Should I Fix My Car Before Trading In?

You’re in the market for some new scenery to go inside your San Antonio garage. Maybe your current ride doesn’t have the high-tech features you want. If you have a growing family, you might need more room. Perhaps you just want an upgrade for your Comfort drives.

Whatever your reason, are you asking, “Should I fix my car before trading in?” The short answer is yes, you should perform some minor fixes before trading it into our dealership at Ancira Buick GMC. Find out more with our guide from the experts in Boerne. We’ll thoroughly answer your question, “Should I fix my car before trading in?”

Fix My Car Before the Trade: What Not to Fix

We advise against fixing anything major ahead of getting your trade-in value and offer from a dealership. Here’s why you should “fix my car before the trade”: 

• Major repairs will be expensive. That actually lowers how much you’ll get from the trade-in. For example, you spend $1,000 to replace the radiator. But, that new part only raises the trade-in value by $200.
• Dealerships have expert service technicians and tools to easily fix major issues. It will cost a dealership less money to do the repair than you would pay for it. That’s one way dealerships make money on trade-ins: They turn gently used cars into like-new vehicles.
• Some dealerships near Kerrville (not ours) might not perform a detailed inspection of your car before finalizing the trade-in value. As such, they may not deduct the cost of these repairs from the trade-in value you get from your vehicle.

Consider what repairs you can or can’t do. If the repair isn’t done properly, it could affect the final trade-in value and cost you more in the long run.

Fix My Car Before the Trade: What to Fix 

What should you fix in your vehicle before assessing the trade-in value? Repair minor things to make the car, truck, or SUV more presentable to the dealership. If a service center takes a look, factory-trained technicians might spot things that you could overlook during an inspection.

Spruce up these things to improve the trade-in value:

• Clean out the inside thoroughly. Dispose of any garbage, take out personal items, and clean the windows and carpets. A shiny car is a higher-value car!
• Wash the car. Either DIY or professional, wash the car to get rid of any marks and stains inside and out. Washing it will make your vehicle sparkle!
• Fix any minor scratches and car paint scratches at home with a DIY kit.
• Wax your car after washing it. It will have a shiny appearance and be more appealing to the dealership. 
• Check all of the lights. Make sure they’re working properly and replace any bulbs that are burned out. Look at the headlights, taillights, caution lights, and turn signals.
• Check all of the fluids. This includes the brake fluid, transmission fluid, oil, coolant/anti-freeze, and wiper fluid. Consider getting an oil change, too.
• Replace the mats. Your floor will look cleaner!

The idea here is to show the dealership you’ve been taking care of your car regularly. 

What Else Should I Fix on My Car Before Trading In?

Fixing your car may seem counter-productive. You’ll need to spend some money to try to increase the trade-in value of a vehicle you won’t drive anymore. But, complete a few things that don’t cost any money to make your trade-in value higher.

• Compile all the maintenance records of your vehicle.
• Have everything that comes with the car when you bring it to the dealership in Boerne. Think mats, keys, and winter tires.

Trade in Your Car at Ancira Buick GMC Today! 

We’ve answered, “Should I fix my car before trading in?” Do you have other questions? Contact us or call (830) 266-5210. Ready to see a new ride? We think there’s a new vehicle with your name on it! You could even save some cash with our new vehicle specials.