When buying a new car, you may be thinking about trading in your existing car and using the equity towards your purchase. In this article, we have explained what part exchanging means, outlined the important information you need to know and whether it’s the correct choice when selling your car.
Part exchanging is the process of ‘trading in’ your old car when buying a car by offsetting the value of your current vehicle against the one you’re purchasing. Traditionally, you may have taken a car to a dealership where they would deduct its value from a new vehicle or use it as a finance agreement deposit. Dealers may estimate the trade-in value of your car online by entering your vehicle’s details and using data to provide a price. Similarly, you can get a free car valuation with webuyanycar by entering your registration plate at the top of the page.
Part exchange is when you sell your current car to help you pay for a new one. Therefore, a part exchange car is either car involved in the deal.
Part exchanging may seem more convenient than selling a car privately, where you will need to spend time advertising the car, preparing it for resale and meeting potential buyers. However, when you part exchange, you can theoretically drive into a dealership in your current car and leave in a new car.
When compared to other methods of selling, you may get less money when part exchanging your car at a dealership due to their overheads and requirement to make a profit. If you have a car that isn’t desirable to the dealer, there may be less incentive for them to give you a good trade-in price.
Also, if you are part exchanging, you may find it difficult to negotiate the best price for your car. Suppose you have found a vehicle you want to buy from a dealership in a part exchange deal. In that case, you may want to consider researching the market first, such as getting an online valuation in under 30 seconds through ourselves.
Finally, part exchanging could make the purchase of a new car more complex due to having two transactions involved. Whilst it may seem convenient to buy and sell in one place, getting a good deal for your current car and the one you are purchasing could become confusing compared to dealing with each separately.
If you decide that you are happy with the valuation provided by the dealership and want to go ahead with the part exchange, you will need to provide the following:
Logbook (also known as the V5C)
MOT certificate
Car keys
Car manual
Service book (where applicable)
Treating the trade-in and purchase as a single transaction may cause confusion and an unsatisfactory deal. Therefore, consider separating the sale of your old car and the purchase of your new one to ensure you're happy with each deal.
A car’s condition affects its value. For example, scratches or dents will negatively impact the resale price. So, before part exchanging, you may want to consider getting the car repaired by a professional.
Before you mention that you are interested in part exchanging, you should get a price, including maximum discount, from the dealership for the car you’re interested in purchasing. This will ensure you get the best price before offering your old car.
If you are not happy with the valuation from the dealer, you can walk away from the deal at any time. You might be able to get more for your car elsewhere such as by selling your car at your local webuyanycar branch.
You should find out how much your car is worth before you turn up at the dealership. This will ensure that you are getting a fair price from the sale.
Selling your car with webuyanycar is quick, convenient and simple. We will give you a valuation in under 30 seconds based on the information you’ve provided, combined with our data on market value, seasonality and demand. If you’re happy with your valuation, simply book an appointment at one of our 500+ UK branches.
When you sell to webuyanycar, you can get the cash in your bank within 15 minutes using our Immediate Payment option (fees apply). You can then use the cash for a deposit towards your new car.
With over 500+ branches across the UK, you can sell your car in under an hour, from the point of getting your online valuation, through to agreeing to the sale of your car. Simply book an appointment at your local branch at a time which is convenient for you.