Car dealerships in Denver will often accept your car as a trade-in. However, you don’t a lot to make sure you get the most value from your trade-in as possible. Here are some tips to make sure you’re in a good position to get the most out of your trade-in.
Do a Lot of Research Beforehand
You need to know the value of your trade-in before you start looking for car dealerships in Denver. The most obvious step is to ascertain the Kelley Blue Book value of your car. Many people start and stop with that, but you need to do a little more research if you want the best value for your trade-in.
Check other pricing guides as well, such as those provided by Edmunds, NADA, and other pricing guides. You should also check to see how others with your same make and model are pricing their cars for sale in and around your area.
You can also get trade-in estimates directly from dealerships. Call around to or visit several of them to see what their initial offers are. This will give you a clearer understanding of what your car will really earn you as a trade-in. This process will also give you some leverage when attempting to negotiate later one.
Know How Much or How Little You Should Do With Your Car
Don’t go overboard trying to clean up your car or fix things on it before attempting to trade it in. Try to eliminate any odors, such as smoke or pet smells. Clean out any personal items. A wash and vacuuming can go a long way. Some light detailing could work well if you’re not paying too much for it.
If there are small issues you can fix on your own, then go for it. If you have to take the car to a shop to fix something, then you may want to skip that part of the process. Only pay for repairs if the service is cheap enough to make it worth it compared to the potential trade-in value.
Negotiate Twice and Stay Firm
Treat the trade-in and the new car purchase separately. If possible, you should negotiate the lowest possible price for the new car before mentioning your trade-in.
This will help to keep the dealership from padding the price of the car with the trade-in’s value. Instead, you will work from the new car’s lowest price first, and then the trade-in can give you a larger discount on top.