Kelly Blue Book
Trade In Value

How To Maximize Your
Used Car Trade In Value

Kelly Blue Book Trade In Value is Kellys estimation of what a consumer could expect to receive for their vehicle if they were to trade it in to a car dealer.

FYI: Keep in mind that Kelly Blue Book is simply a guide and your trade in value could be much lower or much higher than Kellys value.

The Kelly Blue Book Trade In Value is a value that is most used by consumers, not as much by dealers, to get a rough, ballpark figure of what their trade in is worth.

If you are planning to trade a used car this information is extremely important to ensure you do not get low-balled and essentially hand the car dealer thousands of dollars "on a silver platter."

Here's
What You'll Find:

• How To Maximize Your Used Car Trade In Value

• What Hurts A Used Cars Value On Trade

• What Has No Effect On Blue Book Trade In Values

5 Tips To Maximize
Your Used Car Trade In Value

1. Trade It In At Night!
   It'll be the end of what is always a long day in the car business and you might catch a used car manager (the appraiser) sleeping, so to speak. They might rush the inspection and/or just out right miss things that might deduct value.

   In addition, trading your car in at night will help to hide minor flaws like:

   • Dents
   • Dings
   • Scratches
   • Tire Wear
   • Fading Paint
   • Oil Leaks, etc.
   
   

2. Detail The Car
   You don't need to spend a lot of money on a professional detail, but a good wash and interior wipe down will help to give a good first impression, i.e. shiny paint job, no stains, sparkling wheels, etc.

   The dealer may tell you that "dirt don't hurt," but I've found that cars that look like they have been well maintained and won't cost the dealer a lot of money to get through the shop, get the most money when traded.

   In addition to a good cleaning, if you have smoked in the car have it deodorized! The smell of cigarette smoke kills a cars value. The only people that "might" buy it from the dealer would be smokers and even a lot of smokers don't want the smell in their new car.
   
   

3. Fix Minor Cosmetic Issues
   Do not spend a bunch of money trying to prep a car to be traded in. There aren't many things that you can do to a car to increase the Blue Book Trade In Value, but there is always a high and a low number that a dealer is willing to buy a trade for and you are shooting for the high.

   Clean the stain off the drivers seat, glue the headliner so it doesn't sag, tie those loose wires under the dash back up and wipe that inch of dust up off the instrument cluster.
   
   

4. Get New Tires
   This is about the only higher end repair I'd really recommend prior to trading a vehicle in simply because this is one of the first things a used car manager will look at and definitely one they will deduct for.

   I'm not recommending putting on $600 racing slicks, but get some $60 cheapies with some tread.
   
   

5. Have Insurance Work Completed
   If your insurance company is going to replace your windshield, fix a dent, or any other kind of work get it done before hand.

   Sure you could tell the dealer that it can be done after it's traded, but that means more work for them and they're not going to do you any favors financially.

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