Aug 22, 2025

When you’re getting a new Hyundai, you’ll need to figure out the best way to sell your old car. If you sell it to the Hyundai dealership, then you get to enjoy some of the many trade-in benefits that come with that option.

1. Doing a Trade-In Benefits You Tax-Wise

In Maine, you don’t have to pay sales tax on the full price of your new car if you’re trading in your old vehicle. The value of your trade-in reduces the cost of your new car before the sales tax is applied.

So, if you’re looking at a $25,000 car, and you trade in your old car for $10,000, then your new car will drop in price to $15,000 if you use the value of your trade-in to lower the cost of the new vehicle. Instead of paying sales tax on the original $25,000 price, you only have to pay sales tax on the new $15,000 price.

2. Doing a Trade-In Simplifies the Financial Transactions

When selling your car privately, you’re navigating everything alone. This includes accepting a large sum of money from a buyer. Moving around large funds can be tricky to navigate, and the transactions can also take a while to process before you actually get the money.

When everything is done through the dealer, it’s a lot simpler. If your old car is worth $10,000, then you don’t need to have $10,000 deposited in your bank account. It can be taken straight off the price of the next car you’re buying, so there’s only one large transaction to make, and that’s buying the new car. The dealer or a lender can help you with that transaction, so you never need to handle tricky transactions by yourself.

3. Doing a Trade-In is Fast and Easy

It’s not just the financial transactions that are simpler when you’re trading in your car at the dealership. Every part of the process is easier, as you don’t need to do anything but drive to the dealership and tell the staff that you’re looking to trade in. That will initiate the process, and a few hours later, your car could be off your hands. It might take weeks to get your car sold if you’re selling it privately.

4. Doing a Trade-In Can Cover Initial Costs

Sometimes the value of your old vehicle will be enough to cover the entire down payment on your new one, meaning there’s less to pay up front. Dealerships are also sometimes willing to accept cars that need minor repairs, so you could also save money on those by trading in your car at the dealership rather than selling it privately.

If you’re interested in trading in your car, then come to Bill Dodge Hyundai in Brunswick, ME, to get your car appraised. We can also help you with all your car-buying and service needs.