI 48706. For more information on Graff Bay City, or for any questions call us at (989) 684-4411 or visit our websites: www.GraffBayCity.com.

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Lisa Rechsteiner
General Manager
Graff Chevrolet, Inc.
Any questions or comments please do not hesitate to contact me at lrechsteiner@graffsales.com.