ALT-10 How to get the most out of your Car Trade
Car trade in is all about appearances. Haven't we all heard that before about our own personal appearance? It applies to your vehicle too. If your is car filled with empty Starbucks cups, newspapers, and donut boxes, it's sure to raise an eyebrow. If your car is covered with road dirt and hasn't been washed in a year, it will look neglected. Getting the most money for your trade is in your primary goal.
There are two steps to this process: figuring out your trade-in value and cleaning up your car. Assessing trade-in is very easy with the Internet. Nada Guide, a company that provides used-vehicle pricing information, is available on the Internet. In the interest of limiting this article's scope, I am making the assumption that your vehicle is mechanically sound.
I owned an automotive repair shop for many years. I also spent many years in the company of mechanics and car enthusiasts, including those that show cars for pleasure and profit. I learned how to clean a car from the very best car fanatics. Let's first take a look at dressing up that vehicle from the outside in. Then we'll address estimating your trade-in value using Nada Guides.
Washing the Outside of the CarTools: Bucket, non-abrasive sponge, car detergent, clean towels.
Wet down the whole vehicle. Blast the areas inside the wheel wells of the car to remove built-up grime and road dirt. Mix a generous amount of car soap in your bucket with water and start scrubbing. Pay particular attention to the crack and grooves of your vehicle. Work the car in sections, rinsing frequently so the soap doesn't cause spotting. Complete your thorough washing with the wheels and tires. Excessive grime sticks to the wheels so performing this chore last will prevent your sponge from scratching your car's paint. Rinse your sponge and add clean water in the bucket.
Dry the whole car with your clean towels. Do this quickly to prevent streaking and spotting. Hop in your car and take it around the block for a spin. This quick ride with work loose any water caught in the seams and door ends of your car. Re-dry any areas with water droplets. Pop open the hood. Dealers are sure to check under the hood of your car. Use a wrung-out sponge to wipe accumulated grime from the inside of the hood of the car. Wipe the visible inside panels of the engine compartment (same color as the body paint). Give it a good second swipe with your now damp towels. Open all the doors for a good wipe down of the door ends. This includes the actual door and the painted surfaces inside the edge of the vehicle.
Cleaning the Inside of the CarTools: Trash bag, car interior cleaning wipes, vacuum, carpet spot remover, rags.
Clean out every bit of trash in the vehicle. Check under seats, in seat pockets, trunks, cup holders, etc. Everything should be removed from the car except the owner's manual and insurance information in the glove box. Remember, your plan is to trade your vehicle. Don't leave anything in the car.
Vacuum thoroughly under the seats, in the small cracks, and between the seats. If your seats fold or slide forward, vacuum there too. Quite frankly, the appearance of your vehicle can make the difference in hundreds of dollars at trade in. Use household spot removers to clean marks from the carpets and mats.
Wipe down the entire interior of the car. Seats, dashboard, consoles, door panels. All need a thorough cleaning. Scrub stubborn spots. If your interior is fabric, try to use carpet spot remover to remove the spots. And if necessary, vacuum the seats themselves to remove crumbs and dirt. Just imagine your grandmother entering the vehicle in the pristine white dress. Clean the inside of the vehicle to this level!
WindowsTools: Glass cleaner and paper towels.
Give the windows a thorough cleaning, paying particular attention to the windshield. Grime accumulates over time in the corners. When cleaning side windows, make sure you lower the windows about 6 inches. Clean the very top of the window that slips under the window seal too. Don't forget the rear view mirror and side mirrors.
Nada Guides
NadaGuides.com will provide you with a ballpark figure for your trade. It's absolutely necessary that you educate yourself on the true value of your vehicle before visiting the dealer. This can make all the difference in receiving a fair trade-in price. I guarantee it will frustrate you to no end if you don't do your research. There's no reason to lose money out of your pocket.
Nada has three used-car pricing levels: low retail, clean retail and high retail. Retail price is the cost to buy the car off the dealer lot. Low retail reflects excessive dents and visible wear and tear on the car with body or mechanical work required. Clean retail represents wear on the vehicle commensurate with the car's mileage. Glass and tires are in good condition and all power options should be working properly. High retail represents a flawless vehicle with high gloss paint, minimal wear on carpet and upholstery and a quick engine start. Mileage on a high retail vehicle should be low. See! Cleaning your car inside and out wasn't in vain.
I ran a quick sample on Nada Guides of my own vehicle to show price difference. Low retail for a 1997 Honda CRV is $5775, clean retail price is $6975, and high retail is $7825. That's quite a chunk of change between the three retail levels. Now, these prices are not fixed in stone. There is plenty of room to haggle with a dealer until you both settle on a price for your trade in. Make a printout of what you find at Nada Guides and take it with you to the dealer. They will respect you and work with you knowing that you're an educated consumer.
Sources: Nadaguides.com
