Andy Mohr Automotive

How to Boost Your Car’s Trade-In Value

Boost Your Car’s Trade-In Value


If you’ve decided it’s time to buy your next car here in the Indianapolis, Plainfield, and Bloomington, IN, areas, then you’re probably also wondering what to do with your current one.

Even if your car has many years and miles on it, you can still earn some money from it by trading it in. If you follow these tips from the Andy Mohr Automotive team about boosting your car’s value, you can maximize that trade-in.


VALUE YOUR TRADE NOW!


How Your Trade-In Value Is Determined at Andy Mohr

Trade-In Value Is Determined

If you decide to trade your vehicle at our dealership, it can help to know what we look for when determining your vehicle’s value. Some of the main considerations we have are:

  • Make & Model: If your vehicle has a long life span or high re-sale price, like Chevrolet, Honda, or Toyota, this will improve your trade-in appraisal.
  • Age: If your vehicle is only a few years old, you will most likely see a better trade value as long as your vehicle is in great condition.
  • Miles: Typically, the lower the mileage on your used car, the more money you will receive for it. Your vehicle should be in great condition as well.
  • Condition: Make sure to evaluate your vehicle before bringing it to the dealership. If it has dents and dings, interior stains, worn tires, and more, this could all affect its appraisal negatively.

Features, like our Value Your Trade tool, can be incredibly useful since we often will also consult the estimated value of your vehicle when making this decision. You could also turn to Kelly Blue Book or similar sites to learn more about your vehicle’s value.

Do Your Research

Using these value estimation tools ahead of time can be useful for you as you start trying to boost your car’s value. For one thing, it’ll be easier to know what you need to do when you know where your vehicle’s value currently stands.

Kelly Blue Book, Edmunds, and similar sites will also typically give you a range for your vehicle’s value, showing the most it might be worth as well as the least. With that in mind, you can have an idea of where to aim for the ideal value.

You should also look over your financial situation, specifically to see what, if anything, you have left to pay on your loan. If you’re still paying for your vehicle, you can still trade it, but it’s something to keep in mind and talk to the dealer about. Since many dealerships are looking to purchase newer used vehicles, they’ll typically be able to work with your needs.


Get Caught up on Routine Maintenance 

Routine Maintenance

When you want to increase the value of your car prior to trade-in, step one needs to be getting up to date on routine maintenance and repairs. If your car is due for an oil change or tire rotation, this needs to be done before taking it to the dealership.

Consider if there are any strange dashboard lights that have been on and get those checked out as well. If you take it in to be valued with dashboard warning lights, it’s easy to assume there is an issue with your vehicle that will impact its value.

Remember, any work needed for your car is work that the dealership will have to perform themselves after trade-in. The labor costs can ultimately knock quite a bit of money off their estimation.

As long as the car has been maintained, getting caught up before a trade-in shouldn’t be a challenge.


Take Care of the Exterior

Exterior

The next step you’ll want to take is caring for your car’s exterior. First and foremost, a good wash and a wax can go a long way. The brighter and shinier your car is, the higher that trade-in estimate could be.

Of course, in addition to doing this, you should consider fixing up other superficial flaws. These include dents, scratches, and chipped paint.

As long as these flaws aren’t too big, they shouldn’t take too much time or money to fix. When they’re out of the way, you can add a great amount of value to your car.


Thoroughly Clean the Interior 

Last but not least, you’ll want to thoroughly clean the interior of your car before trading it in.

Use your senses to determine which areas need the most work. For example, if there’s an odd smell permeating your vehicle, perhaps from cigarette smoke, you’ll need to deeply clean the seating to lift the odor.

Note that if there is a cigarette smell in the car, it’ll take more than one cleaning to get out. With persistence and a deep scrub, you should be able to eliminate the majority of it.

While you’re at it, be sure to vacuum the interior, wipe down your doors and dashboard, and wash the seating of any stains to the best of your ability. If you notice any tears or holes in the upholstery, do what you can to patch them, too.

With some detailing to repair these cosmetic issues out of the way, the value of your used car should go up.


When Visiting the Dealership

Visiting the Dealership

Now that you’re all ready, it’s time to visit the dealership. From here, you can mostly let all your prep work do the talking for you. However, it’s important to bring certain documentation with you. Of course, you’ll need the title of your model, but additional records can go a long way in proving the value of your model.

It’s especially wise to bring service and maintenance records or receipts. With these, you can show you were on top of the routine maintenance needs for your vehicle and that you had any issues repaired. All of which will help to prove the condition of your vehicle!


Contact Our Dealership Today

If you’re looking for a place to trade in your car around Indianapolis, Plainfield, and Bloomington, Indiana, our dealership is happy to take it off your hands. We’ll make sure you get the fairest value possible.

Contact Andy Mohr Automotive today to learn more about vehicle trade-ins!


 
 

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Andy Mohr Automotive

2684 E. Main Street
Plainfield, IN 46168
Driving Directions
Call Today 888-263-9664
Monday 8:00AM - 8:00PM
Tuesday 8:00AM - 8:00PM
Wednesday 8:00AM - 8:00PM
Thursday 8:00AM - 8:00PM
Friday 8:00AM - 6:00PM
Saturday 8:00AM - 6:00PM
Sunday Closed
Monday 7:00AM - 7:00PM
Tuesday 7:00AM - 7:00PM
Wednesday 7:00AM - 7:00PM
Thursday 7:00AM - 7:00PM
Friday 7:00AM - 6:00PM
Saturday 7:00AM - 4:00PM
Sunday Closed
Monday 7:30AM - 6:00PM
Tuesday 7:30AM - 6:00PM
Wednesday 7:30AM - 6:00PM
Thursday 7:30AM - 6:00PM
Friday 7:30AM - 6:00PM
Saturday 7:30AM - 4:00PM
Sunday Closed

Andy Mohr Automotive

2684 E. Main Street
Plainfield, IN 46168
Driving Directions
Call Today 888-263-9664
 
Monday 8:00AM - 8:00PM
Tuesday 8:00AM - 8:00PM
Wednesday 8:00AM - 8:00PM
Thursday 8:00AM - 8:00PM
Friday 8:00AM - 6:00PM
Saturday 8:00AM - 6:00PM
Sunday Closed
Monday 7:00AM - 7:00PM
Tuesday 7:00AM - 7:00PM
Wednesday 7:00AM - 7:00PM
Thursday 7:00AM - 7:00PM
Friday 7:00AM - 6:00PM
Saturday 7:00AM - 4:00PM
Sunday Closed
Monday 7:30AM - 6:00PM
Tuesday 7:30AM - 6:00PM
Wednesday 7:30AM - 6:00PM
Thursday 7:30AM - 6:00PM
Friday 7:30AM - 6:00PM
Saturday 7:30AM - 4:00PM
Sunday Closed