Selling versus Trading in Your Old Car

At one point, many car owners choose to purchase replacements for their vehicles. While some people prefer to buy brand-new cars, others go for used or secondhand cars. The purchase of previously owned cars is becoming popular among many car owners today, especially those in Canada.

If you’re interested in buying a used car and getting rid of your own old car at the same time, you have two options: privately sell your car or trade in your vehicle at a dealership. Both options have their pros and cons and can be beneficial for the seller, provided that you know what you’re doing.

Privately selling a car in Canada isn’t as easy as it sounds. Canadian provinces each have their own sets of regulations regarding the sale of used vehicles. As the seller, it’s your responsibility to meet all these regulations. The Albertan government, for instance, recommends private sellers of vehicles to provide prospective buyers with a vehicle information report or VIR. The VIR contains important vehicle details, such as the vehicle’s description, its odometer reading, registration information, and current registered liens against the vehicle.

Although you’re not required by law to provide this document, an updated VIR can entice prospective buyers to close the deal and purchase your car at the price you want. Privately selling your vehicle provides you with the cash you need to buy a used car, which you can easily buy at dealerships such as Edmonton Dodge dealerships.

This is where many auto experts say that trading in vehicles is more convenient. Most dealerships in Alberta, such as Edmonton Dodge dealerships, allow car buyers to trade in their old vehicles for new or used cars. Why not go straight to the dealership to trade in your old car? This can save you a significant amount of time and helps you avoid the hassle of advertising your vehicle and waiting for buyers.

Trading in your vehicle at dealerships can also provide you with heftier savings, compared to privately selling your vehicle and buying a used car. In an Edmonton Dodge dealership, like other dealerships in Alberta, the sales tax is applicable only to the difference between the value of trade-in vehicle and the value of the used car up for purchase. This allows you to pay a considerably lower tax value for the used car you want.