Being upside-down on a car loan, also known as having negative equity, is a stressful situation. It means you owe more on your car loan than your car’s current market value. This can happen due to factors like rapid depreciation, unfavorable loan terms, or rolling over previous negative equity into your current loan.
For example, if your car is worth $15,000 but you still owe $20,000, you’re upside-down by $5,000. As distressing as negative equity loans can be, it’s not uncommon. CarEdge’s recent Negative Equity Report found that more than one-third of drivers who financed have underwater auto loans.
The good news is that there are several strategies you can use to part ways with your underwater loan as quickly as possible. We’ll explore practical ways to get rid of a car with negative equity, helping you make an informed decision each step of the way.
How to Get Rid of a Car With Negative Equity

Looking to sell your car with negative equity as soon as possible? Here are a few proven strategies to consider, depending on your financial situation and goals.
1. Sell Your Car
If you’re serious about getting rid of your car, it is possible to sell a car with negative equity. If you’re looking to sell your car without trading it in at a car dealership, you’ll need to pay the difference between the sale price and your loan balance to settle your current loan when you sell your car. Check out our Complete Guide to Selling a Car with a Loan.
You’ve got a few options for selling your car, even if you have negative equity.
Private Sale
Selling privately often yields a higher price than trading in at a dealership. However, you’ll need to pay off your existing loan before selling. Most of us don’t have that much cash on hand, but luckily there’s still a way to make it work. If you have great credit and proven income, you may be able to obtain a personal loan to pay off the loan balance. After the car is sold, you can use the proceeds from the sale to immediately pay off your personal loan.
Private sales offer an advantage for older cars or vehicles with higher mileage because you can often command a higher selling price with a private buyer than what a dealership would offer. Remember that dealerships are likely to wholesale these types of vehicles, as they may not be able to retail them on their lot due to higher reconditioning costs and lack of financing options for these vehicles.
Newer late-model, low mile vehicles are difficult to sell to private party buyers because they don’t usually have the cash on hand to make large ticket purchases and will need to rely on financing options that are more readily available at licensed dealerships.
👉 Pro Tip: To determine the selling price for a used vehicle in a private party sale, have an appraisal done in person at Carmax and then add $2,000 to $2,500 to the written offer.
Sell to an Online Buyer
You can sell to online car buyers like Carvana, CarMax, and AutoNation, and Driveway without being required to purchase a vehicle from their store. These large Auto Groups will quickly appraise your vehicle (online or in person) and provide a conditional cash offer. While this option is highly convenient, understand that you’re unlikely to get as much for your car as you would with a private sale. If you’re deeply underwater, online buyers may either require you to pay the difference between the loan balance and sale price, or they may refuse to buy your car. However, this is a solid option for many.
Late-model, low-mileage cars in top condition are attractive to dealerships because they will retail them on their lot and be able to offer financing and other warranty products to maximize their return. However, to secure a fair market value, you need to shop around for the best offer.
Compare online offers with CarEdge!
Trade-In Your Car
When shopping for a replacement vehicle at a licensed dealership, you may have the option to roll any negative equity into the balance of the new loan, provided that the loan-to-value ratio meets the lender’s requirements. ⚠️ Beware, car buyers who roll over negative equity into a new loan are likely to end up in a similar situation in the future.
👉 Pro Tip: It’s fine to mention that you might have a trade-in during the negotiation of your replacement vehicle’s selling price. However, to maximize your trade allowance, avoid sharing detailed information with the dealership until you have 1) obtained an appraisal from a reputable brick-and-mortar store like Carmax, and 2) have first finalized the selling price of the replacement vehicle.
Pros of Selling Your Car:
- Frees you from the car and loan and eliminates your financial responsibility.
- Private sales can get you more than expected for your car, but it’s usually best to pay off the loan first.
Cons of Selling Your Car:
- Selling a car with negative equity requires cash to cover the gap between the sale price and the loan payoff balance.
- Trade-ins may lead to higher debt on a new car, and often lead to another underwater loan.
👉 Compare offers from online car buyers in minutes with CarEdge
2. Not Recommended: Roll Over the Negative Equity
If you can’t afford to pay off the gap between your loan balance and the car’s resale value, but you’re determined to sell, rolling over your loan is an option if you’ll be needing another vehicle. Rolling over negative equity involves trading in your car and adding the remaining loan balance to your next loan. While this solves the immediate issue, it often leads to a cycle of debt. It can be a viable option if your next vehicle is much more affordable (and with more affordable payments) than the car you’re coming out of.
Pros:
- Immediate solution to get rid of the car.
- May provide access to a more reliable and more affordable vehicle.
Cons:
- Increases the loan balance on your next car.
- Leads to higher monthly payments and longer debt obligations.
- It is very easy to end up in years of additional negative equity when rolling over loans.
3. Not Recommended: Voluntary Repossession
If you’re deeply underwater on your auto loan, must get rid of your car, but can’t afford to pay the difference between the car’s value and the loan balance, surrendering the car to repossession by the lender is an option as a last resort.
You’re probably familiar with involuntary repossession from TV shows. It can get ugly and uncomfortable for all involved. However, voluntary repossession is different. You simply make arrangements to hand over the vehicle to a representative of the lender who holds the lien on your vehicle. You’re not selling the car, so you’re not getting paid. But if you need a way out of your car loan and burdensome payments, it’s an option.
All repossession, including voluntary car repossession, will hurt your credit score. Your score will see a sharp hit immediately, and the even will remain on your credit report for up to 7 years. Make sure you understand how having a lower credit score could impact your future before following through with repossession.
Options For Keeping Your Car and Overcoming Negative Equity

1. Make Extra Payments on Your Loan
Consider paying extra each month toward the principal balance. Most auto loans do not have prepayment penalties in 2025, but it’s best to check with your lender to confirm. Making extra payments reduces your auto loan balance faster, closing the gap between what you owe and your car’s value.
Pros and cons of making extra car payments
Pros:
- Reduces the loan balance quickly.
- Avoids additional loans or rolling over debt.
Cons:
- Requires extra financial resources.
- Could take time, depending on the size of the negative equity.
2. Keep It Simple: Pay Off the Loan As Agreed
If you don’t need to sell or trade the car, the simplest option is to keep making payments until the loan is paid off or the car’s value exceeds the loan balance.
Depreciation is the root cause of most cases of negative equity. The good news is that depreciation slows tremendously after the first three years of vehicle ownership. If you can afford to keep making payments with your current loan, you will eventually be out of negative equity, guaranteed.
Pros:
- Avoids additional loans or out-of-pocket expenses.
- Builds equity over time.
Cons:
- It may take years to resolve negative equity.
- Depreciation could continue to outpace loan payments for some time.
How CarEdge Can Help

Navigating the complexities of negative equity and car buying doesn’t have to be stressful. With CarEdge’s free tools and expert services, you can make informed decisions:
👉 CarEdge Insights: Get real-time market data to understand your car’s value and local car market trends.
👉 Dealer Invoice Pricing: Negotiate the best price on your next car with this FREE tool.
👉 Car Buying Concierge: Let our experts handle every step of the buying, leasing, or selling process for you. Looking to get the most for your underwater trade-in? We can help!
Ready to take control of your car ownership journey? Visit CarEdge.com and start saving today!
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