Just so you can breath - NOT THE MINI

My wife is going to be trading in her 03 Trailblazer for a new Toyota Sequoia. Over all the car is in good condition but the paint is heavily swirled from being taken through gas station insta-scratch car washes all it's life. The thing collects chips in the door panels from grocery store car parks. It will be traded in, not private sold.

So here's the options -

1. just wash (maybe clay) and Hydro - the dealer won't notice anything but being clean
2. wash, clayt, amigo, epic
3. wash, clay, swirl, amigo, epic - will it look 'too good'

ammended question - should I do an engine detail? I have already started with the Nero and slowly getting the interior in good shape since I know that's one of the main things dealers tend to look at.

 

I've been told that dealers don't care at all about the car's cosmetic condition. They care about mileage and body work, but not the finish. If they are going to put the car on their lot, they will detail it anyway. You won't get any more money for trading in a clean, swirl-free car.

If the interior is really dirty, I could see it being worth spending an hour making it look presentable.

(If you're concerned about getting top dollar, detail the heck out of it and sell it yourself.)

 

That's what I'm leaning towards Bee. I think it's mostly my OCD that thinks I should do more. I would consider selling privately but we've had bad experiences with loonies and seems like the difference in what you make is mostly eaten up by the sales tax difference vis-a-vis trade-in. Plus it's just easier to drive the old one in and the new one out.

 

#1. they don't really care. they go by milage and mechanical
history of the car.

 

Appearence does matter to a certain degree. If the dealer keeps the car it will get detailed. However if you take it in looking like garbage you won't get as much in trade as when the vehicle is presentable.

 

Don't waste hydro on it

 

Don't get it too clean or that might make them think it has new paint to cover up damage, etc. Get it car lot clean, (ie- the basics for this crowd). You'll get wholesale or a little better at the most so don't use your expensive stuff on it-save that for the new car.

What are you getting BTW?

 

I once traded in a Lexus LS400 for a Lexus IS300 Sportcross. Well it wasn't exactly a trade--they gave me some money for it-and charged a LOT of money for the Sportcross. But the Sportcross was 2003 and the LS400 was 1993 or so--belonged to my Dad. The dealer didn't even look at the car until everything was signed and done. This was good for me because the car was on its last legs and was barely running. Also good for me, because the dealership turned out to be the absolute worst experience of my life in buying a car---actually worse than my last experience of getting trapped at a remote location in Mexico during a supposedly 90 minute Time Share presentation that turned into 7 hours.

 

I'll tell you what I've learned from my time spent working dealerships: If the body's straight, the parts are all there and everything works (mechanically sound), you'll get the same number clean or dirty (but not filthy).

If it's not cherry, low miles, high-desirability vehicle, It's going to get wholesaled out anyway. Dealers will only hold onto the real cream-puffs for their front line because they can buy good, fast sellers at auction.

Clean it up and make it nice, but don't waste your time doing an OCD detail job.

My 2 cents.

 

A friend traded in his 95 civic for a 07. They said $3G for it, he told them it was rough, they said nw. THen they saw it, that came from $3G to $1G. so he sold it privately.. got $3G for it.

 

^^ +1 that. very accurate.

 

I was wondering the same thing actually- whether to go gangbusters on my car before I trade it in (not the MINI!). I'm saddened by these responses. I wish they would care, in a weird sort of way. For me it might be a matter of pride...I don't know.

 

Give the car a "presentable" detailing...definitely clean the engine bay up a bit.

Is the loan on the Sequoia going to be in both names, just your's or just your wife's?

Here's why I ask:

DON'T let the dealership know that you're going to be trading something in.

Do a COMPLETE detailing on the MINI and drive it to the dealership. I guarantee the salesperson is going to ask you if you're going to be trading in the MINI. When you answer "no", you'll be telling the truth!

Let them know that you're there to buy a car for your wife.

Do all the negotiating without the wife being there.

Call her (she should be nearby with the trade-in) and ask her to come to the dealership.

THEN present the trade-in.

Usually (not all the time, though) you get a better price than if you mention trade-in upfront because they work the "trade-in value" into the selling price.

Good luck!

 

Worked selling cars for a year after I retired, hobby job. We liked a clean trade but we really did not care for the over detailed units, most went to the wholesale resellers.

Clean it up and clean the engine bay a little bit, it will get you a couple of hunderd more in the trade, then again it really depends on the dealer your using to buy the Toyota Sequoia.

One thing to be sure, SUVs which are heavy gas users are not selling well, so you might expect a hard negotiation on the trade. Since your buying another large SUV, the dealer will probably work with you.

Btw, I sold Jeeps for a local dealer, loved selling new Jeeps especially Wranglers, it was our job to steal the trade-in, if we could. Keep negotiating for the $$$ you want for your TrailBlazer, it is a game of who gets worn down first.