How to Sell a Car at a Dealership

Most dealers in East Haven will offer to buy your current car from you through a buyback program or when you come in to buy a new vehicle. This allows you to save money on your next vehicle purchase, or you can take the offer without buying another vehicle. Whichever you choose, you can learn how to sell a car at a dealership and what to expect when you go in to sell with Crabtree Lexus of New Haven below.

How Does Selling Your Car to a Dealership Work? 

Selling your car to a Milford dealership is an easy process: 

• Clean Up Your Car: Having your car washed, and detailed, and replacing small parts like windshield wipers or floor mats is a great way to increase the value of your vehicle before you bring it to the dealership. 
• Write Down the Benefits Of Your Car: Having a detailed history of the maintenance record of your vehicle, a list of its additional features, and a list of its accessories like extra key fobs or bike mounts will increase the value of your vehicle and make it more appealing to dealerships. 
• Have Your Car’s Title on Hand: Having your vehicle’s title ready when you sell it will save time on the dealer’s end and get you your offer faster. 
• Research Your Car’s Value: Use tools from Cars.com, Kelley Blue Book, or your local dealership to find the trade-in value of your car. You can use this number to negotiate your price or get an approximate value for what the dealer is willing to buy your car for.
• Pick Your Dealership Wisely: If you have a newer, gently used vehicle then most Wallingford dealerships will buy it regardless of their inventory or the car’s initial condition. However, if you have an older model car, then you may find it’s easier to sell it at a used car dealership instead.

What to Expect 

After preparing your car for sale, you can expect the rest of the process to go as follows: 

• Make an Appointment: While you can walk into a dealership and sell your car, it’s best to make an appointment, so the dealer knows to expect you and can have the proper documents ready. 
• Used Car Manager: Most dealerships will direct you to a Used Car Manager or a salesperson to handle the sale. They’ll collect your information, and then run a vehicle history report on your car. 
• Inspection: In some cases, the Used Car Manager will inspect your vehicle, or they’ll have it taken to their service center for an inspection of its quality and mechanical condition. 
• Consider the Offer: Based on what the dealership offers you, you can accept the offer or go to another dealership to see if you can get a better offer. 

Sell Your Car to Crabtree Lexus of New Haven!

Trading in or selling your vehicle is a great way to save on your next vehicle purchase or put some extra cash in your pocket. Contact our finance center near New Haven if you’re interested in selling your current vehicle to us, or stop by today and talk to one of our sales representatives! You can also browse our car-buying tips to learn more about our financing options.