Pros and Cons of Trading vs. Selling Your Car

Trading vs. selling your car is an important decision, and it isn't just about whether you'll be able to sell your vehicle for more money than you can trade it in for, or whether it's easier to trade it instead of selling it. Those points are important, but the goal is to sell it for the most money with the lowest amount of stress or hassle.

Fortunately, that's actually becoming a possibility with the growing options to sell your vehicle online. Here's what to consider when you're trying to decide between trading vs. selling your car.

The biggest reason for you to trade in your car is to avoid the trouble of selling it yourself. That's really the main pro, but it can be a big one in the minds of people who see selling their car as a drawn-out, frustrating process. You know you won't get as much money when you trade your car in, but it's fast and easy.

You could also save a few dollars on sales tax, depending on what state you live in. Some states only charge on the price difference between your trade and the new vehicle. If your trade-in vehicle isn't worth much and you're buying an expensive new car that probably doesn't matter. But for people swapping vehicles that are closer in value, the savings can add up.

The biggest argument people make for selling their car themselves is that they can get more money for it. That's typically true, and you can expect a bigger payday than you'd get if you traded your vehicle in on something else. But how long will it take to sell your car? How much trouble will it be?

Trading vs. selling your car can be hard to decide, especially if you really want the extra money but you'd love to avoid the hassle. When you sell your car by yourself, you need to advertise, attract buyers, be available for people to come see the car, and hope those people actually have the money to buy it. Maybe there's a better way?

Choose PrivateAuto for Selling Your Car the Easy Way

You can solve the trading vs. selling your car dilemma once and for all by working with us at PrivateAuto. Through our online, no-hassle platform, you can easily buy or sell a car privately, and have everything you need to close the sale. We offer dealer-like services in the palm of your hand, so you can close your private sale quickly and efficiently.