Jason Hilderbrand 05 Oct 2021 3 years ago Do you want to know how much does it cost to ship a trade-in? Often, people visit car dealerships without exactly knowing the value of their trade-in and end up buying vehicles at a higher price. Moreover, since they seldom do homework before making the purchase, they pay a much higher price for shipping their trade-in. But how much does it cost to ship a car? Is it worth the effort? In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the whole process. After reading this, we are sure that you’ll be in a much better position to negotiate your trade-in car. How does trading in your vehicle work? Before knowing how much does it cost to ship a trade-in, it is vital to understand the actual phenomena of trading in cars. So, when you visit a dealership, you offer your used vehicle to them at an agreed price. Your old car, which you offered to the dealership, is called a trade-in. The amount you mutually agree on is the trade-in value, which is adjusted in the price of any vehicle you wish to buy at the dealership. The trade-in value of your car depends on the equity of your car. Equity is the amount of money that is left after deducting the money you owe on your vehicle from its resale value. If the resale value of your car is more than the loan payments you have to pay for your car, then it is known as positive equity. If your car’s loan payments happen to be greater than the resale price of the vehicle, it is called negative equity. In any case, the equity determines the trade-in value of your old car. Generally, it is preferred to trade in your car when it has positive equity on it. In this way, the monthly payments you’ll need to pay on your new car get reduced significantly. However, suppose you have negative equity on your vehicle, the monthly loan payments on your new car jump by a significant amount. In the second case, you are likely to stay under the pressure of loan payments for a much longer time. How to get maximum value for your trade-in? Before we tell you how much does it cost to ship a trade-in, you need to know how to maximize your trade-in value. Before handing over your car to the dealership, the first thing you need to know is your vehicle’s wholesale value. This is not an easy thing to know as there are so many factors involved in determining a car’s resale value. Some of these factors are the model, make, mileage, and current condition of your vehicle. An easy way to know your car’s worth is to check car listings of the same models on the internet. Moreover, you can also use resources such as the Kelley Blue Book to assess your car’s worth. The next thing you need to do is present your car in the best possible condition. The dealerships usually have used car appraisers that take a good look at your vehicle to determine its resale value. It is recommended to wash your car thoroughly and get any minor body damages repaired to give a good first impression of your vehicle. However, it is not a good idea to spend too much on your old car. How much does it cost to ship a trade-in vehicle? Now, when you know the worth of your used car, it is time to make sure your trade-in reaches the desired dealership at reasonable shipping charges. How much does it cost to ship a trade-in vehicle? The answer to that question is not that simple and requires a closer look at what kind of car you intend to ship. Operable vs Inoperable Cars The shipping charges vary depending on the condition of your car. For instance, if your vehicle is inoperable, the shipping charges are bound to increase since it requires extra effort to tow your vehicle into the carrier or truck. An equal amount of effort is needed during the unloading of the car. Mode of Shipping Another factor that might vary the shipping costs is the mode of shipping. For example, some cars are individually shipped in closed trucks for maximum protection of the vehicle. On the other hand, some vehicles are shipped in an open container carrying multiple cars at once. In such a shipping mode, the cost of shipping per vehicle gets reduced to a reasonable extent. Type of Shipping Company Another factor that certainly affects the cost of shipping a trade-in is the type of shipping company you are working with. If you are working with car carriers, you may get higher quotes for shipping your vehicle. On the other hand, if you work with a broker like SAKAEM Logistics, you can get a competitive quote for shipping your trade-in. This is because the brokers are connected with scores of carriers shipping the vehicles near your location, thereby offering you the best possible rate. Some dealerships also provide the shipping service as they also work with brokers to move their fleet of cars from time to time. However, dealerships might overcharge you for the shipping service. Therefore, it is always best to work directly with a broker for shipping your trade-in to the desired dealership. Will the car dealership pay shipping charges? The car dealership may offer to adjust the shipping charges in your monthly payments of the new car, However, there is a risk that you may end up paying extra for the car shipping service. It all comes down to your negotiation skills. We recommend that you keep the car shipping out of the equation for negotiations with the dealership. Working with a broker might take an extra ten minutes of your day but can save you a lot of money. Things you need for a trade-in After knowing how much does it cost to trade in a car, now is the time to tell you which things you need for a successful trade-in. All the documents related to the car including car registration, vehicle title, car maintenance records, and car loan payments are vital to take with you. You should also remember to take all the car keys with you while visiting the dealership. If you have these important car belongings with you, you need not worry about the trade-in. Jason Hilderbrand Share this: