If you’re considering buying a new vehicle for your Bay City travels, there’s no better way to start than to trade in your current vehicle. When you complete a trade-in, the value of your current car will be applied to your new model, reducing the overall amount you owe on your loan or lease. But, before bringing your vehicle to Serra Saginaw Automotive to get appraised, you’ll need to know: What documents do you need to trade in a car?
In this guide, the finance team at Serra Saginaw Automotive will go over all the documents you need to complete your trade-in, as well as answer common questions such as:
Learn everything you need about trade-in documentation with Serra Saginaw Automotive below.
The types of documents required to complete a trade-in will vary depending on the state and the dealership. That said, if you plan on trading in your car near Midland, you generally only need the car title and registration. To get the most for your vehicle, however, you may consider bringing in your vehicle’s maintenance records to show you’ve kept up with routine services throughout your ownership.
Yes, you do need a title to trade in your car. A car’s title proves ownership and, without it, the dealership cannot verify that the vehicle is yours to sell. If your title has a secured party listed, you’ll also need to bring the payoff letter or get a payoff amount from the lender and their contact information.
No, you cannot trade in a car without a title. If you’ve lost your title, visit the DMV and fill out an application to receive a new title. The new title will need to be in your hands in order to complete the trade-in.
Those who plan on transferring their license plates to their new vehicle will need their registration to trade in their car. However, it is possible to trade in a vehicle without registration, but you may receive less money for your trade-in as a result.
Yes, you can trade in a car with expired registration. That said, driving around Freeland without up-to-date registration is illegal, so you’ll either need to find a legal way to transport your car to the dealership or renew the registration.
When you’re ready to initiate your trade-in, reach out to Serra Saginaw Automotive. Our team in Saginaw will walk you through the entire trade-in process so you can get the most value out of your current model. In the meantime, value your trade and calculate your monthly payments with our online tools to get a head start on your car-buying journey.
