How to Sell a Car at a Dealership

Looking to offload your current car or sell it before trading up to a new vehicle? Many Grand Prairie-area car dealerships are willing to buy your car through a buyback program or as part of the trade-in process. So, how does selling your car to a dealership work? Get the details on how to sell a car at a dealership with this guide from the Southview Acura finance centre.

How Does Selling Your Car to a Dealership Work?

Before heading over to a Fort McMurray-area dealership with your car, you’ll need to know just what the process entails. Here’s what to keep in mind:

• Clean Up Your Car: Learning how to sell a car at a dealership can involve a lot of preparation, but these crucial early steps can help you to get the best possible offer for your car. Start by getting your car washed and detailed, and then replace minor parts like windshield wipers or floor mats. Not only will this help your car make a better impression to potential buyers, but it will increase the vehicle’s value before you get it appraised at a dealership.
• Note the Selling Points: A concrete list of your car’s best qualities is another way to make it more appealing to dealerships. Include items like the maintenance record, high-end features like leather seat trim, and accessories like bike mounts, roof racks, and extra key fobs.
• Have the Title Ready: Save time and get your offer more quickly by having your car’s title on hand when you visit the dealership.
• Do Your Own Research: Tools at Edmunds, Kelley Blue Book, or your local dealership can provide an instant estimate of your car’s value. You can then use these values to negotiate a better trade-in value or calculate your budget more accurately.
• Choose the Right Dealership: Most Sherwood Park-area dealerships will buy a recent-year, low-mileage used vehicle regardless of the car’s condition. If you’re selling an older model, you may have better luck selling to a dealership that specializes in pre-owned inventory.

What to Expect

When researching how to sell a car at a dealership, it’s also helpful to find out how the process will proceed. Here’s what to expect:

• Make an Appointment: You can walk into a dealership unannounced and sell your car right then and there, but we recommend making an appointment so that the dealership can move you through the process more quickly.
• Vehicle History Report: Next, most dealerships will pair you with a Used Car Manager or a salesperson to take care of the sale and/or trade-in. After gathering the necessary info about your car, they’ll run a full vehicle history report.
• Vehicle Inspection: The Used Car Manager may also inspect your vehicle themselves, or send it to the dealership’s service centre for a thorough inspection to determine mechanical condition and quality.
• 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.

Why Sell Your Car to Southview Acura?

Now that you’re a bit more familiar with how selling your car to a dealership works, let’s take a look at why so many Leduc drivers choose this route rather than a private sale.

• Save Time & Avoid the Hassle: Selling your car privately involves quite a few more steps than selling at your dealership, from listing your car online to sorting through potential buyers and setting up test drives at your home. Selling at your dealership allows you to bypass all of these steps.
• Pay Less for Your Next Car: When you trade-in your current car, you can apply its value directly toward your next purchase. Trading in allows you to apply your current vehicle’s value towards your new car, and you’ll likely be able to save even more with your dealership’s exclusive special offers.
• Lower Taxes: Trading in your current vehicle and purchasing another vehicle from Southview Acura offers significant savings on taxes. You’ll only pay sales tax on the difference between the trade-in value and the cost of your new ride.

We Want to Buy Your Car!

Questions about how to sell a car at a dealership like Southview Acura? We’re happy to tell you more about how trading in and trading up with a new car in our inventory can put more cash in your pocket. Contact us or drop by our finance centre in Edmonton to get started today!