Tips For What To Do Before Trading In A Car

Trading in a car is one of the most common ways that people in the Nashville area finance a new car. By using the value that your vehicle currently has, you can apply it as financing to the newer vehicle you want, making it less expensive.

But many people aren’t sure what to do before trading in a car? Or in order to get maximum value, some Clarksville car shoppers wonder, “should I fix my car before trading it in?”

You can learn everything you need to know about your car value trade-in with the help of our specialists at Music City Autoplex. Contact us today for more information and apply for finance with our finance center to start the trade-in process today. Also, see how much your current vehicle is worth with our trade-in value calculator tool! 

What To Fix and What Not Fix On Your Car

A question that we often get from Hendersonville drivers is, “should I fix my car before trading it in?” 

While this may seem like the first thing you should do, there are definitely some areas you should fix and others you shouldn’t. Check out some helpful tips if you’re unsure of what to do before trading in a car below:

What You Shouldn’t Fix

• Major repairs will be expensive, which will lower how much you will actually get from the trade-in.
• Dealerships have the expertise and tools to easily fix major issues at a way lower cost than you will spend out of pocket. This is how dealerships are able to make a profit from buying and reselling used cars!
• Depending on the dealership you go to, they might not do a detailed inspection of your car before finalizing the trade-in, so they might not deduct the cost of these repairs from your trade-in price. 

What You Should Fix

• Clean out the inside- dispose of any garbage, take out personal items, and clean the windows & carpets 
• Wash the car- whether you decide to do it yourself or go to a professional, you should wash the car to get rid of any marks and stains 
• Fix any scratches- if they’re minor, you can try to fix car paint scratches at home. 
• Wax your car- after washing your car, you can wax it to give a shiny finish 
• Check headlamps- make sure they’re working properly and replace them if needed
• Check the fluids (brake & transmission), oil, radiator, and windshield-washer- make sure they’re up to date, so the dealer will know you’ve been keeping up with basic maintenance 

Additional Things To Do Before Trading Your Car

Apart from fixing up your vehicle, here are some other things you should have in mind to further increase your car value trade-in for free:

• Complete or at least recent maintenance records neatly put together
• Have everything that came with the car when you show up to the dealership, including the mats, keys, and winter tires

Trade-In Your Vehicle at Music City Autoplex 

Now that you’ve gotten some tips that have proven successful for our customers, trade-in your vehicle at Music City Autoplex! Here, you can get a fair price and upgrade to a new vehicle today! Contact us for more information!