i, 40m, would like to get a (used) new car at some point in the next 6-9 months. i’ve owned 4 cars since 18. by chance, i’ve never owned a car when i’ve bought the next car. the first two cars i had ended up getting totaled while street parked. so you get a check from insurance and go get the next. the third i sold to a friend when i moved to a city / would be using the subway for daily commute. i got the 4th car a couple years later when i moved to the burbs.
anyway, this time, god willing, i will have a functioning vehicle when i go get a new one. (have 2012 sedan, around 115k miles) i know it’s not worth a lot but selling it is definitely going to be part of the buying process. i think feeling like a sucker is built into the car buying process, but i have additional anxiety around the trade-in process.
do you get a better deal trading into the dealership if you’re buying from them? is it bs like they’re “giving” you more for the trade bc they’re charging more for the car? better to sell and buy as separate transactions? any advice is appreciated.