Should I Fix My Car Before Trading It In?
Another question I hear often from customers getting ready to trade in their vehicle is:
“Should I fix everything before I bring it in?”
My answer might surprise you.
Usually, no.
I’ve been in automotive sales for more than 18 years, and I’ve seen plenty of customers spend hundreds — or sometimes thousands — of dollars repairing a vehicle because they assumed they would get all of that money back when they traded it in.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way.
There are certainly situations where taking care of something before trading makes sense. But before you spend $1,500 fixing your current vehicle, I would rather have you bring it to us and let us appraise it as-is.
Here’s why.
A $1,500 Repair Doesn’t Necessarily Add $1,500 to Your Trade Value
This is probably the biggest misconception I see.
Let’s say your vehicle needs $1,500 worth of work.
It might seem logical that fixing the problem would make your vehicle worth $1,500 more. But that isn’t necessarily how trade values work.
A dealership evaluates the entire vehicle: its age, mileage, condition, vehicle history, equipment, market demand and what similar vehicles are currently selling for.
There is usually a range of what that vehicle is worth.
Spending $1,500 on a repair might increase the appraisal somewhat, but that doesn’t mean you’ll receive the entire $1,500 back.
You could spend $1,500 only to find out that the repair increased the trade value by $500 or $750.
At that point, you would have been better off keeping the money.
Let Us Look at the Vehicle Before You Spend the Money
This is the advice I give customers all the time:
Before making a major repair because you’re planning to trade the vehicle, get it appraised first.
Tell us what’s wrong with it.
You don’t need to hide the check-engine light. You don’t need to repair every scratch. And you don’t need to replace something just because you assume we’re going to deduct the full retail cost of that repair from the value.
Let us evaluate the vehicle.
If you come to Apple Chevrolet and tell me, “Adam, my mechanic says this needs $2,000 worth of work, and I’m thinking about trading it instead,” we can look at the vehicle and help you understand what makes the most financial sense.
You might be better off fixing it.
You might be better off trading it exactly as it sits.
I’d rather help you figure that out before you’ve spent the $2,000.
What About Tires, Brakes and Maintenance?
This is another area where customers sometimes spend money unnecessarily.
If your vehicle needs tires and you’re planning to keep it for another year, obviously replacing them may make sense.
But if you’re trading it next week?
I’d probably have the vehicle appraised first.
The same applies to brakes, scheduled maintenance and other wear items.
A dealership expects a used vehicle to require some level of reconditioning before it is offered for sale. That’s part of the used-car business.
That doesn’t mean condition doesn’t matter — it absolutely does. It simply means you shouldn’t assume every dollar you spend preparing your vehicle will come back to you dollar-for-dollar in the appraisal.
What Should You Fix?
There are some inexpensive things that can make sense.
If you’ve got personal belongings everywhere, take them out.
Give the vehicle a reasonable cleaning.
If you have the second key, bring it.
If you have removable accessories or original equipment that belongs with the vehicle, bring those too.
And if there’s something inexpensive and obvious that you can easily address, that’s different from putting thousands of dollars into mechanical or cosmetic work.
You don’t need to have the vehicle professionally detailed before bringing it to me.
I’ve appraised enough vehicles to see through dirt.
I’m much more interested in the actual condition of the vehicle than whether you spent $300 having someone make it shine the day before.
What About Dents, Scratches and Body Damage?
This is another situation where I’d recommend getting an appraisal before calling a body shop.
A customer might see a dent and receive a $1,200 retail estimate to repair it.
That doesn’t automatically mean I’m going to deduct $1,200 from the trade value.
Dealerships have different reconditioning resources, and sometimes the way we address cosmetic damage is different from what a consumer would pay retail to have repaired.
The same goes for scratches, bumper damage, wheel damage and other cosmetic issues.
Bring it in first.
Then make the decision.
Be Upfront About Your Vehicle
I also encourage customers to simply be honest with us about what they know.
If something isn’t working, tell us.
If the vehicle occasionally makes a noise, tell us.
If you know the air conditioning stopped working last summer, tell us.
We’re going to evaluate the vehicle anyway.
Having an open conversation makes it much easier for us to give you realistic advice about your options.
My Advice After 18+ Years in the Business
If you’re planning to trade your vehicle soon, don’t automatically start fixing everything that’s wrong with it.
Get the vehicle appraised first.
Once you know what it’s worth in its current condition, you can make an informed decision.
If your vehicle is worth $15,000 as-is and spending $2,000 on repairs would only make it worth $16,000, the math is pretty easy.
Keep the $2,000.
On the other hand, if a relatively inexpensive repair could significantly improve the vehicle’s value, we’ll tell you that too.
The important thing is knowing the numbers before you spend the money.
That’s the same advice I’d give a friend or family member who called me before trading their vehicle.
Have a Trade-In Question? Ask Me.
Every vehicle is different, and that’s why I don’t believe there’s a universal answer to whether you should repair yours before trading it.
If you’re considering trading your vehicle and aren’t sure whether it’s worth putting money into it first, bring it by Apple Chevrolet. I’ll be happy to have our team look at it and help you understand your options. Visit our Tinley Park Chevrolet dealership for more car buying tips and guides.
You don’t have to buy anything just to ask the question.
Adam Pirman
Sales Manager | Apple Chevrolet
Phone: 708-429-3000
Email: apriman@applechevy.com
Apple Chevrolet
8585 W 159th St
Tinley Park, IL 60487
