More about getting an estimated trade value at Handy Chevrolet
And using the Black Book Online trade-in calculator
At Handy Chevrolet of St. Albans, VT, our goal is to see that every customer gets the new Chevrolet or used car that fits them perfectly. This means our dedicated sales staff looks at each specific customer, not as a part of the entire customer base but as an individual with situations that are unique to them - from needs and wants to car loans and financing, there are literally hundreds of choices along the car shopping process and we want to help you make the right choice for your own situation.
To help you with the payment of and large investment that is a new or used vehicle purchase, our VT Chevrolet dealership has teamed up with Black Book Online, a trusted name in the automotive industry for almost two decades. By using Black Book Online, you can get an estimated value range for your trade-in vehicle based on several different criteria which are separated into three easy steps: describe your vehicle, optional equipment, and your contact information.
To make this trade-in process as simple as possible, here are a few tips in case you get stuck. Remember, the more information you put into the form the more accurate the trade-in value range will be. This is never a guarantee1, but it will help you get a ballpark estimate as to the amount you can afford when shopping for a new Chevrolet or used car. Further, using the trade-in value the Black Book Online Trade-in Form above gives you, in conjunction with our financing calculator tool, more knowledge than ever!
| | 1. Describe the vehicle you want to trade-in
| | a) Year, make, and model We'll start with an easy one, as this is pretty self explanatory. Use this broad starting point to tell the Handy Chevy trade-in appraisers if you have a 2009 Chevy Malibu, a 2003 Toyota Corolla, a 1920 Ford truck, or a 2013 Lamborghini.
| | | b) Trim or series Do you have a Malibu LS, Malibu LT, or a Malibu 2LT? Just about every vehicle has a trim level and the letters at the end of the vehicle model are the "trim:" Malibu LTZ, Impala LS, Silverado 1500 LT, etc. On the other hand, some vehicle have series callsigns instead; for instance with the standard grade Silverado LT, the technical trim is LT while the series is 1500 (Silverado 1500 LT). To make things easy, always give us as much information as you can - our trade-in team will always double check!
| | | c) Style Again, to the car aficionados out there, you might laugh that this could confuse anybody, but keep in mind that "style" actually means bodystyle. As such, sedan, coupe, convertible, SUV, minivan, or truck are all acceptable entries, but let us remind you again that more is better: truck could be Regular Cab Truck, Extended Cab Truck, or Crew Cab Truck, each of which make a big difference in your appraisal.
| | | d) Color, mileage, ZIP code, and optional equipment To repeat myself again, most of you can probably skip this part as these extras mainly speak for themselves. However if you're curious about anything, here's a tip-list.
First of all color is not a huge factor here, however it helps us to determine resale figures (for example, do we have 15 Tahoe LT SUVs or zero?). The ZIP code refers to your ZIP and it's important for factoring in local used car climates; make sure you type this in accurately! Finally, mileage and optional equipment are your real bargaining chips. Obviously a 2011 Express with 2,000 miles will be worth more than one with 20,000 miles, and that simple typographical error of an additional zero can really change the outcome. Further, a 2007 Silverado with 5,000 miles could be worth more than a 2011 Silverado with 20,000. Add in the optional equipment like navigation, SiriusXM radio, CD players, all-wheel drive, etc., and things can really look different in the end.
|
|
| | 2. Select the options and condition of your trade-in
| | a) Exterior and interior Overall, what does your trade-in vehicle look like? Are there any dings in the paint or sheet metal, tears in the fabric, or damaged glass? Does your trade-in vehicle have rust anywhere? Please remember that your conciousness will fight ou on this; you are almost assuredly going to think to yourself "that ding?! That doesn't count as a dent!" To get the most accurate idea, be sure you are as hard on your car as possible so you get a realistic figure; unfortunately when you bring your car in our used car manager will see everything!
| | | b) Select any mechanical problems This part of the form is a big deal - frame damage, busted struts, or even a broken door handle must be fixed at our cost if you want top dollar for your vehicle. We're not saying a broken door handle is a dealbreaker, but as above, be as precise as you can and you'll get the best figure.
|
|
| | 3. Let us know how to contact you
| | a) No... we don't think you're stupid, but for the sake of being thorough we'll just say if we don't know if this is John Doe's car or Jane Smith's SUV, we can't move forward. Make sure you give us a valid email address and then check that email for a confirmation letter within 20 to 30 minutes of your submission. If you haven't seen it, check your junk mail folder. If it still doesn't show up, contact us via email or call us at (888) 295-5380 and we'll see where the problem is.
|
|
And just like that, you're done! In just a few short minutes you will get an estimated value range for your trade-in. Well it's not guaranteed, so what good is it to me? is a question we hear quite frequently, and while that is certainly the case, the importance of the handycars and Handy Chevrolet Black Book Online vehicle trade-in valuation system is that it gives you an idea as to what your trade-in vehicle is worth. Let's face it, you don't fill out a financing or car loan application for a $60,000 vehicle without at least having a clue as to whether or not you can afford the payments, right? The same applies here. The Black Book Online Vehicle Trade-in system gives you a quick reference as to the general amount your car is possibly worth, allowing you to be a more educated consumer! When the system tells you your car is worth $3,000 to $6,000, you can skip over to the financing calculator and input the low end and high end estimate.
For more on the Black Book Online Vehicle Trade-in system go ahead and try it out! There is absolutely no commitment on your behalf, so even if you simply want to see what your vehicle is worth, give it a try! If you need assistance with the Black Book Online Trade-in form,send us an email, give us a call at (888) 295-5380, or during business hours (8am to 7pm Monday through Friday or Saturday 9am to 5pm) try our live chat program to send an instant message to a Handy representative.
1 Please note that all trade-in values are estimates based on a "sight unseen" appraisal. In order to get an accurate figure, prospective customers will need to have the vehicle officially appraised at our store. Email us or call (888) 295-5380 for more information or to setup a trade-in appraisal.