Should I Fix My Car Before Trading In?

If you are thinking of trading in your current vehicle in the Saginaw area, you are probably wondering “Should I fix my car before trading in?” While there is no right or wrong answer to this question, the finance and service teams at Serra Saginaw Automotive have some insights to offer. We would recommend fixing anything minor, like scratches or paint touch-ups, and making sure your car’s clean. However, you are better off not fixing any major issues that will cost more than your trade-in value. Learn more about the shoulds and shouldn’ts with Serra Saginaw Automotive below!

Fix My Car Before Trade: What Not To Fix

If there are any major repairs needed for your current Bay City ride, Serra Saginaw Automotive advises you not to fix them before trading in for three reasons:

• Major repairs will be expensive, which will lower how much you will actually get from the trade.
• Dealerships have the expertise and tools to easily fix major issues at a lower cost than you will spend out of pocket. This is how dealerships can make a profit from buying and reselling used cars!
• Depending on the dealership you go to, they might not do a detailed inspection of your car before finalizing the trade-in, so they might not deduct the cost of these repairs from your trade-in price.

Fix My Car Before Trade: What to Fix

Now that you know what not to fix, what can you fix in your ride and is it worth the trouble? While you can fix minor things to at least make your car presentable in hopes of maintaining or increasing the trade-in value, dealerships can deduct the value for money they will spend for reconditioning—just in case there are major issues that aren’t apparent. Take a look at this non-exhaustive list of things you can do to spice up your car’s appearance before taking it in for a trade-in near Midland:

• Clean out the cabin. Dispose of any garbage, take out personal items, and clean the windows and carpets.
• Wash the car. Whether you decide to do it yourself or go to a professional, you should wash the car to get rid of any marks and stains.
• Fix scratches. If they’re minor, you can try to fix car paint scratches at home.
• Wax your car. After washing your car, you can wax it to give it a shiny finish.
• Check headlamps. Make sure they’re working properly and replace them if needed.
• Check the fluids (oil, brake, transmission, etc.), the radiator, and the windshield washer. Make sure they’re up to date, so the dealer will know you’ve been keeping up with basic maintenance.

If you do the minimum to make a good first impression for your car, the dealership you’re working with might notice and be prompted to think that this car has been well taken care of. While this is obviously a plus for you, you also need to be realistic and consider if you are capable of doing DIY minor repairs. If you fix something minor and the fix isn’t done properly, the professionals at dealerships will likely notice and subtract that from your trade-in price.

What Else Can I Do Before Trading In My Car?

While fixing your car before a trade-in might be a double-edged sword, there are some cost-free steps you can take aside from fixing your car to show the dealership that your car has been taken care of properly:

• Complete or at least recent maintenance records neatly put together
• Have everything that came with the car when you show up at the dealership, including the mats, keys, and winter tires

Trade In Your Car at Serra Saginaw Automotive Today!

Now that you know the answer to the question, “Should I fix my car before selling it,” it’s time to take the next step toward prepping your car. When you’re ready, use our car trade-in value calculator to start the process today! Visit us at our Saginaw location and we can help you get started! If you have any follow-up questions after learning if you should fix your car before trading in, feel free to contact us.