You are buying another car and the dealer offers to take your old one in part exchange. The alternative is to sell the old car yourself or to a buyer service and use the money towards the next one. Both routes work, and the better one depends on how each offer is built and how much of the work you want to do yourself. This post explains the mechanics. For the wider comparison between a private sale and a dealer, read the private sale or dealer guide.
What a trade-in offer is made of
A dealer who takes your car has to sell it again. The offer therefore starts from the price the dealer expects to get for it, and then takes off the costs of making it ready: cleaning, repairs, a new APK (the Dutch roadworthiness test) if one is due, and the time the car stands on the forecourt. The dealer also keeps a margin for the risk of a car that does not sell as planned.
That is why a trade-in figure is usually lower than what a private buyer might pay. The difference is what you pay for a sale that needs no advertising, no viewings and no waiting for a buyer. Whether that trade is worth it is your decision, and nobody can answer it for you without seeing the car.
Why the trade-in figure is hard to compare
When the trade-in is part of a deal on the next car, there are at least three numbers in play: the price of the car you buy, the discount on it and the value given for your old car. A dealer can move any of the three. A generous trade-in figure can sit next to a smaller discount, and the reverse.
You can make the comparison fair by asking the dealer for two things in writing:
- The price of the new car without any trade-in.
- The amount offered for your old car, as a separate line.
With those two lines you can set the trade-in figure beside any other offer you collect and see what you actually receive.
What a separate sale involves
Selling separately gives you the whole sale price, but you also take on the work. You write the advert, take photos, answer messages, show the car and agree the price. Then comes the paperwork, which is the part that goes wrong most often when sellers are in a hurry.
For a sale to a private person, the RDW (the Dutch vehicle authority) describes these steps on its page about selling a car:
- You give the buyer the registration card (kentekencard) and the complete registration code (tenaamstellingscode), or the paper documents for an older car.
- The buyer puts the car in their name with the RDW.
- You receive the proof of transfer (vrijwaringsbewijs). The RDW advises that you only hand over the car once you have it, and that you can check in Mijn RDW or the Kentekencheck that the car is no longer in your name.
- If the car had an APK inspection, you give the buyer the report of the latest one.
- You cancel or change your insurance yourself.
You also meet strangers, and some of them are not honest. Our post on scams on Marktplaats covers what to watch for.
How a trade-in is handled on paper
When you trade in at a business the RDW has recognised for registration work (it shows the RDW sign), the RDW says you give the complete registration documents to an employee and receive the proof of transfer from the business. You can find such businesses through the RDW locator. The RDW page does not describe trade-ins specifically, so ask the dealer how and when the proof of transfer reaches you, and wait for it before you consider the car handed over.
Both routes need the registration card and the full registration code. The code has nine digits in two parts and is needed to sell, trade in, suspend, scrap or export a car. The RDW explains where each part comes from on its page about the registration card. If you cannot find yours, request a new one before you start negotiating, so the paperwork does not hold up the deal.
A third option: a buyer service
A buyer service sits between the two. You give the details of the car, receive an offer and decide whether to accept. There are no viewings and no advert. Start through the sell form; the request costs nothing, and the way payment and transfer work is agreed with you if you accept the offer.
Like a dealer, a buyer service has to resell the car, so the offer reflects that. Because the offer does not depend on a new purchase, it is easy to compare with a trade-in figure.
Questions to ask before you decide
- Is the trade-in figure given separately from the discount on the new car?
- Does the dealer accept the car as it stands, or will the figure change after inspection?
- When do I receive the proof of transfer?
- What happens to my insurance, and who cancels it?
- Do I need the car for a few more weeks, and can the dealer wait?
The answers show how much of the work the dealer really takes off your hands.
Frequently asked questions
Does a trade-in always give a lower figure than a private sale?
Not always, but a dealer has to cover reconditioning and margin, so the figure often sits below what a private buyer might pay. Collect at least two other offers and compare them with the trade-in figure as a separate line.
Can I trade in a car that has no valid APK?
Ask the dealer. The RDW page on selling does not say what a business may or may not accept, so the answer depends on the dealer. Without a valid APK the car cannot be driven on public roads, so ask how it will be collected.
Do I still need the registration code when I trade in?
Yes. According to the RDW, selling, trading in, suspending, scrapping and exporting all call for the code. If you have lost it, you can request a new one from the RDW before you visit the dealer.
Who cancels my insurance after a trade-in?
You do. The RDW states that sellers stop or change their own insurance. Do it once you hold the proof of transfer and have checked that the car is out of your name.
What if I am leaving the Netherlands soon?
Timing matters: the buyer has to live in the Netherlands, and the proof of transfer has to reach you. Agree the date of the handover with the dealer early, and wait for the proof of transfer before you give up the car or leave your Dutch address.
To compare your dealer’s figure with a second opinion, use the sell form.
