How to negotiate the most for your trade in

These days most of us do our buying and selling online—click-click-boom. But sometimes, we need to go old school and do business in person, like going to a car dealership. Don't sweat it. We have some pointers to use when you're face to face with a professional negotiator primed to squeeze you on the price.

They’re not all bad, but they’re definitely not there to help you make money. And unless you’re an experienced haggler then navigating the situation can be tricky (not to mention expensive). It can get particularly complicated if you’re also negotiating a trade-in value, with all the optional extras and add ons that could come with it.

Peddle (hey, that’s us!) was set up to offer a hassle (and haggle) free alternative to selling your car—and it’s all online—so check it out. But if you still plan to swing by some dealerships to cut a deal then we want to make sure you show up equipped for the fight.

Here are some winning tactics to help you secure the best price for a used car.

don’t fear “no”

Remember—the dealer is on their home turf, and you’ve already shown up hoping to sell your car. Don’t give them more reasons to feel complacent about getting the deal they want. By asserting yourself early on you can stay in control of the negotiations. Sometimes that means saying “no”.

make the problem theirs

If your hearing offers that don’t quite click, don’t waste your time figuring out how to make it work—let them do that for you. Questions like: “how am I supposed to do that?” or “can you tell me how that’s a solution?” are a great way to put the ball back in their court and have them put in the work to try and come up with something better for you.

mirror, mirror…

If you’re feeling backed up against a wall, and struggling to come up with counter offers, try repeating back what the other person has said. It’s a simple way to force the dealer to reflect—and possibly alter—the message.

give and receive

Sometimes a bit of charm can go a long way. Showing up with a small gift (maybe you “happen” to have some donuts in your car with you) can trigger some reciprocity and make sure negotiations go amicably.

walk away

The most important thing to remember is never to be afraid to walk away. If a dealer won’t budge, you don’t have to sell your car to them. There’s plenty of options out there (and we can think of one place…)

If negotiating with car dealers fills you with dread—and you wish you could sell your car as easily as posting on TikTok—it’s time to get up to speed with Peddle. We’re quick, easy and—best of all—100% online. Few taps of your smartphone, find out the car value of your junker and we’ll give you an offer in minutes. You won’t even need to leave the couch.