You take your vehicle to a dealer for a trade-in. After the appraisal, the dealership comes with an offer that is much less than you expected. What gives?! Well, there could be one of five reasons why a dealership is low balling you on your trade-in’s value. Here’s a look at why you are getting less than you’d expect from your trade-in and what you can do about it.
1). The dealership is uninterested in your vehicle
It can be hard to imagine that a dealership is not interested in your vehicle. However, it can happen.
Let’s take this scenario: You have a well-maintained, five year old Honda CR-V that you’d like to trade in. The vehicle is in top shape, has no accident history and excellent maintenance records.
The dealership takes one look at your vehicle and simply tells you that they are not interested in the vehicle. In fact, the salesperson tells you that they would not even bother reselling your vehicle at the dealership and that they would effectively lose money selling your vehicle at an auction.
This could be dispiriting considering that you worked hard to keep your vehicle in top shape.
What you can do about it:
Contact us at Before U Trade. We only do one thing – we buy cars. That means that you are going to get an offer from us and we will complete the deal – and pay you cash – as soon as possible.
They’re tied up
You may assume that the dealership car salesperson that you are dealing with has the final authority on trade-ins. The fact is that that dealership manager is usually the one who gives the final approval on any appraisal offer.
Here’s the problem with the manager having the final say on trade-ins – they are sometimes too busy to deal with your trade-in. You see, dealership managers wear many hats. One minute, a dealership manager is training sales people, the next minute, they are reviewing ads for the next dealership promotion.
Because managers are always busy, they may not have the time to deal with a trade-in appraisal. This is a sad fact of the dealership world. That’s why you have to be prepared to not get an offer if you happen to go to a dealership on a busy day.
What you can do about it:
Try to visit a dealership when they are not very busy. This will increase your chances of getting the dealership manager’s attention.
They can’t see through the grime
When a dealership starts an appraisal of a vehicle, the appraiser or dealership manager will perform a visual “walkaround.” If the vehicle is dirty, then the appraiser or dealership manager may knock hundreds of thousands of dollars off the appraisal price. Yes, this sounds ridiculous. However, as the saying goes, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”
What you can do about it:
Be sure to have your vehicle professionally detailed both inside and out. A top detailing job may cost over $100. However, a pristine appearance can help you get a top dollar offer for your vehicle and can more than pay for itself.
4). Uneducated
Let’s say that you have a vehicle that is popular on the used vehicle market such as a Toyota 4Runner. Well, there are people who get top dollar for 4Runners on the used market. You take your detailed and well-maintained 4Runner to a Mazda dealership for a trade-in only to get an offer thousands of dollars less than you’d expect.
Don’t be too shocked. There are a number of dealership managers and appraisers who don’t know the value of certain used vehicles. Yes, this can drive you crazy. However, if a dealership manager or appraiser spends most of their time with one brand of vehicle, they may not see the value in your vehicle.
What you can do about it:
Contact us at Before U Trade. Our team eats, sleeps and breathes cars. Whether you are looking to sell a car, truck, SUV or special edition vehicle, we have the expertise to give your vehicle a fair appraisal and give you a top offer that may beat what you can get at your local dealerships.
5). The dealership is misinformed
You would think that all dealership salespeople and managers are vehicle experts. That is not always the case. Many people who sell vehicles at dealerships may be professional sales people who were selling insurance the year before. That means that you may not get the best informed people appraising your vehicle at the dealership. This could lead to a low-ball offer that could cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars.
What you can do about it:
Have your vehicle appraised by professionals at Before U Trade. We have appraised thousands of vehicles from just about all brands. We use third party information and market data to help us create a fair value for your vehicle. We will also keep the entire process as simple as possible from start to finish.
Avoid low ball offers and sell your car fast
Get top dollar for your vehicle fast. At Before U Trade, we have a streamlined process that allows your vehicle to get a detailed appraisal from a top team. We can also complete the transaction fast. Contact us today to get started.
REFERENCE:
https://www.realcartips.com/selling/298-dealer-tricks-trade-in.shtml
