Trading in your current car to help finance your next car can take a lot of pressure off your wallet. If you want to get the most money for your trade-in, there are some things you can do to help maintain its value. Here are a few tips you should keep in mind if you want to get the best trade-in price for your old car.
1. Stick to the Routine
One of the best ways to improve your vehicle’s resale value in the future is to take good care of it now. Ensuring that it goes in for its regular checkups, such as oil changes and wheel alignments, makes a big difference later on in your vehicle’s life. Know your recommended maintenance intervals and try to stick to them as much as possible. You may find many of your model’s specific recommendations in the owner’s manual, but there are plenty of rules of thumb out there that you can trust as well.
2. Protect the Paint
The first thing people are going to see when they look at your car is its paint and any exterior damages. Protect your paint as much as possible. The biggest slow-burn culprits are sunlight, bug splatter, and bird droppings. If you can, keep your vehicle in a covered area to avoid these paint-damaging villains. Be regular about cleaning debris and splatter from your vehicle, as these can be acidic and eat through your paint. Consider applying coats of wax to your vehicle to act as a shield against the elements.
3. Clean the Interior
Just before you try to sell your vehicle, give its interior a great cleaning. Even if your vehicle has some wear and tear on the inside, those damages are going to seem much worse if you have dirty seats and trash on the floorboard. Ideally, you’ll have cleaned your seats throughout your time with the vehicle, as this can maintain the health of your upholstery. Stay regular with applying car leather conditioner to your leather and leatherette surfaces.
4. Keep the Miles Down
The fewer miles your vehicle has on the odometer, the more likely you’ll get a better trade-in value for it. Though there’s not much you can do about this aside from cutting out pointless trips and simply not driving your car, it is something to keep in mind. If you want to get more for your ride, see how much it’s worth now rather than later when you’re put a few thousand more miles on in.
Try to trade in before big numbers. For example, a car with 95,000 miles on it may be more attractive to customers than the same car with 100,000 miles on it. It’s the same philosophy behind a television with a $399 price tag instead of a $400 one.
Much of the things you can do to get the best trade-in value for your vehicle are things you should do as a good, diligent car owner. The more you take care of your vehicle as you drive it, the better shape it’s going to be in when it comes time to trade it in. If you’re ready to see how much your ride is worth in trade-in value, visit Auto Advantage so we can help you sell your car!
Photo courtesy of Pexels.
Connect with us
