Ok, so you are all done negotiating the price of your new or used car, then comes the trade-in, the vehicle that you have taken such good care of for the past whatever amount of years. The baby that you washed every Saturday, changed the oil every three months religiously, and the cause of 60 months debt.  This hunk of metal has been with you through thick and thin and you feel that it is worth every dime it deserves.  Well, here is what you should really know about your trade-in; it is simply a hunk of metal, and one that the dealership will have to turn around and sell with hopes of making a decent profit.  The dealer has no emotional connection to it and a good dealership will give you exactly what it is worth as a trade-in value for the condition it is in.  You can use your old vehicle as a bargaining chip, but don’t feel crushed when your 2001 hunk of metal is only worth $2,500 when you anticipated $5,000.

Now, I am not telling you this to make you feel worse about buying a car or trading in your car, I simply want you to understand what car salesperson is thinking.  If you are going to get the best deal and leave the dealership feeling good, then you should understand fully what to expect. Think logically, do your homework and walk into that dealership with a true sense of the numbers you are about to negotiate, including your trade-in.  Kelly Blue Book (kbb.com) is a great resource to figure out what your car is worth, and is also typically referenced by the dealership you may be visiting.