Should I Fix My Car Before Trading In?

Are you ready to sell your car or trade it in for a brand new Land Rover SUV? The team at Land Rover Paramus can walk you through how to trade in your car and help you get the best trade-in value possible. But if you’re like many other Ridgewood-area car owners looking to upgrade their ride, you may be asking, “Should I fix my car before trading in?” You should certainly clean the vehicle and make small repairs as needed, however any major work should be left to the dealership. Learn more about how to get your car ready for a trade-in, then bring your vehicle down to our dealership in Paramus for an appraisal today!

Fix My Car Before a Trade? Here’s What Not To Fix

To help ensure that you get the trade-in value you want, you should do all that you can to make your car look presentable. Should I fix my car before trading in? It is a good idea to make minor repairs, but major repairs can be expensive and can cut into the trade-in value amount you receive. Dealerships in the Jersey City-area are looking to make a profit from buying and reselling used cars, and they can have major repair work done for less than you would have to pay out of pocket. 

Fix My Car Before a Trade? Here’s What to Fix 

If I am looking to fix my car before a trade, what kind of repairs should I make in order to get the best trade-in value? Here’s a quick rundown of some of the things you can do to The prepare your vehicle for a trade-in:

• Wash the car, fix any minor scratches, then wax the car 
• Remove personal items, dispose of any garbage, and vacuum the carpets and upholstery
• Test the headlamps, taillights, and inside bulbs to make sure they’re working properly and replace them as needed
• Check the oil, brake, and transmission fluid levels, and make sure that the radiator, and windshield-washer fluid reservoirs are full 

You want to show the dealership that the vehicle has been taken good care of, but you should keep in mind that you shouldn’t try to do more than you are capable of handling. If the repairs are done improperly, it could reduce the trade-in value. 

What Else Can I Do Before Trading In My Car?

In addition to cleaning the vehicle and making small repairs, you should also: 

• Collect all maintenance and service records
• Gather up the spare keys, owner’s manual, and anything else that originally came with the car
• List the standard features that the vehicle is equipped with, as well as any accessories that were added to the vehicle

Trade-In Your Car Today at Land Rover Paramus

If you have your vehicle ready to trade-in, use our car trade-in calculator to get an estimate on how much your car is worth, then visit us in Paramus to complete your trade today! You’ll find that we make the trade-in process simple, transparent, and hassle-free. Even if you just want to sell your car outright, you’ll get a great deal at Land Rover Paramus. If you have questions or would like to schedule a trade-in, please contact us online or at (551) 205-8482.