How Do Dealerships Value My Trade?

“How do dealerships value my trade?” It’s a question that drivers near New Alexandria, Monroeville, and Irwin, PA, are asking our team when it’s time to swap their vehicle for a new ride.

To find out, keep reading the guide prepared by C. Harper Chevrolet East. We’ll help you learn what we look for when you bring your car into our dealership.

DOES THE APPRAISER CHECK CURRENT MARKET VALUE?

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The appraiser may check your car’s current market value. We can compare our estimate with your vehicle’s evolving market value. This part of the process lets our team learn what your vehicle’s value is. It also helps you receive a fair and accurate estimate.

How can you check what your car’s current value is? Use our Value My Trade tool. We’ll just need to know information like:

• Title history
• Odometer reading
• Contact information

Once we learn about your vehicle, we’ll be able to provide a secure estimate. You can then use this information to begin planning for your next vehicle.

We may do more than check your car’s market value. Our team can inspect the car, truck, van, or SUV to generate an accurate estimate. This also helps our team know about any service issues we may need to address while we prepare the vehicle for the next owner.

WHAT DOES THE CAR APPRAISER LOOK FOR?

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A vehicle appraiser can look for a few items that factor into your car’s value. They may include factors like:

• Ownership history
• Exterior damage
• Interior look
• Service records

If your vehicle is a single-owner car, that may increase its overall worth. Because this increases the likelihood of a strong service history, this may result in a strong performance.

The look of your car is important, too. While no vehicle is expected to be scratch-free, an excessive amount of scratches can reduce its value. Stains, upholstery tears, and cracks in its windshield can also lower its net worth. What are a few ways to increase your car’s value?

HOW TO IMPROVE TRADE-IN VALUE

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There are a few easy steps you can take to improve the trade-in value of your vehicle. This makes it easier for you to bolster your next down payment before you even leave your driveway. Some of these steps are:

What You Can Do	How It Can Help You
Clean your interior	Prepares vehicle for next driver
Buy an at-home scratch repair kit	Creates better-looking vehicle
Find service receipts	Shows that car was regularly serviced
Produce accessory receipts	Reveals why vehicle is unique

Dig through your filing cabinet. You can find service and accessory receipts that showcase your vehicle’s unique value. We’ll learn about what you’ve done to take care of your car before you trade it in.

Drivers can also wipe all personal information from their vehicle’s infotainment system. This can help you find peace of mind after you drop the vehicle off at our dealership, as well as make things simpler for the next driver.