Should you trade in your car or sell it privately?
In general, selling in particular carries a financial advantage, while trading or selling to a trader is a faster and simpler process. Find out which route works best for you and learn how to get the most money for your used car no matter how you sell it.
Why sell privately?
In some cases, selling privately can also mean getting more money for. Typically, dealers send older trades and big mileage to a wholesale auction which means extra costs for them – and a lower bid for you. In the meantime, the lack of inventory left shoppers with few reasonable options: Among Cars.com dealers, the average price for a 10-year-old used car (model year 2012) was $16331 as of July 2022. Two years ago, the median was Price A 10-year-old car (2010 model) was only $8,995. If your older car is in good condition, it will likely attract the interest of budget shoppers.
Why trade or sell to a dealer?
If the financial advantage of selling in particular doesn’t justify the hassle in your book, trading or is a less demanding alternative, but it still requires some prep work. As with a private sale, you will need to do your research, gather all the necessary documents, and prepare them for evaluation.
Not only does the auto trade save you time and hassle, but it can also come to help offset the financial damage in some cases. If you buy another car at the same time, your used car’s trade-in value can be applied to its purchase price, lowering your total tax amount. For example, if you apply a swap amount of $10,000 to a negotiated price of a new car of $30,000, the difference of $20,000 will be taxed instead of the full amount. (Note that this feature is only available in states that offer a swap tax exemption and tax auto sales.)
How to get the most money for your car
Whether you decide to go to the dealership or sell privately, taking the time to prepare can help you get more. As inventory continues to run short, and used car values keep rising, you may be surprised at the value of your car. Estimate the market value using tools like the Cars.com page and get ratings from multiple dealers or retailers like. Before the evaluation, prepare the car by cleaning it inside and out, completing minor repairs and collecting all accessories such as extra key chains.
