When shopping for cars, many think that they can use their current car as a trade-in to try to offset the cost of their new vehicle.
Although this is technically true, many find that their present vehicles aren’t as valuable as they might have thought. This is why many internet users have offered advice on how best to maximize your trade-in value, while dealerships have documented how they might try to use a low trade-in value against you.
Despite this, some may hold out hope that their vehicle holds more value than they thought. But with trade-in values dropping, this reality is getting less likely—and sometimes, as TikTok user @uurfavredhed recently learned in a video with over 669 thousand views, a trade-in attempt may lead to a bit of a wake-up call about your car’s condition.
Why was this woman’s trade-in offer so low?
In her video, the TikToker explains that she was interested in trading her 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix in for a “used, reliable car,” as the one she’s currently driving “is slowly crashing out.”
“Tell me why when I told them what kind of car I have—I gave them the mileage, all the good information that they needed just for them to tell me how much my car is worth…They said my car is worth a hundred to two hundred,” she continues.
At this rate, the dealership advised her to simply keep the car, as “it’s not worth that much to us.”
“It’s not even worth a down payment!” she recalls the dealership saying.
Is this trade-in value accurate?
While this number may seem low, the TikToker says in the comments section that she went to multiple dealerships and heard, effectively, the same thing.
This tracks with the current car market’s appraisal of this specific make and model of car. According to Edmunds, a current 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix owner can hope for around $835 at best for their trade-in, provided that their car is in excellent condition.
However, if a car is in worse condition—as is the case with the TikToker’s car—or has significant mileage, that number can decrease dramatically. In the TikToker’s case, the fact that her car was a Pontiac could pose a problem, as the car brand was discontinued in 2009, and the value of its cars has decreased precipitously in the years following.
Commenters share their thoughts
In the comments section, users said that the TikToker’s situation was unfortunate, but expected given the circumstances.
That said, some stated that there were still ways to increase trade-in value or get more from your vehicle.
“Sell it yourself. They said my 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix was worth $200. I sold it on Facebook Marketplace for $1,000,” wrote a user.
“I always suggest cleaning and vacuuming your car before you take it to a place like Carmax,” offered another. “Makes a huge difference.”
“Had an ’09 Accord last year. Went to trade it in at three different big dealerships. Highest offer I got was $650. Went to a small dealer and got offered $3,100 at the first one. Try a small dealer,” suggested a third.
@uurfavredhed that fact i didn’t think i would get rejected 🤣 #fypシ゚viral #rejected #carsales #uurfavredhed #fypシ゚viral ♬ original sound – uurfavredhed
We’ve reached out to the TikToker via TikTok direct message and comment.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
