Should I Fix My Car Before Trading In?

There are probably some things you are thinking about when ready to trade in your vehicle. Thoughts may include, should I fix my car before trading in? How do I go about trading in a dented car? At Honda of Kenosha, we have the answers for you. 

We can help service your vehicle at our Honda service center. You can schedule a service appointment online with us. Don’t worry Lisle drivers, we can help make trading in your car an easy process. In the meantime, let’s answer some of those questions.

What Not To Fix Before Bringing Your Car to Trade-In?

You may want to fix any and all issues with your vehicle prior to trading it in – but don’t. Here is the answer to “should I fix my car before trading in?” and the three reasons why you should not:

1. Major repairs are costly, which lowers the value of your trade-in
2. Dealerships’ service centers, like our Honda service center, have the proper tools and equipment to fix all types of issues. We can correct the issues at a lower cost than you can out of pocket. Therefore the dealership can make a profit on used vehicles, where you won’t.
3. Some dealerships do not do a detailed inspection. If not, they may not deduct from your trade-in value for repairs.

What To Fix Before Bringing Your Car to Trade-In?

Now that Racine drivers know what not to fix, let’s talk about what to fix before bringing your car to trade-in at a dealership. Of course, you want to make your vehicle look appealing. One way is to clean the interior of your car and fix minor repairs such as:

• Detail the inside of your car. Dispose of garbage, personal items, and have the vehicle look presentable.
•  Wash the exterior of the car. Whether you wash the car yourself or have it done professionally make sure to rid of marks and stains.
• Fix scratches or dents. You can DIY the scratches and use a plunger or other easy hacks to rid of dents before trading in a dented car.
• Put some wax on your car to shine it up after washing your vehicle.
• Make sure that your headlamps work and replace the bulb(s) if necessary
• Check all fluids in your vehicle before trading it into a dealership. Be sure to check the brake oil, transmission oil, oil, radiator, windshield fluid, and any other basic maintenance upkeep.

You can do very little to make a good first impression that will increase the value of your trade-in, None of the tips we provided cost much money or time. All you need is a little effort to go a long way. 

What Else Can I Do Before Trading In My Car?

There are plenty of free steps you can take to make your trade-in value go up, they are:

• Gather your maintenance records and have them ready in an orderly fashion
• Have all essential original equipment in the vehicle or ready to hand over. Such items include keys, key fobs, owner’s manual, winter or seasonal tires, etc.

Trade-In Your Car at Honda of Kenosha Today! 

We encourage Kenosha drivers to value your trade with our trade-in value tool. You will receive an estimate of how much your used vehicle is worth based on KBB, year, model, and market research. 

Please note that the number you receive is not the final value. Our technicians will have a diagnostic look at your vehicle to see if any repairs are necessary. The estimate, as well as the in-person inspection, is what will provide your car’s overall value. 

If you are trading in your used car for a new one, check out our new vehicle inventory!