Gather your car title, registration, loan payoff information, and maintenance records
Clean the car inside and out
Fix minor issues if the repair cost is less than the likely value increase
Research your car’s trade-in value using pricing tools and local listings
Get offers from multiple dealerships
Know your loan payoff amount if you still owe money
Decide whether to trade, sell privately, or keep the car
Negotiate the trade-in value separately from the price of the new car
Review the purchase contract carefully
Apply the trade-in value toward the new vehicle purchase
Pay any remaining loan balance if your trade-in value is less than what you owe
Transfer insurance and remove personal items from the car
Sign over the title and complete all required paperwork