What To Do Before Trading in Your Car

If you want to trade your car in around McComb, you might be asking, “Should I fix my car before trading in?” There isn’t a right or wrong answer to this question because it’s really dependent on what your situation is. Our finance and service people here at Mike Whatley Honda can answer this question for you, and our general answer is: fix things like scratches and paint touch ups, but don’t fix major issues that will cost more than your trade in value. Let Mike Whatley Honda tell you all about what to do before trading in your car.

What Not To Fix

If you’ve got major repairs coming up on your Hammond car, we have to advise against fixing them for these reasons. When considering how to prepare your car for trade-in, take a look at these three points:

• Major repairs will be expensive, and that will lower how much you’ll get from the trade-in.
• Dealerships have the expertise and tools to fix big issues at a far lower cost than you doing it yourself out of pocket. This is how dealerships manage to make profit from buying and reselling used cars.
• Depending on which dealership you go to, they might not do a detailed inspection, meaning they might not deduct the cost of the repairs from your trade in price.

What To Fix

Now that you know what not to fix in your Prentiss car, we should tell you about what you can fix. While you can fix minor things to make your car more presentable (and therefore increase the trade-in value), dealerships will deduct the value they will spend for reconditioning if there are issues that aren’t apparent. Check out these things you can do to improve your car’s appearance and some tips on how to prepare your car for trade-in:

• Fully clean the inside–we would suggest a full detail
• Get the car fully washed
• Fix any scratches (many scratches can be fixed DIY)
• Wax your car after you wash it
• Check the headlamps and make sure they’re working properly
• Check the fluids, oil, radiator, and windshields and make sure they’re all up to date

Mike Whatley Honda: Your Service and Finance Experts

Now that you know what to do before trading in your car and how to prepare your car for trade-in, come on over to Mike Whatley Honda and check out our new car selection for yourself! Here at Mike Whatley Honda, we’ve got a great selection and plenty of sales staff who can help you out. Contact us today to learn more! While you’re here, be sure to read our guide on determining good mileage for a used car!