Location: Northern VA - Winchester Year/Make/Model: 2000 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport Body Style: 4dr Wagon Engine: 2.2 Liter 5 Spd Driveline: AWD Mileage: 74,000 Color: Silver Major Options: Alloy wheels, aftermarket CD and speakers. Cruise, power everything, fog lights. Condition: Good condition, some minor scratches and dings, a few interior scratches on the door handles, clean interior. Cold AC Tires - New BFG All season M&S tires Brakes - Good - original Maintenance - up to date per manufacturers recs, all belts except timing belt changed recently. All major fluids changed in the last 5k miles.
No accidents. 2nd owner. Good condition cosmedically and mechanically.
2002 Maxima SE 6 spd Private Party Seller Black with Black Leather Manual transmission 31,000 miles Bose with 6 disc in dash CD Power moonroof Heated seats/Steering wheel/mirrors Side air bags Power seats Auto temperature control Aftermarket tinted windows Minnepolis area Excellent condition inside and out - non smoker Good tires and brakes Seller asking $19.9.
The average Joe can not get a quality paint job done for $1500, and this figure would be tough to meet even if you did all the prep work yourself. It's not an area you want to skimp on, as that $1500 inherent hit will be even bigger if it was done by Hannibal Lecter...
I don't think I can improve on what everyone else has said about this, but here's my (blunt) 2 cents:
First of all, just chill out! A Corola is an economy car, right? It's not like spending your whole life dreaming about a Corvette or Porsche, & then impulsively buying one in some crazy color. Is this your first new car? "Buyer's remorse" after such a major purchase is common, as is the tendancy to nit-pick every little thing you might not like about the car for a few months. If the color is your biggest problem you are lucky! JUST ENJOY THE CAR, Ok? Toyotas have good resale, but not if you trade them in after a month.......
>>Help! I just financed a Toyota Corolla 2003 S about a month ago. I thought I liked the color, but after taking it home....I don't knoe whether or not I like it. Is there a way to trade it in without getting losing completely too much money!!
Looking to buy from a private party. Lexington, KY 2004/Lexus/RX330 4dr SUV 3.3L, 6CYL, auto FWD 20,000mi Gold/Tan color Premium Plus Pkg: ltr, pwr steering whl, roof rails, illum entry, moonroof, pwr rear door, HID headlamps, wood steering wheel Good condition: normal wear and tear for 20Kmi Private Party Sale MSRP: $39340 (inc. $625 Dest Charge) Thanks a bunch!!!
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In the land of the race horses .. we are looking at a 20k "04" RX330 and it's a FWD .. we have the Prem pack, HID, slider of course, rails, color is good anywhere .. hmm, lots of miles and no AWD, if we don't any Dutch Boys, no touch-ups, just a clean/nice/seats look hovered in 04 with lots of miles ... then trade side, the dealers might drop the $29/30ish zipcode in it .. down Retail Rd, it's a $34/$35ish *asking* price vehicle and $33,0 should make everyone happy .. it has 20k and it's a FWD, miles don't help and the FWD is not a winner here ...... how much are they asking.?
...... Properly done .. ya know, great 4/5 liner Ad in the biggest paper in your area, superb detail, finish any service .. $14,9 *asking* and send it sideways at the first $13,9/$14,5 ........................
I need to know whether or not the asking price from a private sale is reasonable. The vehicle is a well maintained red 300zxTT with 98000, leather,t-tops pretty much loaded. Asking $10800. I did some research at Edmunds, Kelley Blue Book and NADA and came up with an avg. high retail of $7100. I emailed the guy letting him know that the avg. retail price was nothing I made up and oh my God you would have thought I cursed his mother! That price wasn't even close he said. I thought taking the avg of three would be a good offer!
What should I have offered??? I know this isn't a trade-in value question, but I didn't know where else to post this question.
..l.o.l... Now you know what dealers go through every minute of everyday .. where do these folks get these prices.?
"my car "must" be worth XXXXX, it's low in miles, they're hard to find and I have owned it since day one, had it serviced every 2,100 miles, never sat in the pass seat and it was stored in a air conditioned sealed garage and my mother hand washed it on Sundays, never seen rain and I never drove it in direct sunlight ....." .. blah - blah - blah ..... eBay is covered with these nut cases ~ you don't want to make love to it or marry it, you just want to buy it and drive until the next nice vehicle catches your eye and buy that one for a fair price ..
You said TT, I "assume" you mean turbo not the 2+2, even so it doesn't matter .... the super nice, super clean "in the wrapper" glow in the dark, not a thimble of repaint, blessed by the Pope and covered by a hand made Amish quilt, even in the land of the Lost Angels are only doing the tall $6's with miles in the 65/75k range at the auctions and these things are puuuurfect ... well, as perfect as a 15 year old vehicle can be and dealers are only seeing the super tall $8's low low low low low low low $9's after the smoke clears on the retail side and these things need -0-, rubber is 15 minutes old and the air will freeze Polar bears, etc, etc ........ $10,800.? great price if you live in Bolivia ..
There is a Kazillion nice clean Legends, Z cars, Celica's, whatever, out there for sale for a fair price, especially with winter coming and they have run out of garage space for the last few years ....
Sometimes ego gets in the way of selling a nice vehicle .. looks like this guy should go to Home Depot and get some Potting soil and make a planter out of it ...........................
The plan was to buy a (probably new) minivan early next year (when it is *really* needed), but: I noticed this 2000 Villager advertised by a local Minneapolis VW dealer. Base; dark red/maroon; high miles (87k); usual power stuff, cruise, tape/no CD. Interior, exterior and engine compartment look clean. Drives fine, but there is a slight wobble in the steering wheel. The dealer has no problem taking it to my mechanic for an inspection. Obviously, sold with no warranty. With the news of the 05 Ody prices pushing 35k, the thought of buying used looks more and more appealing.
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00 Nissan Quest with 87k, ooop's I mean a Mercury Villager ... base.? I'm assuming with the cloth and just a power pack, right.? ... $6 grand.? Very fair, just have it looked at real close, miles are on the tall side, but these Quest/Villagers are seeing the 125k range without a hick-up ........... let me know.!
PS: $35,000+ for a Ody.? I dunno, I hope they can pull it off .. most of the Honda dealers I know are stairing at em' and lookin' for their first buyer .....................
I am thinking of modifying my '02 Camry LE to improve handling (I was going to replace it, but the extra 10K is a lot of money to me).
I am thinking of putting on some 16" alloy wheels (with GT tires). Will that have any effect on the value of the car. I am guessing it will not. However, given my dislike for the car (which would go away with better handling), I do not want to *hurt* its value. The only other initial mod is new (better) speakers. But that is not expensive, and will not impact anything I think.
BTW, the car is a: 2002 Camry LE 13500 miles DC area Auto PW/PD AM/FM/CASS/CD Keyless entry
......... Add ons are great .... the big daddy stereo's, the D-Day invasion interiors, the 20" bling wheels, the only problem is: it's worth -0-, less that one to the next buyer, so that means the dealer will drop the value to accommodate the difference for the repair to turn it stock ....
... it's our vehicle, change what you so choose - But, keep the original stuff handy so you can change out at trade/sale time .............
Father in-law looking at replacing his 02 E320 when lease is up and wants a CLK. Found these two at a dealer in Central Jersey: 01 CLK320 convert 30995 miles Auto Red/Grey leather dual power heated seats CD changer Side airbags All other M-B features Condition extremely clean. VIN WDBLK65GX1T062889 Asking $44900 02 CLK320 coupe Bordeaux/Grey leather 8141 miles (yep, less than 9K miles) Auto Dual power seats with driver's memory, roof side airbags, alloys, etc, etc Excellent condition VIN WDBLJ65G52T115258 No price listed - says ASK. I've always known that if you have to ask, you can't afford it! What's he got in it? Thanks! Deke
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The 01 sounds nice .. it's low in miles, great color combo, seems to have all the stuff and you say it's clean, and they are asking $45,0 ..... did I read this right.? .. 01 CLK320 convert 30995 miles Auto ...... hmm, I must be going blind again, $45.?? it's an 01 C*L*K convertible with 31k, right..? .......... $44,900.? as in Fourty four thousand nine hundred dollars .?!? American money ...? .......... okaaaaay .... is this the same guy that's selling the 91 300 Z car..? .. the dealer might have the $31/$32ish figure in it, lets do a little service, $33, lets pay the Gotti family for protection, $34, lets add a CPO, $35, lets have lobster for lunch for a week, $36 ..... anyway you cut it, it's a $39ish vehicle on the retail side - $44,900.? in another 5/6 weeks when the snow hits the ground, there won't be a dealer between Maine and Missouri that won't cut one loose for $35/$36 -- I read something wrong - right.?
Door #2 - I'm afraid to open it .... this one is an 02 CLK COUPE, with tiny miles, right color and all the stuff .... ASK - I'm afraid to ask .... super clean, perfect history, "glows in the dark" seats are hovered in, if you wax it you get it dirty ... dealer could have $30 in it, maybe if he went blind - $33,0 is ALL the money on the planet ... ok, I give up, whats he asking ...?
yeah, i have no idea what joe average pays for a paintjob. I just figured Maaco offers something like, what, $400? So 4 times that for something halfway decent was my assumption. What do they pay these days?
anyway, its all a guessing game, but I also figured on that kind of a hit on a 6 or 7 year old car that's only going to be worth a few thousand bucks anyway. So, by that time, it won't matter so much (of course, the aftermarket paint will probably look much worse after that time than the factory paint would).
Personally, color is the LAST thing I care about on a car.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
discount, a full repaint starts at $2500. They have to remove engine compartment stuff, the trunk liner, weatherstripping, glass, etc, to make the car another color.
Also, think about the value hit when someone looks up the factory paint code and it's not that color....
I don't do vehicle with golds, tans, bieges, and absolutely no tan interiors - just hate 'em (comes from a smoked-up, nasty interior on my folk's '78 Fairmont that I was ashamed to take to the prom..)
Other than that, I'll keep a vehicle clean and it'll look good.
The point, other than being astronomical to do a good repaint, plus the obvious trade value hit, is that knowing that I don't like gold or tan vehicles, I would never buy one and would never been in that situation to need a repaint or trade after a month of ownership.
Like Dr. Phil says, "it's time to get real", and that's the real world talking there...
The choices are to live with it, or lose your butt to the tune of $5-8 grand.
2002 Maxima SE 6 spd Private Party Seller Black with Black Leather 6 cyl Manual transmission 31,000 miles Bose with 6 disc in dash CD Power moonroof Heated seats/Steering wheel/mirrors Side air bags Power seats Auto temperature control Aftermarket tinted windows Minnepolis area Excellent condition inside and out - non smoker Good tires and brakes Seller asking $19.9.
We're both afraid to ask about the 02 Coupe. It's at a large Jersey dealer of imports and he's always on the high side with prices. ANyone in the area will know this place - his dealer nameplate has a 300 Gullwing on it....
Found an 01 Coupe at another dealer in Brooklyn with similar miles and equipment, no-sale dark blue with white leather for $37G. Father in-law's been driving Benzes since 1979, so there's no talking him into a Lexus or Infiniti, let alone returning to a Cadillac....
"don't do vehicle with golds, tans, bieges, and absolutely no tan interiors - just hate 'em (comes from a smoked-up, nasty interior on my folk's '78 Fairmont that I was ashamed to take to the prom..)"
lol - well Drift, you wouldn't like my car: 04 Accord in "Heather mist" (Gold) with leather "Ivory" interior (tan)
Dif strokes for dif folks...I find this color (exterior) doesn't show dirt/scratches as much as darker colors, although the interior needs to be cleaned a little more often
........ No likey.? then trade it .. if your in a negative equity position and can't trade it, then whatever you do - don't have it repainted - unless you want to take a $5,000 beating, plus the cost of the paint job at trade time ...... just feel the love and enjoy the color.!
Location: Northern VA - Winchester Year/Make/Model: 2000 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport Body Style: 4dr Wagon Engine: 2.2 Liter 5 Spd Driveline: AWD Mileage: 74,000 Color: Silver Major Options: Alloy wheels, aftermarket CD and speakers. Cruise, power everything, fog lights. Condition: Good condition, some minor scratches and dings, a few interior scratches on the door handles, clean interior. Cold AC Tires - New BFG All season M&S tires Brakes - Good - original Maintenance - up to date per manufacturers recs, all belts except timing belt changed recently. All major fluids changed in the last 5k miles. No accidents. 2nd owner. Good condition cosmedically and mechanically. Title: Financed. Thanks in advance
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Sorry for the delay Gray, but I had my basket weaving classes this week ..
All righty then .. we have a 00 Suby Impreza Outback Sport 4dr Wagon, miles are cranking around 75k, awd, power pack, wheels, cold breeze, no kisses, we live in the North Verginny area, new sneakers, needs stoppers (how the heck do you get 75k on brakes.? drag your feet at intersections.?) and and and we were doing so well, Bam.! it's a handshaker .... you can have a El Manual in Vettes, Bimmers, Acura's even Diewooo's but in a wagon it's the k-i-s-s of d-e-a-t-h ...... trade side, in and around the mid/tall $5's, maybe the low low low low low $6's depending on the alignment of Mars and the Boston Red Sox ....
Hello terry. I posted this a couple days ago. Do you have time to estimate fair value of this explorer? thank you Phoenix, AZ 99 Ford Explorer 4 dr Eddie Bauer 4WD 45800 Miles Light Green/Tan exterior, Tan interior Slight scratches on left rear door Normal wear on interior - no major spots Tires ~3yrs old - replaced thru recall Brakes 6 months old Fluids replaced 6months ago, regular ontime oil No accidents Thanks for your help.
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Sure, I will be more than happy to give a figure ... now, if Mathias would return my Crystal Ball I could reeeally be accurate ...
Soooooo, we have a 99 Ford Exploder EB .. we have the 4WD, we have low low miles, we have the no-sale green thing going on, but it's a light no-sale green, so that will work at Camelback, we have a few tiny K-mart kisses, no major Chernobyl burns in the interior, all in all it sounds like a pretty nice rig, if the hot Zona sun hasn't burned the dash and the paint off ..... if we have no click click in the 4wd, looks and drives like a 02, then trade side, in and around the mid to tall $6's, might "maybe" get a dealer to drop the low low low $7's in it, IF ~ you can get the Wildcats to win a game ... I don't think that's happening .l.o.l..
Me personally, I would get a great and superb detail, a glorious Ad and drop this dude down Retail Rd: $9,900 *asking* and cut it loose for the first $8,9/$9,5 ....
Not to try and beat this to death or anything, but if said person kept said vehicle for, let's say, 10 years, it wouldn't be worth $5K, so taking that kind of beating wouldn't happen. But, out of curiosity, let's say someone did such a thing and kept the vehicle for quite some time. If the identicle vehicle was worth $5K without a repaint, what would it be worth if it had been repainted early in its life? I know its not exactly an easy question to answer, but I'm just curious.
This is just like when my bro-in-law was looking for a new Jetta. He ran across one that was fully loaded up turbo model, but it was a horrible color and the dealer was trying to give it away for THOUSANDS less. My bro-in-law ultimately turned it down, but I kept telling him to buy it and repaint it. As it is, he paid MORE for a totally stripped base model.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
This is not a question about a specific vehicle. I just want to get your opionion/observation about the transactions of FX35s when you witnessed during the auctions.
According to Edmunds.com, FX35s is rated as lowest cost to own. When you look into the rate, FX35 has better resale value than RX330.
However, several other sites, cars.com, autobytel.com, the depreciation of FX35 is around average while that of RX 330 excellent.
I am in the market for FX35, but feel hesitated to pursue now.
Hey, your opinion, my opinion, your mileage may vary - while gold and tan are popular colors, they're popular for the wrong reasons - the reason you pointed out - they don't show dirt as much as other colors.
That means they don't get washed as often, and I've found in my 10 years and 20,000 + vehicles that cars that don't get washed often usually don't get maintained well.
Their owners look at them as "no touch" cars (except for gas), and some of the most neglected vehicles I've seen are golds and tans...
My dad bought gold and tan cars almost exclusively for that very reason - he almost never washed them or had them washed - he also ran several into the ground (in a short period of time) through lack of maintenance.
We fear my brother's Blazer is going to drop something soon, so he's thinking about trading it in (or, more likely, selling it), probably in the next few months. Details:
96 S10 Blazer LS 4-door 4x4 4.3 V6, automatic power windows/locks/dr. seat, factory AM/FM CD almost 99k miles black, gray cloth, factory alloys
the good: body no rust, no major dings or scratches, paint not super shiny but not faded or blotchy, interior decent, no rips, stains or smells, runs OK (not great), trans shifts fine, 4x4 works fine, miles OK for a '96
the bad: ABS light on, Check Engine light on, needs front tires (will replace before sale, though), A/C warm (needs compressor), rear wiper inop, fronts don't spray, power seat inop (I'm gonna check the fuses on the last two). It's basically a decent 'looking' beater SUV at this point, but all in all, fixing all the badly-built GM nickel-and-dime crap would cost more than the car is worth.
He'd like to buy a....something smaller, maybe a Matrix/Vibe, Scion xB, used Protege5? I think on trade he'd get around $2k maybe $3k on a dream day push, if he put it in the paper $4k tops as is. Really nice ones are $5-6k 'asking' in AutoTrader. Whaddya think?
ghulet: The ABS and check-engine light would scare most people away even for a low price. How much would it cost to fix the AbS and check engine light? The other stuff if pretty minor (except for the AC).
qbrozen: What Jetta color has been so bad the dealer would sell it that cheap? I tried to recall seeing one in a hideous color but all I came up with were the silvers, white, black, dark blue, and red. Am I missing something?
There's a motivated seller trying to move his boxster. There is damage to the top/clamshell which is estimated to be around $2k in repairs. It just won't go down. 30k mile maint. is around $1k and tires would be $400. He wants to go and sell it at $14,000. Good deal to buy it and fix it? or is the repairs still an unknown? or could I even try to fix the clamshell top myself?
Location: Chicago, IL Year/Make/Model: 1998 Porsche Boxster Body Style: 2dr conv. Engine: 6 cyl., manual Driveline: RWD Mileage: 33k Color: black on black Major Options: Carbon Fiber interior Condition: Needs 30k service clamshell is broken needs new tires 2nd owner
Hi: I took a lunch break today and went by a Lexus dealer to find a replacement for my long-in-the tooth'94 T-bird LX. I test drove a:
'99 Lexus SC300, AT RWD. 67.5K It had chromes, but no other special options (no NAK, etc) Brand New Tires Gold, but with no 'gold package' (thankfully) I would say 8 on a 10 scale ... no obvious dings, not quite a gem, but close SF Bay area, CA I had them pull the history ... it looks like it has gone through two owners. I was concerned that I didn't see a 60K on the history. The sticker said $23.5K, but it was on 'special' for $21.8K, I feel it should be quite a bit less.
What do you think the proper value is for this car?
I wash our cars (2 silver, 1 sand) every six months, whether they need it or not. And I maintain them by the book. Everybody's different, but I think drift is on to something that people who buy easy-to-maintain colors do so because they are not as sensitive to dirt. Buddy of mine has a black '97 5-series and washes it once a week or so. Of course, he has to wait til payday to get the oil changed... :-)
....... Your right, if someone keeps a vehicle 8/9 years or longer then they should be fine - *depending on the vehicle* ...
But for the guy that buys a vehicle and keeps it 3/4/5 years, someone is going to take a brutal beating ... someone just posted a similar vehicle here, I had a gentleman trying to trade a SC400 about a month ago, 27k, new "hama's at 25k, all the service and clean to the bone, but - he didn't like red and had it repainted 4 years ago, great job, superb painter did the work, cost $3,500, it looks really nice and they did a wonderful job ..
The problem is, a vehicle like that is usually worth in and around $20grand+ on the trade side and $25ish on the Retail Side, I hit it at $10,500 and he was out the door .. I just found out a dealer in the Tampa area finally put a deal together with $11,4 - but he also has been to 20 some dealers and both sides of the state in 4 weeks, obviously most dealers were afraid of it .. so whats it worth on the retail end.? thats the science experiment of the day ...
How do explain a complete repaint to a customer.? "I swear it's never been in an accident" ..l.o.l.. having your scooter painted every other year is a little different than most vehicles .................
Hi: I took a lunch break today and went by a Lexus dealer to find a replacement for my long-in-the tooth'94 T-bird LX. I test drove a: 99 Lexus SC300, AT RWD. 67.5K It had chromes, but no other special options (no NAK, etc) Brand New Tires Gold, but with no 'gold package' (thankfully) I would say 8 on a 10 scale ... no obvious dings, not quite a gem, but close SF Bay area, CA I had them pull the history ... it looks like it has gone through two owners. I was concerned that I didn't see a 60K on the history. The sticker said $23.5K, but it was on special' for $21.8K, I feel it should be quite a bit less. What do you think the proper value is for this car?
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In Joe Montana's old playground .. we have a 99 SC300, we have the gold color, chromee's, new rubber and 67k ..... IF ~ this is nice one, no repaints, no KFC in the interior, seats look good, like you said: on a 10 - it's an 8 ... add some tires, a this and a that and it might hit the table around the $17 figure ..
These SC's are stronger than the 101st Airborne in a fire fight and in demand .. I would think that somewhere between $19,5 and $20,5 you guys have a basis for doing some business .. maybe you can get him to do the the 60k service for $20,5.?
NJ Dealer asking price - $16,999 for: '01 4x4 4WD Highlander 2.4 liter, v cylinder 36,160 miles Bluestone Metallic Power windows, brakes, steering, luggage rack, remote keyless entry, driver & passenger side airbags, tinted glass Good condition - no dings, scratches, etc. Not sure about condition of tires Clean Car Fax vehicle history 1 previous owner (was a leased vehicle)
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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Kind of a rare bird .. 4x4, 4 banger, miles are good, color could be better, power pack, history "looks" ok .... if - the sneakers are new, service is ok, no Jack the Ripper interior, no paint by numbers then it's worth "all" of $16,9 .... check this one close, I'm not doubting the vehicle, but it's kinda on the cheap side for a 36k 4x4 Highlander .....................
Oh, guru, friend of mine, person of many similar experiences as my own, are you saying that people who neglect washing their cars, in fact buy cars in colors so they DON'T have to wash them, are somehow thinking in an opposite manner when it comes to maintenance?
You neglect a car wash, you'll neglect an oil change, and if you're too cheap or busy to run it through a $5 auto wash, you're too cheap or busy to get tranny and differential services and tune ups.
For the record:
"My opinions and appraisals are given within a reasonable degree of automotive technical certainty in the appraisal of automobiles, recreational vehicles, medium- and heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles and watercraft, automotive repair and maintenance and dealership service and sales policy."
I'll be the first to admit my cars could be washed more often. Especially now that we have a 6 months old and opposing schedules. However, we are still religious about our oil changes and tire rotations. Then again, our cars are actual colors now for the first time. We used to buy silver and white with a few black sprinkled in.
your Platinum or Diamond level CCBA membership and obsession with cars, maintenance is not neglected in your garage...
I'm talking about people like my dad, who at one time let a car go 18k without an oil change. After it had just gone 13k...it blew up about 2 months later.
I'm guilty of neglecting my vehicles. My Titan is filthy inside and out right now and hasn't had the oil changed in forever (last change was at 4800, its over 12k now). Will get the oil changed today, switching it to synthetic. Things have been far to hectic to worry about my poor truck.
The Focus I've been a little better about although its not the cleanest thing on earth, the oil's been changed recently and will get switched to synthetic in the next week or so.
The Ram, well, um, its oil has been changed, I'll keep my comments to myself about the rest of it.......just one word though.........MUD!!
I'm in the market for a newer vehicle and I'm getting the run around from some dealerships about my vehicle. I'm interested in your thoughts on the trade in value of my truck.
-Albany, NY -96/Chevy/Blazer LS -2 dr -auto trans/6 cyliner/4.3 L engine -4WD -78000 miles -teal green exterior/gray cloth interior -power driver seat, windows, doors, mirrors, cruise, remote starter, keyless entry, driver air bag, cassette -interior is in excellent condition (no stains, rips, etc) exterior has some rust above rocker panel next to passenger side door, couple dents in hood from cracking ice off in winter, front bumper looks "speckled" paint is chipping off is small pieces, tires are 3 years old, front brakes need replacing soon...all done 3 years ago, maintenance is up to date and have records - in an accident 2 years ago...driver side door replaced, alignment fixed, etc...total damage about $2800. (no subsequent problems since accident with fixed parts)
could use some help with this...getting close to purchasing a '02 mercury mountaineer olive green, 33,000 miles, tan leather interior, heated seats, dual climate control, steering wheel controls, memory seats, awd, v8, power everything, cruise. dealership offered me $5000 for my truck and $18100 for the mtneer...whole deal has been working off of getting me the payments i want...$228. i know it's the backwards way of doing it...but it is going that way with this dealership.
Hi Terry This is not a question about a specific vehicle. I just want to get your opinion/observation about the transactions of FX35s when you witnessed during the auctions. According to Edmunds.com, FX35s is rated as lowest cost to own. When you look into the rate, FX35 has better resale value than RX330. However, several other sites, cars.com, autobytel.com, the depreciation of FX35 is around average while that of RX 330 excellent. I am in the market for FX35, but feel hesitated to pursue now. Thanks in advance.
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Good question, lets see if I can make any sense with my answer .. Both are Very Good vehicles.
Right now, CLEAN 03 FX35's with all the stuff, tech, awd, sport loaded up and with miles in the 9/12/15k range are doing "in and around" the tall $30ish/$31ish figure at the block, dealers will probably see the $33/$34ish range depending on the time zone ... down Lexus lane, the 03 RX300's, again with all the junk, nav and the awd, same low miles are seeing the $27/$28ish range and dealers will probably see the $29/$31ish figure on the retail side .....
So what does all that mean ...? .. I dunno, let me flip over to page 27 .. as it stands, the FX's are doing alot stronger than I thought they would do, even the 03 QX4's with the AWD are still seeing the strong $24's, obviously clean with low miles and $27+ down Retail Rd .. so what that tells me is, that Infiniti has built two different vehicles and both are doing very well in the market right now, as is the Lexus ....
Now, it comes down to personal taste .. you need to take both out and put a few miles on them, same old story - your streets, your roads, your mail boxes, your malls .. find a dealer, leave them a copy of your license, let the salesman inform you of all the bells and whistles, leave him at the store and drive them ...
Nobody is going to be making these payments for you, not Autobygod, not Cars R' US, not Ship Me And Lose Me, not your boss, not the guy at the dealership - just you.! So make sure you like it .. Books don't buy cars - you do.! .. and you know what they say about opinions .l.o.l..
Well, my black Ram still reflects whatever is next to it after 8 1/2 years
That said, if anyone wants to discuss colors, we can restart that separate discussion. Just post a note in the "Suggest a Smart Shopper Discussion", and if enough people think it's worthy, we can fire one up.
kcram Host Smart Shopper and Wagons Message Boards
Nice cars! BTW, the NAK is nice to have on a Lexus. I almost bought a used LX470 once with the NAK, the stereo was awesome. What kind of new tires on the SC300, & is the car CPO, with some warranty?
Comments
Year/Make/Model: 2000 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport
Body Style: 4dr Wagon
Engine: 2.2 Liter 5 Spd
Driveline: AWD
Mileage: 74,000
Color: Silver
Major Options: Alloy wheels, aftermarket CD and speakers. Cruise, power everything, fog lights.
Condition:
Good condition, some minor scratches and dings, a few interior scratches on the door handles, clean interior. Cold AC
Tires - New BFG All season M&S tires
Brakes - Good - original
Maintenance - up to date per manufacturers recs, all belts except timing belt changed recently. All major fluids changed in the last 5k miles.
No accidents. 2nd owner. Good condition cosmedically and mechanically.
Title: Financed.
Thanks in advance
Any help is appreciated.
2002 Maxima SE 6 spd
Private Party Seller
Black with Black Leather
Manual transmission
31,000 miles
Bose with 6 disc in dash CD
Power moonroof
Heated seats/Steering wheel/mirrors
Side air bags
Power seats
Auto temperature control
Aftermarket tinted windows
Minnepolis area
Excellent condition inside and out - non smoker
Good tires and brakes
Seller asking $19.9.
What is a reasonable offer?
Thanks,
Sydney
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First of all, just chill out! A Corola is an economy car, right? It's not like spending your whole life dreaming about a Corvette or Porsche, & then impulsively buying one in some crazy color. Is this your first new car? "Buyer's remorse" after such a major purchase is common, as is the tendancy to nit-pick every little thing you might not like about the car for a few months. If the color is your biggest problem you are lucky! JUST ENJOY THE CAR, Ok? Toyotas have good resale, but not if you trade them in after a month.......
>>Help! I just financed a Toyota Corolla 2003 S about a month ago. I thought I liked the color, but after taking it home....I don't knoe whether or not I like it. Is there a way to trade it in without getting losing completely too much money!!
Lexington, KY
2004/Lexus/RX330
4dr SUV
3.3L, 6CYL, auto
FWD
20,000mi
Gold/Tan color
Premium Plus Pkg: ltr, pwr steering whl, roof rails, illum entry, moonroof, pwr rear door, HID headlamps, wood steering wheel
Good condition: normal wear and tear for 20Kmi
Private Party Sale
MSRP: $39340 (inc. $625 Dest Charge)
Thanks a bunch!!!
==============================
In the land of the race horses .. we are looking at a 20k "04" RX330 and it's a FWD .. we have the Prem pack, HID, slider of course, rails, color is good anywhere .. hmm, lots of miles and no AWD, if we don't any Dutch Boys, no touch-ups, just a clean/nice/seats look hovered in 04 with lots of miles ... then trade side, the dealers might drop the $29/30ish zipcode in it .. down Retail Rd, it's a $34/$35ish *asking* price vehicle and $33,0 should make everyone happy .. it has 20k and it's a FWD, miles don't help and the FWD is not a winner here ...... how much are they asking.?
Terry.
Happy hunting and let me know what happens.!
Terry.
I SWEAR its no relative of mine nor is it ME!!! I really am staying away from the car lots I promise!!!
What should I have offered??? I know this isn't a trade-in value question, but I didn't know where else to post this question.
..l.o.l... Now you know what dealers go through every minute of everyday .. where do these folks get these prices.?
"my car "must" be worth XXXXX, it's low in miles, they're hard to find and I have owned it since day one, had it serviced every 2,100 miles, never sat in the pass seat and it was stored in a air conditioned sealed garage and my mother hand washed it on Sundays, never seen rain and I never drove it in direct sunlight ....." .. blah - blah - blah ..... eBay is covered with these nut cases ~ you don't want to make love to it or marry it, you just want to buy it and drive until the next nice vehicle catches your eye and buy that one for a fair price ..
You said TT, I "assume" you mean turbo not the 2+2, even so it doesn't matter .... the super nice, super clean "in the wrapper" glow in the dark, not a thimble of repaint, blessed by the Pope and covered by a hand made Amish quilt, even in the land of the Lost Angels are only doing the tall $6's with miles in the 65/75k range at the auctions and these things are puuuurfect ... well, as perfect as a 15 year old vehicle can be and dealers are only seeing the super tall $8's low low low low low low low $9's after the smoke clears on the retail side and these things need -0-, rubber is 15 minutes old and the air will freeze Polar bears, etc, etc ........ $10,800.? great price if you live in Bolivia ..
There is a Kazillion nice clean Legends, Z cars, Celica's, whatever, out there for sale for a fair price, especially with winter coming and they have run out of garage space for the last few years ....
Sometimes ego gets in the way of selling a nice vehicle .. looks like this guy should go to Home Depot and get some Potting soil and make a planter out of it ...........................
Terry.
With the news of the 05 Ody prices pushing 35k, the thought of buying used looks more and more appealing.
=============================
00 Nissan Quest with 87k, ooop's I mean a Mercury Villager ... base.? I'm assuming with the cloth and just a power pack, right.? ... $6 grand.? Very fair, just have it looked at real close, miles are on the tall side, but these Quest/Villagers are seeing the 125k range without a hick-up ........... let me know.!
PS: $35,000+ for a Ody.? I dunno, I hope they can pull it off .. most of the Honda dealers I know are stairing at em' and lookin' for their first buyer .....................
Terry.
I am thinking of modifying my '02 Camry LE to improve handling (I was going to replace it, but the extra 10K is a lot of money to me).
I am thinking of putting on some 16" alloy wheels (with GT tires). Will that have any effect on the value of the car. I am guessing it will not. However, given my dislike for the car (which would go away with better handling), I do not want to *hurt* its value. The only other initial mod is new (better) speakers. But that is not expensive, and will not impact anything I think.
BTW, the car is a:
2002 Camry LE
13500 miles
DC area
Auto
PW/PD
AM/FM/CASS/CD
Keyless entry
... it's our vehicle, change what you so choose - But, keep the original stuff handy so you can change out at trade/sale time .............
Terry.
01 CLK320 convert
30995 miles
Auto
Red/Grey leather dual power heated seats
CD changer
Side airbags
All other M-B features
Condition extremely clean.
VIN WDBLK65GX1T062889
Asking $44900
02 CLK320 coupe
Bordeaux/Grey leather
8141 miles (yep, less than 9K miles)
Auto
Dual power seats with driver's memory,
roof
side airbags,
alloys, etc, etc
Excellent condition
VIN WDBLJ65G52T115258
No price listed - says ASK.
I've always known that if you have to ask, you can't afford it!
What's he got in it?
Thanks!
Deke
===========================
The 01 sounds nice .. it's low in miles, great color combo, seems to have all the stuff and you say it's clean, and they are asking $45,0 ..... did I read this right.? .. 01 CLK320 convert 30995 miles
Auto ...... hmm, I must be going blind again, $45.?? it's an 01 C*L*K convertible with 31k, right..? .......... $44,900.? as in Fourty four thousand nine hundred dollars .?!? American money ...? .......... okaaaaay .... is this the same guy that's selling the 91 300 Z car..? .. the dealer might have the $31/$32ish figure in it, lets do a little service, $33, lets pay the Gotti family for protection, $34, lets add a CPO, $35, lets have lobster for lunch for a week, $36 ..... anyway you cut it, it's a $39ish vehicle on the retail side - $44,900.? in another 5/6 weeks when the snow hits the ground, there won't be a dealer between Maine and Missouri that won't cut one loose for $35/$36 -- I read something wrong - right.?
Door #2 - I'm afraid to open it .... this one is an 02 CLK COUPE, with tiny miles, right color and all the stuff .... ASK - I'm afraid to ask .... super clean, perfect history, "glows in the dark" seats are hovered in, if you wax it you get it dirty ... dealer could have $30 in it, maybe if he went blind - $33,0 is ALL the money on the planet ... ok, I give up, whats he asking ...?
Terry.
anyway, its all a guessing game, but I also figured on that kind of a hit on a 6 or 7 year old car that's only going to be worth a few thousand bucks anyway. So, by that time, it won't matter so much (of course, the aftermarket paint will probably look much worse after that time than the factory paint would).
Personally, color is the LAST thing I care about on a car.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Also, think about the value hit when someone looks up the factory paint code and it's not that color....
I don't do vehicle with golds, tans, bieges, and absolutely no tan interiors - just hate 'em (comes from a smoked-up, nasty interior on my folk's '78 Fairmont that I was ashamed to take to the prom..)
Other than that, I'll keep a vehicle clean and it'll look good.
The point, other than being astronomical to do a good repaint, plus the obvious trade value hit, is that knowing that I don't like gold or tan vehicles, I would never buy one and would never been in that situation to need a repaint or trade after a month of ownership.
Like Dr. Phil says, "it's time to get real", and that's the real world talking there...
The choices are to live with it, or lose your butt to the tune of $5-8 grand.
Any help is appreciated.
2002 Maxima SE 6 spd
Private Party Seller
Black with Black Leather
6 cyl Manual transmission
31,000 miles
Bose with 6 disc in dash CD
Power moonroof
Heated seats/Steering wheel/mirrors
Side air bags
Power seats
Auto temperature control
Aftermarket tinted windows
Minnepolis area
Excellent condition inside and out - non smoker
Good tires and brakes
Seller asking $19.9.
What is a reasonable offer?
Thanks!
Found an 01 Coupe at another dealer in Brooklyn with similar miles and equipment, no-sale dark blue with white leather for $37G. Father in-law's been driving Benzes since 1979, so there's no talking him into a Lexus or Infiniti, let alone returning to a Cadillac....
Looks like we'll be steering clear of this place.
Thanks for your insight, Terry!
Deke
lol - well Drift, you wouldn't like my car: 04 Accord in "Heather mist" (Gold) with leather "Ivory" interior (tan)
Dif strokes for dif folks...I find this color (exterior) doesn't show dirt/scratches as much as darker colors, although the interior needs to be cleaned a little more often
Thanks!
I can feel the good waves from here ...
Terry ;^}
Terry
Year/Make/Model: 2000 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport
Body Style: 4dr Wagon
Engine: 2.2 Liter 5 Spd
Driveline: AWD
Mileage: 74,000
Color: Silver
Major Options: Alloy wheels, aftermarket CD and speakers. Cruise, power everything, fog lights.
Condition:
Good condition, some minor scratches and dings, a few interior scratches on the door handles, clean interior. Cold AC
Tires - New BFG All season M&S tires
Brakes - Good - original
Maintenance - up to date per manufacturers recs, all belts except timing belt changed recently. All major fluids changed in the last 5k miles.
No accidents. 2nd owner. Good condition cosmedically and mechanically.
Title: Financed.
Thanks in advance
===============================
Sorry for the delay Gray, but I had my basket weaving classes this week ..
All righty then .. we have a 00 Suby Impreza Outback Sport 4dr Wagon, miles are cranking around 75k, awd, power pack, wheels, cold breeze, no kisses, we live in the North Verginny area, new sneakers, needs stoppers (how the heck do you get 75k on brakes.? drag your feet at intersections.?) and and and we were doing so well, Bam.! it's a handshaker .... you can have a El Manual in Vettes, Bimmers, Acura's even Diewooo's but in a wagon it's the k-i-s-s of d-e-a-t-h ...... trade side, in and around the mid/tall $5's, maybe the low low low low low $6's depending on the alignment of Mars and the Boston Red Sox ....
Terry
do you mean that the handshaker wagons will only bring good money when the red sox win the world series?
if thats true, it explains why people stopped buying them in 1918.
;-)
Terry ;-)
Phoenix, AZ
99 Ford Explorer
4 dr Eddie Bauer
4WD
45800 Miles
Light Green/Tan exterior, Tan interior
Slight scratches on left rear door
Normal wear on interior - no major spots
Tires ~3yrs old - replaced thru recall
Brakes 6 months old
Fluids replaced 6months ago, regular ontime oil
No accidents
Thanks for your help.
===================================
Sure, I will be more than happy to give a figure ... now, if Mathias would return my Crystal Ball I could reeeally be accurate ...
Soooooo, we have a 99 Ford Exploder EB .. we have the 4WD, we have low low miles, we have the no-sale green thing going on, but it's a light no-sale green, so that will work at Camelback, we have a few tiny K-mart kisses, no major Chernobyl burns in the interior, all in all it sounds like a pretty nice rig, if the hot Zona sun hasn't burned the dash and the paint off ..... if we have no click click in the 4wd, looks and drives like a 02, then trade side, in and around the mid to tall $6's, might "maybe" get a dealer to drop the low low low $7's in it, IF ~ you can get the Wildcats to win a game ... I don't think that's happening .l.o.l..
Me personally, I would get a great and superb detail, a glorious Ad and drop this dude down Retail Rd: $9,900 *asking* and cut it loose for the first $8,9/$9,5 ....
Good luck and see you at Camelback ...
Terry.
This is just like when my bro-in-law was looking for a new Jetta. He ran across one that was fully loaded up turbo model, but it was a horrible color and the dealer was trying to give it away for THOUSANDS less. My bro-in-law ultimately turned it down, but I kept telling him to buy it and repaint it. As it is, he paid MORE for a totally stripped base model.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
This is not a question about a specific vehicle.
I just want to get your opionion/observation about the transactions of FX35s when you witnessed during the auctions.
According to Edmunds.com, FX35s is rated as lowest cost to own. When you look into the rate, FX35 has better resale value than RX330.
However, several other sites, cars.com, autobytel.com, the depreciation of FX35 is around average while that of RX 330 excellent.
I am in the market for FX35, but feel hesitated to pursue now.
Thanks in advance.
That means they don't get washed as often, and I've found in my 10 years and 20,000 + vehicles that cars that don't get washed often usually don't get maintained well.
Their owners look at them as "no touch" cars (except for gas), and some of the most neglected vehicles I've seen are golds and tans...
My dad bought gold and tan cars almost exclusively for that very reason - he almost never washed them or had them washed - he also ran several into the ground (in a short period of time) through lack of maintenance.
96 S10 Blazer LS 4-door 4x4
4.3 V6, automatic
power windows/locks/dr. seat, factory AM/FM CD
almost 99k miles
black, gray cloth, factory alloys
the good: body no rust, no major dings or scratches, paint not super shiny but not faded or blotchy, interior decent, no rips, stains or smells, runs OK (not great), trans shifts fine, 4x4 works fine, miles OK for a '96
the bad: ABS light on, Check Engine light on, needs front tires (will replace before sale, though), A/C warm (needs compressor), rear wiper inop, fronts don't spray, power seat inop (I'm gonna check the fuses on the last two). It's basically a decent 'looking' beater SUV at this point, but all in all, fixing all the badly-built GM nickel-and-dime crap would cost more than the car is worth.
He'd like to buy a....something smaller, maybe a Matrix/Vibe, Scion xB, used Protege5? I think on trade he'd get around $2k maybe $3k on a dream day push, if he put it in the paper $4k tops as is. Really nice ones are $5-6k 'asking' in AutoTrader. Whaddya think?
qbrozen: What Jetta color has been so bad the dealer would sell it that cheap? I tried to recall seeing one in a hideous color but all I came up with were the silvers, white, black, dark blue, and red. Am I missing something?
There's a motivated seller trying to move his boxster. There is damage to the top/clamshell which is estimated to be around $2k in repairs. It just won't go down. 30k mile maint. is around $1k and tires would be $400. He wants to go and sell it at $14,000. Good deal to buy it and fix it? or is the repairs still an unknown? or could I even try to fix the clamshell top myself?
Location: Chicago, IL
Year/Make/Model: 1998 Porsche Boxster
Body Style: 2dr conv.
Engine: 6 cyl., manual
Driveline: RWD
Mileage: 33k
Color: black on black
Major Options: Carbon Fiber interior
Condition:
Needs 30k service
clamshell is broken
needs new tires
2nd owner
Thanks!!
I took a lunch break today and went by a Lexus dealer to find a replacement for my long-in-the tooth'94 T-bird LX. I test drove a:
'99 Lexus SC300, AT RWD.
67.5K
It had chromes, but no other special options (no NAK, etc)
Brand New Tires
Gold, but with no 'gold package' (thankfully)
I would say 8 on a 10 scale ... no obvious dings, not quite a gem, but close
SF Bay area, CA
I had them pull the history ... it looks like it has gone through two owners. I was concerned that I didn't see a 60K on the history.
The sticker said $23.5K, but it was on 'special' for $21.8K, I feel it should be quite a bit less.
What do you think the proper value is for this car?
You really didn't print that with a straight face, did you.?
Terry
And I maintain them by the book.
Everybody's different, but I think drift is on to something that people who buy easy-to-maintain colors do so because they are not as sensitive to dirt. Buddy of mine has a black '97 5-series and washes it once a week or so.
Of course, he has to wait til payday to get the oil changed... :-)
-Mathias
But for the guy that buys a vehicle and keeps it 3/4/5 years, someone is going to take a brutal beating ... someone just posted a similar vehicle here, I had a gentleman trying to trade a SC400 about a month ago, 27k, new "hama's at 25k, all the service and clean to the bone, but - he didn't like red and had it repainted 4 years ago, great job, superb painter did the work, cost $3,500, it looks really nice and they did a wonderful job ..
The problem is, a vehicle like that is usually worth in and around $20grand+ on the trade side and $25ish on the Retail Side, I hit it at $10,500 and he was out the door .. I just found out a dealer in the Tampa area finally put a deal together with $11,4 - but he also has been to 20 some dealers and both sides of the state in 4 weeks, obviously most dealers were afraid of it .. so whats it worth on the retail end.? thats the science experiment of the day ...
How do explain a complete repaint to a customer.? "I swear it's never been in an accident" ..l.o.l.. having your scooter painted every other year is a little different than most vehicles .................
Terry.
I took a lunch break today and went by a Lexus dealer to find a replacement for my long-in-the tooth'94 T-bird LX. I test drove a:
99 Lexus SC300, AT RWD.
67.5K
It had chromes, but no other special options (no NAK, etc)
Brand New Tires
Gold, but with no 'gold package' (thankfully)
I would say 8 on a 10 scale ... no obvious dings, not quite a gem, but close
SF Bay area, CA
I had them pull the history ... it looks like it has gone through two owners. I was concerned that I didn't see a 60K on the history.
The sticker said $23.5K, but it was on special' for $21.8K, I feel it should be quite a bit less.
What do you think the proper value is for this car?
================================
In Joe Montana's old playground .. we have a 99 SC300, we have the gold color, chromee's, new rubber and 67k ..... IF ~ this is nice one, no repaints, no KFC in the interior, seats look good, like you said: on a 10 - it's an 8 ... add some tires, a this and a that and it might hit the table around the $17 figure ..
These SC's are stronger than the 101st Airborne in a fire fight and in demand .. I would think that somewhere between $19,5 and $20,5 you guys have a basis for doing some business .. maybe you can get him to do the the 60k service for $20,5.?
Let me know hat happens.!
Terry.
thats a good viewpoint .........
Terry.
'01 4x4 4WD Highlander
2.4 liter, v cylinder
36,160 miles
Bluestone Metallic
Power windows, brakes, steering, luggage rack, remote keyless entry, driver & passenger side airbags, tinted glass
Good condition - no dings, scratches, etc. Not sure about condition of tires
Clean Car Fax vehicle history
1 previous owner (was a leased vehicle)
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
====================================
Kind of a rare bird .. 4x4, 4 banger, miles are good, color could be better, power pack, history "looks" ok .... if - the sneakers are new, service is ok, no Jack the Ripper interior, no paint by numbers then it's worth "all" of $16,9 .... check this one close, I'm not doubting the vehicle, but it's kinda on the cheap side for a 36k 4x4 Highlander .....................
Again ----- let me know.!
Terry.
You neglect a car wash, you'll neglect an oil change, and if you're too cheap or busy to run it through a $5 auto wash, you're too cheap or busy to get tranny and differential services and tune ups.
For the record:
"My opinions and appraisals are given within a reasonable degree of automotive technical certainty in the appraisal of automobiles, recreational vehicles, medium- and heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles and watercraft, automotive repair and maintenance and dealership service and sales policy."
Your mileage may vary....
Just hacking on ya'.
I'm talking about people like my dad, who at one time let a car go 18k without an oil change. After it had just gone 13k...it blew up about 2 months later.
The Focus I've been a little better about although its not the cleanest thing on earth, the oil's been changed recently and will get switched to synthetic in the next week or so.
The Ram, well, um, its oil has been changed, I'll keep my comments to myself about the rest of it.......just one word though.........MUD!!
-Albany, NY
-96/Chevy/Blazer LS
-2 dr
-auto trans/6 cyliner/4.3 L engine
-4WD
-78000 miles
-teal green exterior/gray cloth interior
-power driver seat, windows, doors, mirrors, cruise, remote starter, keyless entry, driver air bag, cassette
-interior is in excellent condition (no stains, rips, etc) exterior has some rust above rocker panel next to passenger side door, couple dents in hood from cracking ice off in winter, front bumper looks "speckled" paint is chipping off is small pieces, tires are 3 years old, front brakes need replacing soon...all done 3 years ago, maintenance is up to date and have records
- in an accident 2 years ago...driver side door replaced, alignment fixed, etc...total damage about $2800. (no subsequent problems since accident with fixed parts)
could use some help with this...getting close to purchasing a '02 mercury mountaineer olive green, 33,000 miles, tan leather interior, heated seats, dual climate control, steering wheel controls, memory seats, awd, v8, power everything, cruise. dealership offered me $5000 for my truck and $18100 for the mtneer...whole deal has been working off of getting me the payments i want...$228. i know it's the backwards way of doing it...but it is going that way with this dealership.
thanks!
This is not a question about a specific vehicle.
I just want to get your opinion/observation about the transactions of FX35s when you witnessed during the auctions.
According to Edmunds.com, FX35s is rated as lowest cost to own. When you look into the rate, FX35 has better resale value than RX330.
However, several other sites, cars.com, autobytel.com, the depreciation of FX35 is around average while that of RX 330 excellent.
I am in the market for FX35, but feel hesitated to pursue now.
Thanks in advance.
===============================
Good question, lets see if I can make any sense with my answer .. Both are Very Good vehicles.
Right now, CLEAN 03 FX35's with all the stuff, tech, awd, sport loaded up and with miles in the 9/12/15k range are doing "in and around" the tall $30ish/$31ish figure at the block, dealers will probably see the $33/$34ish range depending on the time zone ... down Lexus lane, the 03 RX300's, again with all the junk, nav and the awd, same low miles are seeing the $27/$28ish range and dealers will probably see the $29/$31ish figure on the retail side .....
So what does all that mean ...? .. I dunno, let me flip over to page 27 .. as it stands, the FX's are doing alot stronger than I thought they would do, even the 03 QX4's with the AWD are still seeing the strong $24's, obviously clean with low miles and $27+ down Retail Rd .. so what that tells me is, that Infiniti has built two different vehicles and both are doing very well in the market right now, as is the Lexus ....
Now, it comes down to personal taste .. you need to take both out and put a few miles on them, same old story - your streets, your roads, your mail boxes, your malls .. find a dealer, leave them a copy of your license, let the salesman inform you of all the bells and whistles, leave him at the store and drive them ...
Nobody is going to be making these payments for you, not Autobygod, not Cars R' US, not Ship Me And Lose Me, not your boss, not the guy at the dealership - just you.! So make sure you like it .. Books don't buy cars - you do.! .. and you know what they say about opinions .l.o.l..
Always Buy and Drive what YOU like.!
Let me know how it goes ...
Terry.
That said, if anyone wants to discuss colors, we can restart that separate discussion. Just post a note in the "Suggest a Smart Shopper Discussion", and if enough people think it's worthy, we can fire one up.
kcram
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