I'll trade you for it
When the time comes to trade-in your vehicle when buying a newer model it helps to manage your expectations.As a general rule dealers will accept just about anything if it means that they can make a sale on a vehicle of their lot.
Related: How do I prepare my car for trade-in?
What you can expect though is that the dealer will try to get as close as possible to the appropriate market value of your vehicle so it will be very helpful if the car you are wanting to trade in has some worth. There is of course a very big difference between what the vehicle is worth to you and what the market will be prepared to pay for it and the dealer will take this into consideration when making an offer on your car, so don't be offended if the price is lower than what you were expecting.
The dealer will take a number of factors into consideration when preparing their offer:
- Age of the vehicle (year model)
- Mileage (kilometer reading)
- Visual Condition (scratches and dents)
- Mechanical condition (tyres, services, etc.)
- Market demand (is it a popular model)
- Prices of similar models in circulation
You can avoid all of this and try to sell your vehicle privately but that brings an entirely new set of issues. We advise making use of AutoTrader's latest feature, Instant Offer. where we take all the hassle out of selling your car.
