We get asked about trade-ins all the time, especially by people who are looking to upgrade and aren’t sure what to do with their current car.
You can trade it in as part of your next purchase, or sell it yourself privately. There are pros and cons to both, so it really comes down to what matters more to you: getting the most money you can, or getting the whole thing sorted without the extra hassle.
Trading In: The Easy Option
Trade in your car and you can get the whole thing sorted in one visit. Bring your car in, take your next car for a test drive and we’ll appraise your trade-in while you’re out on the road. By the time you’re back, we’ll have a number for you.
Once you’ve found the right car, we work out the changeover price. That’s simply the difference between what your trade-in is worth and what the new car costs (basically, what you’ll need to pay or finance to make the swap).
The other big advantage is that you don’t have to sell the car yourself. No taking photos, writing a listing, answering messages or arranging viewings with people you don’t know. And no one standing in your driveway trying to knock $2,000 off the price because they’ve spotted a tiny mark on the bumper.
The downside is that you’ll usually get less for your car than you might through a private sale. That’s because we need to allow some margin to get the car ready and sell it on ourselves.
Selling It Yourself: More Work, Potentially More Money
Selling privately can mean getting more for your car. You’re dealing directly with the buyer, you choose the asking price and, if you have a car that’s in good shape and easy to sell, you may be able to get a better price than you would on a trade-in.
But there’s more to it than putting up a listing and waiting for the money to roll in.
You’ll need to take the photos, write the ad, answer the messages, arrange viewings and deal with the negotiations. Anyone who’s sold a car privately will know there can be a fair bit of back-and-forth involved.
There’s also the other stuff to think about — making sure the ownership changeover is sorted, dealing with potential scams and deciding what to do if you’re buying your next car before the old one has sold.
We’ve written before about some of the used car scams to watch out for, too. They’re worth knowing about if you’re planning to sell privately.
Which One Is Actually Worth It?
There’s no right answer for everyone.
If you want to get into your next car without spending weeks trying to sell your old one, trading it in is the simpler option. You can get a value for your car, put that towards your next purchase and get on with your day.
If you’re not in a hurry, your car is in good condition and you’re happy to put the time into selling it, a private sale could get you more money.
It can also be worth doing a bit of homework and getting both numbers. Find out roughly what similar cars are selling for privately, then get a trade-in appraisal and see how big the difference actually is.
Sometimes the extra money from a private sale makes the effort worthwhile. Other times, once you factor in your time, the messages, the viewings and the tyre kickers, the difference isn’t quite as big as you thought.
We’ll Give You a Realistic Trade-In Value
We’ll trade in any car, but we do ask that you bring it into one of our yards so we can have a proper look at it.
We won’t give you some unrealistic, inflated number over the phone just to get you through the door. We’ll appraise your car properly and give you a trade-in value based on the real market.
There’s no pressure to buy a car from us either. You can take the number, think about it and decide whether trading in makes sense for you.
If you do find your next car with us, your trade-in can go towards the purchase and reduce the amount you need to finance.
Thinking About Upgrading?
Have a look through our current stock, or pop into our Manukau or Takanini yard with your car.
We’ll have a look at your trade-in, show you what’s available and work through the numbers with you.
