Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
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This is gonna be a hard car to figure.
Your best bet is to call soem nissan stores and get a buy bid.
Only 1 car has gone thru auction,and it brought $22,000
It was listed as below average,whatever that means for a 3k mile car.
Auction says @ $23,000 or so.
Real World could be worse.
So, IF they are trying to get to your number then he/she has to be on board.
The dealer said they could give us 9k for it, carmax said 10k, the problem is we owe 14k on it. We don't mind taking a 1k loss on it but more than that is gonna kill us. Are those numbers right? where could we try to sell it private party to get a better value? ebay?
Thanks.
You can try ebay or Auto Trader online.
X-Type's aren't easy to sell, so you may only do a little better than trade in.
So the dealer offered $4700 for it on a trade in. Here in NY, you don't pay sales tax on the trade in. I figured out that the $4700 trade allowance with the reduction in sales tax equaled about $5100. So I figured if I could sell for about $6100 I'd be doing OK. I responded to a few emails. Most people would pay $5000 for any car in a heartbeat. I spoke to a guy on the phone who asked me a few questions, he asked me if he could see the car today, he kept his appointment with me and showed up to drive the car. He liked it.
He said $7000 is way too much. What's your bottom line. I told him I know $7000 is too much, but I padded for some negotiation. $6100 I said. Too much, let me get back to you later today. OK!
He called and offered $5800 and I countered with the old "lets split the difference"...$5950.
He said sounds good. He'll call me tomorrow to work out the details of if he wants his mechanic to look at it and when he could pick it up.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
He's got it backwards - must think it's like a house contract with an inspection clause. Prepare to be nit-picked.
2002 Toyota Camry XLE (This was the standard 4 cyl XLE without leather).
129,000 miles
No dents, never been in an accident but quite a bit of little door and rock chipping. Windhield a bit pitted. Interior will clean up very nicely. No mechanical problems.
Location is Rhode Island.
Thanks!
Mark
Thanks again for all your help! The dealership gave my sister a GREAT price on their last '07 EX-V6 Accord Sedan so hopefully they can make some cash off her trade. It may not be the best deal, but she's getting a better car and the service department is top notch (I bought and currently service my '01 Prelude Type SH there since new).
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Yeah, sure they did, probably a new Rolls. This is typical of selling a used car yourself. It can take a lot of perseverence, & possibly dealing with a number of crazy, rude, & or lying people. Experience helps, some, but you have to "pay your dues" to acquire that, & even if you've done it a lot, can still be a giant PITA.
Are you getting the sales tax credit in this deal with the dealer, or is it too late? And, is there a Carmax near you?
It's been my experience (have lost count but have probably sold 50 plus cars privately) that if a deal is going to be made, it's made in-person right after the potential buyer test drives.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
If the car costs $25,000 and you get $5000 for your trade, then you only pay sales tax on $20,000.
If the car costs $25,000 and you put a $5000 down payment on the car (as opposed to a trade-in), you pay sales tax on $25,000.
It is actually my sister's car. I thoroughly enjoy my 2001 Honda Prelude Type SH every day.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
http://www.subaru.com/misc/gtp/2007/index.jsp
It expires 10/31, so you should hurry. It's really an awesome program if you're going to get another Subaru. Good luck.
Boston, MA Area
CPO 04 or 05 Acura MDX, Touring
6-Cyl 3.5L V-tech, auto, AWD
Options: NAV/Tow/Running boards
mileage 40-55K
Color: Silver, green, red, blue
Extremely clean, maybe minor scuffs on bumper, interior hatch door. (It's CPO), normal wear on carpet.
Tires: at least 65% left
Brakes: at least 60% left
Clean one-owner title (off lease or trade-up).
CPO retail is running 25 - 31K locally.
I prefer to purchase CPO, but need to know if offering 25-30 percent below asking price is a reasonable starting point, for the MDX or any other CPO in good supply.
The other option for me is buying a non-CPO at a lower price (22-26K retail asking price) and getting an extended warranty and mechanic's checkover.
Thanks!
Ok, so if the asking price is 30K, $21,000 would be 70% and $22,500 would be 75%.
I can't speak for the sales pros here but if I was selling such a vehicle I would regard such an offer as indicative of somebody who is not serious about buying.
I just don't want a long protracted session that stalls over a few hundred dollars - that's a waste of energy, imo, especially on a 30K used car that is readily in supply. But of course, if that last few hundred is coming from my side of the table, well, that's gas/my kids needs new shoes/dinner money that I don't want to give away...:)
Heh, I've even toyed with just writing out a script to hand to the salesperson while saying: "Look, let's just read our respective lines and fill in the blanks when appropriate and we can be done with this in 10 minutes. If our last blank spaces match in numbers, we have a deal, if not, thank you very much."
Just coming up with some arbitrary percentage discount off the asking price is not the way to go when negotiating a used car deal.
What are the costs being added into that basis? The value paid to the person who traded it in or the auction? The "cost" of checking it over for an hourly rate?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
What *is* the way to go when negotiating a used car deal? Other than paying the asking price, of course.
I know that many savvy new car buyers work up from invoice price, but that starting point doesn't apply to used car sales, so how does one determine a starting point? From what I've read through these forums, Edmunds trade-in values can be way off - so where to start?
My cost is what I own the car for after buying it either as a trade in or lease return, we don't buy many auction cars, whatever reconditioning the car needed and however much the cost of the warranty is.
All of our CPO cars have a warranty on them which costs between 1,000 and 1,500 dollars on top of whatever other costs the CPO standards require. Even our non-CPO cars typically have some kind of warranty on them so that is added in as well.
With the warranty,and what the motor companies mandate in order to get the warranty, its not hard to spend $3,000 or more per car in order to comply w/ the CPO program.
For example the Land Rover CPO checklist says windows must be free of chips period. Sometimes you can repair those chips but if the repair doesn't take you have to replace the windshield.
90 percent of Land Rovers have heated windshields that are very expensive. Then you have the really expensive heated windshields with rain sensors on the newer Land Rovers that cost over 1,000 dollars to replace.
Go to the browse by board in left column and click on "Smart Shoppers". There are lots of good discussions, i.e "How to Get the Best Deal", "Purchasing Strategies","Buying Tips", "Buying Used Cars"... that can give you some good ideas.
Since you wrote the car you're looking at isn't in high demand, you are in the drivers seat and should be able to get a good price. Since you don't like to haggle I would say you should be able to get 10% off without batting an eye, 15% with a little bit of work.
If you want a quick deal tell them up front what you want to pay(final number), or tell them if you can't agree to a number within 15-20 minutes you're walking, be prepared to do so. Start low and let them bump you once to save face. I think you should aim for around Edmunds Private Party for that car. My buck fifty.
That's what this board is for: you ask about specific vehicles, giving all the details, & one of the pros will give you the $$##'s. There's also a place on edmunds to input specific used cars, & that's usually a good guide.
The whole idea of just offering a specific %-age amount off what a dealer is asking is bordering on useless, IMO. And any good salesman will size you up as an unknowledgeable buyer....
Cars are bought for way too much money at every auction, every day. Or as trade-ins.
Cars are also bought for super-low prices.
A knowledgeable buyer should not feel obliged to bail the dealer out, nor should he expect to have the savings of a great deal passed on to him.
People being what they are, it'll be a lot easier to get a good deal on the car that was bought cheaply, but in the end, a car is worth what it's worth.
The asking price is interesting only inasmuch as it might tell you it's hopeless. But offereing $21.5 on a car that is being offered for $30 is likely going to be a complete waste of time.
-Mathias
Len
That's what this board is for: you ask about specific vehicles, giving all the details, & one of the pros will give you the $$##'s. There's also a place on edmunds to input specific used cars, & that's usually a good guide"
Actually, that's what I was looking for in my initial post (#34076), but I guess tagging on the bit about negotiating price skewed the direction of the responses. I want the figure to get an idea of what a reasonable offer is, and what a reasonable starting point for starting negotiations is.
Which wandered into the area of purchasing strategies...a separate issue.
So, do any of the "pros" have the recent auction prices?
Thanks
I have been reading through some of the other forums...it's been an entertaining and educational read (especially the "Stories from the Sales Frontlines" forum).
As for haggling, it can be fun but from what I've read, heard and experienced, a negotiation that gets down to haggling over the last few percent (say, $300-$600 on a 30K car) is just a drain, and a matter of who can tough it out. At that point what is the salesperson actually trying to get *in-pocket* for him/herself, another $50, $100, $150? Why would it take longer (in hours and effort) to negotiate the final price on some cars than it does to negotiate the selling price point of a house?
Is that one reason why so many people "hate shopping for a new car?"
Not meaning to wander off-topic again.....
Look at the bottom of the page. You'll see some text in red. Post again with all the info specified about the car you're looking at. The more data you provide, the better the estimate the pro's can give you. :shades:
Houses are a bad example for 2 resons, 1 they generally appreciate,so you don't mind overpaying a little for one, 2 the profit on a house dwarfs the profit on a car, so giving up a couple hundred or a couple thousand isn't an issue for the realtor or the seller. Cars have very little profit built in for their cost. So, if you can make an extra $100/ car, at the end of the month that can really add up.
Yeah, after I made that post, I thought, there are probably certain dlrs., like maybe Lexus or Acura or Benz dlrs., who mark up their CPO cars X amount, & probably get it.
But I don't know how a consumer is going to know that. And it ignores lots & lots of variables, like say a more rural BMW dlr. who usually has better prices, & who's had a really nice CPO car setting there for 6 mo. just by chance, & has reduced the price so it's already $5K less than other bmw dlrs., & it's Dec. 28th.....
I think the buyer has to know a bargain if they see one, & not assume that every used car has the same mark-up. It's not like buying new, where you can get tons of internet quotes, research the discounts, & it's a lot more Cut & Dried....
It's not necessarily a "rule" as there are some vehicles on the market that it would not apply to (i.e those in high demand, those that have already been substantially discounted,etc).So, you still have to do your homework and find a range for the market price your particular vehicle is selling for. Once you find that range, start negotiation at the lowest number. Generally speaking, you'll be able to get the car for around 15%(or more) less than what the dealer is asking for.
It is well known that dealerships have a high mark up from what they paid for a vehicle to what they are asking for. So, dealerships have a certain margin they like to make
on their pre-owned vehicles. It's difficult to say if the dealership will do 13% on your 2007 Ford Edge without a little bit of research. But, "generally" speaking I would say yes. I may even start at $21k... reasonable without being offensive.
I am also curious as to why none of our "auction pros" haven't given you a starting price on that vehicle you are looking for. Big Stein... you reading this? Also, I see that Terry(rroyce) is no longer around, hope he is doing okay.
The reason I haven't is because auction prices are not indicative of what a dealer actually owns a used car for.
Esp a CPO car.
they may or may not have paid close to auction price, but then you have reconditioning costs(can be up there for a CPO car) plus the warranty costs.
There simply is no rule of thumb or level starting place on used cars. It is very different that a new car where you know what invoice is.
What are you talking about? Auction prices are given here all the time. Auction price is a good place to start in determining price is it not? One can always add any dealer profit, CPO costs or reconditioning, if any, to the auction price.
Obviously, other times the dealer has to put a LOAD of $$ into the car. You know that.
However, if you average out a bunch of auction prices for a particular make/model/trim level at similar condition, you can get a better idea. But a single auction price for a single vehicle seems only moderately helpful to buyers looking on the lots.
They're more helpful when you're looking to trade in at a dealership. If a dealer can get an XMobile in similar condition at auction for $15K, he's not likely to pay $16 for your trade-in.
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2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
Review your vehicle
Year/Make/Model: 2003 Saturn L300
Body Style: 4 door sedan
Engine: 3.0L V6, 4 speed automatic
Driveline: FWD
Mileage: 65,000
Color:
Major Options: alloy wheels, sun roof, automatic climate control, sunroof
Condition:
Exterior - small crease along lower rear fender
Interior - - drivers seat leather worn a bit
Tires - probably at 50%
Brakes - new pads, rotors and front calipers done 18 months ago
Maintenance - All done at Saturn dealer, all receipts
Other: Was involved in a front end accident just a couple of months ago - $3900 worth of damage to bumper and front end