How to get the best trade-in value for a used car Cairns?
31/12/2019If you need to determine how much your car is worth, here are guides that help you get the best deal for your vehicle’s trade-in value.
DETERMINE HOW MUCH YOUR USED CAR IS WORTH
Getting a valuation for your used car Cairns before you offer your car for trade-in is important to protect yourself from dealers who want to offer you prices that are much less than the car’s true value.
How do you evaluate your used car Cairns?
Research online
The best way to understand the market value for your car is to go online and see what the same cars are selling for. You will find the popular car selling websites will provide you with a range of cars near to yours and from there you can identify the price range in which they are going for. Note that the higher price end isn’t always the best place to start. They will potentially take a lot longer to sell when side-by-side with similar cars at a lower price. Similarly, the lower end price range might contain cars with significant damage or high kms. Your true price is probably somewhere in the middle if your car is in good condition with an average odometer reading.
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Defining Your Car’s Condition
When it comes to selling your used car in Cairns, the very first thing you need to do is evaluating your car’s condition. As usual, most car owners tend to be over-optimistic about the condition of their used car, while potential buyers will pay more attention to what’s wrong with the car in order to lower the price. You will have a clearer picture about the condition of your car when you take it to a reliable mechanic and have a comprehensive inspection, including the exterior of the car, under the hood, the inside of the car. This will make sure you can understand your car’s health and explore hidden problems to have the right valuation. If this outside of your budget, this is fine but may lead to surprise expenses when it comes time to do a roadworthy if you are selling your car with a roadworthy.
MAKE YOUR USED CAR APPEALING FOR THE BEST DEAL
Used Cars listed for sale in the Cairns area which is impeccably presented sell for more than cars that are poorly presented. The simple fact is people judge the surface level presentation as an indicator of how the car is performing deeper down. Investing some time and a tiny bit of money into preparing your car for sale will go a long way to getting you the best price for your car.
Give it a really good clean
The first step is a good car wash so that it is not only clean but sparkles. Buff or polish out any minor scratches, replace any minor items like headlight casings which are cracked. These simple things drastically improve the first impression of your car both in photos and in person.
Note that car washes use abrasive materials that may scratch or damage your car’s paint; therefore, you should be careful when using them.
Tiny details matter. Make sure your tyres are in the best condition with hub caps on and have a good clean.
Repair any affordable exterior damage
A good used car may have picked up a few scratches or dents that will reduce the appeal of your car and give buyers anxiety over potential repair costs. It also gives the impression the care has not been well looked after which again is one of those surface level things which matter to the overall impression of your car.
If your car isn’t too old think about the value add by repairing these damages. Often some things will come out with a cheap buffing from a local Cairns body repair shop. Keep in mind very old cars will not necessarily increase in value with exterior body repairs. Consider carefully how much you stand to lose in a negotiation if you don’t repair the damage and go from there. You might also find that something small comes with a huge price tag to repair. This type of repair may not be worth it but it is important to consider this potential repair in your selling price. If you think your car is worth $15,000 but has $6,000 worth of panel damage, then it is really only worth $9,000.
Make sure your interior is spotless and sparkling
As with your exterior, the cleanliness and condition of the car’s interior give buyers a view of how the car has been looked after over the years. A thorough vacuum, wipe down of all surfaces and a clean of the seats/covers is essential. Leave no dirt behind.
If your car is in good condition but the floor mats are in bits, consider replacing them. Minor details like this take your car from ok but a bit old, to looking fresh and near new.
Make sure all lights work
Lights are one of the most vital parts that help drivers see obstacles and warn other vehicles of your directions to turn. Actually, buyers also focus on this to make sure the safe operation of their next cars. Here are necessary items that may allow you to identify needed repairs to your vehicle’s lighting:
• Headlight
• Brake light/tail light
• Indicator light
• Interior lighting
Identify any mechanical issues
Having a thorough engine inspection will allow you to ask for a more accurate price when you go to trade your car in.
Knowing that you don’t need a set of new tyres, for example, will save a buyer hundreds of dollars, and it is that peace of mind which will reinforce the value of your asking price. Remember, buyers are constantly wary especially a used product, so the further you can go to prove your car’s good condition the better.
If you are selling your car with a roadworthy, it might be wise to get the inspection to know what you are up for when it comes time to organise. You don’t want to sell a car at a particular price not knowing there is a whopping repair bill on the way once you complete your roadworthy.
Organise your service paperwork
Your service log book is a window into how your car has been looked after mechanically over its lifetime. A car that has a full-service history with proof in a log book is going to be a great selling tool.
To actually make the sale with minimum inconvenience have your key documents handy.
• Certificate of registration
• Engine number Vehicle information number / Chassis number
• Vehicle history report / PPSR Certificate / Proof of no encumbrances
• Service Log Book
• Warranty documentation
• Roadworthy certificate
• Vehicle sale Receipt (if you are creating it)
NEGOTIATE THE TRADE-IN PRICE
How to negotiate the best price for trade in
Negotiate the trade-in price separately
Dealers usually combine the price of the trade-in with the new vehicle one and then, present a monthly payment figure. This is the tactic most dealers with the purpose of making you think that you got a great deal. In fact, it allows them to hide the real figures and hike up the cost of the new car. You can prevent this by separating your trade-in negotiation from your car purchase.
Make sure the time is right
To maximise trade-in value, some dealers recommend owners trading their vehicles in before it reaches 100,000 kilometres. However, if you look after your used car carefully, this milestone doesn’t matter.
Alternatively, if you make a decision to trade in your vehicle to a used car dealership Cairns, choose late winter since you can have a better position to negotiate. The reason for this is that new car models usually come out in spring and summer seasons. Late winter is when the dealerships want to clear their stocks and make way for the new cars. They also will have generous discounts on the older models. Choosing this time of year to buy a new car and trade in your current vehicle will help you get a better deal.
Review the sale contract before you will be asked to sign
The sale contract and finance agreements are some of the most important items you will sign. It details your financing and payment information, including the total purchase price, taxes, additional products and a lot of other information. You should pay more attention to these terms:
- Vehicle sale price
- Trade in credit
- Interest rate
- Loan length
- Service contracts
- Insurance packages
- Down payment
- Monthly payment
TRADE-IN YOUR USED CAR CAIRNS
Mr Wheels is a privately-owned used car dealership in Cairns QLD. We offer a comprehensive service to our customers from buying used cars, trade in your cars, used car financing to consigning.
We carry between 50 - 80 Cairns used cars at any one time ranging from Passenger Cars to Commercials to 4WDS. Our prices range between $5000 to $50000 and we welcome trade-ins of all types.
Think of upgrading to a large SUV? Sell your car to Mr Wheels Cairns now
If you are thinking of upgrading your car, talk to Mr Wheels Cairns. We offer exceptional trade-in prices and a great range of used cars for you to choose from.
It is time-consuming to sell your car Cairns on your own, not to mention additional expenses incurred along the process. If you want to get cash by selling your car contact Mr Wheels Cairns today. Mr Wheels Cairns welcome your trade-ins or private sale at any time. We actively guide you through every step of our easy car selling process and take care of all paperwork. Instant cash payment is available if you accept our offer. We also offer consignment for those who are looking to sell their car at our Dealership in Cairns.
Simply click here to visit our car selling page, fill out the form with details of the used car you want to sell and our appraiser will get back to you soon for a rough estimate on what your car is worth.