Part exchange my car

Thinking of part-exchanging? Browse, buy and sell on Carwow.

What is part exchange?

Part exchange is when you pay part of the bill for your new car by trading in your old one. 

The advantage of part exchange is that it makes life easy. You simply drive to the part-exchange dealer in your old car, and drive away in your new car.

The big disadvantage of part exchange is that you might be able to sell your old car for more money elsewhere. In fact, most Carwow sellers surveyed got an average £1,000 more than part-exchange quotes.*

You can’t part exchange your car on Carwow, but you can sell your car for more and buy your next car for less, giving you the convenience of part exchange without the compromises. Scroll on to see how it works.

Carwow's answer to part exchange

Sell your car for more

Get an instant valuation and put your car in front of 6,000 dealers. Best offer wins. No fees, no faff.

Buy your next car for less

Get a steer from our expert reviews, then find your perfect offer from our nationwide dealer network.

Enjoy free collection

Your dealer collects your car for free and pays on the spot. Many dealers offer free delivery on your next car, too.

How much is my car worth for part exchange?

The specific model of your car will obviously be a huge factor - a Rolls-Royce is clearly worth more than a Ford Fiesta, while premium cars tend to depreciate less quickly than more mainstream models.

As cars get older, they tend to lose value. When you also factor in the speed of technological and engineering advances, and legislative changes to make certain types of vehicle obsolete or expensive to use, a car’s value can often decline even faster.

As a general rule of thumb, the more miles a car has travelled, the lower the value of the car. This is largely because high-mileage cars usually need more repairs and maintenance, which can be an expensive running cost.

Has your car been serviced on time, every time? This is known as a ‘full service history’. If your car has been regularly serviced and you have the documents to prove it, this will increase your car’s part-exchange value. Main dealer rather than independent servicing helps with a car’s value, especially in its first few years on the road. It’s not so important when valuing older cars.

Pristine bodywork free of dents and scratches, no sign of wear on the carpet and seats, fully functional electrics – all of these contribute to a car’s part-exchange value. The better the condition, the more the car is worth.

Have all your paperwork in order – a taxed car with a valid MOT certificate is worth more than a similar car without. Make sure you also have your car’s registration certificate – called the V5C – to hand.

Why choose Carwow over part exchange?

When you sell your old car on Carwow, instead of being reliant on the dealer you're buying your new car from, you’re putting your car in front of thousands of dealers' eyes across the country. So you can sell safe in the knowledge that you got the best possible price for your car. And when it comes to collection, you’re in control and can arrange it at a time that suits you best. 

No fees, no faff, every penny stays yours.

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Car trade and part exchange FAQs

If a second-hand car you're looking to buy is marketed as being a part-exchange car, this means the dealer bought it from another customer who bought a car through them.

If you are selling your old car to the dealer when buying a new car, your old car will be known as a part-exchange car.

Yes: trading in and part exchanging are used synonymously, and mean the same thing..
At a bare minimum you will need the registration document, technically known as the V5C, but informally called the logbook. If you've lost this it is possible to get a replacement from the DVLA, but you should obtain this prior to trying to sell your car or part exchange it.

Additionally, the more paperwork you have to do with your car the better. You should have the owners manual and service book (which dealers will stamp when the car has been in for maintenance). In an ideal world you will also have invoices and printed service records from these maintenance sessions, while if you have recently had new tyres fitted, or had the wheel alignment checked and adjusted, you should also include these. MOT records can be checked online, though it doesn't hurt to include paper copies of these, if you have them.

If your car is still in manufacturer warranty, also include the policy documents for this, and you should also be able to hand over both sets of keys, as well as any security tags to do with the car's locks, alarm or immobiliser system.

In short, the more proof you have that you have looked after your car, the better, and a car with a full, meticulous and documented service history can be worth significantly more than a car with none.

For more information on what you need, check out our guide on what documents you need to sell your car.

Potentially, yes, assuming the dealer you are part exchanging it with is aware of and happy with any issues.

How broken the car is will have some bearing on things, however: if the timing chain has snapped and wrecked the engine, you are unlikely to get much money in part exchange, whereas if the car just needs a new headlight bulb fitted, you should fare better.

In any instance, you could consider getting a quote to fix any faults with your old car, and weigh these costs up with any deduction the dealer would make for the issues when taking the car in part exchange.

You are likely to get a better price if you sell your car privately but in terms of convenience and logistics, part exchanging the car is more advantageous. Read more about part exchange vs selling your car.
In theory this is entirely possible, though you would be best off having the conversation with an individual dealer. Assuming they are happy with this arrangement, they would sell you the new car, take your old car in part exchange, then transfer you the difference in price between the two cars in cash.
No, you cannot part exchange a leased car. Like renting a house, at no point during your leasing agreement will you actually own your car – it remains the property of the leasing company, even after your final payment. When your car leasing agreement has finished, you must return it to the leasing company.
Yes, you can part exchange a car on finance – provided there is no outstanding finance on the vehicle. Usually, you have the option to buy the car and own it outright when you reach the end of your finance deal. But you don’t have to wait until the end of your contract to get into a new car. We can offer you a valuation based on the market value of the car and will settle the outstanding finance on the car for you.

It’s then up to you how much of your part-exchange cash to put down on a deposit – you have that flexibility.

Part exchange and selling guides

How to sell a car

Ways to sell a car

Laws and documentation

*See our marketing claims.