<prompt> Human: GreetingsIm fairly new to this subreddit but I felt like my situation could be applicable. I am 22 fresh out of college with a solid paying job and in a stable financial situation. I have a 2006 5 series BMW with 90k miles on it and the maintenance payments are getting ridiculous. Im thinking I want to get some equity out of my car and downgrade to a non-flashy reliable car. My question is, will my best bet be trying to sell the car outright and using whatever I can get from it towards a used car, or try to trade it in with any excess value going into my pocket?  <response>: You will almost always get more money by selling it privately. Remember the dealer will likely be reselling your car so they will try to offer you the lowest value possible on the trade in. However, I will say, it is quite convenient to be able to go in with your old car, trade, and leave with a new car... Still... probably not worth it. 