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After living in Europe for three years, I saw many cars with rear fog lights.
They are there so cars approaching from the rear can see you. They don't help you see a thing.
This reminds me of a good rant. Why don't some people understand that they need to turn their lights on in marginal vision situations.
For example, a it is generally a good idea to have your lights on when:
It is dark. It is raining, snowing. It is sunrise. It is sunset.
The last two may seem odd to some, because you may think you can see. However, if I'm going west in the early morning, I can see you in my rear view mirrors much better if your headlights are on. Because if the sun is just right, I probably can't pick out your car. But turn your lights on, and whoa, there you are.
Same for sunset.
And of course, this is the reason for the rear fogs, for others to see you
I wish I can get the auction info and wholesale prices from the web. Do you know what are the wholesale prices for '94 - '95 Legend in Northeast region?
Where can I find the "black book," in the library?
A 1995 low mile (35K) LS, with new tires, no dings, and very clean..will pull all of $12,000++ -- The Acura's are very popular, even a high mile (60K+) Legend - clean, will do $10,000. But, the word being here is -clean- ..
Black books as a rule, are sent via dealers license and address...
I am thinking about getting a new Camaro before GM axes it. I am leaning toward to SS with T-top, auto trans, and just about every option.
I am seeing a lot of new '01s still laying around and even some no-mileage new '00s at Chevy dealers around the NY metro area.
Given that the car has not changed in many years, and that the first year deprecation hit is heavy on that car, I'd like to work out a deal on a leftover.
My guess is that the dealers aren't yet going to treat the '01s as leftovers, even though the '02s are shipping, but there is no doubt that the '00s are in play.
Any idea of what an '00 Camaro SS, auto, 1SD, t-top, Monsoon CD is worth right now? Sticker is $31,000?
Also, when can I try to work something on the '01 as a leftover?
Hello - Can I get some feedback on this car? It is silver, with grey leather interior. It has the Cold Weather package (very important here in FL - not!!!), and sunroof. It has 28K miles, and is a CPO by Volvo, so it gets extra 2 years and 24K miles warranty. They are asking $30.5K.
Also, what do you think about reliability and maintenance costs for this car for 5 years?
Finally, any other suggestions for a large luxury sedan for $30K? I am starting a family, but would like to avoid SUVs. Of course, safety and reliability are important factors. Should I go new (Catera, I30 or TL for example), or slightly used CPO (see above as example).
........They really don't have a "huge" demand. So, the pricing is just about average..unless the dealer know's you are a "can't live without buyer"...
But as of thursday, these are the kinda figures they are doing at the auctions...
2000 SS's, 6/7,000K all toyed up..with the leather gut's, and all the stuff..are doing in the $19,000's...
But anyway, the S80 is a geat vehicle ..I drove one for almost 3 month's and loved it...
The reliability is super, the handling is better - a little slow on the draw, but so is a 740IL -- You will like this Vehicle...
A $30K asking price is fair, but try for $28,000 ish, and see what happens..at $29K pull the trigger..
If you prefer the Catera's ..buy pre-owned, a great buy--- If you prefer the I30's, again look pre-owned --- and not to step on anyone's toes here but ( look at a Maxima instead, it's the same vehicle as a I30, but don't tell anyone, it's a big secret..l..o..l..)
Here is some more info for you. They will give me financing for the whole thing (tax, tag, title, 'dealer fees') at 6.9% for 5 years. This comes out to just about $675/mo. Then, the manager said they will also make the last 4 payments. I never heard of such a thing, but this makes it more attractive, of course.
Also, my company has X-Plan pricing with Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Land Rover, as well as VPP Pricing with Nissan and Infiniti. This is great for me, but opens up too many options!
So, I am going to have the salesperson price me out a new 2001 S80 on the X-Plan. I think there is some dealer cash that I would get due to the program, and Volvo is running some killer leases on this car right now. Combining the two may make the lease price prove attractive.
Any thoughts on any of the cars I can get at X-Plan, VPP pricing?
One final thing, I also have $3500 in funny money on the GM card that I can apply to any GM car (except SAAB and Saturn). So, that is where the Catera comes into play.
When my friend told the Infiniti rep at the Auto Show about all the problems with his 1999 Maxima and mentioned that Maxima and Infiniti I-30 were the same...he was politely corrected. They may share the same basic platform, handling, performance, BUT the quality control, etc. are light years superior in the Infiniti and they are not assembled in the same factory. My friend loved the performance and fuel economy of the 1999 Maxima 5 speed but got so irritated at the many rattles and mechanical problems that he traded it in on a 4 cyl 2001 Honda Accord EX 5 speed. The Nissan dealer never was able to get the "Engine Needs Service" light to stay off nor determine the cause of why it kept coming on.
What is the Black Book Value on a 2000 Ford Focus SE, AT, Zetec, ABS, air, smkr pkg(never used), pw,pdl,cruise,tilt,remote entry sys w/ alarm, antitheft sys, amfmcd, premium alloys,premium sound, spoiler Has 35750mi. is in almost new cond inside and out. color is black. not a thing wrong on it. Has been very well cared for.
My Dad has come across a 1991 Ford F150 XLT Lariat that is being sold from an estate that only has 9,400 miles on it. He wants it just as a second truck/worktruck. It is black, has all the buttons, V-8.......
What do you think it should be priced at? A local dealer has it on his lot as a consignment for the administrator of the estate. I won't even tell you what the guy is asking for it! LOL
Thanks
Oh....BTW, I had asked you all many questions in the recent past as I was looking at Lincoln LS's, Acura's and Infiniti's. Well, I purchased an I30t last weekend. Thanks for all your help with that too!
........ All do respect here, but instead of meeting a Infiniti Rep..I have golfed with them, boated, fished etc...
The point being, when you meet one, do you really think they are going to tell you " Hey, our vehicle is just a ABC or XYZ...
It's pretty basic...is the suspension a little different, with the damping to give it a little more "Euro" feel..yes ---- do they use a little more "popcorn" on the interior..yes, a few more circular edges on the clock..yes..
But, it's the same engine, drivetrain, insulation factor, electrical harnesses, locks, windows, power roof system, stereo systems, etc....
Other than those "little bitty" features.... They have nothing in common --- l...o...l...
I'm sure someone somewhere, has a friend, that had a Maxima that had a failure...and I'm sure he waved to his friend across the street with I30 with the same problem...
.......Now that my friend, is a whole different deal....
The whole engineering on those two fine vehicle's, is like compareing adam to eve...I'm sure someone here, will take the time to go into it...but, right now..it's dinner time
Engines: 3.2L, 225 hp (260 for Type S) vs. 3.0L, 200 hp. Transmissions: 5-speed auto w/"manual" mode vs. 4-speed auto
Maxima vs. I-30 have same power train configuration, as do Camry vs. Lexus ES300. These two pairings concentrate on interior refinements more than engineering.
Terry offers good advise, but save some embarassment at your local Chevy dealer when you offer that $20k for their "new" '00 SS. The numbers that he is quoting are "used car dollars" cars going through the lanes with depreciation already factored in. The cars that you are looking at are owned by the dealers for "new car dollars". Whatever the car tissues for less any incentives. This puts the dealer in a tough position when trying to unload distressed merchandise such as a leftover SS. My advise: look for a slightly used one because you cannot get a "good enough" deal on this day old unit. Volvo S80, forget the deal for a moment, this car could be one of our "off rental friends" floating around. Probe around to see if this was a program car, if so, best to pass. Heavy miles and multiple drivers on a $30k car could spell problems down the road. Take advantage of that X-plan, there are a feqw good deals there presently. Good luck.
Yes, they do rent these fine specimens. I have seen new S70, S80 and Cross Country in both Enterprise and Hertz fleets. Budget had their share of Cross Countries here in the Northeast as well this past winter.
I saw a new S60 at the Hertz facility in Orlando when I was there a couple months ago. In addition, I know of at least one coach firm on the east coast that uses S80s as their fleet vehicles.
You can rent S80s here in Orlando. C70 ragtops and S60s too. Also V70s. Shoot, there's like 3 companies in town that rent Volvos (Exotic Car Rental, Hertz, Enterprise, I think Budget too).
And Jaguar S-Types from Budget and sometimes Hertz.
It's not as bad as it may sound...
But There's at least $1K in the trunk of an S80 2.9 Right now and they have a special lease deal for X-Plan buyers.
A-Plan buyers with owner Loyalty certs at one point could do $499X24months $0 cap reduction on a Base 2.9.
15K/yr 36 Months on a 2.9 without Owner Loyalty will still not be more than $500 or so a month. 57% residual and .00150 or so factor. That's the way to go IMO.
I'm still looking, but I hoped you could quote a few cars out of curiosity
Mercedes Benz 420SEL Sedan, Auto, White W/ Grey leather VIN: WDB C A 35 E 8 L A 528463 VIN decoding:
C C-Class ? A Gasoline 35 Model number?, no translation found E Seatbelt, pretensioners, dual air bags 8 Check digit L Year - 1990 A Plant - Sindelfingen
Car is sitting in my friend's parking garage with no less than a quarter inch of dust it. Has a 99 registration on the plate, 00 emissions, so it probably hasn't moved in 3 years. As best we could see through the grime & parking deck gloom it has ~100k on the clock.
1994 Ford Mustang Coupe, 112k, $5k, Auto, Dk. Green W/ Blk trim & tan cloth VIN: 1FA L P 40 4 8 R F 236852 VIN decoding:
L Active seatbelts, dual airbags P Passeenger car 40 LX? (Hatchback coupe) 4 Engine type 8 Check Digit R Year - 1994 F Plant - Dearborn
Sorry, I know I decoded my Sable VIN authoritatively, but I just couldn't find a good source for a 94 mustang.... Up to 93 they're all over the place, but I had to patch the translation together for this 94... Driving by it looked like they were asking $5k for a 99, which seemed too good to be true. Naturally, since it's actually a 94, it was.
However/but, since I had the info anyway, I thought I'd ask what y'all think.
Finally my friend's car. We have a little wager here... I say when she finishes paying it off in December it'll be worth less than $1k, she thinks it'll be more. What say you?
1993 Honda Civic EX, 123k, 5-speed White W/ tan cloth Power everything, moonroof Substantial cosmetics:
Destroyed passenger mirror Sideswiped (Mostly paint) Ripped rear bumper off on fire hydrant (Don't ask) Hit curb requiring left front wheel assembly replacement
I was wondering if anyone could give a value on a 93 Ford Bronco XLT (Full size Bronco). White w/gray cloth interior, all options cept leather. Exc.cond. w/138,000 on the clock. Interior very clean w/very little wear, no rips or tears. Outside, shiny paint w/only a couple of door dings and a couple of minor blemishes on the hood. Actually looks like it could be new from about 10' away.
dis my choice in Saab. That's alright. I don't care. I'll take my $450/month lease pymt on my 9-5 SE V6 and laugh at you in your $499/mo Volvo grandpa-wagon.
I'm being facetious, of course. I kinda like driving a "black sheep" of a car. Last thing I want to do is follow the German herd. The biggest fool on the road, IMHO, is the guy who paid full sticker on his 3 series or 5 series and full market interest on his lease. Same with Audi and the others. What a waste of $$$.
I realise the business of selling Saab is not good but the owning and driving a Saab is terrific.
On other topics:
Hertz has added ultra-premium cars to their corporate fleets. Lincoln LS V8, Volvo S80, Jag S-Type's, Land Rover Discos. etc. And some Budget franchises offer Jaguars. But you don't see too many at corporate locations.
Re: Infiniti vs. Nissan. I always get a little chuckle when someone says there is a huge diff in quality between the two. I30's and Maxima's are essentailly the same car as has been stated. Same with the Pathfinder and QX4. The G20 is a european car with a lot of Sentra components like the rear suspension.
I belong to three Infiniti clubs and its always a kinda inside joke. We don't lie to anyone about the diffs but I'll certainly let someone have their "view" of the two lines.
You might be surprised at BMW and Audi's lease deals right now. I only pay 6% on my A4 lease with a 56% residual, and BMW is offering about 4% on the 330i right now, with a 62% residual.
You, Bill, and a few other knowledgeable people are providing an excellent service here. My friend (former owner of 1999 Maxima) was considering an Infiniti but the Maxima experience really soured him on anything NISSAN or Nissan subsidiary so he went back to Honda Accord.
These values vary a bit nationwide. The Current FL Black Book lists a 2000 Focus SE at $9,425 in the "rough" category (Where I'm afraid your car would be categorized or perhaps below that because of the miles).
However they vary a bit by region. In some markets, 35Kish mile Focuses are worth $8500-9K, in some cases $8K or even less.
I'd say $8500 as a rule here in FL. But the Color combo (Black/Black is bad in tropical Florida) here would make it about a $7,800-8K car.
420SEL: My all-time Fave MB.. those 86-91 S-Classes. Wonderful cars. This one ios prolly worth $8K wholesale $11K retail if it's nice otherwise and the dust is washed off.
Mustang: If a standard 6-cyl coupe.. hits me off the top of my head around $3K wholesale/$5K retail. Price seems fair.
Honda: Worth $50 over salvage value.... Ugh, what did she do to it?
WRT to the MB, any idea how to find out who owns it from the tag/emissions/VIN? Judging by the unflattering comments written in the dust, the owner's not around much.
On my friends car, umm, shall we say that while she's a very nice person, attentiveness is not exactly her strongest point. In fact, a few trips with her and I've gotten to where I can get a whole "Hail Mary" out in one breath. Needless to say, she will NOT be driving my new car.
-Greg
P.S. I just informed her of your estimate. Ahem. She'd really, really appreciate it if you could tell her what "salvage" is, 'cause she's assuming it's about $100, which puts her a lot further upside down than she ever imagined. I also just found out she's paying $120/mo for full coverage.
Yeesh, she really got raped - they took her for $10k @ 14% in 98 with 80k already on the clock... and then the insurance on top of that. Then again, as I understand it she also walked on the lot, looked around, and said "That one looks nice, it'll take it"
Looks like tonight'll be spent doing a "financial responsibility" lecture.
Bill,Terry,who ever is in the know???I have a STS,98,with CD,heated lumbar memory seats,moon roof,chrome wheels,pearl red ext.,beige nit.,and 50K miles. Live in Indiana. Also 96 Deville with same options except no moon roof and no chrome wheels,64K,beige ext. and white int.I was thinking of selling one of them on ebay and was wandering what the auction/trade-in price would be on them.Seems the resale on the Deville is very poor.Any help is appreciated.
The guy who owned the F150 just passed away a month or so ago at age 84. My guess is that the truck sat ALOT like you said and only went to town once a week at about 10-15 mph!! LOL
Let's look at the '98. If its' nice and clean.. no paint..etc.. I peg it at $17-18K or so wholesale. That's about what it'd do at auction/trade-in. Shoot for like $21K or so on eBay.
No point in retailing it for what you'd get on trade, right?
The 96 DeVille... Hmm.. That's about a $9,000 car assuming its' clean. But for some reason they can be tough to sell on eBay... reserve it at $12K.
Unfortunately, DeVilles do have poor resale value I'm afraid. However, they are excellent values as used cars.
Thanks for the reply. I like the ride of the Deville on long trips. Maybe I will come to Orlando and buy a Jag. Both Caddies are clean no digs and always garaged. Appreciate your help.
I hear ya... She'll be thrilled at the $500/$1,500 number.
I just posted in FWI on paying off the loan... She's ~2k upside down, but she's got the cash and reducing the insurance alone should save her a fortune. Hopefully she'll listen to me/you on this.
Can I assume you're not familiar with contacting folks via tag/VIN? Getting into the 420 at a good number would make me more relaxed than forking over $800/mo to Budget, though that's the monthly on a new BMW/MB/Jag so I'm OK with it short term (i.e, I'm paying for a nice car, I'm just driving a Galant instead
Looking at 2 cars, 98 M3 Coupe, Good condition, but with 62K on the clock. Cosmos (dark purple) exterior with black interior. Also looking at 99 M3 Convertible, 21K, Cosmos with grey interior. Both are 5 speeds. What would you estimate dealer cost is on each car. I'm in the SF Bay area.
ex-wife's truck. '98 Dodge Ram 1500. 2wd, Quad-Cab, SLT package, 318ci engine, 5 speed. Air, all power stuff. 39K miles, bright blue color. Decent condition - a couple of small dents, plus a stone chip in the windsheild.
This is a Southern California truck. Her lease is up 7/10, residual value approximately $14K. She was offered $13.5K trade in value, she thinks she can sell it privately for $16-17K. What do you all think?
I'd say that $22-23K or so is wholesale on that coupe. But then you add in tires..brakes..etc.. Its' easy for a car like that to suck up $1K+ in reconditioning costs in the blink of an eye.
Figure $26K-27K is realistic retail on it. But IMHO its' got too many miles on it.
On the 99, Wholesale is roughly 36-37K if clean,,, so figure retail at about $40-41K or so.
Bear in mind, dealers do sell used cars for a profit.
If she can sell it for $16K or so before her lease is up and she doesnt get hit for taxes, its' certainly worth doing and I think that's a realistic number.
But based on where I'm sitting.. Its' worth closer to $12,500-13K on the west coast. The 5-speed hurts it.
...... I think Bill was looking at some Jag brochures when he was figuring the number's on the STS....
It's a 98, the miles don't help here - no warranty right ..?
It's got the slider, and the wheels....and it's the right color for sure...
If it's clean like you say it is -- goodyears are closer to new, no dings and no parking lot kisses and the interior show's 2000 ish...You are driving a $19,000 to $$20,000 vehicle on the wholesale side --- So, try a retail end of $22,000ish #'s..
Thanks for the information. She's got a "For Sale" sign on it. I suggested that she check the LA Times to see what similar trucks are being sold for. I kinda figured the stick didn't help.
BTW, how much for a '99 or '00 Infiniti I30? This would be her next car, I think.
Comments
They are there so cars approaching from the rear can see you. They don't help you see a thing.
This reminds me of a good rant. Why don't some people understand that they need to turn their lights on in marginal vision situations.
For example, a it is generally a good idea to have your lights on when:
It is dark.
It is raining, snowing.
It is sunrise.
It is sunset.
The last two may seem odd to some, because you may think you can see. However, if I'm going west in the early morning, I can see you in my rear view mirrors much better if your headlights are on. Because if the sun is just right, I probably can't pick out your car. But turn your lights on, and whoa, there you are.
Same for sunset.
And of course, this is the reason for the rear fogs, for others to see you
Cheers,
TB
Where can I find the "black book," in the library?
Thanks again for the help!
But, this will at least give you an idea..
A 1995 low mile (35K) LS, with new tires, no dings, and very clean..will pull all of $12,000++ -- The Acura's are very popular, even a high mile (60K+) Legend - clean, will do $10,000. But, the word being here is -clean- ..
Black books as a rule, are sent via dealers license and address...
I hope this helps..
Terry.
I am thinking about getting a new Camaro before GM axes it. I am leaning toward to SS with T-top, auto trans, and just about every option.
I am seeing a lot of new '01s still laying around and even some no-mileage new '00s at Chevy dealers around the NY metro area.
Given that the car has not changed in many years, and that the first year deprecation hit is heavy on that car, I'd like to work out a deal on a leftover.
My guess is that the dealers aren't yet going to treat the '01s as leftovers, even though the '02s are shipping, but there is no doubt that the '00s are in play.
Any idea of what an '00 Camaro SS, auto, 1SD, t-top, Monsoon CD is worth right now? Sticker is $31,000?
Also, when can I try to work something on the '01 as a leftover?
Thanks a lot.
It is silver, with grey leather interior. It has the Cold Weather package (very important here in FL - not!!!), and sunroof. It has 28K miles, and is a CPO by Volvo, so it gets extra 2 years and 24K miles warranty. They are asking $30.5K.
Also, what do you think about reliability and maintenance costs for this car for 5 years?
Finally, any other suggestions for a large luxury sedan for $30K? I am starting a family, but would like to avoid SUVs. Of course, safety and reliability are important factors. Should I go new (Catera, I30 or TL for example), or slightly used CPO (see above as example).
Thanks for your help and input!
Damon
But as of thursday, these are the kinda figures they are doing at the auctions...
2000 SS's, 6/7,000K all toyed up..with the leather gut's, and all the stuff..are doing in the $19,000's...
This should give you some idea's..
Terry.
But anyway, the S80 is a geat vehicle ..I drove one for almost 3 month's and loved it...
The reliability is super, the handling is better - a little slow on the draw, but so is a 740IL -- You will like this Vehicle...
A $30K asking price is fair, but try for $28,000 ish, and see what happens..at $29K pull the trigger..
If you prefer the Catera's ..buy pre-owned, a great buy--- If you prefer the I30's, again look pre-owned --- and not to step on anyone's toes here but ( look at a Maxima instead, it's the same vehicle as a I30, but don't tell anyone, it's a big secret..l..o..l..)
I hope this help's....
Terry.
Here is some more info for you. They will give me financing for the whole thing (tax, tag, title, 'dealer fees') at 6.9% for 5 years. This comes out to just about $675/mo. Then, the manager said they will also make the last 4 payments. I never heard of such a thing, but this makes it more attractive, of course.
Also, my company has X-Plan pricing with Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Land Rover, as well as VPP Pricing with Nissan and Infiniti. This is great for me, but opens up too many options!
So, I am going to have the salesperson price me out a new 2001 S80 on the X-Plan. I think there is some dealer cash that I would get due to the program, and Volvo is running some killer leases on this car right now. Combining the two may make the lease price prove attractive.
Any thoughts on any of the cars I can get at X-Plan, VPP pricing?
One final thing, I also have $3500 in funny money on the GM card that I can apply to any GM car (except SAAB and Saturn). So, that is where the Catera comes into play.
Thanks Again - Damon
My friend loved the performance and fuel economy of the 1999 Maxima 5 speed but got so irritated at the many rattles and mechanical problems that he traded it in on a 4 cyl 2001 Honda Accord EX 5 speed. The Nissan dealer never was able to get the "Engine Needs Service" light to stay off nor determine the cause of why it kept coming on.
Terry.
My Dad has come across a 1991 Ford F150 XLT Lariat that is being sold from an estate that only has 9,400 miles on it. He wants it just as a second truck/worktruck. It is black, has all the buttons, V-8.......
What do you think it should be priced at? A local dealer has it on his lot as a consignment for the administrator of the estate. I won't even tell you what the guy is asking for it! LOL
Thanks
Oh....BTW, I had asked you all many questions in the recent past as I was looking at Lincoln LS's, Acura's and Infiniti's. Well, I purchased an I30t last weekend. Thanks for all your help with that too!
The point being, when you meet one, do you really think they are going to tell you " Hey, our vehicle is just a ABC or XYZ...
It's pretty basic...is the suspension a little different, with the damping to give it a little more "Euro" feel..yes ---- do they use a little more "popcorn" on the interior..yes, a few more circular edges on the clock..yes..
But, it's the same engine, drivetrain, insulation factor, electrical harnesses, locks, windows, power roof system, stereo systems, etc....
Other than those "little bitty" features.... They have nothing in common --- l...o...l...
I'm sure someone somewhere, has a friend, that had a Maxima that had a failure...and I'm sure he waved to his friend across the street with I30 with the same problem...
Terry.
How about Acura TL and Accord V6 EX? Are they as similar as Maxima vs. I30?
The whole engineering on those two fine vehicle's, is like compareing adam to eve...I'm sure someone here, will take the time to go into it...but, right now..it's dinner time
Terry.
Transmissions: 5-speed auto w/"manual" mode vs. 4-speed auto
Maxima vs. I-30 have same power train configuration, as do Camry vs. Lexus ES300. These two pairings concentrate on interior refinements more than engineering.
The cars that you are looking at are owned by the dealers for "new car dollars". Whatever the car tissues for less any incentives. This puts the dealer in a tough position when trying to unload distressed merchandise such as a leftover SS.
My advise: look for a slightly used one because you cannot get a "good enough" deal on this day old unit.
Volvo S80, forget the deal for a moment, this car could be one of our "off rental friends" floating around. Probe around to see if this was a program car, if so, best to pass. Heavy miles and multiple drivers on a $30k car could spell problems down the road.
Take advantage of that X-plan, there are a feqw good deals there presently.
Good luck.
You can rent S80s here in Orlando. C70 ragtops and S60s too. Also V70s. Shoot, there's like 3 companies in town that rent Volvos (Exotic Car Rental, Hertz, Enterprise, I think Budget too).
And Jaguar S-Types from Budget and sometimes Hertz.
It's not as bad as it may sound...
But There's at least $1K in the trunk of an S80 2.9 Right now and they have a special lease deal for X-Plan buyers.
A-Plan buyers with owner Loyalty certs at one point could do $499X24months $0 cap reduction on a Base 2.9.
15K/yr 36 Months on a 2.9 without Owner Loyalty will still not be more than $500 or so a month. 57% residual and .00150 or so factor. That's the way to go IMO.
Bill
Terry.
I'm still looking, but I hoped you could quote a few cars out of curiosity
Mercedes Benz 420SEL Sedan, Auto, White W/ Grey leather
VIN: WDB C A 35 E 8 L A 528463
VIN decoding:
C C-Class ?
Car is sitting in my friend's parking garage with no less than a quarter inch of dust it. Has a 99 registration on the plate, 00 emissions, so it probably hasn't moved in 3 years. As best we could see through the grime & parking deck gloom it has ~100k on the clock.A Gasoline
35 Model number?, no translation found
E Seatbelt, pretensioners, dual air bags
8 Check digit
L Year - 1990
A Plant - Sindelfingen
1994 Ford Mustang Coupe, 112k, $5k, Auto, Dk. Green W/ Blk trim & tan cloth
VIN: 1FA L P 40 4 8 R F 236852
VIN decoding:
L Active seatbelts, dual airbags
Sorry, I know I decoded my Sable VIN authoritatively, but I just couldn't find a good source for a 94 mustang.... Up to 93 they're all over the place, but I had to patch the translation together for this 94...P Passeenger car
40 LX? (Hatchback coupe)
4 Engine type
8 Check Digit
R Year - 1994
F Plant - Dearborn
Driving by it looked like they were asking $5k for a 99, which seemed too good to be true. Naturally, since it's actually a 94, it was.
However/but, since I had the info anyway, I thought I'd ask what y'all think.
Finally my friend's car. We have a little wager here... I say when she finishes paying it off in December it'll be worth less than $1k, she thinks it'll be more. What say you?
1993 Honda Civic EX, 123k, 5-speed
White W/ tan cloth
Power everything, moonroof
Substantial cosmetics:
Destroyed passenger mirror
Thanks in advance,Sideswiped (Mostly paint)
Ripped rear bumper off on fire hydrant (Don't ask)
Hit curb requiring left front wheel assembly replacement
-Greg
I was wondering if anyone could give a value on a 93 Ford Bronco XLT (Full size Bronco). White w/gray cloth interior, all options cept leather. Exc.cond. w/138,000 on the clock. Interior very clean w/very little wear, no rips or tears. Outside, shiny paint w/only a couple of door dings and a couple of minor blemishes on the hood. Actually looks like it could be new from about 10' away.
BTW - I'm in the Los Angeles area
Thanks
- Morgan
I'm being facetious, of course. I kinda like driving a "black sheep" of a car. Last thing I want to do is follow the German herd. The biggest fool on the road, IMHO, is the guy who paid full sticker on his 3 series or 5 series and full market interest on his lease. Same with Audi and the others. What a waste of $$$.
I realise the business of selling Saab is not good but the owning and driving a Saab is terrific.
On other topics:
Hertz has added ultra-premium cars to their corporate fleets. Lincoln LS V8, Volvo S80, Jag S-Type's, Land Rover Discos. etc. And some Budget franchises offer Jaguars. But you don't see too many at corporate locations.
Re: Infiniti vs. Nissan. I always get a little chuckle when someone says there is a huge diff in quality between the two. I30's and Maxima's are essentailly the same car as has been stated. Same with the Pathfinder and QX4. The G20 is a european car with a lot of Sentra components like the rear suspension.
I belong to three Infiniti clubs and its always a kinda inside joke. We don't lie to anyone about the diffs but I'll certainly let someone have their "view" of the two lines.
Drive what you want, but don't be misinformed...
These values vary a bit nationwide. The Current FL Black Book lists a 2000 Focus SE at $9,425 in the "rough" category (Where I'm afraid your car would be categorized or perhaps below that because of the miles).
However they vary a bit by region. In some markets, 35Kish mile Focuses are worth $8500-9K, in some cases $8K or even less.
I'd say $8500 as a rule here in FL. But the Color combo (Black/Black is bad in tropical Florida) here would make it about a $7,800-8K car.
I assume its' never been damaged/painted, right?
Bill
Personally I'd pass. For the miles to be that low... one of 2 things:
1) It sat. A LOT!
2) It was used to drive to and from the mailbox. Another bad sign.
Gad ya did OK on the I30 tho!
Bill
420SEL: My all-time Fave MB.. those 86-91 S-Classes. Wonderful cars. This one ios prolly worth $8K wholesale $11K retail if it's nice otherwise and the dust is washed off.
Mustang: If a standard 6-cyl coupe.. hits me off the top of my head around $3K wholesale/$5K retail. Price seems fair.
Honda: Worth $50 over salvage value.... Ugh, what did she do to it?
Bill
I think that It's a $5,000-5,500 wholesale and $8K or so retail vehicle...
Hope this helps!
Bill
Bill
Yer buddy shoulda got a 98 Jag
Bill
WRT to the MB, any idea how to find out who owns it from the tag/emissions/VIN? Judging by the unflattering comments written in the dust, the owner's not around much.
On my friends car, umm, shall we say that while she's a very nice person, attentiveness is not exactly her strongest point. In fact, a few trips with her and I've gotten to where I can get a whole "Hail Mary" out in one breath. Needless to say, she will NOT be driving my new car.
-Greg
P.S. I just informed her of your estimate. Ahem. She'd really, really appreciate it if you could tell her what "salvage" is, 'cause she's assuming it's about $100, which puts her a lot further upside down than she ever imagined. I also just found out she's paying $120/mo for full coverage.
Yeesh, she really got raped - they took her for $10k @ 14% in 98 with 80k already on the clock... and then the insurance on top of that. Then again, as I understand it she also walked on the lot, looked around, and said "That one looks nice, it'll take it"
Looks like tonight'll be spent doing a "financial responsibility" lecture.
The guy who owned the F150 just passed away a month or so ago at age 84. My guess is that the truck sat ALOT like you said and only went to town once a week at about 10-15 mph!! LOL
Thanks on the I30. I like it so far.
Maybe $1K-1,500 retail.. but if the body's thgat bashed up...
Tell her to drop FC insurance and get Liability assuming its' paid off.
Bill
Let's look at the '98. If its' nice and clean.. no paint..etc.. I peg it at $17-18K or so wholesale. That's about what it'd do at auction/trade-in. Shoot for like $21K or so on eBay.
No point in retailing it for what you'd get on trade, right?
The 96 DeVille... Hmm.. That's about a $9,000 car assuming its' clean. But for some reason they can be tough to sell on eBay... reserve it at $12K.
Unfortunately, DeVilles do have poor resale value I'm afraid. However, they are excellent values as used cars.
Hope this helps!
Bill
Both Caddies are clean no digs and always garaged. Appreciate your help.
Got to spend a bunch of time with an 00 DeVille recently. Really nice car.
Bill
I just posted in FWI on paying off the loan... She's ~2k upside down, but she's got the cash and reducing the insurance alone should save her a fortune. Hopefully she'll listen to me/you on this.
Can I assume you're not familiar with contacting folks via tag/VIN? Getting into the 420 at a good number would make me more relaxed than forking over $800/mo to Budget, though that's the monthly on a new BMW/MB/Jag so I'm OK with it short term (i.e, I'm paying for a nice car, I'm just driving a Galant instead
-Greg
Personally I wouldnt be that receptive to it myself
Umm, you havent found a Jag you like yet? Where are you located?
Bill
This is a Southern California truck. Her lease is up 7/10, residual value approximately $14K. She was offered $13.5K trade in value, she thinks she can sell it privately for $16-17K. What do you all think?
I'd say that $22-23K or so is wholesale on that coupe. But then you add in tires..brakes..etc.. Its' easy for a car like that to suck up $1K+ in reconditioning costs in the blink of an eye.
Figure $26K-27K is realistic retail on it. But IMHO its' got too many miles on it.
On the 99, Wholesale is roughly 36-37K if clean,,, so figure retail at about $40-41K or so.
Bear in mind, dealers do sell used cars for a profit.
Hope this helps,
Bill
If she can sell it for $16K or so before her lease is up and she doesnt get hit for taxes, its' certainly worth doing and I think that's a realistic number.
But based on where I'm sitting.. Its' worth closer to $12,500-13K on the west coast. The 5-speed hurts it.
Bill
It's a 98, the miles don't help here - no warranty right ..?
It's got the slider, and the wheels....and it's the right color for sure...
If it's clean like you say it is -- goodyears are closer to new, no dings and no parking lot kisses and the interior show's 2000 ish...You are driving a $19,000 to $$20,000 vehicle on the wholesale side --- So, try a retail end of $22,000ish #'s..
I hope this help's...
Terry.
BTW, how much for a '99 or '00 Infiniti I30? This would be her next car, I think.