The answer is “yes!” Trading in a financed car is possible, but keep in mind that the loan on the car loan won’t go away because you’ve traded in the car. The balance will still need to be paid.
Can I change my car loan to another car?
While you technically can’t transfer a car loan from one vehicle to another, you can do several things to take care of your old loan while getting a new loan. You have two main options: sell your car or trade it in, then use the proceeds to pay off the loan.
Can I trade in a car that I still owe money on for a cheaper car?
The simple answer is yes, you can! Whether it’s a good idea is another matter, and that’ll come down to what your car is worth at trade-in and how much you still owe on the loan.
Can I trade my car in if I still owe on it?
You can trade in a vehicle even if you still owe money on its loan. In fact, it’s common for dealers to take care of consumers’ old financing. They’ll pay off the remaining loan balance on your trade-in and obtain the car’s title directly from the lender.
Can you switch cars during finance? – Related Questions
How can I get rid of my financed car?
Pay off the car
The best way to get rid of a car loan is to pay off the balance of the loan. Check with your lender to see if a prepayment penalty will apply. If not, you can make extra principal payments to pay off the loan balance early. Then you will own the car outright and can keep it, sell it or trade it in.
Does selling a financed car hurt your credit?
Sell the vehicle.
If your car is worth as much as or close to the balance on your account, selling it could enable you to pay off the loan without harming your credit.
How long should you keep a car before trading?
If the vehicle is new, you should ideally wait until at least year three of ownership to trade it in to a dealership, as this is when depreciation normally slows down. If it’s used, it already went through the big drop in depreciation and you can usually trade it in after a year or so.
When should you not trade in your car?
But there is, objectively, a worst time. We do not recommend trading in your vehicle if you still have a balance on the loan and have not yet earned any equity. This means you still owe more money than the car is actually worth and are underwater on the loan.
How does trading a car in with a loan work?
In most instances, yes, you can trade in a car with a loan. Trading in your car doesn’t make your loan disappear, though. You typically still have to pay off any remaining loan balance that isn’t covered by your trade-in amount. Some dealers might roll your remaining balance into a new loan.
Can I trade in my car if I still owe on it CarMax?
In some cases, the negative equity can be included in your financing when you buy a CarMax car. If not, we’ll calculate the difference between your pay-off and our offer to you and you can pay CarMax directly. If the amount you owe is less than $250, we will accept a personal check.
Can I trade in a financed car after 6 months?
Legally, you can trade in your car under loan at any time. The question here isn’t so much about if you should trade in your car after a year or 2, but rather how much money you stand to lose or gain at any point in the loan term.
Can you return a financed car back to the bank?
If you can’t afford your car payments, you can give the vehicle back to your car loan lender. But just because you surrender the car doesn’t mean that the creditor has forgiven the debt or that it has to. (If you’re giving the car back under the assumption that the creditor will write the loan off, think again!)
Who pays the most for your used car?
Regardless of the age of the vehicle, we again found that Carmax is the best bet for a seller looking to get top dollar. The difference in offers is particularly pronounced for vehicles produced in the last six years, as well as those from 2009 and earlier.
Where is the best place to sell a used car?
- Autotrader: Great for getting eyes on your listing.
- CarGurus: Great for a quick offer.
- Facebook Marketplace: Great for selling to a private party.
- eBay Motors: Great for marketing your vehicle to a large audience.
- Carvana: Great for no-hassle selling.
- Ask an expert about selling a car online.
Can you sell a car without a title?
Yes, you can sell a car without a title if you have proof of ownership. Selling a car without proof of ownership is illegal in most states. That said, it’s not uncommon to discover that you don’t have your car’s title in your possession.