Sell It? Trade-In? What Do I Do With My Car?

So it’s reached that time with your old car. You had a good run together. It took you on some awesome adventures. It got you to and from work so you could make a living, build a life you love, and provide for your family. However, everything must come to an end eventually, and it’s become clear that your car is no longer serving you like it used to. It’s just not a fit for your life today.

It doesn’t have to be a sad day. That car can go on and be just what someone else needs––it can move on to its next adventure. You’ve made the decision, now you just need to ask yourself, “should I sell my car or trade it in?” If you plan on getting a new car, this is an important decision. You already know that you need to finance another vehicle, so getting a good offer on your old car is a big deal. It determines how much you can afford to spend on the next one.

There are pros and cons for both choices. Which choice is right for you depends on a number of factors (which we will cover below). You only get one chance at selling your car, so it is important to understand the differences between these two options.

Pros of Trading In

Get a Great Offer on Your Next Purchase

Trading your car in makes sense if you plan on buying your next car at the same dealership where you trade in your old one. Used cars can be very valuable commodities to car dealers, as it’s important to us to keep a diverse stock of both new and used vehicles to keep our customer base happy. Trading in your vehicle here means you’ll also get access to all of our current new and used vehicle specials. We’ll give you the best price on your current vehicle and on your next one.

See Your Offer Online

We have a quick and easy-to-use trade-in tool here on our website so you can get an idea of how much your current vehicle is worth. All it takes is two steps and ten seconds to see how much your car is worth on the market right now. Trading in at our dealership means getting a quick and easy quote, unlike when you sell it yourself, and you have to suffer through countless rounds of negotiations with individual strangers.

Some Damage Might Be Forgiven

We have a service department right here at our dealership. That means that patching up a few minor issues on your old car costs less for us than it does for you. So, if you have a few bumps and scratches, you’ll get a much better deal here as we will accept your vehicle in its current state. When you sell to an individual, they’ll likely ask you to pay to get the damages fixed or want a major discount.

Less Hassle

Our finance team will take care of a lot of the headache of paperwork for you. They’ll handle transferring the title and registering your new car. They will also handle any paperwork surrounding the loan if you still owe money on your current ride. All you usually need to worry about is providing the title, proof of identity, loan information if applicable, and any maintenance records you may have will be appreciated.

Cons of Trading In

We are going to be honest; you might get less if you trade in your car than if you sell it. However, this isn’t a fact. Selling your vehicle privately is a gamble. You may find a buyer who is willing to pay more than you are asking, but you are more likely going to find buyers trying to talk you down in price.

Pros of Selling Your Car

The pros of selling yourself are the direct opposite of the cons of trading in. When you decide to sell your car to an individual, you’re dealing with the open market. You are free to field as many offers as you want, play hardball, drive up the price and engage in several rounds of negotiating. In theory, if you pull it off, you can get more money for your car if you sell it yourself than if you trade it in.

Cons of Selling Your Car

It Might Take Longer

Selling a car yourself can take a long time. You’ll have to list it on multiple platforms, take phone calls about it, answer questions, and so on. You might not get any bites for a while, or at least any good ones. If you’re looking to get this car off your hands as soon as possible, trading it in is undeniably the fastest option. Then there’s the matter of all the paperwork, which you, as an individual, won’t get through as quickly as our finance team can because it’ll require multiple steps.

Costs to Sell

You might take on costs when selling a car yourself, like advertising it on car-selling platforms. These costs can really add up––especially if you pay monthly to have it listed on a website and it’s taking a long time to sell. You will also have to weigh the cost of your time. Even a quick sale on the private market can take days or weeks. Is it worth your time investment to sell privately? If not, trading in with us is quick and easy.

You Might Face Scammers

When you trade your car in with our dealership, you’re dealing with a legitimate and verified institution. Customers write reviews about us online, and we are easily accessible via a phone call or our website. We are a business with professional protocol and a reputation to uphold, and we act like it. Once you try to sell your car by yourself, all of the safety and security of selling to a dealership goes out the window. You might deal with scam artists. You could get conned. You could get fake offers. You’re opening yourself up to quite a bit of risk.

You’ll Pay to Fix It

If anything is wrong with your car and you try to sell it yourself, that’s going to cost you. You will either have to go to a body shop to have it fixed, which won’t be cheap, or the buyer will take it as is but require a big price cut. Either way, you are going to lose out on some money.

Ask Yourself What You Value

If you are up to the challenge of advertising your vehicle, offering test drives, handling negotiations, and dodging scam artists, you might consider selling your car on your own. Should you survive those obstacles, you could get more for it than you would at a dealership. However, if you’re looking for the easiest and fastest way to sell your car, then trading it in just makes sense.

If you plan on purchasing your next car from us, trading in is going to be the better decision. We make the transition between vehicles as seamless as possible when it comes to paperwork so you can get on the road in your new car the same day. Plus, using your trade-in as a down payment, or on top of a down payment, will help you lower the cost of any loan or lease you take out on your new purchase.

Selling a car is no small undertaking. Some people are ready to put in the work of doing it all on their own. However, if you’d like professional guidance and the peace of mind that you aren’t being scammed, trading it in here at our dealership is the way to go.