Real-World Trade-In Values

rroyce10

.... ** I know is it a Mercury that sold new with a lot of rebates and discounts, but the car listed new in 2002 at $29,855, which is a stunning amount of depreciation**....

Think about it this way .... invoice on the Merc in 02 was in and around the $27ish figure and with the rebates and such, and you could buy one for the $25ish region ... hey, there is alot of Benz and Bimmer owners that wished they had a 50% recovery on their 02 ..l.o.l....

You did good all the way around ....



Terry.

rroyce10

.. **Location: Albany, NY
Year/Make/Model:2003 Hyundai Accent
Body Style: 2dr with hatchback
Engine: 4 cyl Automatic
Driveline: FWD
Mileage:10,800
Color: silver exterior /grey interior
Major Options: base model
Condition: Good
Details of interior and exterior, including dings, scratches etc.
Tires - new
Brakes - good
Maintenance - good**
====================================

Up there in Albany ........ Got air ...?? .....

We got a 03 Hyuuuundie Accent, it's a base, it's the 3 door hatch with looooow miles, we got the auto thing, good color and it's a base ......... no battles at K-mart, no drive-by shootings and we got air.?? ... if so, then trade side in and around the low/mid $3's, maybe the tall $3's if it's super nice and it needs -0- ....... the low miles will save this one ~ if it's clean and it's got air ....

Terry.

rroyce10

.. **Thanks to all who posted with feedback (especially Terry) on my 2000 Sienna XLE. I just sold it for $11,200. Recall I had proposed listing it for $13,200 but you convinced me I was high. I started out at $12,500, dropped to $11,995 after a week and just let it go today to the first looker.

I did spend about a day cleaning it up and giving it a final coat of Zaino, I'm sure that helped. The buyer seemed very interested in the service records I was able to produce. That looks to be a big factor in favor of a private seller compared to the lack of knowledge most dealers have on used vehicles they sell. I just bought a 5-year old Maxima for my daughter from a dealer who had no clue as to what type of service was performed. I used that as a bargaining point in price negotiation. Anyway, there's a lot of competition out there and I'm happy with the way things turned out** ...
================================

Sounds like ya did good - real good.! ...... most times on Private sales, the owners let their ego get in the way and they ask waaaay too much money for their vehicles .. so after 2 weeks and a couple of missed appointments the sellers just get worn out and they just head to the dealer and trade it .........

thanks for the update ..........



Terry.

rroyce10

Terry?
Here's one that might interest you:
2002 Jeep Liberty Limited (nice features)
Portland, OR
2WD, 3.7 L, 6 cyl, auto
Miles: 38400
Non-standard options:
4-wheel ABS
Hitch
Color is red (popular, I think).
Fabric/cloth interior.
Recently had major service and brakes.
Never had any red flag issues.

Condition: Most excellent (though I haven't much experience).
On the outside, I discovered, only after the dealer salesman pointed
out, 3 small dime sized and shaped chips near where a rear wheel mud
flap would be. Also, a very light 6 inch scratch on the hood, which I
also had never noticed, looks like it could be a dirt mark. Tires
probably need to be replaced soon.
Inside, some minor depression markings from child seats that may work
themselves out. Stained floor mats, but not floors. I've got the
vehicle loaded as I bought it: with manual, warranty, and other
paperwork and the spare tire wheel lock socket.
Put a sticker on it, and you might confuse it for new. (In fact, I
still have the sticker. Maybe I'll tape it on as a joke.)
When the salesman looked it over, he seemed to appreciate a decent
trade-in, as if he was trying, but couldn't quite hide his good
feeling about the trade. Then his sales manager or whatever looked it
over and drove it. Same thing.

Then (of course) they low-balled me: $8900. One forceful complaint,
and about 5 minutes later, the price was $100 shy of $11000. Nothing
else changed on the deal. I was at 1% over invoice on a good selling
import model, irrespective of trade price. We did the new car price
first (which was a ridiculous price at first as well).
Would this Jeep go to auction or be kept for the lot?

How does the 2WD/4WD issue affect Jeep trade-ins?

Are gas prices really affecting SUV sales?
It was great, the whole time the guy was saying how he never lied. My
response: Is that a halo, or is that your bald spot?

Some naive questions about auctions: What do you think of someone
trying to visit an auction to figure the value of their trade-in?
Would it work? Is it worth the trouble? Would it be easy for a
regular joe to get into an auction? Are they held on weekends? Can
auction results be had on the Web? Can you get the dealer to tell you
recent auction prices? How does the dealer determine ACV? And
exactly how would you phrase the question if you wanted the dealer to
tell you?
Ah, well ... I have lots of questions.
===================================

**Put a sticker on it, and you might confuse it for new ...** ......... Yeh right, that's what I said about my first wife ......

Yeow ....! .. you got some questions ....

As far as auctions, I've taken quite a few folks with me .. but as a rule now, I leave them at home ....... see, auctions are like fancy topless bars -- the big difference is, you can take the cars home .. most times people get really confused, most folks can hardly make up their minds with 150 cars on a car lot .. can you imagine what they would do with 3,000 cars and trucks rolling past them ..? .. throw in 50 Harleys, 30 Fat Daddy boats, 20 Ferrari's and a few Lambo's and most people look like a pinball bouncing off a 4 lane highway ... ya gotta keep em' on a leash ..l.o.l....

But to answer your question, depending on the vehicle, the time of the year, options, color and condition, dealers usually want to be in and around $500/$800 back of auction money .. and on some of the big imports like Benz and Bimmers, they want to be $1,500/$2,000 back of auction $$, especially if there is a CPO thats gonna be involved ..... remember, the value of vehicles is based on location and color .. a black 4x4 in Florida is meaningless, a black 4x4 in Chi-Town gets big money, especially when the leaves start to fall ...

But anywhooo ..... we got this 02 Jeep Liberty 2WD Limited, no hydes, low miles for the year, the color is kinda ho-hum, you say it's kinda nice and it needs rubber ...... so if ~ you haven't been a subscriber to the Maaco Club, you haven't battled any seniors at Wal-Mart and we don't have 50 KFC boxes under the seats ... then trade side, in and around the low/mid $10's, "might" maybe get a dealer to wander into the low low low low low $11's .... if ya got $11 (real $$) then you need to get back to that dealer ... it's a 2wd Limited with no cow seats ....... how much do you think it's worth.?



Terry

steine13

I'm not surprised he got all the $$$ on that Sienna... the thing with these is, TRY and find any. If you look at auction results for the last month, there are quite a few of those around, any trim level, but at Detroit AA or Detroit Metro, they are few and far between... not so many more in the vicinity. And Chicago is a HUGE market.

I've got a late '03 CE, which has captain's chairs and dual air and all the "LE" junk... I paid $22 for it new... the local Toyota dealer has the carbon copy one in their inventory, 29k low miles, '03 CE in Desert Sand for (drum roll) $23,995.

That's idiotic, and I'm sure they'll sell it for $19, but I'm also sure they'll find someone who'll pay it ... if the wife wants a used Toyota to "save money", it's gonna get expensive... there just aren't any to be had, esp. nice clean ones.

This is the WORST kind of thing for someone with a CCBA habit :-)
Temptation is everywhere... if I could get $15-16 for mine...

-Mathias

crandleman

Muscatine, IA
2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Special Edition
2WD, 6 cyl, auto
Miles: 26,500
Silver Exterior/Black Leather Interior
Non-standard options:
Leather
Trailer Tow Prep
Convienence Package
Keyless Entry
Perfect Interior
Like New Exterior
No mechanical issue
Lot's of life left on the tires
No accidents/non-smoker

Thank you in advance.

qbrozen

well, while looking for that pre-owned Pacifica, we somehow managed to wind up driving a new '05 off the lot on Saturday. Got it for the employee price minus rebates, a great interest rate, AND they gave us $20,300 for our Pilot! I would assume that's an overallowance, but they claimed to have a wholesaler offer them that much on the phone and is coming to pick it up from them this morning.

I certainly can't complain. I think we got a great deal, got our payments down even lower than we had planned, and have a new loaded up car (satellite radio, DVD, memory heated seats, infinity 5.1 stereo, adjustable pedals, moonroof, power rear liftgate, etc, etc - only thing its missing is the NAV).

woodyww

Well, Terry knows the regional values, & I think has auction figures from all over the country. Also, schlepping your trade to diff. dealers to get appraisals/offers can be a good reality check. Is there a car-max near you? I hear they give very fair offers for used cars. Also, I wouldn't worry too much about what a dealer is "thinking"--they could be thinking about kumquats, or the cute receptionist for all you know. Just focus on what you're paying for their car, & they're paying for yours. If there are other dealers nearby selling the car you want, go to all of them with your trade & pick the best overall deal--it's not rocket science.....just takes time.

corvette

...most times people get really confused, most folks can hardly make up their minds with 150 cars on a car lot...

My dad and I accompanied a dealer to a GM auction to buy my first car (in 1998)... There were only a couple of fully loaded Grand Am's there (most of them were base models), so that narrowed the selection a lot. The second big mistake we made was, after getting up before the crack of dawn to ride to Nashville, and standing out in the heat, deciding that we had to buy something *that* day, rather than repeating the process. The first big mistake was, at that time I really wanted a 1994-95 Accord EX, which would have cost the same or less than the 1997 Grand Am GT I ended up with, but was nearly impossible to find. It seems like, back then, there was a smaller proportion of EX models than there is today.

pmcaleer

Location: Chicago
2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser Limited wagon/SUV/whatever you may call it
2.5L I4
FWD
Automatic
63000 miles
Black exterior/tan interior
Power windows, power locks, power driver's seat, power heated side mirrors, remote keyless w/security, power moonroof, CD/cass/AM/FM, 16" alloy wheels, A/C, cruise, fog lights.

Interior is clean. Exterior has a little residue around the beltline from removed chrome trim (wasn't standard with the car - I added it.) Might add it back on. A few scratches here and there, ding about .25" in diameter on the rear driver's side door. Crack in rear backing light.
Tires: one year old, very light wear
Brakes: six months old, normal wear
Maintenance: religious oil changes, air filter changes, recalls.

Other: Has been in two accidents in its life. One, we were rear-ended and pushed into the car in front of us; had everything from the radiator forward repaired and replaced. Two, a fellow pulled out and clipped the right front fender and bumper - this was repaired, too.

We're considering trading this in in order to get something more fuel efficient and, uh, not a Chrysler.

rroyce10

.. **There were only a couple of fully loaded Grand Am's there (most of them were base models), so that narrowed the selection a lot. The second big mistake we made was, after getting up before the crack of dawn to ride to Nashville, and standing out in the heat, deciding that we had to buy something *that* day, rather than repeating the process** ...

Sounds nutty to me ..... it's like going to the airport without a reservation or a ticket ~ I think you had the wrong dealer .l.o.l..

The whole point of going to the auction is being "successful" or at least being able to narrow the search down so the cards are in your favor - and that takes a little research and most dealers/GM's don't take the time .. remember, the word I used here is "dealer", not the sales manager or one of the sales guys because it's not their $$ ...

Example: me personally, I get the auction reports 4/5 days before the auction, and even that is just a "ballpark" figure as far of models, miles and years .. so I narrow that 1,500 vehicle list down to, lets say 200 vehicles ... in the meantime, new vehicles are being listed everyday and "most" are listed the day before the auction, and that list could easily be another $1,500+ vehicles, and that list isn't finished until later that evening, about this time - 8:30ish .... again, I narrow that search down to the 80 or 90 vehicles I might be lookin' for, and thats based on miles and color .... then I run a Carsmack and a title search on the remaining vehicles and that might reduce the number from the original 290ish to, lets say 200 ....

So when I go to the auction I'm not looking at 3,300 vehicles - I'm looking at 200 .... and even that number gets reduced, because I'm there waaaay before it starts and I've been "in, out and thru em'" and that number can be reduced another 40 or 50, so now I'm only looking at 150ish - not 3,300 vehicles ........ Grand Am's and Honda's...?? .. I know more about them than the orginal owner .... but, if need be - I'll take a second trip if the prices get a little whacked ..l.o.l....

I've never tried to fly to Costa Rica without a plane ticket ........



Terry

corvette

One for my dad...
Louisville, Kentucky
2003 Volkswagen Beetle GL TDI
2 door
1.9L Turbo diesel, manual FWD
125,000 miles
Dark grey exterior, black interior
Only option was seat heaters on the cloth seats. It has the standard stuff, power windows, locks, mirrors, AM/FM tape player, no alloy wheels.
Interior is in great condition for the mileage. Exterior is in good condition. The front bumper was repainted ($350). Fairly new windshield. Tires are new Michelins, the brakes are factory but in good condition.
It has had all the scheduled maintenance, synthetic diesel oil, timing belt at 100k and again at 120k due to a locked up tensioner. Could you provide private party and trade-in values?

exb0

Terry, you said “dealers usually want to be in and around $500/$800 back of auction money ..”

Why is that? Are auction cars cleaner than trade-ins? With trade-ins they have more time to inspect the car; therefore dealers are assuming less risk. Also, dealers don’t have to pay for transport.

BTW, who is paying the auction fee, the buyer or seller?

dkuhajda

The reason a dealer wants to be in and around $500/800 back of auction money is this.
1. There could be hidden mechanical problems not disclosed by the owner.
2. If the car for some reason does not sell on the lot, usually after 90 days it goes to auction. This is after the costs of getting it ready for the used lot, overhead, additional depriciation, so they need to account for some of this in case the vehicle doesn't sell on the lot.
3. The market could all of a sudden go flat on a given make or model, resulting in next weeks auction prices being much lower than this weeks. Example: a ton of rental fleet cars of your model hit next week.
4. Dealer is assuming more financial risk. They don't know exactly if the car will sell on the lot and for how much, or how long it will sit. They don't know exactly what it will bring at auction, they can get close most of the time.
5. Who says the car won't go straight to auction as a trade in? Maybe the dealer already has three Jeep Liberty models on the lot and does not need another.

breld

Looking for a trade value on the following:

2003 Acura MDX in Denver
Touring model, DVD entertainment
Sagebrush Pearl (Greenish Grayish color)
No other extra options
34,000 miles
Normal wear and tear - a couple of dings and minor scratches.
Tires are original, probably good for a little while longer.

Looking to trade in on a new Sienna.
What do you think Terry?

rroyce10

..... Dkuhajda just gave a pretty good explanation .....

Believe it or not ~ and I know it's hard to fathom ..l.o.l.. but most trades don't come in as "baby dolls" .. they need some rubber, probably brakes, maybe the 30k service is coming up, so by the time they drop in some belts, filters, oil and scrape the mud off the ceiling with a good detail, they might have another $300/$500 in it .. and a smart dealer want's to be in a situation that if the market shifts and the weather changes they can run it off to the auction and not lose $2,000 ...... like Dkuhajda mentioned, maybe they already have 3 or 4 ABC's sitting on their lot ~ or, maybe they prefer not to sell that brand at that dealership ........

Auction fee's are paid by the seller and the buyer, so auctions make money both ways .. usually (not always) the *vast amount* of vehicles that run are detailed to the max .... it's the close eye that makes the difference ..........



Terry.

aaron_t

Repost for Terry...

Sterling Heights, MI (Detroit Metro)
2003 Ford F-150 Supercrew Lariat 4x4
5.4L/auto
34000 miles
Dark Grean out, tan leather in
Options: moonroof, captains chairs, heated front seats, power pedals, power rear slider, LSD, FX4 off road package, towing package
Extras: side steps, soft bed cover, 2-way remote starter, plastic drop-in bedliner
Tires - 33" BFG AT's 50%
Brakes original and solid
oil changes 3000-3500
All service records which have been minimal
Body perfect - no dings

I'm interested in what the trade-in and private party values should be. Edmunds TMV gives me $18.7k/$20.4k.

erics6

Terry,

It would be fun to watch you in action. I've always wondered how the auction process works. I've learned a lot from you. Great to have you here at Edmunds!

Eric

bretfraz

I attended several auctions with Bill (aka Brentwoodvolvo) and can tell you there is a lot to do and a lot going on. Like Terry said, the experienced guys already know what they want and know what is there so that eliminates 90% of the cars running thru the lanes.

Guys like Bill specialized in certain makes (for him its Jaguar, Land Rover and other Euro makes) so that made shopping easier. But if you're there just for general merchandise? Holy cow, it's nuts! Imagine 23 lanes of cars selling at the same time, with each car getting 30-60 seconds to sell. I remember Bill and I looking at 50+ BMW's in the BMWFS lane, looking for a car with heated seats. You could practically stand there and let the cars drive past you, they hardly stood still.

With all the action at a large auction, it is super easy to make a buying mistake. Advance research is crtical to not losing money or buying the wrong car.

jason82

I own a 2004 Acura TL No Navigation Black on Black 10 thousand miles...can you please tell me how much I can get for a trade in? I was thinking of getting a blue 06 tl with navigation.
thanks

jpmiller99

Terry,

I would appreciate a trade-value on my car, even though I probably won't like it...
I'm thinking about trading on a Honda Accord.

I'm in Newark, Delaware.

It's a 99 Buick Regal LS model, Platinum color, with 88K miles.
3.8L V6 motor, automatic, Front wheel drive.
It has alloy wheels, climate control, steering wheel mounted radio controls, leather interior.

The tires/brakes/belts are almost new. It runs and drives 100%.

Cosmetically, the finish is great due to freqent waxing and good care car, but it does have some scratches and a crack in the front bump cover. It was hit from behind causing about $1800 in repair, but it was done very well and is not noticeable.

Interior is in good shape. Just a little worn, as expected in a 90K mile car.

What would I get for this puppy on trade?

It's such a good car, I should keep it. However, I'm getting the itch for a new car....

Thanks for all your help.

">

Kirstie_H

Hi jason82,
Please see the suggested info form above the "post a message" box in this discussion. It is very difficult for Terry or anyone else to give you a trade-in value without having all the information on your vehicle and your geographic location. Thanks!

girmann

Location: Hartford, CT
Year/Make/Model: 1999
Body Style: Sedan
Engine: 1.9L DOHC Automatic
Driveline: FWD
Mileage: 120,000
Color: Blackberry (Black with flecks of purple (Hey, it was a deal!)
Major Options: Cassette, floormats... uhh... did I say it was an automatic?

Condition:
Exterior: Major scratch (down to the primer, not rusting, 1.5in x 0.25in.) on the hood due to a flying piece of truck tire on the highway, scratch all the way down the side after carelessly pulling my lawn mower out of the garage, scratch on left rear bumper from parking lot incedent. (did I mention it had a cassette player?)

Interior: Decent for almost 7 years old and 120,000 miles. No damage. What else can I say? Oh, right... the floormats.

Tires:

They look pretty good, but they have 60,000 miles on them. Probably 70% worn, if I'm honest with myself.

Brakes: No idea, especially the drums in back.

Maintenance: Of course I did maintenance. Oh, wait. Yes, I changed the oil at schedule, xmission fluid, antifreeze, etc...

Other: None! (Did I mention it had floormats?)

Edmunds says $700

I know Saturns don't sell well used, but I see this car on unsed car lots for between $4k and $6k with this amount of mileage.

What's a realistic number?

Mark

girmann

Hmm...

Didn't do a search before posting...

If it's any different than post #28163, let me know. I can't believe it's much different.

Mark

woodyww

I'm turning into one of those Crazy People who's thinking of trading my BMW for a Prius. I wondered what you thought of the resale value of the Prius in general--I "assume" it's excellent(?)--a local dealer has an '04 with almost no options for $25K. I'm ordering an '06 at MSRP, & trying to decipher the various option packages. Any of the options better/worse than others for resale? Thinking of Package #4, or #6.

Here's my trade, or I might sell myself:

2000 bmw 528i wagon:
black w/ tan interior
Premium Pack (leather, S/R, power everything, 16" alloys)
auto trans.
CD changer
24K miles, all dealer service
Exterior: one 1 inch "Dimple" on the front of the hood, paint is intact. Front air dam has 1 verticle crack. One 3" scrape on the left rear lower plastic panel. (The car has a very nice appearance overall; & no accidents).
Interior: never smoked in, no kids, very nice condition.
tires about 50%; I have an unused set I could have installed.
CPO warranty thru 11/05
clean carfax
Location: near Boston
Of course the Prius wouldn't arrive for months, so I couldn't sell it 'til then.

TIA for any advice! And feel free to talk me out of it,

Woody

jlawrence01

I agree with the prior post - big "for sale" sign on the car and go for $1995 ... but accept the first $1500-1700 cash that you get.

The people who buy that type of car with high mileage are ones that generally don't have the wherewithal to get a note. Go over $2k and you'll lose that customer.

zodiac2004

Reread post 27911 by Terry, and your reply to it - 27916.

One more thing.
You have put 24K on the bimmer in 6 years.
If fuel economy is your reason, the Prius won't help there even if it gets a million miles/gallon.

I have to ask - why in the world are you considering such a move ?

stickguy

I bet that there will be a 6 month old low mile Prius for sale in Boston in about 7 months.

Interesting idea, but it ain't no BMW driving experience!

mirth

...the idea of buying a Prius because it's "cool" (wow, the engine is off but I'm still moving!), then I say buy the thing and don't look back. If you're doing it because of gas prices, stick with the BMW.

breld

This is sort of a repost/update:

I'm looking to trade in, or sell privately:

2003 Acura MDX in Denver
Touring model, DVD entertainment
Sagebrush Pearl (greenish grayish)
No other extra options
34,000 miles
Normal wear and tear - a couple of dings and minor scratches. Nothing I would consider out of the ordinary for the age of the car.
Tires are original and should be good for a while longer.

Looking to trade in on a Sienna. The dealership looked over the MDX and came up with a trade of $27,000, though they say that the best buy bid they got from the Acura dealerships is $26,200, and they are "borrowing" $800 profit from the new car sale to structure the deal.

So, Terry, curious what you think on the trade value, and what I may expect for private party. I'm considering selling it on my own, as it seems trading it, as it always does, "muddies" the dealing process.

Thanks in advance for all your help.

corvette

Thoughts on the Prius:
You know those don't come with a sunroof or leather, right?

Thoughts on the BMW:
Probably a good idea to sell it when the warranty is up. (Although, the value of a factory warranty is dubious when dealers tend to rubber-stamp the warning lights on the dash as "no problem found.")

corvette

To the untrained observer (me), that sounds great. IIRC, An MDX Touring lists for $38ish, and this one is three years old with 34k.

dkuhajda

Ditto what you just said plus it wouldn't hurt to pay $80 or so to have the car carefully and completely mechanically inspected. If it needs brakes to bring it up to good mechanical condition, get them done. At the right mechanics garage, it shouldn't cost more than $200 to get it inspected and completely ready to go.

I have had and seen people get a bunch more money on high (but not too high) mileage cars like that by listing in the ad, mechanic inspected and ready to drive. It also helped move the cars a lot quicker.

dmog67

Terry,

I would appreciate an estimate when you have time:

1998 Audi A4 Sedan 2.8 Quattro 5MT with 93K miles

Boston Area

Pearl (off-white) metalic paint
Navy Interior with off-white headliner and seats
Leather
Heated Seats
Split Folding Rear Seats
Moonroof
Prepped for phone
New tires (w/in 6,000 miles)
New brakes
New left and right front suspension
New fuel injectors

There are a few minor scratches and nicks as well as some scratches and wearing visible on the leather. There is some flaking of the clearcoat on the front left of the bumper. Overall the paint is still glossy and looks new - I wax often. No dents.

Needs 90K service - I don't want to drop $600 on the timing belt if I am going to sell.

I would appreciate an impartial estimate on a street sale or trade-in.

Thanks,

DM

lowespitt

Terry,
Do you have any guess at this. I know the model isn't as popular as the Accord and all but your best guess would really help. I assume its between 15 - 16.5k! How close (or far) off base am I! Also will going for an 05 Taco give me more room to negotiate the trade value. i figure I can get the Tacoma for invoice at this time of year if not below.

Thanks!

racer63

Getting some background on maybe doing something wise or dumb, depending on opinion.......

North Jersey
2003 BMW 330i
4 door sedan
3.0 I-6, 6 speed manual
rear drive
39,500 miles
metallic black over black leather
options: Performance Package(6 speed, 10 more hp, shorter rear gears, plus Sport package stuff), Premium Package (roof, leather, etc.), Harman Kardon single CD

Haven't seen it in the flesh yet. Of course, in the pictures it looks stunning...

Sitting CPO on the used car side of a highway BMW dealership, advertised for $31,995. I'm thinking with the miles they are a little strong with what they are asking, probably by about $2k.

I may be looking for one of these, and would prefer 25-30k on the odo and a color other than black, but this one is reasonably local and I will likely check it out. What does the sage Terry say it could be brought home for? TIA

jlawrence01

Also, a little honesty about the little things that are wrong with the car - and there is ALWAYS something that doesn't work (or work well) on a 120k+ miles - goes a long way toward reassuring a cash buyer.

On the other hand, you will occasionally have a buyer who expects to find a "perfect" car for $2k.

woodyww

Thanks for all the advice/replies. It probably is a Nutty idea. I read the Prius reviews on Edmunds today--they really liked it, but mentioned how it was blown all over the road at highway speeds when it was windy. The E39 bmw is like......it would take a tornado to blow it off course by an inch, at 80 mph. And it gets fairly decent mileage with the 6 cyl. Cheers, woody

rjheard

Montgomery, AL
1998 Lexus GS400
4.0 liter V8
Automatic
94000
Diamond White Pearl
Leather, auto, sunroof, non-nak, non-navi
New Tires (6k miles) Full 90k mile service done by Lexus (1800.00)
Good brakes.
Very good condition -- some paint chips on front but otherwise great paint.

Thanks in advance.

dkuhajda

I've been looking for the 'perfect' $1,000 car for a couple of weeks now!!!

There are on very rare occasion $2,000 cars that are in very good condition. I think I have seen 3 of them since the mid 1980's.

dardson1

. . . if you wanna give this one a pass, I'll understand. Seems to me a car with 110k miles is about used up
My employee wants my advice on the following. . .
Lubbock TX
98 Honda Accord EX sedan w/automatic
110k miles
I think all EX's had sunroof, leather, etc., etc.
white pearlized custom paint job (not that well done. . .chips here and there)
ground effects kit front, side, and rear that look pretty darn good
almost new 20" chrome rims and equally new low profile tires to fit
I'd guess someone spent at least $2500 on those.
Driver's outside mirror missing (?) tail light cracked
Carfax check shows no record of collisions, accurate milage, 2 owners
Interior (tan leather, carpet, everything) looks like 20k. . .redone I'd guess
Darn thing still drives and feels like a Honda
Mechanic says everything checks out OK

Assuming someone finds value in the customizing, what is a 98 Accord EX sedan with 110k miles in good mechanical condition worth. They are asking $6900.

girmann

Thanks for all that responded!

So basically, it's not worth my time to trade it in...

As far as having 120k, there really isn't anything wrong with the car... oh, except the throttle body sticks (carbonization?). and that squaek from the right front on left turns, and the tires are almost done... I see what you mean.

Hey, I'd take $1500, heck, I'd take $1000 if I didn't have to work for it! (except the car's not perfect...)

Mark

jlawrence01

For $1500-2000, you generally get an older domestic sedan that is 10 years old, 120k miles, worn or dirty upholstery, an A/C that blows warm or is heading in that direction, and a couple of gadgets that are not working. If you are lucky, there is little rust or just a bit of surface rust.

Of course, if you are in that market where you desire that type of vehicle you generally fall into one of three categories:

1) You are working and can scrape together the cash and your other alternative is a $125,000 vehicle .... the city transit.

2) Your other car is a Mustang/Corvette, and you want something that you can slosh around through the winter snow. (I never thought of that angle until I moved to Chicago).

3) You want to buy your kid a vehicle that you don't need to buy full coverage on.

Generally, I can move any vehicle within a week by parking the vehicle in front of a laundromat or a temp agency as people in either are always looking for a cheap ride.

Occasionally, you get a fussbudget who expects everything to be perfect ... even at that price. Since I am not a salesman and I don't play one on TV, I usually end the discussion because you will never satisfy those people.

dkuhajda

Most of that type of vehicle I sell generally lasts less than one week using the same marketing method. Park it in front of the laundromat that is near the trailer park after a good cleaning and a nice big sign.

Typically I pick up a winter vehicle for aorund $1,000. Make sure mechanically it is good with few problems. Fix the problems on the cheap myself, replace fluids, etc. A new and good set of tires before the snow hits. I want to be able to drive it safely. Then in the Spring unload it, usually for the same money or more than I paid for it.

Last October, 96 Metro $800, 121K A/C worked, some minor rust around bottom of doors, new tires and misc maintenance/tune up, about $250. Rear ended one month later, $879 insurance check for the damage, repaired for $179 with used and aftermarket parts (no frame damage), rear bumper cover, muffler, etc. Sold for $700 early this summer, 142K and A/C still worked. I still see it running around and the new owner couldn't be happier now that gas is $3 gallon.

brando73

Terry,

What would a fair dealer trade in be on the following??

Boston Area
2003 BMW X5 4.4
37,000 miles (still 13k on full waranty...covers everything but tires)
Gray/ebony leather
Every option including NAV comfort seats 20" sport wheels and set of snows also on BMW OEM rims, running boards, bluetooth, DSP stereo, etc...
It is in perfect condition, no dents dings or accidents.
Tires have plenty of tread left, replaced recently.
Brakes are covered under BMW maintance plan to 50K so not an issue

Getting 14mpg on average is getting a bit tiresome ($75 to fill)
Thank you!
Brando73

zodiac2004

Getting 14mpg on average is getting a bit tiresome ($75 to fill)


Don't tell me. Let me guess.

You want to replace it with a hybrid ? :confuse:

brando73

Hardly... Buying an A6 3.2...it's no hybrid but still alot better than a V8 SUV. I love to drive, if I went to a hybrid I'd be miserable!

rpetty

Can a dealer out there tell me a good trade value on my 2002 Wrangler? Its hard and soft top, very good cond, no reapirs or accidents, Air, $600.00 worth Rancho shocks, New BFG All terrain and just got tuned and new brakes. I kept oil change every 3k for its life. Blk has nice wide wheels factory, . Gets alot of curb appeal comments and looks,lots. So what do you think real world? I have been offered anything from 7k to 10.5k It does have high mileage. 134k. But has same oil press as when new and its ALL 98% highway time. Long distance relatioships. Thanks Mike

rhester

Thank you in advance for any kind of info you can provide on the following:

Location: Reno, Nevada
Year/Make/Model: 1999 Mazda Miata
Body Style: Convertible
Engine: 1.8l 4-cyl manual transmission
Driveline: RWD
Mileage: 73,000
Color: White/Black
Options: Power windows, locks, mirrors, Premium sound system, Cruise Control, alloy wheels.
Condition: Body is almost pristine, no dings, no scratches, soft-top has approx 4-inch tear.
Tires: Toyo Proxes, 10k miles.
Brakes: Will need replacing soon (I can hear them squeaking!)
Maintenance: Mostly up-to-date. All 60k service done other than water pump replacement. Uses synthetic oil.
Other: The car has been in two accidents (I was not to blame for either). Neither caused frame damage. First accident occured in July 2002 causing about $7k damage to front of car. Second occured in July 2005 causing $3.8k damage to rear of car. This is why the car looks fabulous (other than the roof tear). It has a lot of new body parts. It also drives beautifully, as good as it ever did (which amazes me, to be honest).

Pricing it out on KBB.com gives me a figure of $7,800 for private party sale assuming good condition. The dealer that I took this car to would only offer me $4k as trade-in. I'm thinking of just selling it privately for around $6k. I will be totally upfront about the accidents the car has been in. The dealer says that he would have to replace the soft-top. I may just take it to a car upholsterer and get this fixed but I'm not sure how costly it would be.

Thanks for any help!

sjhey

2003 Volvo XC90T6
Location: Connecticut
Navigation system
DVD entertainment system
trailer hitch
moon roof
81,000 miles
minor door dings, otherwise in good condition.
currently on third set of tires
new transmission installed two months ago. Has been leaking oil since.
rear ended one months ago- lift gate, tail gate, rear bumper replaced (cost $3200)

I am curious what a reasonable trade-in value would be for this car. I have gotten two offers from a Honda dealer and a Toyota dealer for $12K and $16K.

Thanks in advance for your help.
Steve