How do you judge the value of your trade-in?

[blearyeyedboy]

I'm leaving this vague because I know it's against the rules to advertise my car, such is why I'm not including details of it in this post. I'm more interested in how to value what I've got. I bought a quick-ish estate which has been brilliant but we now have another (slow) family estate. I spend 90% of my time in a fast estate by myself with not a huge amount of kit, so a slightly more hooligan small hot hatch appeals both for fun and for running costs over 4-5 years.

So like many people, I'm getting itchy feet... but before planning what I can buy with my pennies, In trying to figure out what my current car's worth. I am well out of practice since my last purchase was over 5 years ago, apart from the aforementioned slow estate for which I only needed to trade in a banger, so very little needed to be handed.

Tapping details into Parker's and similar websites gives me a much lower number than I'd expect for my trade in value. Given that retail for the car I own seems approximately £4-5k above what it claims, that seems a little stingy. Or perhaps my expectations are unrealistic?

My car needs refurbished alloys- I'm wondering whether to pay for those to be refurbished before selling it- but is otherwise pretty clean and well cared for. Of course, everyone would say that but I've looked after this one.

Other than looking at what cars seem to retail for and knocking £2-3k off in my head, is there a better metric?

I don't want to be a plonker by shopping for £14k cars I can't afford if mine is only worth £8k (for example), but I'd feel a bit silly if I looked at £10k cars to realise my trade in is worth more than the car In trying to buy. I'm not keen to get a loan because I'm trying to fund some home improvements too.

I'm kind of hoping my ramblings make sense(!) and look forward to any wisdom people have to offer.

Edited by blearyeyedboy on Tuesday 8th February 14:32

[ScoobyChris]

My usual approach is to check out WBAC/Evans Halshaw for a "what I could get it for today price" and then see what the dealer offers when I look at cars. My experience has been trade in is usually quite a bit below (with them telling me my cars will go to auction), but I haven't px'ed anything in the last couple of years when dealers are all clamouring for good stock so you may be able to play them off each other.

Chris

[ChrisH72]

Just put your reg into WBAC.

Most dealers will offer you a similar amount in part ex.

Or you could sell privately in which case mid way between WBAC and what you can see similar cars from dealers listed on AT.

[MrC986]

A/T have a valuation section (both for buying & selling) to use as a guide. There are other ways of selling including online solutions such as Wizzle/Carwow & Motorway. The best advice with all these online valuations is to be as honest as possible (using their respective guides) so that if you were to sell your car to one of them, that there’s very little else they can challenge (nominal mileage changes are something the likes of WBAC will knock the online offer for). The most important thing is to make sure you’ve plenty of MOT on the car as it’s just gifting the dealers an excuse to drop the level of offer - a slightly scuffed alloy wheel is less of an issue IMO.

[blearyeyedboy]

^ Thanks both, really helpful.

[hyphen]

Visit a main dealer, then add an arbitrary 25% and post online to say how mean the dealer is with his prices

More seriously, isn't it the CAP prices? and do Parkers still do theirs.

[blearyeyedboy]

hyphen said:

Visit a main dealer, then add an arbitrary 25% and post online to say how mean the dealer is with his prices

Oi, I might resemble that comment!

I suppose that's what I'm hoping to avoid: yes, I want a good deal but I don't want to be the red-faced buffoon in the showroom getting agitated about his 50p trade-in being supposedly worth more than an Aventador.

hyphen said:

More seriously, isn't it the CAP prices? and do Parkers still do theirs.

Do you know, I'd completely forgotten about CAP. Shows how long it's been since I've been looking... And yes, Parkers still publish some online.

[Monkeylegend]

A simple google gives you plenty of options.

https://www.google.com/search?client=avast-a-1&amp...

[blearyeyedboy]

^ Google's good for data, but not always wisdom in these matters. But thank you.

[Monkeylegend]

blearyeyedboy said:

^ Google's good for data, but not always wisdom in these matters. But thank you.

Apart from the fact it gives you all the websites in one place that will give you a valuation that posters on here will tell you to try, I suppose not

[blearyeyedboy]

^ It's about knowing who has experience of which sites rather than just being guided by whoever paid Google the most.

But before I sound unintentionally fractious: I appreciate your reply, and thanks for taking the time to do so.

[sandman77]

Just pop your details in here.

https://www.webuyanycar.com/

Remember to declare any defects and missing service history.

[Dimebars]

First thing is not to compare retail prices with trade bids. Most cars will have at least a £4k spread between the two just now.

WBAC/Evans Halshaw/Wizzle/Motorway will all give you a value of what you have. Just remember to describe accurately with regards condition and history.

EDIT: Not sure how accurate Parkers are these days, but historically they were always miles off on value

[Summit_Detailing]

Pop your car details into here -
https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/used-cars/part-exc...

Uses CAP data as per WBAC etc but without the 101 emails afterwards - yes that's you WBAC!

Unless Parkers have changed their data source their price guides are so far removed from reality its laughable.

Cheers,

Chris

[blearyeyedboy]

Thank you! That's exactly what I was hoping for.

[fflump]

I recently traded my car in after flying a kite privately. If you are selling privately I'd say that alloy refurb is money well spent.

However the jokers you get on a private sale low-balling seem even more prevalent than normal.

I ended up getting £24k trade-in -just over the WBAC 'value' and similar to the Motorway valuation. Plus the dealer did nothing more than a cursory wander round-the type of thing that WBAC would knock you down over: kerbed alloys, scratches needing SMART repair didn't bother him in the slightest as the car was not his problem to sell (it would be disposed of in other parts of the dealer network) and their underwriter had given him a value already based on the pics I sent.

[captain.scarlet]

Dealers and websites like WBAC will always undervalue your car by a significant amount before either flogging on for a profit or delivering a batch of them to car auctions to get them their profits.

I tend to check trade prices on the likes of Autotrader. You then knock off an amount for what they're going to give you for it, that way you can manage your own expectations.

Private sale - you're more likely to get closer to what you want for it. With today's soaring prices, you should be able to compete with dealers, but use their prices as a benchmark.

WBAC / car buying service- don't know whether they're worth it unless you're prepared to make a loss or simply don't care. It's all very roughly estimated online and your car will be valued as scrap or too low to be taken seriously in the first instancr, then they'll presumably knock as much value off it further once they see it and other things come to light. E.g. an extra superficial scratch. If it's a car I'm prepared to just get rid of then ebay is the best place. Pay a listing fee and eBay get a cut. There'll always be buyers. Only downside is the risk of ending up with tyre kickers and people who want to come and haggle after they've won the auction.

[ChrisH72]

captain.scarlet said:

Dealers and websites like WBAC will always undervalue your car by a significant amount before either flogging on for a profit or delivering a batch of them to car auctions to get them their profits.

Depends on what you're selling. Fairly newish cars with low miles will get good offers from car buying sites as they're easy to shift. If you have a heavily modified 20 year old sports car which you've spent thousands on you'll be offered virtually nothing. I recently got a WBAC valuation (in 30 seconds) out of interest. It was similar to the trade in price given on AT. Not really undervalued IMO, its just a price someone will give you to take it off your hands with no hassle.

If you want top money for your old car you have to sell it privately and make sure you prep it as much as possible which means tidying up bodywork, refurbish alloys, recent service and MOT and making sure everything works. Then you have to deal with time wasters and scam artists. Ultimately you have to decide if its worth the time and effort.

[jason61c]

Cazoo, motorway, WBAC.

Take the highest figure. Don't accept less.

[AceKid]

It all depends on the car...some dealers may not be interested in what you own and will either low ball you, or, as in my case..just simply not communicate anymore!