Free preview · from the dealership side of the desk
The appraisal on your trade takes about 15 minutes. An appraiser walks around the car, drives it around the block, runs a few numbers and comes back with a figure that can swing by thousands depending on what they saw. Most customers spend those 15 minutes inside with a coffee. Small things count: a missing second key is commonly a $200 to $500 deduction, more on some luxury brands.
From the desk, an appraisal is a cost estimate. The appraiser is figuring out what it will cost to recondition your car, how long it will take to sell, and what it would bring at auction if it doesn’t. You can’t change the market, but you can change what they see. Below: what to bring, what they check in order, how to present the car honestly, the same car appraised two ways, timing, keeping the trade separate from the purchase, and what to say.
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In the full guide
- What to bring
- What the appraiser checks, in order
- How to present the car
- Be honest about known problems
- Worked example: the same car, two ways
- Timing and logistics
- Keep the trade separate from the purchase
- What to say
- Your game plan
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