Salesman Inflates Trade-In Value for Customer? The Truth Is Shocking

A car salesperson revealed on TikTok that when trading in a vehicle at a dealership, sales staff actually want you to receive a higher appraisal for your old car. Salesperson Kane stated, "We often pressure the appraisers to get you more money." This contradicts the common perception that salespeople try to lowball trade-in offers. The reason is simple: salespeople earn commissions primarily from new car sales. If customers feel they’ve received a fair trade-in value—effectively lowering their overall purchase cost—they’re more likely to close the deal on the spot. Although final offers are based on market data (such as Kelley Blue Book) and adjusted for reconditioning costs and profit margins, salespeople frequently advocate for higher valuations to help seal the transaction. The claim has sparked heated debate online, with some agreeing that “salespeople only care about closing the sale,” while others question its authenticity. Media outlets have reached out to Kane for verification, but no response has been received yet.