Things You'll Need:
- Maintenance and repair records
- Professional detailing service
- Mechanic
- Professional automobile painter
- Kelley Blue Book
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Step 1
Retain all the invoices for scheduled maintenance and repairs for the vehicle in a separate file, and keep these documents safe for when it comes time to trade in your vehicle. This will often impress the car dealership, and the sales manager will assume that you took very good care of the car, which will result in a higher offer during the trade.
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Step 2
Remove all personal belongings from your car before bringing it to the dealership as a trade-in. Sales managers love to tell stories of trade-ins with the trunk still stuffed full of luggage, and the glove compartment still filled with ketchup packets and napkins.
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Step 3
Bring your car in for service to maximize its trade-in value. You will receive a higher offer if the oil has been recently changed, all the fluids are filled and the engine compartment has been steam-cleaned. In addition, if a minor repair pops up during the mechanic's inspection, get it fixed immediately.
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Step 4
Clean both inside and out to maximize your car's trade-in value. Have a professional detailing done to the interior and exterior, including carpet and upholstery shampooing, tire and wheel cleaning and a decent wax job. If you have a lot of minor door dings and scratches, you might want to have some of them buffed out by a professional as well.
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Step 5
Paint your car a different color if it is older and needs a facelift. You might also want to change your car's appearance if it is an unusual color. Remember, red, white and black cars have the highest resale value, since they are the most popular.
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Step 6
Purchase a copy of the Kelly Blue Book from a local bookstore or auto parts store. The Kelley Blue Book will list both the wholesale and retail values of your car. In addition, you will be able to see, in specific dollar amounts, how these steps will maximize the value of your car.
