Trading in old car - any advice?

[Pilo]

Hi, I’m looking to upgrade my old diesel Golf and am hoping to part exchange it if I buy from a garage. I’m looking to buy secondhand, a decent make like VW or Volvo, around 6 yrs old with as low mileage as possible.

Mines pretty old (58 plate) and has a few dings, and it’s just developed a knocking sound when I’m steering although this doesn’t affect the actual driving.

I thought I’d see how much it’d cost to fix up but does anyone know how garages view old cars with not much life left? Is it best to make it look as ‘shiny’ as possible before taking it anywhere or will they just offer me a fixed price anyway and maybe scrap it?

I don’t want to spend loads on it getting scratches fixed and valeting, if that’s a waste of cash!

Thanks 😊

Bump!

I part exchanged a 10 year old Chevrolet matiz this year and got about £400 for it. It had a pretty unsightly crumple in the bonnet and other light scratches , inside was not the best. I just hoovered it out pretty well, I saw they then advertised it on autotrader for £900 and it looked gleaming and they'd painted the bonnet damage so I probably would make it look presentable but don't go to town on it. Oh also if you have floor mats take them out for your next car!

Knocking sound is probably drive shafts which aren't hugely expensive depending on make of car

With both older cars I've part exchanged the garage didn't even look at them.

There's a maximum they can pay if they're going to scrap it I think. (around £250 I think) That might be a specific garage policy though.

You'll generally get a really low price if you part exchange at a garage; I don't think there's really any point in even hoovering it 😄. It is easier to just part exchange though.

You'd get a higher price if you can be bothered selling privately, and it's also worth asking local garages what they would give you for it - we did this recently and got double what we'd been offered as a part exchange.

Useful advice, thanks everyone. Good to know it’s not really worth outplaying ££ just to spruce it up.

UnfinishedBunting that’s a great tip, I hadn’t thought of that. Will do some research on local garages!