What Factors Can Determine Trade-in Value?

There are a handful of big-time factors that will aid in determining the trade-in value of your vehicle. They are:

• Year. Generally, the younger the vehicle, the higher its value. Newer cars usually are more popular with buyers.
• Make/model. Different makes and models will be in demand at different times, so this is a big factor when determining trade-in value.
• Condition. The better condition your vehicle is in, the better off you are when it comes to trading it in.
• Mileage. The amount of mileage on your car will increase or decrease its value.
• Desirability. This changes a lot, so keep an eye on how in demand your car is. If it’s desirable, its trade-in value can increase exponentially.

Get Your Car Detailed

Before you part with your vehicle, getting it detailed is a great idea. What is detailing? Great question!

Detailing is a thorough cleaning of your car’s interior and/or exterior. Multiple tools are used to clean stains, buff out scuffs and scratches, and clean up crumbs, debris, and anything else that may be on the floor of your vehicle, in between seats, and other areas that vacuums you use at a car wash can’t reach.

Detailing also gives your car a shine you probably haven’t seen since you first bought it. The newer and cleaner your vehicle looks, the more its value increases.

Keep Up With Maintenance

Another big way to boost your car’s trade-in value is to keep up with its maintenance. Whether it’s routine maintenance,  like an oil change, brake checks/replacements, battery checks, or tire rotations, or something else like an inspection, the less work the buyer has to put into the car, the more value your vehicle has.

If your vehicle needs more extensive repairs, it’s important to get them done, too, since failure to do so will greatly decrease its value. This also applies to any body work. If there are any dents on the vehicle’s body or cracks in the windshield, getting those issues fixed will give you an advantage when trading in your vehicle.