When you decide to part ways with your car, you can choose to sell it yourself, or you can trade it in. If you want to get the best deal at a dealership, read the tips below on getting a fair deal.
Robert Walden
Robert Walden is the Head of Marketing at VehicleFreak.com, a website that shares helpful information for car buyers and sellers.
Follow These Three Tips
1. Have It Detailed Before You Go To The Dealer.
A clean car doesn’t just look better than a dirty one — it’s also more valuable.
Instead of scrubbing it down yourself, I’d recommend spending $150 to have it detailed if that’s within your budget. The dealer will save money if they can put your car right out on the lot without having to pay a crew member to clean it. So, they’re likely to offer you more for your vehicle.
2. Don’t Be Afraid to Walk Away From a Lowball Offer.
The biggest mistake people make is settling for a bad deal because they don’t think they’ll get a better one. If the first dealer you go to gives you a price that seems low, tell them you’re going to call some other dealers and that you’ll get back to them. There’s nothing wrong with doing this.
3. Bring Your Car to the Dealership at the End of the Day.
You always get the best car deals at dusk, right before close. This applies to car purchases as much as sales. At 4:30, when the buyer’s shift ends, you’re likely to get less pushback from them than you would in the morning.
5 Tips To Get The Best Deal
Here are some tips for getting the best deal when selling your car at the dealership.
1. Do As Much Research As Possible About The Actual Value of Your Car.
Decide on the minimum you will take for it before you go into the negotiations.
2. Check With Multiple Dealerships And Get Quotes.
It will be easier to get a better deal if you have a few to choose from.
3. Check Instant Cash Offers (ICO) Options As Well.
A few companies do this now. You can get an ICO quote to help you understand what your car is actually worth before you go to the dealership.
4. Have All Your Maintenance Records Handy For The Life of The Car.
If you can prove that your car has been excellently taken care of, you may be able to get more for it when you sell.
5. Make Certain Your Car Is Very Clean, Outside And In.
Have new floor mats installed, and make certain it looks as new as possible.
Julie Bausch
Julie Bausch is the Managing Editor of CarTalk.com.
George Bates
George Bates is a Marketing Executive working for Saxton 4×4, a luxury car dealership based in Essex, UK.
Find a Specialty Dealership
My top tip for selling a car to a dealership is to research and make sure you sell your car to a specialty dealership, not just the closest one.
Selling to a specialty dealership means you will get a better price for your car as they will be more experienced in buying and selling those types of [vehicles]. For example, if you have a luxury car, find a luxury dealership that knows the ins and outs of prestige motors.
Know Your Car’s Value
The approximate value of your car isn’t hard to know when you are connected to the internet. Search for legitimate sites that can give you insight about the breakdown of your car’s worth, or ask a knowledgeable friend for advice.
It is better to be prepared, knowing the car’s fair price range, before negotiations. If you are well-versed in this aspect, then car dealers are most likely to offer you a fair deal.
Tommy Mello
Tommy Mello, CEO of A1Garage.