Why You Should Trade in Your Current Vehicle

When you’re ready to sit behind the wheel of a new car, you might find yourself wondering what to do with your current one. Since you likely don’t need or want an extra vehicle, you’ll have one that needs to be taken off your hands. This predicament means you have several options. You can try and sell your car yourself, as a private seller, using some local website where you post an ad and directly deal with your potential customers. Or, you trade it into a trusted dealership like DePaula Auto Group, where you can simultaneously plan on purchasing your next ride.

If you’re new to the process of trading in a vehicle, it’s normal to have a lot of questions about the process. What happens? How is it beneficial? What is the process like? How do they value my trade? What kind of cars can be qualified for trade-in? The process may vary a bit from dealership to dealership, but there are a lot of commonalities when it comes to trading in your vehicle. Here, we’ll look at how DePaula Auto Group handles the process. We make it easy to save money on your next car and save you time by streamlining the process. First, our website features a two-step process to get the ball rolling. It takes only 10 seconds and removes the guesswork. You’ll find it so easy, you might never get rid of a car without trading it in ever again.

Why Other Consumers Choose to Trade-In

People who have traded in their vehicles enjoy the process because of how easy it is. Once you decide to trade-in your vehicle to DePaula Auto Group, all you have to do is show up to our Albany location, sign some paperwork, and use your trade-in value towards the down payment on your next vehicle. When you use the trade-in earnings towards your next vehicle, you’ll end up with less to pay for with auto financing, saving you even more money in the long run. We have an extensive inventory of new and used vehicles from top-tier brands like Chevrolet, Mazda, and Ford.

Consumers who’ve traded in a vehicle appreciate that they don’t have to haggle to get it done. As a private seller, you’ll likely encounter buyers who want to go back and forth to get the best possible deal for them, leaving you with less in your pocket or no deal at all. You may also have to spend money on posting ads, especially to websites that do any sort of filtering of potential buyers. DePaula Auto Group eliminates the need for you to get lost in the weeds dealing with private selling.

DePaula Auto Group wants to do business with you. That’s why we pay top dollar, reaching a price you’re happy with on your trade-in. This helps us get your deal done fast, so you can move on to your next great vehicle. It’s beneficial for us to ensure our customers are happy with every portion of the trade-in process.

How to Prep Your Car

If you’re considering trading in your vehicle, there are a few simple steps to take in preparation. Taking these steps will help you have a smooth, surprise-free experience and save you time when you arrive at our dealership. Start by finding your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). You’ll be asked for the VIN when it comes time for paperwork. Plus, it’s helpful to have your VIN on hand in advance if you’d like to gather your own data and run a CARFAX report. The VIN of your car is used to collect information like any history of accidents, major repairs, and specifications.

Next, you’ll want to put together all of your relevant paperwork. Locate any vital documents, such as your title and loan documents, if you have financing. If you have an existing loan, DePaula Auto Group will require your lender’s information and the payoff amount. You’ll want to bring along your proof of insurance in preparation for test driving and purchasing a new vehicle.

Finally, get your vehicle ready by emptying all your personal belongings from the trunk, glove compartment, center console, and wherever else you’ve got things you’d like to keep. It’s encouraged to get your vehicle cleaned so that it presents in its best light and helps you get top dollar. Depending on the age and condition, you may benefit from having your car inspected and taking care of certain repairs that will raise your vehicle’s value. It’s not uncommon for dealerships to start deducting costs from your trade-in value if there are things that require repair before resale. While DePaula Auto Group will do our best to reach your top number, having a vehicle free of damage will go a long way.

Negotiating

When you’re heading to us, there are a few things to keep in mind when negotiating the trade-in. You can keep the new purchase and trade-in negotiations separate. We aren’t here to pressure you in either department. We want you to get the best value on your trade-in, whether or not you decide to use it towards a new vehicle with us.

Start with reaching an agreed-upon price for your next purchase, followed up with having your trade-in vehicle assessed for value. Dealerships tend to make good money on reselling these trades, so there is an incentive for your salesperson to show up with a competitive offer for you. Pay close attention to the details presented in the sales contract before signing. If any issues show up in the terms or conditions, don’t be afraid to ask questions.

How We Value Your Trade

It’s important to understand how dealerships determine the value of a vehicle so that you can feel confident you’re receiving a fair and competitive price for it. DePaula Auto Group strives to get you top dollar. This wholesale figure represents the value of your vehicle but gives the dealership room to do a markup so they can profit on resale. Your wholesale value will be determined using key information like your car’s make, model, mileage, condition, title, and accident history. Thankfully, there are plenty of tools that are available online and free to use, like Kelley Blue Book and CARFAX. DePaula Auto Group uses TradePending to determine your vehicle’s value, so there’s no mystery on how we get the price. With this info on hand, you can plug your VIN ahead of your appointment and get honest estimates that you can use to help set your budget for your next purchase.

Like other dealerships, we also consider the popularity of your current vehicle since it will affect how likely they are to make money on a resale—all the more reason to arm yourself with comparisons from websites that calculate estimates in advance. When a tool like TradePending is used, it calculates the value based on millions of data points that reflect current conditions in the automotive market, giving you an opportunity to go into a trade-in value as up-to-date as possible.

Make Buying Your Next Car Easier By Trading-In

Once you’ve educated yourself on the trade-in process, you can head into DePaula Auto Group with confidence. Trading in your vehicle with us is incredibly beneficial. You save yourself time, hassle, and money by using the value of your trade toward the new car of your dreams. Help yourself get the best price by doing some research and preparing your vehicle to present it in the best possible light. We will handle all the paperwork, saving you time and letting you skip the stress of privately selling your car. Overall, trading in your vehicle can be a simple and easy process. Contact us today to get started.