How to Trade In a Car: The Basics

Trading in a vehicle when you’re planning to upgrade your Hammond drives is an excellent idea – not only do you avoid the hassles of a private sale, but the value of your trade-in can go straight toward your new vehicle. At Ralph Sellers Chevrolet we strive to make every interaction, including trading in, friendly, efficient, and transparent. We’re just a short trip from Denham Springs, and we’re ready and waiting to answer your questions about how to trade in your car! Keep reading to discover our tips on getting the most value from your trade-in!

How to Trade In Your Car: A Little Legwork

First thing’s first, you’re going to want to get a general estimate of your vehicle’s value from a trusted source. Sources like Kelley Blue Book and Car & Driver have been providing reliable car pricing information for years, the latter of which has been publishing since 1955. We trust Car & Driver to provide you with a reliable estimate of your vehicle’s value, so we’ve made it easy for you to access their database via our website’s Trade In Value tool.

Having this estimated number handy is important because it gives you a more realistic idea of what you may expect from a dealership’s trade-in offer, and it also gives you room to negotiate if you feel the offer made is not high enough.

How to Trade in a Car: Prepare

Looking for the best appraisal value at the dealership? Follow these quick pointers:

• Wash and vacuum your vehicle – this will save the dealership on detailing costs, and makes a better first impression as well.
• Gather any paperwork on the vehicle’s repair and maintenance history, this will help assure the dealership your vehicle has been taken care of.
• Make small repairs where possible. Things such as lights being out can negatively affect your trade in value, believe it or not. 

How to Trade in Your Car: Get the Appraisal

Once you have an online estimate and your vehicle is ready for showing, it’s time to head to our showroom in Baton Rouge to get your trade-in appraised! Upon arrival, we’ll ensure that you’re kept comfortable and in-the-loop before and after your vehicle’s inspection and appraisal. We’ll look through the vehicle, inside and out, and will also take into consideration our current inventory, in regard to whether or not the vehicle will likely sell. After the inspection, we’ll come back to you with a trade-in offer for you to make a decision on!

How to Trade in a Car: Accept or Negotiate Offer

Once you’ve received our offer, you’re welcome to accept, negotiate, or decline. We work to ensure that every trade-in offers you the best value for your vehicle’s worth, and we’re confident that you’ll enjoy the offer we have to give.

Save Time & Money at Ralph Sellers Chevrolet

Not only do we make the trade-in process simple and user-friendly, we also make it easy to save time from the comfort of your home! You can pre-apply for financing through our online tool, saving you paperwork in the store! (Don’t worry, pre-qualification will not impact your credit score!)