Trade-in car question

[Icebird]

Hi

My car is about 8 years old. I'm looking for a new BMW/ Merc and when I ask about trading in my car through them, they just ask me for details like the age of the car. Does the physical condition of the car matter? I ask cos I have a slight crack on my headlights, though still functioning. I'm wondering if it will affect my trade in value if I dont repair it before hand. Or will it not affect the trade in value, if all the dealers care about is the age of the car.

 

[Ody_2004]

Sometimes they take in car even without viewing especially if price is low n attractive for them..

if they “eat” so call better price they will send runner to view and assess.

[Ct3833]

On 3/5/2024 at 8:27 PM, Icebird said:

Hi

My car is about 8 years old. I'm looking for a new BMW/ Merc and when I ask about trading in my car through them, they just ask me for details like the age of the car. Does the physical condition of the car matter? I ask cos I have a slight crack on my headlights, though still functioning. I'm wondering if it will affect my trade in value if I dont repair it before hand. Or will it not affect the trade in value, if all the dealers care about is the age of the car.

 

The trade in price they quote you has sufficient buffer for the dealers to do most of the repair, no worries  about the condition. They wont ask you to compensate them for any defects, especially when you are talking about BM and Merc where there is very thick margin from selling you the new car. 

Once taken in, they will keep those very good condition used cars for their used car division  and send those sub standard ones to the dealers outside, they dont even care about the condition. 

 

 

Edited March 5, 2024 by Ct3833

[Tianmo]

@Icebird they only need your car vrn (car plate number), last 3 digits of your Nric, mileage, then can quote liao. As long as value is written down in the S&P agreement, usually is fix. 

They fix always cheaper than you fix, and from my personal experience, fixing anything doesn't add value to the used car dealer taking in your car.

I have traded in 6-7 cars, only used car change used car kena point here point there. Used car change new car, so far no one bother to even see the trade in car. Hand over day, settle all paper works, park cars side by side,  transfer everything, hand over trade in car keys, and bye bye.

 

[Soya]

AD's low trade in price oredi assumes the car is a pile of crap. If anything better than that, it a bonus 

Hope TS is not falling prey to the 'they gave me the bestest high trade in price' trap of overtrade....

 

[Blueray]

8yo car dealer will offer paper value, me thinks.

[macrosszero]

I knew of someone who traded in a registered but non-running car with C&C so a crack on the headlight is far from a real concern

Edited March 5, 2024 by Macrosszero

[Icebird]

Thanks guys. Cracked headlight aside, should i bother to trade in my car with them (and get overtrade) or should i just sell my car outside even if i buy from the ADs?

[Inlinefour]

On 3/5/2024 at 8:53 PM, Ct3833 said:

The trade in price they quote you has sufficient buffer for the dealers to do most of the repair, no worries  about the condition. They wont ask you to compensate them for any defects, especially when you are talking about BM and Merc where there is very thick margin from selling you the new car. 

Once taken in, they will keep those very good condition used cars for their used car division  and send those sub standard ones to the dealers outside, they dont even care about the condition. 

 

 

Performance check my car very carefully before agreeing to trade in 

 

need to undertake agreement that cannot remove anything the moment you sign 

 

guess they want to keep for in-house preowned 

[Ody_2004]

On 3/5/2024 at 10:32 PM, Icebird said:

Thanks guys. Cracked headlight aside, should i bother to trade in my car with them (and get overtrade) or should i just sell my car outside even if i buy from the ADs?

it depends on what the deal strike at.. what the term and condition.. once agreed upon boh bian loh..

selling by yourself may get a slightly better price but need to tahan those nonsense low baller.. most time used car dealer runner who pretend to be owner.. even well established dealer practice this.. of cos not all private buyer are angel too.. some worse than dealer..

 

[Ct3833]

On 3/6/2024 at 12:01 AM, Inlinefour said:

Performance check my car very carefully before agreeing to trade in 

 

need to undertake agreement that cannot remove anything the moment you sign 

 

guess they want to keep for in-house preowned 

Your car first owner , serviced by agent and in very  good condition ?

So far my experience is they will call a dealer and ask for a quote , thats all.

Edited March 5, 2024 by Ct3833

[Tianmo]

On 3/5/2024 at 10:32 PM, Icebird said:

Thanks guys. Cracked headlight aside, should i bother to trade in my car with them (and get overtrade) or should i just sell my car outside even if i buy from the ADs?

It really depends on your  priority, and how much the AD wants your business. The trade in value has a market take in price range, and the moment your VRN is quoted, in 2-3 days the whole used car market know this car is out asking for quote. 

The only advantage of trade in is convenience. Everything done in one place, and you get to drive the trade in  car until the next car is ready, and one to one exchange. Trade in price may or may not be the highest. 

Sell it yourself outside to other dealers, you will have to do some leg work and negotiation to keep the car until new car is ready. Price may or may not be higher than trade in.

The easiest way is Go to Sgcarmart quotz, pay an admin fee (was $100, don't know if price increased) and they will take it from there with you. Bro @Quotz sld be able to assist you.

Sell it yourself outside to end user, the most attractive part is money, cfm you can get a lot more than selling to dealer or trade in. But you need to do all the work. Your car must be fully paid up, and buyer has to arrange own loan, if he needs a loan. 

Go to Sgcarmart, pay for an ad of 6 weeks, take some pictures and write something on the sales, them start selling. Do a search, there are a few write ups here on how to do this in detail. 

In most cases, trade in won't get the highest price, but in some case you can get a very good deal also. I gotten a very good trade in deal from AG many years ago, in fact I would say the best deal at that time, because they were pushing sales hard, and I was a great prospect, cfm buy if price is right kind of prospect.

 

@Quotz

 

 

[Jamesc]

They will take the profits from selling the new car to pay the repair of the broken head light.

[Blueray]

On 3/5/2024 at 10:32 PM, Icebird said:

Thanks guys. Cracked headlight aside, should i bother to trade in my car with them (and get overtrade) or should i just sell my car outside even if i buy from the ADs?

i'd nego for more overtrade from the AD.

[Beehive3783]

On 3/5/2024 at 8:27 PM, Icebird said:

Hi

My car is about 8 years old. I'm looking for a new BMW/ Merc and when I ask about trading in my car through them, they just ask me for details like the age of the car. Does the physical condition of the car matter? I ask cos I have a slight crack on my headlights, though still functioning. I'm wondering if it will affect my trade in value if I dont repair it before hand. Or will it not affect the trade in value, if all the dealers care about is the age of the car.

 

They can quote you sky high price without viewing the car, but once you bring the car down for them to inspect, they will use all ways and means to cut the quoted price. Cracked headlights? Definitely will affect the final trade in price. Modern headlights not cheap nowadays.

[Vratenza]

it really depends on how desperate the SE wants the deal to go through.....

if they can call and just quote base on VRN and mileage, you know the quote you get has nothing to do with how good a condition your car is.

Those more sincere ones with inhouse used car division and has a valuer to come down to give your car a once over, those kind of quote tends to be more solid.

End of the day it is also the new car sales market condition, your negotiation skills and how desperate you are to change the car (ie. COE expiring, baby on the way).

Edited March 6, 2024 by Vratenza

[Inlinefour]

On 3/6/2024 at 7:45 AM, Ct3833 said:

Your car first owner , serviced by agent and in very  good condition ?

So far my experience is they will call a dealer and ask for a quote , thats all.

yes buy and service from them 500km/month mileage

add on also from them 

[Quotz]

On 3/6/2024 at 8:04 AM, Tianmo said:

It really depends on your  priority, and how much the AD wants your business. The trade in value has a market take in price range, and the moment your VRN is quoted, in 2-3 days the whole used car market know this car is out asking for quote. 

The only advantage of trade in is convenience. Everything done in one place, and you get to drive the trade in  car until the next car is ready, and one to one exchange. Trade in price may or may not be the highest. 

Sell it yourself outside to other dealers, you will have to do some leg work and negotiation to keep the car until new car is ready. Price may or may not be higher than trade in.

The easiest way is Go to Sgcarmart quotz, pay an admin fee (was $100, don't know if price increased) and they will take it from there with you. Bro @Quotz sld be able to assist you.

Sell it yourself outside to end user, the most attractive part is money, cfm you can get a lot more than selling to dealer or trade in. But you need to do all the work. Your car must be fully paid up, and buyer has to arrange own loan, if he needs a loan. 

Go to Sgcarmart, pay for an ad of 6 weeks, take some pictures and write something on the sales, them start selling. Do a search, there are a few write ups here on how to do this in detail. 

In most cases, trade in won't get the highest price, but in some case you can get a very good deal also. I gotten a very good trade in deal from AG many years ago, in fact I would say the best deal at that time, because they were pushing sales hard, and I was a great prospect, cfm buy if price is right kind of prospect.

 

@Quotz

 

 

Bro @Tianmo is right. If I may add, AD may or may not offer overtrade value to sweeten the deal and as what he had mentioned, it depends on how much the AD wants your business.

For Sgcarmart Quotz wise, the fee is now $48! The amount paid is for the inspection process where we will assist you do to a visual and mechanical check on your car before putting it up for auction to our network of 500+ dealers. Also through our auction process, you will receive a binding offer which means the price offered is firm and there will be no reduction. If you feel the price is not right, there is absolutely no obligation to sell!

Bro @Icebird you can try other ways to check if you could get a better price instead of trading in. Who knows, maybe you could get a better price. 

Anw bros, today is COE ah. Huat ah!

- Bro Quotz

Edited March 6, 2024 by Quotz