How to Get the Most Money for Your TradeIn Vehicle

Research the Vehicle’s Trade-In Value

In order to get the most money for your trade-in vehicle, it is important to do your research ahead of time. Knowing the vehicle’s trade-in value will help you negotiate a fair price with the dealership. There are a few different ways to research the trade-in value of your vehicle.

Use an online trade-in calculator

The first step to getting the most money for your trade-in vehicle is to research its value. You can do this by using an online trade-in calculator. These calculators will take into account the make, model, and year of your vehicle, as well as its mileage and condition, to give you an estimated trade-in value.

Once you have an estimated value for your trade-in vehicle, you can start negotiating with dealerships. Be sure to keep in mind that the dealership’s offer is likely to be lower than the estimated value from the trade-in calculator. This is because dealerships need to make a profit on the sale of your trade-in vehicle. However, if you are armed with the knowledge of your vehicle’s true worth, you will be able to negotiate a fair price for it.

Check the vehicle’s Kelley Blue Book value

To find out how much your car is worth, start by checking its Kelley Blue Book value. You can do this for free on the company’s website. Just enter the make, model, and year of your car, as well as some other information about its condition.

Then, compare the Kelley Blue Book value to the trade-in value that dealerships are offering. If you’re happy with the offer, great! If not, you may want to try negotiating with the dealership or selling your car privately.

Get an Estimate from a Local Dealer

When you want to upgrade your ride, the first step is finding out how much money you can get for your current car. You can do this by visiting a local dealer and getting an estimate.

Find three local dealers

When you’re ready to get an estimate for your trade-in vehicle, it’s time to do your research and find three local dealers that you trust. Once you have your list, you can start getting estimates.

The best way to get an accurate estimate is to bring your vehicle in for a trade-in appraisal. The dealer will look at the condition of your vehicle, its features, and its current value in the marketplace. Based on this information, they will give you an estimated range of what they are willing to pay for your car.

Keep in mind that the trade-in value is not the same as the private party value, so don’t be surprised if the offer is lower than what you would get if you sold the car yourself. However, trading in your car can be a convenient way to sell it and upgrade to a new vehicle all in one transaction.

Once you have an estimate from each dealer, you can compare them and choose the best offer. Or, if you’re not happy with any of the offers, you can always walk away and sell the car yourself.

Get an estimate from each dealer

If you’re planning to trade in your car, you’ll want to get an estimate from each dealer you’re considering. This way, you can be sure you’re getting the most money for your trade-in vehicle.

Here’s how to get an estimate from a local dealer:

1. Research the Kelley Blue Book value of your car. This will give you a good starting point for negotiation.

2. Find three or four local dealers who sell the same make and model as your car.

3. Call each dealer and tell them you’re interested in trading in your car. Ask them for a ballpark estimate of what they would be willing to pay for your car.

4. Visit each dealer and get a final trade-in estimate from them. Be sure to bring along any documentation about your car, such as maintenance records, that may add to its value in the eyes of the dealer.

5. Compare the final estimates from each dealer and choose the one that offers the best deal.

Compare the trade-in value, estimated value, and offer price

When you’re ready to trade in your car, it’s important to compare the trade-in value, estimated value, and offer price to get the most money for your vehicle.

The trade-in value is the amount of money a dealer will give you for your car when you trade it in towards the purchase of a new car. The estimated value is the estimated worth of your car if you were to sell it privately. The offer price is the amount of money a dealer will give you for your car when you sell it outright.

To get the most money for your car, you should compare all three estimates and choose the best one. If the dealer’s offer is significantly lower than the other two estimates, you may want to consider trading in your car elsewhere or selling it outright.

Choose the dealer with the best offer

You’ve got three dealer offers for your trade-in vehicle and now you need to choose the best one. How do you do it?

The first step is to make sure all of the offers are based on the same assumptions. You can do this by making sure each dealer used the same:

– Vehicle value guide. The Kelley Blue Book® Trade-In Range value is a good starting point.
– Mileage estimate. 10,000 miles per year is a good average, but you can adjust this number up or down based on your personal driving habits.
– Trade-in allowance. This is the amount of money that the dealer is willing to put towards your new vehicle purchase.
– Sales tax rate. This will vary depending on the state in which you live.


Check out How Much Should You Put Down on an Auto Loan here, or Properly Value a Vehicle.

Negotiate the Offer

If you’re looking to get the most money for your trade-in vehicle, you’ll need to be prepared to negotiate. The first step is to find out the trade-in value of your vehicle. You can do this by researching online or visiting a few dealerships. Once you have an idea of what your vehicle is worth, you can start negotiating with the dealer.

If the offer is below the trade-in value, negotiate

If the offer is below the trade-in value, you can try to negotiate a higher price. Bring along any documentation that supports your vehicle’s value, such as a recent professional appraisal, a history of recent maintenance or repairs, or documentation of recent upgrades. You can also try negotiating based on the assumption that the dealership will make a profit by selling your car.

If the offer is above the trade-in value, accept the offer

If you’re happy with the offer, great! Go ahead and accept it. You can always negotiate up, but you can’t negotiate down, so if the offer is above the trade-in value, there’s no harm in accepting it.

If the offer is below the trade-in value, you have a few options. You can try to negotiate with the dealership to see if they’ll budge on the price. If they don’t, you can try selling your car on your own or trading it in to a different dealership.

Either way, make sure you know the value of your car before you start negotiating. That way, you can be sure you’re getting a fair deal.