Real-World Trade-In Values

alfox

Spotted a very recent Highlander (maybe 1-2 years old, hard to be sure) with the driver's side covered from the rockers up to the C-line with yellow traffic marking paint - both doors, and the rear quarter. It looked like the thick plastic paint, and it was sprayed on so fine, and covered so well that they musta hit a freshly painted line at high speed and run down it for 50 yards or so.

They were leaving a parking lot at an office building, so it hadn't just happened. It looked like it had been there a while, and was on there to stay.

rroyce10

**Just things that have been wrong with it since day one**

               Can't be.! .. it supposed to be the best truck on the road ..l.o.l...

                            Terry.

driftracer

You'll do far better in private sale than in trade-in - private buyers have no mileage restrictions, especially with a Honda, dealers do.

Used Hondas on the private market get crazy money.

rroyce10

I found a 2001 Volvo V70 T5 loaded - leather, moonroof, third seat, second row boosters, headlight washers, navigation, premium sound, automatic w/ manual shift option (pretty much every option Volvo offered that year) with 45,000 miles for a Buy-it-now price of $19,995.
Anyway, I approached my local Volvo dealer to
Figures I've looked at on KBB and Edmunds to name a few have this vehicle retailing above $26,000, which seems to go hand-in-hand with a $28,995 price on a certified 2002 V70 2.4T the local dealer has for sale.
                      ============================

                A bird in the hand.! .... it has 45k, it's a V70 T5, it's got all the stuff and then some .... $19,900.? .. that my friend is a good price, dealer probably has the super tall $17's, low/mid $18's in it, probably hits the table at the tall $18's after the stuff, so nobody is making a retirement home off this deal ..

                 If it's nice, clean, serviced, no paint by numbers ~ then I would be there .. where does Kbb and Edmunds gets their info.? .. probably the same place that Dan Rather gets his ................

                               Terry.

tacomaboy

Thanks drift. I applied at the local CU yesterday, and assuming I get a good rate, I may just slash the asking price of my Accord to say 8750 private. I owe 7950 on it, and its not so much that I get every penny I can from selling it, rather its avoiding the trade in so I dont have to mess witht the dealer... I want the dealer to have as little power over the transaction as possible.

Heck, evenif I sold it at 8200 I would be better off than trade in huh, and 8200 is a freaking steal (I think). What would be the fastest way to sell it?

rroyce10

**to clarify, the $9500 was the trade allowance on the '99.5' Pathfinder, which was around your "high 8's up to low 9's" range.**

            I gotcha now ..

             I always feel a little queasy when I see a nice ride with mismatched tires or you can see the air in em' ... where's the love.? for that matter, where's the safety.? no pride of ownership .. Can we spell - PASS.

                              Terry.

rroyce10

....... Hmmm, my first wifes name .. not good ..l.o.l....

                             Terry.

rroyce10

My 94 Maxima SE is stolen, was recovered by police and is totalled. I am trying to settle on the value of this car with the insurance company. Following are the details:
Location: Metro Baltimore area in Maryland
Year: 1994
Make/Model: Nissan, Maxima SE
Mileage: Under 117,000
Engine:3.0 L V6, DOHC
Transmission - Auto
Color - Gold Exterior and Black leather interior
Major Options - Sun roof, single CD player, Bose sound system
Condition:Fair inside and outside, no dents or dings
  Tires - about 10,000 miles tread left
  Brakes - Do not need replacement of pads
  Maintenance - Started making valve lifter noise
Other: no prior damage/insurance claims, repaints
Thank you very much and I appreciate your help

           ================================

            Well ..... what about that Piaget you left in the glove box ..?

               It's hard to guess what one insurance company will do, but here's the basics .. if they had to find or duplicate the vehicle, semi-clean semi-nice, low in the miles department, then they would spend "around" $2,0/$2,5 at the auction, if they decide to buy it off a dealer, then they will spend "around" $3,5ish .. if they go by the books, whatever book they are using that day, then "around" $4,5ish .......... sorry, no crystal ball today, it got wrecked it the last storm.

                           Terry.

calbatross

And you think an Avalon is the way to go if you want something more fun than a Camry.

=================================================

I think he means let his parents trade in the Camry so they can buy an Avalon, and he still gets a WRX.

-------------------

Bingo! Thanks corvette.

jenreb1

good morning ! I was wondering what a fair trade-in would be for:

Location: St. Paul MN
Year: 2002
Make/Model: Saturn VUE
Mileage: 32500
Engine: 4 cly
Transmission - Manual
Color - exterior/interior - silver/grey cloth
Major Options - alloys, pwr locks, windows, sun roof, ABS, cd/am/fm, cruise, air.

Condition:
  interior: no tears or stains very clean. Exterior bra put on front when purchased, 2 scratched on rear tailgate.

Tires - 50% worn
  Brakes - fine
  Maintenance - all maintence is recorded, oil and tir rotation done as recommened by dealership.

Other: no other - orignial everything, stock everything...

I am looking at trading it in and last dealership I acutally laughed out load and walked out the door when he told me what he would give me !!

thanks a bunch !
Jenn

anonymousposts

Jenn: Terry can give you an actual value but I would expect too much for a 4 cylinder SUV with a manual transmission. They are not desirable at all except to someone who specifically wants a manual transmission SUV and even then you will be up against the CR-V's, Xterra's and RAV4's on the market. Both of which are more desirable than the VUE.

If I'm not mistaken you have the VUE with the Sport Package. It was a special edition that they sold back in 02 with the roof, wheels, and a stick. I think they were selling for around $14,900 new back in 02. What did the dealer offer you?

jenreb1

yeah, this is what I am finding, a dime -a - dozen car ! though it is a great one.

8000 for it, though another dealer said 10,500 ... which is why I am kinda lost for a trade-in value !!

ghulet

In trying to help a friend find a car still in warranty and with payments under $200, I found the following:

2003 Mazda Protege DX (crank windows and all)
sandalwood (beige) metallic, tan interior
a/c, automatic, CD player, now the best part...
13142 miles, so ~23k left on warranty
Chicago

I'd certainly rather find an LX with stick if it were me, but this thing looked clean, it's nice and new, price marked $8995, which I thought was fair. What say you? Thanks!

kyfdx

Mazda has a 50K mileage warranty...

stickguy

certainly not going to go broke on that, assuming the buyer doesn't mind tha basic content and keeps it for a long time. Real good cars to, and down the road, much less expensive stuff to go wrong.

sgrd0q

Terry – here’s a question. 2001 Maxima GLE with all the options, AUTO, beige, very clean in and out, top-notch maintenance, new tires and 80 K miles. Got rear-ended a month ago – bumper’s slightly bent (you have to really look to notice), and a few scratch marks left on bumper.

My dilemma - buy, paint and install a new bumper for about $500, or do nothing? What is my trade-in and private-party value, AS IS vs. with NEW BUMPER?

Thanks!

rroyce10

Rear bumper, bumper bracket, and hitch, will be replaced. Tailgate will be replaced or repaired. Total cost of repairs in the $1000 ballpark.
Tires have 100%, brakes have 100%, no maintenance has been required yet.
How much does the accident repair diminish the value of the above? THANKS!

                  =====================

             Good description, thanks Vette Man ...

              Depending on the finish work, based on what I'm reading, maybe $300ish if the tailgate was painted by Charley Manson .. if it's a 110% job and it doesn't miss a beat, then -0- .. tailgates are kinda no counters if the bumpers and the 5mph shocks and such are 100% and aligned correctly ... did I miss anything.?

                             Terry.

iceman2

Sorry - new at this - auto, steptronic. Florida driven only.

rroyce10

Think i will keep it for winter and sell in spring. car has trac. control Weights in about 2tons & front wheel drive. Plows right thru the white stuff. Will just adjust price in spring

          ======================

             Your welcome, drive safely in the white stuff and see ya in the spring ..........

                           Terry.

rroyce10

Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Year: 2001
Make/Model: Audi A4 Avant Quattro
Mileage: almost 30,000
Engine: 2.8
Transmission - Auto (w/tiptronic)
Color - Santorin Blue w/clay leather
Major Options - Quattro, Sport Package, Cold Weather package, celebration package (sunroof, electronic seats, etc.), Bose Stereo
Condition:
  Very clean inside and out. One minor door ding on driver's side, all 4 rims slightly scraped (husband did it!), minor 3" scratch in clear coat on bumper.
  Tires - newish z rated sport tires
  Brakes - original
  Maintenance - all routine maintenance done, still under warranty until 7/05
Other: rear bumper repainted earlier this year due to a scratch
Thanks!

          =====================================

            Ok Shaygirl, here's todays report:

           We have an 01 Audi A4 Avant 2.8 Quattro, kind of a rare bird, we have the no-sale blue with the gray guts, actually not a bad combo ~ if you like blue, cold pack, slider, we have the Bozo sound, I see your a Scrapaholic, a little kiss and bumper action going on, but we have newish round things and 30k .. all in all, it doesn't sound like a bad vehicle -if- the service is 100%, no soccer mom interior and no repaints ....

            Trade side, in and around the super ultra high $15's low low $16's, maybe "might" find a dealer to commit suicide and drop the tall $16 figure into it, thats a big maybe ... not knowing what the pay-off is or what the deal is here ~ I would send this bad boy down Retail Rd: superb come to Jesus detail, a Donald Trump Ad and $19,900 *asking* and cut it from the herd for the first $18,5/$19,5 .. these a funny little ducks, well liked, especially in your area and this one has few miles, it should sell fast ..........

               Happy hunting and tell Aaarnold I said hi.!

                                Terry.

ddelise

Terry -

My father-in-law has been talking with the local Lexus dealer about a buying a 2004 SC430. They called him today with the following offer:
2004 Lexus SC430 - loaded - 4000 miles - Black with Camel Interior. It has upgraded wheels (probably dealer add-on). They are asking $57,895. There is no CPO - just regular warranty.

We are in Tampa, FL, so I realize black may not be the best color, but my father-in-law actually likes black cars.

What do you think? Fair price - or fair price to start with?!?!?

Thanks - Damon

bowke28

if you get $8200 from a dealer, and dont have to to titling, paperwork, ads, test drives, midnight phone calls, AND get a tax deduction, isnt it worth it to go to the dealer?

tacomaboy

Bowke, I completrely forgot about the tax deduction.

Tell me please. If I owe 8000 on my car, and they offer me 8000, do I get a tax break of 8000 or 0 when buying my new car?

Also, my CU suggested (BTW I got a 4.45% rate ) that I consider selling my car at CarMax to avoid the hassle of trade-in. But if my tax savings would be up to 500 bucks, then I should certainly trade in!

Also, I am going in tomorrow with my sister in law who wants to buy an altima cash. By buying together we should get a better deal correct? How much better?

bowke28

your payoff is irrelevant to taxes. example:

new car $20,000.00
trade-in $ 8,000.00
balance $12,000.00
+tax (6%)$ 720.00
+payoff $ 8,000,00

total $20,720.00

at 6% sales tax, you would have just saved $480.

your deal will only be as good as you negotiate it. many times, people talk about buying 2 cars, thinking that they will get some unheard-of amount of savings. thats just not true in most cases, especially on a new altima.

the altima 2.5S is only marked up ~$1300, so dont expect thousands upon thousands of dollars.

tacomaboy

Well I intend to walk in ready to buy now or walk with an offer of 500 over invoice on both cars (mine will go as high as 700 over before I decide to walk, not sure about my in-law). I figure a quick sell of 1000 on two cars plus two hold backs for them should make it work.

The unknown to me is the trade in. I REALLY want them to at least pay it off @ $7950 which would mean a tax savings of 480 or so.

I didnt want to complicate things, but I do like saving 480, so I suppose its worth getting a trade in offer.

Still I am going to stop by carmax to get an offer so that if they lowball my trade in (less than 7500) and refuse to go higher, I can still just go down to carmax and sell my used for 0 loss and 0 gain. Still better than losing 500 or more on trade in. My experiences in the past is that dealers like to play games and shoot wayyy low on trade in. I wouldnt be shocked of they came back with 4k on my Accord, but no way will I do it.

akangl

Its a great truck, just quirky. I'm not complaining, I'm still having fun driving it. I suppose the gas mileage would be better if I kept my foot out of it and quit trying to race everyone.....hehehe, but its soooo much fun.

Next on my list is a new Banks Monster Exhaust and a K&N 77 Series High Flow Intake Kit. See? No new car in sight, I'm still having fun with this one.

rroyce10

Location: Chicago, IL
Year:2004
Make/Model:VW / toureg
Mileage:< 6,000
Engine:v8 (4.2 i believe)
Transmission - Auto/Manual (tiptronic/ both)
Color - reflex silver
Major Options - Premium preferred package, four zone climate , winter package, sun roof,air suspension, bi-xenon, navigation. It has every option except the 19" wheels.
Condition:
  interior perfect. exterior one tiny scratch on mirror
  Tires - new (6000 miles)
  Brakes
  Maintenance scheduled
Other: Indicate prior damage/insurance claims, repaint, etc. none
Wife wants to trade it in for a lexus lx 470?

             =========================

            She no likey ..?

        
      It's got some stuff and no miles .. 4 zone, cold pack, slider, kite package, blinders and the nav ... if it's really a nice one, the super tall $34's, might get into the $35ish range depending on the dealer and if you have been going to church, you "might" maybe "could" see someone stretch towards the $36 figure .. not too many around and winter is coming .. let me know what happens on this one, this will be interesting - VW vs Lexus in the SUV department .. the low miles save it, lets see how much ..

                           Terry.

woodyww

Niiiiiiiice car! Even has the Sport Package, lowish miles, the Bose, everything. If I weren't on the Right Coast I'd be real tempted........somebody's gonna REALLY want this; don't let it go too cheap. I'd say don't sell it; but there is that pesky Audi-w/o-a warranty issue looming.......

>>2001
Audi A4 Avant Quattro
Mileage: almost 30,000

robr2

Some folks asking for advice.

Both in Boston:

2002 Volvo S60 T5
15,000 miles
handshaker
tan cloth interior
light green exterior
heated seats, power driver seat, sunroof
looks very clean - no dings or dents - little scrape on the lower front bumper
Tires are original.
Dealer points to books that say retail around $25K but it's got 3 strikes on it with the color, stick, and cloth.

2001 Lincoln LS V8
21,000 miles
Auto sport shift
tan leather
gold/tan exterior
heated seats, 17" wheels, sunroof, sport pack?
again looks very clean - little rim rash on 1 and scrapes on rear bumper.
Tires are original.
It's a lot queen - been at a Ford dealer about 2 months. Dealer sticker says $24K, dealer website says $22K, books say $20K certified.

Thanks in advance.

shaygirl

Woody, it's a great car, I love it, just too small for the baby and all his gear. Looking at an MDX, nice car but doesn't have the same heavy feel as the A4 if that makes sense. I've just finished paying the A4 off, so nice to know I have a rare bird that might command some money. The only other 2001 A4 2.8 Avant I could find on Yahoo! Autos with similar mileage was listed with a dealer for $28K. LOL!

Forgot to mention in my original post it has Xenon.

butchbr73

uh oh... can i smell it? is there a new car in the future? I'd have to look back at my post, but I think I said late fall/early winter!

akangl

Nah, no new car........I gotta keep what I've got, even if I want something new. I like the Titan, like it a lot, I get frustrated with it, but not ready to give it up yet. I slipped up and drove a new Ram 2500 Hemi today, I liked it, but felt like I was cheating on my Titan, lol.

rroyce10

2003 Mazda Protege DX (crank windows and all)
sandalwood (beige) metallic, tan interior
a/c, automatic, CD player, now the best part...
13142 miles, so ~23k left on warranty
Chicago

          ===========================

           Protege's, another best kept secret ... and this one has the right color, Itsy Bitsy miles, auto, cd, 50k warranty .. oh, it's a DX.

           If you like the UCrankems, than $8,9 is a great price, almost too good, check the history and look real close .. if all is well, then crank away.!

                                Terry.

stickguy

good luck finding 20" snows for that baby, and it will make that old explorer look like a gas sipper.

bowke28

but you said late fall/early winter 2 cars ago! ;-)

rroyce10

...... Reposting is a good thing when your getting missed -- so REPOST ..............

Some folks asking for advice.
Both in Boston:
2002 Volvo S60 T5
15,000 miles
handshaker
tan cloth interior
light green exterior
heated seats, power driver seat, sunroof
looks very clean - no dings or dents - little scrape on the lower front bumper
Tires are original.
Dealer points to books that say retail around $25K but it's got 3 strikes on it with the color, stick, and cloth.
2001 Lincoln LS V8
21,000 miles
Auto sport shift
tan leather
gold/tan exterior
heated seats, 17" wheels, sunroof, sport pack?
again looks very clean - little rim rash on 1 and scrapes on rear bumper.
Tires are original.
It's a lot queen - been at a Ford dealer about 2 months. Dealer sticker says $24K, dealer website says $22K, books say $20K certified.
Thanks in advance.

        ==========================

         Mornin' Rob .... lookin' at a 02 S60 T5 in Beantown.? miles are low, no-sale green with the (gulp) cloth tan interior, bun warmers, hole in the roof and we have that push it around thing between the seats ... $25,000.? ok, thats fine if your living in Belgrade .. but this one is, well, um, you know, missing half the stuff .. dealer might, "maybe" have the super tall $18's, "could" have been hit by a hurricane and can't remember at the low low low low $19ish figure ... $21,0 flat kills it on the Retail side, $21,5 is all of it if you just can't live without and your wife is leaving you for it .. $25.? oh yeah, did I mention that I have this watch I can sell ya ..?

             and in door #2, we have a 01 Lincoln LS, gotta be a V8 to survive, slider, maybe some sport action, miles are tiny, 17's, tan on tan and thinkin' about $22,0 .. 2 months huh.? "lets just say" this dude is jam-up and super to the max, they might have the mid/tall $17's in it, he could have even fallen on his sword at $18 (yikes) but $19,9 would be the whole Coma se' Yama and the bag of chips on the retail side, especially when dealers are only paying $19 for the 02's and seeing $21,5 .........

                  Let me know how it goes.!

                          Terry.

ddelise

Terry -

My father-in-law has been talking with the local Lexus dealer about a buying a 2004 SC430. They called him today with the following offer:
2004 Lexus SC430 - loaded (run flats, Lexus Link, spoiler) - 4000 miles - Black with Camel Interior. It has upgraded wheels (probably dealer add-on). They are asking $57,895. There is no CPO - just regular warranty.

We are in Tampa, FL, so I realize black may not be the best color, but my father-in-law actually likes black cars.

What do you think? Is this a fair price - or fair price to start with?!?!?

Thanks - Damon

rroyce10

.... Basketball interior ..? .. did they get this dude in the last 2/3 days.?

          If this is the one I "might" think it is .. then they paid 52,6 for it, a little auction fee $450, a little transport action $200, a little service here and a detail there $400 .. probably hits the table just shy of $54,0 .... $57,900.? is fair - nobody is getting a new pair of hurricane shutters at that price, see if they will do $57 then $57,500, don't lose it for a few bucks - even in black these low milers do some $$ ............................. .... let me know

                              Terry.

ddelise

Thanks Terry for the info. We were going over to the dealership this afternoon, but with the recent Hurricane change in trajectory, I am now spending the afternoon in prep mode. We will get over to Lexus of Tampa Bay early next week, and I will let you know what shakes out.

Good luck to you with the Hurricane, and thanks again.

Damon

blueiedgod

Hi Terry, can you give me a number that I can use in negotiations. I have a 2002 Honda Civic Si, Black, with 15,000 miles, clean condition (as per Edmunds' definition). I am looking at trading up to an Acura TSX (Non navi, manual) to preserve the same driving dynamics, but gain some rear seat room and more class (I may be a little too old for the Si at 29). My zip code is 14094.

Thank you very much.
Dave

bowke28

before too long, use the form at the top of the page to help in the description of your ride.

also, terry isnt a phone book. he doesnt know what '14094' means.

sgrd0q

Terry - you missed my post. I'll repost, if that's ok. Here it is:

2001 Maxima GLE with ALL the options, AUTO, beige, very clean in and out, top-notch maintenance, new tires and 80 K miles.

Need to know private party value.

Here's the thing though - got rear-ended a month ago &#150; bumper&#146;s slightly bent (you have to really look to notice), and a few scratch marks left on bumper.

My dilemma - buy, paint and install a new bumper for about $500, or do nothing? What is my private-party value, AS IS vs. with NEW BUMPER?

Thanks!

akangl

I was gonna BUY the thing. Heck, I can't find 18" winter tires for the Titan. 'Cides I was looking at a 3/4 ton Ram, so it had 17's I think. Doesn't matter, I don't want a new truck.

Terry.......can you give me the value of this, my mom is in a bind and wants to know if she can dump it. I'm making the payments on it for now.

2002 Subaru Legacy L wagon, 2.5L 4-cyl, auto, AWD, pwr stuff, a/c, am/fm/cd, silver/gray, VERY good shape, no hits, runs, errors, or terrorist attacks. Needs tires but that's about it. Miles are around 40k I think. Trade? Private party?

jvgp1043

I need a little advice on this one. I'm thinking of getting rid of my Sienna and getting another car. I'm not sure if it would be wise to buy a used car or get a new car. If I got a used car, it would be a 2000 Nissan Maxima. If I got a new car, it would be a 2005 Nissan Altima. The bad thing about the Sienna is the fact that it has over 63,000 miles on it and I owe quite a bit on it (around $18,500). I've appraised it online and it's about $11,500 traded in (probably lower at the dealer). Please let me know if I should wait another year or try and get out of it. I greatly appreciate it.

jvgp1043

Here's the info on the Sienna:
Location: Denver, CO
Year: 2002
Make/Model: Toyota Sienna CE
Mileage: 63,342
Engine: 3.0L V6
Transmission - Auto
Color - exterior - Silver interior - Beige
Major Options - Roof Rack, Toyota VIP Security System, Power Heated Mirrors, Black Badging, Privacy Glass, PW, PL, Keyless Entry, Rear A/C.
Condition: Good
  Interior very clean, mats need some cleaning. Exterior has minor dent on passenger front fender.
  Tires - worn
  Brakes - good
  Maintenance - needs 60k service. good maintenace
Other: None

butchbr73

Terry, hope you and yours made it thru this one as well..... amazing, same landfall.

blueiedgod

Repost, since Edmunds does not allow editing past 30 minutes, I changed the location to Buffalo, NY instead of the zip code.

Hi Terry, can you give me a number that I can use in negotiations. I have a 2002 Honda Civic Si, Black, with 15,000 miles, clean condition (as per Edmunds' definition). I am looking at trading up to an Acura TSX (Non navi, manual) to preserve the same driving dynamics, but gain some rear seat room and more class (I may be a little too old for the Si at 29). My localle is Buffalo, NY

Thank you very much.
Dave

han

Hi there...I have a 2003 Acura Rsx automatic w/ leather...It's 29450 miles on my car and I want to sale my car with least 16,999 if anyone was interest to get my offer please write me an e mail as soon as possible... i really appreciate ur time and effort..

akangl

Hope you are ok, 4 hurricanes in 6 weeks is unbelievable. Alaska is starting to sound good eh??

jirv01

Location: Irvine, CA
Year: 2000
Make/Model: BMW 323i Wagon, 2WD
Mileage: 47,000
Engine: 6 cylinder
Transmission: Automatic with steptronic
Color: Dark gray exterior with tan leather interior

Major Options:
  Sport Pkg
  Air Conditioning
  Power Steering
  Power Windows
  Power Door Locks
  Telescoping Wheel
  Cruise Control
  AM/FM Stereo with Single Compact Disc
  Dual Front Air Bags
  Front Side Air Bags
  ABS (4-Wheel)
  Traction Control
  Leather
  Dual Power Seats
  Moon Roof
  Alloy Wheels
  Roof Rack with cross beams and bike rack

Condition:
  Exterior: About 3 small dings from other car doors. Some scrapes on the two back alloy rims from hitting curbs.
  Interior: Clean, some darking of leather on driver seat.
  Tires: New, less than a month old.
  Brakes: Front will need replacement within the next 2,000 miles.
  Maintenance: up to date, all scheduled maintenance met.

Other: Clean registration, no accidents.

Trading in the car at a Honda dealership for a 2005 Odyssey EX-L with DVD nav/entertainment system. KBB says $17,950 for excellent condition car, but I'm not sure this car qualifies for that. I would like to get at least $17,000. Is it possible?

Thank you!