Selling your car in Hamilton: what your car is worth
Book value, private-sale value and trade-in value are not the same thing. Learn the difference before you accept an offer for your vehicle.
Three values, three different numbers
Book value is what guides list, private-party value is roughly what selling it yourself brings, and trade-in value is what a dealer pays because they must resell it. Expect the trade number to be the lowest — that gap is the business.
Condition moves money faster than options
Straight paint, an interior worth photographing, clean records, and tires with life left in them all add up. Cosmetic work rarely returns its full cost, so spend on the details buyers see first.
Get more than one number
An appraisal is a starting point, not a final offer. Value depends on the day, the inventory, and what you buy in return. If you are shopping for a vehicle at the same time, talk to us about a combined deal.
Settle the loan before you advertise
Paying off or transferring an existing loan clears the title and makes the paperwork predictable. Know your payoff amount before the sale, and never hand over keys or a signed bill of sale before payment clears.
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