Preparing to Sell Your Vehicle

Selling to a dealership like Lakewood Chevrolet will save you both time and effort. We will ensure that the entire process is as quick and easy as possible. Follow the steps below to improve your experience with selling your vehicle.

Assess Your Car’s Value

Before visiting a dealership to sell your vehicle, you need to do some research on your own. It may be difficult to negotiate a price if you yourself don’t know the value. You can use various tools online, such as the Lakewood Chevrolet Value Your Trade Tool to estimate what the average going price is for your car. Most tools will only be able to give an estimate, and allow you to add in your make, model, and condition, but there are various other factors that cannot be added that will affect the appraisal.

Make Necessary Repairs

There are small modifications that you can make to your vehicle without breaking the bank. Little dents and scratches can be fixed easily and usually at an affordable cost, same goes for windshield cracks, and ensuring that the car is clean inside and out. You should also take a look at any possible recalls that have been made on your car and get those resolved before bringing it to the dealership. These adjustments are simple but they make a huge difference.

Have Your Documentation Ready

You will want to show proof that your vehicle has been serviced regularly, such as tire rotations, fluid changes, and any other crucial repairs. This shows that you have taken care of the car properly and there is a less of a risk of something breaking down in the future. Collect documentation from the mechanic that you typically use and bring it to the dealership.

Trade-in or Cash

When you get to the dealership they will take down your information, inspect the car, jot down the vehicle identification number and run it through a vehicle history database to check for damages and accidents. Then, they will usually ask you if you are using the car you want to sell as a trade-in for a new car. You will need to decide what makes more sense for you, getting the cash and putting that toward a new vehicle if needed, or using the trade-in value to go towards another vehicle. This will also depend on whether you are still in a lease or loan. Some dealerships can help you get out of your lease or loan by selling you a vehicle from their inventory. They can take the amount you still owe on your vehicle and add it to the loan or lease for the new car you buy.

The Offer

Once the Sales Consultant has looked up the vehicle’s history, taken it for a test drive, inspected it, etc. they will begin the process of making an offer. The offer you receive will depend on multiple factors, but it will rely mostly on the price being paid for similar vehicles. There are other factors that may influence the offer such as whether or not they have the same type of cars on the lot for sale already, the condition of your vehicle, what repairs your vehicle may need before it’s ready for sale, and if you still owe money on the car. If you have questions about your offer, ask them; many dealers will show you current auction prices or other online tools and sites they use to make sense of how and why they came up with the offer.

Lakewood Chevrolet has an outstanding group of professionals that can guide you through the process of selling and trading in your vehicle. We also have a wide range of New and Used vehicles that you may be interested in trading your car in for!

OR, FILL OUT THE FORM TO GET YOUR VEHICLE’S VALUE INSTANTLY!

*Lakewood Chevrolet is not required to purchase vehicle – buy in is subject to appraisal. No purchase or trade necessary. Referral fee of $250 is subject to referred customer’s vehicle being purchased. Referrer will receive cheque of $250 after vehicle purchase has been finalized. Customer must notify Lakewood Chevrolet of referral prior to agreed upon purchase to apply for referral program. See dealer for details. AMVIC Licensed Dealer.