When it’s time to buy a new car, you have to consider not only your new purchase but also the current car that you might want to trade in. A trade-in is when you give your vehicle to the dealership in exchange for credit towards the new vehicle, but the amount you get back on that car varies greatly depending on a wide range of factors.
Age, condition, mileage, and modifications will all determine how much your car is worth, whether you’re trading it in for a new car or selling it on Facebook Marketplace. While most cars suffer from depreciation the moment they leave the lot, there are some ways you can increase your car’s resale value before selling.
The Methodology
After checking Kelley Blue Book, Chase, and other financial sites, I narrowed it down to the easiest ways to make a difference in your car’s value when you’re ready to sell it or trade it in at the dealership.
This includes changing how you drive or treat the interior (like not smoking while commuting to work) and making some quick repairs ahead of the sale.
Make Necessary Repairs
Before you list or trade in your car, have a shop handle all general repairs. This could be as small as fixing a dead headlight or something bigger, like replacing old, worn-out suspension components.
However, NerdWallet says you should consider the value of your car when deciding whether a repair will pay off at trade-in or sale time. If it’s only worth $15,000, a repair that costs about $800 might be worth it if it helps you avoid a larger value hit when you sell or trade it in. But if there are some complicated issues that could cost you $10,000 or more, it’s probably not worth the investment.
Clean Your Vehicle
Cleaning your car and clearing out any clutter will improve its value so your car looks like it was well taken care of (even if it really wasn’t). Tasks you can do yourself include vacuuming the seats and floors, wiping down dusty areas in the cabin, taking out anything you have in the trunk, and giving the exterior a quick wash.
However, you may want to bring your car to a detailer if there are stains and other bigger issues you’d like to address before trading in your vehicle.
Keep Documentation
Having all of your servicing and repair records can really make a difference when selling your car, especially privately. Potential buyers can see the proof of the car’s condition and exactly what you’ve done to maintain it. Showing that kind of care can really make a difference.
One Reddit user said, “My neighbor recently grabbed a used Civic. The owner had kept EVERY document related to the car. Original purchase agreements, the little window sticker, and all the service receipts over its 200,000 km life. And that was just for an economy car. For what it’s worth, it puts a ton of confidence in the buyer, and I’m sure that feeling is magnified for people looking at real classics.”
No Smoking in the Vehicle
NerdWallet reported that Edmunds director of vehicle valuations and analytics Richard Arca estimated that smoking in a car can reduce trade-in value by “at least $500.” A separate peer-reviewed study of used car asking prices estimated a 7.7% lower value for cars that had been smoked in.
The first issue is obvious: the stench. Cigarette smoke doesn’t only waft around you in the air. It can permeate the entire interior and can even get inside the air conditioner, blasting out smoky air long after the cigarette was put out. The second issue is staining, as the smoky air can eventually discolor fabric and plastics inside the car.
No Pets Allowed
Speaking of funky stenches, having pets routinely in your vehicle can also lower its value. Dogs can often leave a smell, especially on your car’s back seats. There’s also fur, scratchings, and other damages that can make your car less presentable and desirable.
If you want to bring your pets along for a ride, consider using a car seat cover and other pet-safe gadgets. These can reduce the damage and smells that come with bringing your pet on a road trip.
Remove Modifications
While modifications are meant to personalize your car to your liking, it’s best to remember the key word there: “your.” While some modifications can lower your car’s resale value more than others, many modifications hurt your car’s value because they narrow the pool of buyers and can raise concerns about ride quality, reliability, or insurance. This is because you’re alienating buyers when adding your own flairs.
For example, you may love lowered suspension for its looks and added handling capabilities, but other people see a huge disaster if they run into a pothole.
Don’t Eat in Your Car
Eating in your car can make the cabin way messier, thanks to all those crumbs and stains. I also know a few people who have eaten in their car only to discover that their car has a weird scent after, but they couldn’t figure out where the smell was coming from.
Food can also attract the wrong crowd, the rodent variety. According to Consumer Reports, rodents can do a lot of damage to your car, including chewing wiring and building nests in and around the engine bay, and the repairs can be expensive. Consumer Reports’ Chief Mechanic John Ibbotson said, “If you see damage from rodents, take action immediately to both deter the animals and keep your car running. Chewed wires are a serious concern and will require professional assessment and potentially repair.
Fix the Paint
Similar to getting your car’s inner workings repaired, this depends on how much your car is worth and how much the fix will cost. Minor scratches and dents are often worth buffing out or touching up by a professional. It will immediately make your car more presentable, so it can hopefully sell for more and faster.
However, painting an entire side of your car can cost thousands. Expensive paint jobs are not recommended since they can often cost more than the value of the vehicle.
Check Fluids
Whether it’s coolant or engine oil, it can give your trade-in a bump in value if all the fluids are topped off and clean. Make sure there are no warning lights in your car as well, as that’ll help make the car more appealing.
You can change oil and other fluids yourself if you want to save money, but it shouldn’t be too expensive to top up the brake fluid, engine oil, coolant, and other fluids your vehicle actually uses, such as transmission or differential fluid, and power steering fluid if your car is equipped with hydraulic power steering.
Take Good Photos
The photos you post of your car can make all the difference. Granted, most potential buyers will come and see the car in person, but some nice pics will help get more eyeballs on the ad. Showing its best angles and features in nice lighting can make your car more appealing. Also, consider shooting some videos that show the car in action.
Old Car, New Tricks
You don’t have to spend a fortune to boost your car’s resale value, just a little effort, attention to detail, and a bit of planning. From keeping it clean and smoke-free to tackling affordable repairs and documenting maintenance, these small actions can add up to hundreds, even thousands, more when it’s time to sell or trade in.
Every car tells a story. When yours looks well-loved and well-cared-for, buyers notice. Whether you’re handing it off to a dealership or posting it online, the goal is the same: show that your car was respected, maintained, and ready for its next chapter, at a price that reflects it.