You have a lot of good things going for you.....it's a big block, tow pack, auto and the miles are right....(leer product ..is that topper have windows..? ) the color is right...don't worry about a factory re-paint....and the warranty - use that as a negotiating tool if you sell it on the streets ( dealer wont want it ) the re-paint will only affect how a Honda dealer will want to 'perceive' it..... So, this what I'm thinking....if it needs nothing...and the tires are 'new'...A Honda dealer will look at it ( a wholesaler probably..Import dealers don't like real trucks ..l..o..l.. ) in and around this $6,000 to $7,000 ish figure.real money - -on the street monies....depending on the area you are around that figure is more on the $8000 to $9000 ish market..when you sell it your self....
What we have learned: 1) Look in your local ads and see what similar vehicles are going for.
2) According to our best friend who has sold cars for years, Kelly BB Retail tends to be high (at least for our area). Take the trade-in value and add $1500.(Aug. of both + $1500 is ($4800).
3) The return on your investment because of what you've done may help some. But in our area, man. tarns, long bed, 2x4, if its a standard cab would hurt a little.
ALWAYS, it's worth what someone will pay. (Assuming you find a buyer.)
You might want to not get too greedy. Sounds like you're new car is on the way. What will you do if you haven't sold the truck and the new car arrives?
I'd seriously consider ALL offers. Preferably closer to $5K.
Thanks for the response about DC minivans. We love our 99 GC SE but will probably go with Odyssey LX or Sienna LE next time. This is my favorite Edmunds Town Hall site. Honest, unbiased responses without the BS. FWIW, my friend who got the 99 Maxima for his wife (and has hated it for 2 years due to many problems)just traded it in on a new 2001 Accord EX 4 cylinder with 5 speed. Did not get as much in trade as KBB or Edmunds indicated as all dealers said the local market is soft for Maximas. He drives an 86 Ford F150 4WD short bed.
I forgot to mention where I live, the sfo bay area. My new car is on the way but I don't know any dates yet except mid to late March. I should know more next week hopefully. As the truck is my only current vehicle I'm waiting until I know when the car will be here before I advertise.
If it sells quick I'll have to rent a car. If it doesn't sell quick I'll have to take on bigger payments and try to get a loan I can re-amortize once I sell it.
Looking in the paper and auto trader these trucks are advertised over a wide price range from around $3500 to $10k (rolls eyes). I plan on advertising in the newspaper, the auto trader rag (with a big picture) and possibly on the web via yahoo or maybe ebay. I'm hoping for a two week window to begin advertising before the car arrives. I don't have a lot of time to test the market and so am thinking of asking $5800 obo and see what happens.
The reason dealers don't give you KBB or edmunds trade in is that they don't use those guides. The guides they use are black book(auction guide), saome use NADA that takes retail average and trade reports to get their numbers. The most important guide is experiance, what they know they have sold them for before. KBB and edmunds are pretty useless, since they can't back it up. If they say your car is worth 10000, and a dealer gives you 6500 then why won't KBB and Edmunds give you 7500? That should be a bargain for them.. It is because they say stuff they can't back up. It is like making promise's they can't keep.
Me again; don't want to wait too long for this one. The local BMW dealer has a 1997 BMW CPO 528i. It's Aspen Silver with black leather interior- Premium Pkg, and heated seats/wheel. The only flaw I found was an @2" curb rash on the LR wheel. It was just traded on a 2001 525i. They offered us $15,000 for the ti and want $27,900 for the 5er. I'm almost ready to jump; my plan is to to offer $27,000 and if they come down even a little we'll take it. Whatcha think? Thanks a bunch!
.........Here a Taurus, there a Taurus....everywhere a Taurus..ole' Mcdonald had a..l..o..l..
I was at Auctions Wed, and Thursday....soooo, you get a little wacky after about the 10,000th car....Fomoco was there with 'alot' of vehicles... along with Toyota/Lexus, GM, Chrysler, etc....A lot of BMW's and Infiniti's this week.. But, anyway....most of the Taurus's were the base ( 10,000 - 11,500 )...but also it's fair share of the ..SES..and a few SEL's......actually these are nice vehicles ..I like them, The SES's with the low miles 5-12,000k, with the stereo upgrades, roofs , etc..were running in that $12,000 to $13,000 ish range....and the SEL's with all the stuff (roofs,leather) same miles..were in that..$13,000 to $13,500 ish range.....I ended up buying ( among some others )..a real nice 99 Mercury Mystique LS, V6, Leather, roof etc..with 6500k for my Nephew, for $9000 ( I hope, the little punk likes it )...A lot of Lincoln LS' also ran.....but anyway, I'm going to run myself to bed....
I know what spellbound is going through with selling the car. I have advertised my car (ok, its not a truck but a 98 Monte Carlo) pretty much since December in local papers, autotrader, and the web, and I get only a couple of queries who never want to see it.
Just as you said, if I trade mine I'll have to put up bigger monthly payments. You might need quite a bit more than a two week window.
I wonder, what is the point at which a person should quit trying and trade it? I mean, every ad costs money. So, how much should be the limit for spending on ads? I am wondering if I am foolish for continuing to try. I may decide to try ebay very soon.
I agree with Terry. $6,500 or so to perhaps $7,000 is all the car is really worth. I don't think it's a factor of bad resale value, It's the mileage. That car has over 90,000 miles and is not a car we want.
It is virtually impossible for me to finance, and it is very tough if not impossible to offer an extended warranty on (Which many used car buyers want).
Nice as it may be... it still has 90K+ on the clock and it's also a 5-Speed which limits its' market. My experience with high mileage cars is that often a low price isnt enough to sell them. A lot of people just wont buy them, period.
Glad you got out of there... sorry about the upcoming snows tho... Grab a Navigator or Mountaineer for this week!
Hmm... 2001.5s. It's been my experience that 2-3 years down the road they're usually worth a bit more than a 2001, less than a 2002. Closer to what a 2001 will be worth than a 2002.
Though a strong resale car that comes out way early in the year can be a good buy at times. What 3.0 S-Types are doing at auction continues to amaze me. Wow.. a Jag doing better than a Lexus GS!
It's tough to "call" this deal... but here's my take:
The ti is worth $14K. So I feel you're getting a $1K overallowance. Terry? 97 318ti Green with 48K?
Wholesale on the 528i is prolly like $22K or so.. figure they got $895 or so in CPO costs.. plus recon... And they are going to make a few bucks on a used 528i..Figure $2K minimum.
So $27K or better seems realistic... if anything pretty strong.
Shoot for an $11K difference and see what happens!
I've looked at a Land-Rover store (Too small for a standalone) and some others...
Right now I'm trying to find a nice, profitable, yet underperforming store in South Florida that's not overpriced. I want a place that does about 80-100 a month with preferably an underperforming service and used car depts. And a store with a nice reputation, one store I looked at would have been perfect, but they had a horiffic reputation, that's very hard to overcome.
The trick is to find one that's not grossly overpriced. There's a lot of stores out there, but look at how people research a $20,000 purchase of a new car, which is smart.
I can't begin trying to sell it until I have some idea of when my new car will arrive. I'm buying a new Passat wagon and my dealer says late March or early April. Additionally I want an option combination that will be scarce so I may have to wait longer.
I believe my trucks color combination, condition and interior to be attractive and I hope to help ad response by putting up a web page with a number of pictures and including the url on any print ads I place. Perhaps by seeing pictures it will eliminate some folks who won't like it and would waste time coming out to see it as well.
I know most people these days want an extended cab with automatic but for the occasional person who doesn't a 350 5spd is probably a rare beast to find.
Thanks, Bill. We went ahead and took the plunge. The difference ended up being $12,366. Here's why I think we got a pretty good deal: 1.It was a one owner car with a full service history sold new by the dealer. Except for a couple of tiny dings on the hood, it is exceptionally clean; even smells new. And they actually threw in new BMW mats without being asked. 2.It just got new F/R pads and rotors @1000 miles ago(probably why the PO traded-the dealer hit him for $1200!) 3.It has nearly new Michelins; the ti was going to need new rubber all around. BTW, I kept the ti five spoke alloys for my car, the ti was traded with steelies and BMW hub caps. 4.The Oil Service light went on in the ti two days before we traded, the 5er still has 4 lights left. Plus, the ti was almost out of warranty while the 5er has 1.5 years left under the CPO coverage. 5.I'll get a $500 rebate from BMW NA under the CCA Loyalty Program. As an aside, we went and looked at a couple of A4Qs. The Audi dealer had them priced pretty reasonable but it took them nearly an hour to appraise our car and work up a deal(and I had told them we would buy within the week if the numbers were right) They came back with $12500 for our car and full NADA retail for their A4-a BRIGHT green lease return which had sat on their lot for at least six weeks. Then the guy has the nerve to say: "Our used car manager is out. When he gets back next week maybe he can get you more for your trade and maybe I can get a little off the A4." If he calls to follow up I'll let him know that we would have bought the A4 that day if they hadn't tried to gig us on the trade. My wife and I had already decided to buy the Audi if we could get $14000 for our car and they would come down $500-$1000 on the A4. Sorry for rambling, but suffice it to say we're happy. we own THE world class sport sedan for about the price of a new LeSabre.
.....I feel you did pretty darn good in that deal. The TI, is worth that $13,000 to $14,000 figure, so it's seems that the dealer stretched ...So I think...He did good, I'm thinking...you did a little better..! So happy driving.....
1) It's Silver, which is a hot and expensive color. Boston Green or Burgandy... nah. But on a nice, no paintwork silver car... then you did do well.
2) You did better than you should have for your trade, which is also good for you.
3) You finally got a car!
Plus, I think also that it sounds like Swope realises that having you running around Kentuckiana with their plate frames on is a good thing. When I sold Jags, we used to always stretech on Jaguar Club members.
A Big, Huge say.,.. Honda store.. Like one that sells 300+ Units a month?
Well, One just sold for here for $40,000,000 but that included Land. (Well, Jimmy Bryan Toyota and Jimmy Bryan Honda went in a Package deal for $97 Million to AutoNation, but they're known to overpay)
I'm ready for the blizzard...we are supposed to have anywhere from 18-36 inches of snow over the next 3 days. I have a 2001 Navigator with Navigation sitting right in front of the Condo ready to go. I cant wait to go out and play.... But when the news usually hypes something like this it means we will end up with 2 inches. hahah Keep me posted on the Fla store, I'll also keep my ears open. I don't see myself staying in the cold weather forever...The thought of using my boat year round is rather appealing. I won't be happy until the barge can cost me money all year instead of just 4 months a year.
I really appreciate your help and advice. You have no idea how much it helped to truly KNOW how much my ti was worth. I hope I can return the favor someday. Thanks again.
Good point! Although they too are much improved. And, personally (Say what you will) I really like the product. A LOT.
Rich:
Right now the Domestic place is self-contained. I have neither the want nor the patience to deal with it. As long as they dont do anything too stupid.... I do keep an eye on them but the management team is pretty capable. I think I may sell off my equity in it to get a better place. I'll let ya know the semantics offline. And I have to get my partner's [non-permissible content removed] in gear to get a place for us too.
My guess would be: #1. Toyota (more models than Honda) #2. Honda (Odyssey, CR-V, Civic are HOT) #3. Lexus (Upscale Toyota) #4. Acura (Upscale Honda) NOW: Where would the others fit in? Obviously Oldsmobile is a loser with Mercury and Mitsubishi not far behind. Chrysler/Jeep and Dodge would not be a wise investment now based on internet rumor of the demise of the Chrysler and Dodge lines. I would think Ford would be #5 since Ford has a wide variety and Chevy might be #6 for same reason. Nissan has a good mix but Nissan seems to have no really hot car. VW, Volvo, Saab not very good as reliability of past product is perceived to be even lower than that of Chrysler products. We like our 99 GC SE but if buying a 2001 minivan would be either Sienna LE or Odyssey LX. Thanks again for your assistance. Carl
I assume that we're talking in a manner of "What's the most desireable to own" type of thing?
Probably the most valuable franchises in the country are going to be the very large Luxury Import stores.
Places like JM Lexus in the Ft Lauderdale Area (500 Units a month!), and Longo Lexus in Southern California would both be incredibly valuable. So would places like Ray Catena Mercedes-Benz in North Jersey, Jaguar of Troy in Michigan, etc...
But those stores are not all that common. As a rule, the very expensive stores are the huge Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota and Honda stores. They are the very valuable ones. Ford in particular is good to have because you then get Ford Credit (Who buys all sorts of weak paper) and you can have a very powerful used car department simply because you can get a lot of people "bought". It's not uncommon for Ford to buy someone who's got totally wasted credit at, say, 16% or so when it's a struggle for a company like Americredit to even look at them at 25%.
My last article was the X5/Alcan Rally story in the June issue. There will be more, I just don't write on a monthly basis. Right now I'm trying to talk Satch into letting me cover the US E46 Compact intro if/when it ever happens.
From a long erm ownership standpoint this is the order in which I would buy dealerships...
1. Ford 2. Chevy 3. Toyota as the Foundation. These are the true anchors of the industry IMHO. Even in the worst times they will survive. The key with Ford/Chevy is of course Trucks. Not the SUV variety but Pick ups...which are this countries biggest sellers by far and always will be.
From there I would get a high line franchise like MB or Lexus. the next step would be the near luxury market like Volvo or Audi...
I have found "book values" ranging from 9,000 to 11,000 for the trade in value of my truck. I have seen ads for this truck in the vicinity of 14,000. Any help in figuring a trade-in and/or sale value would be appreciated!
1998 xcab 2wd sr5 trim, tinted windows, sliding rear window, bed liner, manual locks and windows, auto trans, black w/silver on bottom, ac, 55,000 miles. small ding on rear bumper, otherwise good condition and maint. records. North Carolina market. Thanks! MLJ
.......Good Question, Hmmmmmm, I will have to ponder this one.
As far as size....Stores like the Mullinax Ford chain ---- and Bill, hade made a great point..It sure is nice having that Fomocredit..In the finance departments....
Having the horsepower of the Bill Heard Chevy stores isn't to shabby..... They have a store in Huntsville, Alabama....and they call that ' Baby Heard '...That's because it's the smallest...it only does 450 to 500 unit's a month... The one in Union City, Georgia does 900 to a 1000 unit's a month..I'm not sure of what the one in big O does.....
The Red McComb stores, Chevy and Chrysler..( it's very nice, having Chrsyler buying all that C and D paper )...are quite large, out of Austin, Texas ..... I guess that's why he can afford the Vikings...
Rick Case Honda stores ( among others ).... another biggy.. one of the very largest....
Well anyway.... I'm glad you have enjoyed your GC...If I was gonna switch, I think I would go to the Odyssey..." I think " ..it has more head and leg room...it certainly drives better that's for sure..more comfort than the Toyota.....Well, at least I think so..But, the best way to find out is - Go to a Dealer and ..ask to drive em' for a afternoon...Don't, drive around the block, take them out and run em'...and make your descion from there....Remember, buy what you like...... Hey, Bill....I was in Longo Toyota the first time about 10 years ago...If people only new..l..o..l..
You wrote the X5/Alcan Rally story in Roundel? That was one of the best articles I've read in quite awhile. It was suspenseful and funny and I even think I learned a thing or two from it. Good work on that!
....I'm guessing this a 4 banger...no power, so it's a Sr5 lift...they are nice trucks ..it sounds kinda clean ( no wheels..? )..but, the miles don't help...the good news is....it's an automatic...if the tires are new..and just based on what you are telling me --- the truck is in that $9,000 to $9,500 figure -- real money --
And THANKS to all of you for sharing your valuable insights with those of us who are merely a purchaser. Best wishes to you who have shared your information and best wishes to you who take a VERY big risk to own a dealership that provides us a place to shop and get service after the purchase. I certainly hope that the current Ford experiment where FoMoCo owns the dealerships in selected markets does not spread. I, for one, prefer to have an independent entrepreneur own and operate the dealership and feel that if the Company owned all dealerships they would become as indolent and complacent as many postal and other government workers (and management) where there is no competition. P.S. I was employed by the Government AND the US Postal Service and am giving first hand data.
Don't worry about Ford's auto collection of factory owned stores. They are all currently for sale and some have already been purchased back by the previous owners at a substantial discount...
They came into our market here in Connecticut and our store was planned to become part of the group. It was the second biggest joke in the business behind carorder.com It never got off the ground here, thankfully. But I kept telling the Ford people they have no idea how to sell a car to a consumers. They have always had a captive market, ford dealers, who they could push around and push unwanted product on us and do what they want. We didnt have "another" FoMoCo to get cars from. Consumers have lots of choices. They quickly found out their experiment was a disaster and it cost the company nearly a billion dollars....
It was a good theory, but as we know theories dont always work. One price selling, salried sales people on volume commission. So essentially consumers were buying or should I say not buying from from $7.00 per hour sales guides who couldnt sell meat to a pack of starving dogs.
.... I will just get out my GPS and take a look..l..o..l..
These vehicles are running very strong now..... Let's see...Hmmmmm, silver -- the right color and the miles are right..and I will just assume, it has a couple of Honda accessory adds ...if it is clean and it needs nothing...no smoke..no snow Based on what you are telling me...You are in that...$21,000 -- $21,500 ish+ figure and maybe then some - ( real money )... They are very strong at the Auctions right now....
No smoke, no snow, I live in Texas. I was offered $20.5 at local Acura Dealer. What are they going for at auctions? Also, I would like to get into car biz, (I know I'm crazy)buy a used lot or something selling imports. Any ideas or suggestions?
The best suggestion I can offer is don't be under capitalized. I wouldnt even think of starting a used car lot with less than 500K cash the bank and a $1 mil. floor plan. Don't forget several strong finance / lease sources. With capitalization of anything less no bank will even talk to you. Sad to say, those are numbers for a small lot these day.
.....Those prices that I gave you, are Auction prices.... I go at least twice a week.
Probably a better way to approach this ..is to give me 'all' the info on yours...and "all" the info on what you are looking at.... I then can give you some, real numbers..I will back tomorrow night from a big auction up north.....
So, you are a Texas boy...I have spent a little time in Austin..checking out Red McCombs operations.....BIG STORES....nice man
$21K or so is the money on it. Which, after 2 years, is quite strong. Until they start discounting them, these Vans are going to hold their values quite well.
No other Minivan on the market can touch them for resale purposes.
As far as a store goes.. I got your mail but dont have the time to write a proper response.... Heck... read your mail tonight
Helping out my boss' husband (he's a major car freak). He's getting a new BMW Z3 3.0 Coupe and he's got to get rid of his F-150 SVT Lightning pickup. This guy keeps his vehicles so nice that I would seriously wager that it's nicer now than when he took delivery!
Can either or both of you give me a quick estimate on trade-in and possible private party sale based on the following specs?
1999 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning Pickup. Black, with gray (black-on-white) leather interior. 7000 miles. In Minnesota, but never driven in winter, always garaged, no smokers, only one adult (fanatic!) driver. Has all the factory options (they basically come loaded) and he added the 6-disc CD Changer and (I think) the tonneau cover. Still has the balance of the factory warranty. Let me know if you have any questions. Once again, I appreciate any help or guidance you can provide.
Comments
So, this what I'm thinking....if it needs nothing...and the tires are 'new'...A Honda dealer will look at it ( a wholesaler probably..Import dealers don't like real trucks ..l..o..l.. )
in and around this $6,000 to $7,000 ish figure.real money - -on the street monies....depending on the area you are around that figure is more on the $8000 to $9000 ish market..when you sell it your self....
I hope this helps
Terry.
1) Look in your local ads and see what similar vehicles are going for.
2) According to our best friend who has sold cars for years, Kelly BB Retail tends to be high (at least for our area). Take the trade-in value and add $1500.(Aug. of both + $1500 is ($4800).
3) The return on your investment because of what you've done may help some. But in our area, man. tarns, long bed, 2x4, if its a standard cab would hurt a little.
ALWAYS, it's worth what someone will pay. (Assuming you find a buyer.)
You might want to not get too greedy. Sounds like you're new car is on the way. What will you do if you haven't sold the truck and the new car arrives?
I'd seriously consider ALL offers. Preferably closer to $5K.
Good Luck!
FWIW, my friend who got the 99 Maxima for his wife (and has hated it for 2 years due to many problems)just traded it in on a new 2001 Accord EX 4 cylinder with 5 speed. Did not get as much in trade as KBB or Edmunds indicated as all dealers said the local market is soft
for Maximas. He drives an 86 Ford F150 4WD short bed.
If it sells quick I'll have to rent a car. If it doesn't sell quick I'll have to take on bigger payments and try to get a loan I can re-amortize once I sell it.
Looking in the paper and auto trader these trucks are advertised over a wide price range from around $3500 to $10k (rolls eyes). I plan on advertising in the newspaper, the auto trader rag (with a big picture) and possibly on the web via yahoo or maybe ebay. I'm hoping for a two week window to begin advertising before the car arrives. I don't have a lot of time to test the market and so am thinking of asking $5800 obo and see what happens.
But I am interested in what you folks think.
With VW offering 1/2 model year cars, explain to all the buyers out there what value that has down the road at resale....
also, sorry i missed you, i was already on the road back to CT, the moving company called me on sat PM and said can you be ready sunday am...
Rich
I'll get to these posts tomorrow night. Terry, can you help with the Trucks? I dont know Pickups all that well but I'll post on all of them
Oh and BT (Div)....
I like the deal sorta...
HOW MANY MILES???
Bill
Will get to yas tomorrow (Sat) nite!
I was at Auctions Wed, and Thursday....soooo, you get a little wacky after about the 10,000th car....Fomoco was there with 'alot' of vehicles... along with Toyota/Lexus, GM, Chrysler, etc....A lot of BMW's and Infiniti's this week..
But, anyway....most of the Taurus's were the base ( 10,000 - 11,500 )...but also it's fair share of the ..SES..and a few SEL's......actually these are nice vehicles ..I like them, The SES's with the low miles 5-12,000k, with the stereo upgrades, roofs , etc..were running in that $12,000 to $13,000 ish range....and the SEL's with all the stuff (roofs,leather) same miles..were in that..$13,000 to $13,500 ish range.....I ended up buying ( among some others )..a real nice 99 Mercury Mystique LS, V6, Leather, roof etc..with 6500k for my Nephew, for $9000 ( I hope, the little punk likes it )...A lot of Lincoln LS' also ran.....but anyway, I'm going to run myself to bed....
Terry.
Just as you said, if I trade mine I'll have to put up bigger monthly payments. You might need quite a bit more than a two week window.
I wonder, what is the point at which a person should quit trying and trade it? I mean, every ad costs money. So, how much should be the limit for spending on ads? I am wondering if I am foolish for continuing to try. I may decide to try ebay very soon.
I agree with Terry. $6,500 or so to perhaps $7,000 is all the car is really worth. I don't think it's a factor of bad resale value, It's the mileage. That car has over 90,000 miles and is not a car we want.
It is virtually impossible for me to finance, and it is very tough if not impossible to offer an extended warranty on (Which many used car buyers want).
Nice as it may be... it still has 90K+ on the clock and it's also a 5-Speed which limits its' market. My experience with high mileage cars is that often a low price isnt enough to sell them. A lot of people just wont buy them, period.
Sorry for the baddish news...
Bill
Glad you got out of there... sorry about the upcoming snows tho... Grab a Navigator or Mountaineer for this week!
Hmm... 2001.5s. It's been my experience that 2-3 years down the road they're usually worth a bit more than a 2001, less than a 2002. Closer to what a 2001 will be worth than a 2002.
Though a strong resale car that comes out way early in the year can be a good buy at times. What 3.0 S-Types are doing at auction continues to amaze me. Wow.. a Jag doing better than a Lexus GS!
Bill
It's tough to "call" this deal... but here's my take:
The ti is worth $14K. So I feel you're getting a $1K overallowance. Terry? 97 318ti Green with 48K?
Wholesale on the 528i is prolly like $22K or so.. figure they got $895 or so in CPO costs.. plus recon... And they are going to make a few bucks on a used 528i..Figure $2K minimum.
So $27K or better seems realistic... if anything pretty strong.
Shoot for an $11K difference and see what happens!
Bill
Right now I'm still looking...negotiating..etc...
I've looked at a Land-Rover store (Too small for a standalone) and some others...
Right now I'm trying to find a nice, profitable, yet underperforming store in South Florida that's not overpriced. I want a place that does about 80-100 a month with preferably an underperforming service and used car depts. And a store with a nice reputation, one store I looked at would have been perfect, but they had a horiffic reputation, that's very hard to overcome.
The trick is to find one that's not grossly overpriced. There's a lot of stores out there, but look at how people research a $20,000 purchase of a new car, which is smart.
Imagine spending 300 times that!!
Bill
I dunno what to tell ya., You tried CarMax yet?
Bill
I believe my trucks color combination, condition and interior to be attractive and I hope to help ad response by putting up a web page with a number of pictures and including the url on any print ads I place. Perhaps by seeing pictures it will eliminate some folks who won't like it and would waste time coming out to see it as well.
I know most people these days want an extended cab with automatic but for the occasional person who doesn't a 350 5spd is probably a rare beast to find.
1.It was a one owner car with a full service history sold new by the dealer. Except for a couple of tiny dings on the hood, it is exceptionally clean; even smells new. And they actually threw in new BMW mats without being asked.
2.It just got new F/R pads and rotors @1000 miles ago(probably why the PO traded-the dealer hit him for $1200!)
3.It has nearly new Michelins; the ti was going to need new rubber all around. BTW, I kept the ti five spoke alloys for my car, the ti was traded with steelies and BMW hub caps.
4.The Oil Service light went on in the ti two days before we traded, the 5er still has 4 lights left. Plus, the ti was almost out of warranty while the 5er has 1.5 years left under the CPO coverage.
5.I'll get a $500 rebate from BMW NA under the CCA Loyalty Program.
As an aside, we went and looked at a couple of A4Qs. The Audi dealer had them priced pretty reasonable but it took them nearly an hour to appraise our car and work up a deal(and I had told them we would buy within the week if the numbers were right) They came back with $12500 for our car and full NADA retail for their A4-a BRIGHT green lease return which had sat on their lot for at least six weeks. Then the guy has the nerve to say: "Our used car manager is out. When he gets back next week maybe he can get you more for your trade and maybe I can get a little off the A4." If he calls to follow up I'll let him know that we would have bought the A4 that day if they hadn't tried to gig us on the trade. My wife and I had already decided to buy the Audi if we could get $14000 for our car and they would come down $500-$1000 on the A4. Sorry for rambling, but suffice it to say we're happy. we own THE world class sport sedan for about the price of a new LeSabre.
Terry.
I think you did well.
1) It's Silver, which is a hot and expensive color. Boston Green or Burgandy... nah. But on a nice, no paintwork silver car... then you did do well.
2) You did better than you should have for your trade, which is also good for you.
3) You finally got a car!
Plus, I think also that it sounds like Swope realises that having you running around Kentuckiana with their plate frames on is a good thing. When I sold Jags, we used to always stretech on Jaguar Club members.
Bill
That's a small store
A Big, Huge say.,.. Honda store.. Like one that sells 300+ Units a month?
Well, One just sold for here for $40,000,000 but that included Land. (Well, Jimmy Bryan Toyota and Jimmy Bryan Honda went in a Package deal for $97 Million to AutoNation, but they're known to overpay)
Bill
Think how busy and profitable your service department would be!!
Oh...but think of the warranty work...ah...nevermind!
But when the news usually hypes something like this it means we will end up with 2 inches. hahah
Keep me posted on the Fla store, I'll also keep my ears open. I don't see myself staying in the cold weather forever...The thought of using my boat year round is rather appealing. I won't be happy until the barge can cost me money all year instead of just 4 months a year.
rich
Good point! Although they too are much improved. And, personally (Say what you will) I really like the product. A LOT.
Rich:
Right now the Domestic place is self-contained. I have neither the want nor the patience to deal with it. As long as they dont do anything too stupid.... I do keep an eye on them but the management team is pretty capable. I think I may sell off my equity in it to get a better place. I'll let ya know the semantics offline. And I have to get my partner's [non-permissible content removed] in gear to get a place for us too.
Bill
Now I just gotta renew my CCA Membership! You still writing in the Roundel?
Bill
#1. Toyota (more models than Honda)
#2. Honda (Odyssey, CR-V, Civic are HOT)
#3. Lexus (Upscale Toyota)
#4. Acura (Upscale Honda)
NOW: Where would the others fit in? Obviously Oldsmobile is a loser with Mercury and Mitsubishi not far behind. Chrysler/Jeep and Dodge would not
be a wise investment now based on internet rumor of the demise of the Chrysler and Dodge lines.
I would think Ford would be #5 since Ford has a wide variety and Chevy might be #6 for same reason. Nissan has a good mix but Nissan seems to have no really hot car. VW, Volvo, Saab not very good as reliability of past product is perceived to be even lower than that of Chrysler products.
We like our 99 GC SE but if buying a 2001 minivan would be either Sienna LE or Odyssey LX.
Thanks again for your assistance. Carl
Probably the most valuable franchises in the country are going to be the very large Luxury Import stores.
Places like JM Lexus in the Ft Lauderdale Area (500 Units a month!), and Longo Lexus in Southern California would both be incredibly valuable. So would places like Ray Catena Mercedes-Benz in North Jersey, Jaguar of Troy in Michigan, etc...
But those stores are not all that common. As a rule, the very expensive stores are the huge Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota and Honda stores. They are the very valuable ones. Ford in particular is good to have because you then get Ford Credit (Who buys all sorts of weak paper) and you can have a very powerful used car department simply because you can get a lot of people "bought". It's not uncommon for Ford to buy someone who's got totally wasted credit at, say, 16% or so when it's a struggle for a company like Americredit to even look at them at 25%.
Bill
1. Ford
2. Chevy
3. Toyota
as the Foundation. These are the true anchors of the industry IMHO. Even in the worst times they will survive. The key with Ford/Chevy is of course Trucks. Not the SUV variety but Pick ups...which are this countries biggest sellers by far and always will be.
From there I would get a high line franchise like MB or Lexus. the next step would be the near luxury market like Volvo or Audi...
Rich
1998 xcab 2wd sr5 trim, tinted windows, sliding rear window, bed liner, manual locks and windows, auto trans, black w/silver on bottom, ac, 55,000 miles. small ding on rear bumper, otherwise good condition and maint. records. North Carolina market. Thanks! MLJ
As far as size....Stores like the Mullinax Ford chain ---- and Bill, hade made a great point..It sure is nice having that Fomocredit..In the finance departments....
Having the horsepower of the Bill Heard Chevy stores isn't to shabby..... They have a store in Huntsville, Alabama....and they call that ' Baby Heard '...That's because it's the smallest...it only does 450 to 500 unit's a month... The one in Union City, Georgia does 900 to a 1000 unit's a month..I'm not sure of what the one in big O does.....
The Red McComb stores, Chevy and Chrysler..( it's very nice, having Chrsyler buying all that C and D paper )...are quite large, out of Austin, Texas ..... I guess that's why he can afford the Vikings...
Rick Case Honda stores ( among others ).... another biggy.. one of the very largest....
Well anyway.... I'm glad you have enjoyed your GC...If I was gonna switch, I think I would go to the Odyssey..." I think " ..it has more head and leg room...it certainly drives better that's for sure..more comfort than the Toyota.....Well, at least I think so..But, the best way to find out is - Go to a Dealer and ..ask to drive em' for a afternoon...Don't, drive around the block, take them out and run em'...and make your descion from there....Remember, buy what you like......
Hey, Bill....I was in Longo Toyota the first time about 10 years ago...If people only new..l..o..l..
Terry.
Umm, you got an idea on the Tacoma? I know not Pickups...
Bill
heheheheh... this I gotta read
Bill
I hope this helps
Terry.
I certainly hope that the current Ford experiment where FoMoCo owns the dealerships in selected markets does not spread. I, for one, prefer to have an independent entrepreneur own and operate the dealership and feel that if the Company owned all dealerships they would become as indolent and complacent as many postal and other government workers (and management) where there is no competition.
P.S. I was employed by the Government AND the US Postal Service and am giving first hand data.
They came into our market here in Connecticut and our store was planned to become part of the group. It was the second biggest joke in the business behind carorder.com It never got off the ground here, thankfully. But I kept telling the Ford people they have no idea how to sell a car to a consumers. They have always had a captive market, ford dealers, who they could push around and push unwanted product on us and do what they want. We didnt have "another" FoMoCo to get cars from. Consumers have lots of choices.
They quickly found out their experiment was a disaster and it cost the company nearly a billion dollars....
It was a good theory, but as we know theories dont always work. One price selling, salried sales people on volume commission. So essentially consumers were buying or should I say not buying from from $7.00 per hour sales guides who couldnt sell meat to a pack of starving dogs.
Rich
brentwoodvolvo: Her's a link to the condensed version: www.bmwcca.org/Roundel/2000/0600fea.htm
These vehicles are running very strong now..... Let's see...Hmmmmm, silver -- the right color and the miles are right..and I will just assume, it has a couple of Honda accessory adds ...if it is clean and it needs nothing...no smoke..no snow
Based on what you are telling me...You are in that...$21,000 -- $21,500 ish+ figure and maybe then some - ( real money )... They are very strong at the Auctions right now....
I hope this helps...
Terry.
Don't forget several strong finance / lease sources. With capitalization of anything less no bank will even talk to you.
Sad to say, those are numbers for a small lot these day.
rich
Probably a better way to approach this ..is to give me 'all' the info on yours...and "all" the info on what you are looking at.... I then can give you some, real numbers..I will back tomorrow night from a big auction up north.....
So, you are a Texas boy...I have spent a little time in Austin..checking out Red McCombs operations.....BIG STORES....nice man
til later....
Terry.
$21K or so is the money on it. Which, after 2 years, is quite strong. Until they start discounting them, these Vans are going to hold their values quite well.
No other Minivan on the market can touch them for resale purposes.
As far as a store goes.. I got your mail but dont have the time to write a proper response....
Heck... read your mail tonight
Bill
We're not all bad guys
Bill
Can either or both of you give me a quick estimate on trade-in and possible private party sale based on the following specs?
1999 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning Pickup. Black, with gray (black-on-white) leather interior. 7000 miles. In Minnesota, but never driven in winter, always garaged, no smokers, only one adult (fanatic!) driver. Has all the factory options (they basically come loaded) and he added the 6-disc CD Changer and (I think) the tonneau cover. Still has the balance of the factory warranty. Let me know if you have any questions. Once again, I appreciate any help or guidance you can provide.