6 Ways to Boost Your Car’s Trade-In Value

1. Follow-Up on Maintenance

First things first, it’s important to start small. The longer you’ve driven your used car, the easier it is to overlook small issues that need to be maintained. Be sure to take your ride to a service center to make sure your maintenance schedule is up to date.

The quality of your trade-in rises when you have documentation that shows your Kia is up to date with its maintenance. We’ll talk more about documentation in a little bit.

2. Repair Any Exterior Blemishes

Although this may sound obvious, it’s something you’ll need to have repaired. Any dint, ding, or scratch you find on your ride should be fixed by a group of professionals who specialize in body work. If your Kia is assessed without any physical blemishes, the value of the trade-in rises.

3. Detail the Inside of Your Used Car

Just as important as the outside, the interior cabin of the Kia vehicle should look polished and as close to brand new as possible. There are plenty of services around the area that offer affordable detailing—and we suggest doing that as soon as you prep your ride for its trade-in assessment.

4. Check the Condition of the Tires

Once you’ve polished the outside and the inside, glance your eyes at each of your four tires. Are they in good, working condition, or does one or more need to be replaced? If you’re unsure, you can ask our on-site tire center, and they can help you determine if you need new tires or if they just need some air pumped into them.

5. Gather All Relevant Documentation

As we hinted at above, it’s vital you organize all the documentation and paperwork related to your Kia. This can range anywhere from maintenance needs, to automotive repairs, and even inspections. By supplying the relevant documentation, our team can ensure the quality of the model matches the information on the supplied papers.

6. Time the Trade-In

Lastly, you’ll want to trade-in your Kia at the right time. Let’s say for instance you’re currently driving a Kia Forte. You’re likely to experience a higher assessment if you were to trade-in the Kia sedan during spring or summer than during the dead of winter.

Why? Supply and demand. Drivers in Pennsylvania are more likely to want to have an all-wheel drive model over a used sedan that isn’t as well suited for slick conditions.