Owning a car can be a lifeline for many of us. It can help with our daily commute, run errands, your family and even take us on holiday. We all have plenty of uses for our vehicles, and so it’s natural that many of us consider part exchanging our reliable vehicles for a newer model, or perhaps upgrade in some way. However, there is a huge perception that a dealer will rip you off when it comes to a part exchange price. But, it is much easier to do one transaction, than to sell your car privately and then wait for your new one. With that in mind, I thought I would share with you an easy guide on how to be better prepared when it comes to part exchange your vehicle.
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Choose where you want to buy your next car from.
One of the first things to do would be to look online and research the place you want to head to. Before part exchanging a car, you need to ensure that the place you go to has the type of car you want. Looking online at websites for car dealerships could help you find what you are looking for. This avoids you wasting any time getting a value, if there are no cars you are interested in.
Prepare your car to be valued
You have to be practical when it comes to your vehicle, and so it is no good to expect top dollar for your car if it isn’t in the best condition both interior, exterior and even mechanically. So you need to invest a bit of time to prepare your car according. Take your vehicle for its latest service or MOT if it is due, and get any repair work or warranty work taken care of before the part exchange. You may need to source specialist parts from places such as Ford wreckers or any specific to the manufacturer of your car. This will help you diminish any obvious reasons for your car to be undervalued.
When it comes to the exterior of the car, it’s worth taking some time to get your car thoroughly valeted. This can even give your paintwork a new lease of life, or combat any minor scratches that just need buffering away. One big giveaway of the condition of your vehicle is the wheels.
Make sure you take any service history, work invoices and MOT documents with you
When heading to the dealer where you want to part exchange your car, it’s vital to be prepared. You may find that they will try and state that the service history isn’t up to scratch, or certain works would have needed to be carried out. Ensure you have all supporting paperwork of the work that has taken place on your car, and even service history stamps, invoices and certificates will prove as sufficient evidence.
Don’t accept the first offer
Finally, everyone is out for a deal, you and the dealer, so don’t accept the first offer if you are not completely happy with the price. I’m sure after a bit of gentle negotiation both you and the dealer will be able to come to some compromise on the price and the deal itself.
Let’s hope this helps you if you find yourself in a position to part-exchange your car.