Real-World Trade-In Values

jayrider

thanks for the info on the x3 and ex, im_b, my wife and I seat tested a new ex and liked it. Right size with nice luxury features. well equipped sticker was 38k for an 2010. 3.5 engine and 5 speed auto trans which may be upgraded next mdel to 3.7 with 6 or 7 speed trans. Also looked over a 2009 leftover audi a3 which was 9k cheaper and it was nice as well-bit smaller but would meet our needs fine. Didn't test drive either so fun factor is unknown. With the x3 due for a redo, may wait to see what happens there but have a bit of anxiety re the fix factor with euro's. Been driving a kia spectra rental in S.Francisco this week --- makes anything look great.
Won't work for cpo but there is a used car dealer I know who will look for a particular car that I want and buy it at auction - pass on all the fees + transportation and detailing to me then add on a reasonable profit for his efforts. May check that out as well. Don't if thats risky but he knows cars and has gotten folks good deal in the past. Lots of cars for sale with auction carfaxes so I suppose nothing out of the ordinary. Any thoughts?
thanks again.

roadburner

With the x3 due for a redo, may wait to see what happens there but have a bit of anxiety re the fix factor with euro's.

My wife runs a 2004 X3 2.5. In 88k miles it's needed one warranty repair- a passenger seat SRS sensor. It needed tires at 45k and pads and rotors on all four wheels at 60k. Right now maintenance and repair costs are averaging a bit under 3 cents per mile. We're going to pass it on to my son in a couple of years, at which point my wife wants either an X1 or a Clubman.

deltheking

My guesstimate is 17k..Miles kill the resale value.. So if you want to save gas get a preowned toyota prius ,I would say for about 15k with low mileage and you still pocket 2k.. And you get lots and lots of miles with that prius. But if you really want to save money and has-- an 08/09 Hyundai Elantra preownwd with low mileage and factory warranty intact can be a screaming bargain,as Hyundais depreciate badly. But boy--would be a huge change -- from an Infiniti M35 to a Hyundai elantra :shades:

stickguy

the A3 is a very nice driving car. Smaller for sure on the outside, but probably more useful cargo space (since the Ex styling kills the utility). I haven't driven one, but they test sit nice, and I do like the G series, which it is based on.

The buy at auction option is a good idea, since frnakly, that's where whatever used car the dealer sells you probably came from, but with way more mark up. Just make sure the guy doing the buying knows what he is looking at, and is picky.

That, and stay with something with enough BtoB warranty left that any issues that crop up will be taken care of.

I know a guy that does this with Volvos. Flat auction cost, plus ~$1,200 mark up, but he does a full inspection, service and detail, and he is extremely picky. And if you want it CPO'd, he can get that done for basically dealer cost of the warranty.

So, same car the volvo dealer will be happy to sell you can be bought for thousands less this way.

corvette

"Been driving a kia spectra rental in S.Francisco this week --- makes anything look great."

I kid you not, I passed one of those on the interstate today, and it was pulling an open-top U-Haul trailer. The rear end of the car was sagging way, way down, and it was moving very slowly.

morin2

Ridiculous! Thanks for warning us about someone who will complain here about his Kia tranny failing "prematurely".

jayrider

this kia is 2 years old with 37k hertz miles on it -- engine is buzzy but adequate--seats not so good but the climate controls are awsome. 3 large dials -- 1. fan speed 2. air flow direction and 3. temp. So easy and clear. No menu's and intuitive stuff. I can't understand the appeal of techno comfort systems. All i want is speed, direction and temperature. I still need a zanax before I tackle the controls on my murano ( ok I exaggerate a bit) but will someone please explain the point of all this gadgetry. Please don't say it's to justify the luxury price premium ---- it might break my heart.

jayrider

Thanks for the personal experience on the x3 , roadburner, like the look and the reviews ---will keep it on the list. Kind of like the look of the 328xi wagon with auto ( sorry). Have seen lots of everything walking the streets of S.F.
Peace and love to all.

im_brentwood

That's not a bad deal if you can get a guy to buy you a car from Auction.

See, a CPO car is nice, but the spread between wholesale and retail can approach $5k, you DO get a fully reconditioned car and you DO get a warranty, but you pay for all that.

I used to charge about $800+/- depending on the customer to do it.

jayrider

How about $795 --- drive in with my murano when the lease is almost up and drive back to st. louis in my luxury ride? If you have a Dennys near by the deal is practically done. My treat. Skys the limit on your meal -- don't worry I've got COUPONS!! Three years later we do it again. :shades:

newdavidq

Thanks, brentwood. Yet more confirmation that buying my truck is a good idea.

Also, I like the reasoning when discussing the M3 vs the Honda Civic. There doesn't seem to be a good case for chasing the MPG gains from a pure dollar standpoint and maybe more importantly (would be for me) factoring in the pleasure of sliding into the M in the morning versus the chore of climbing into the Civic. And then there's the driving.

Regards, DQ

ateixeira

The Insight isn't selling well, is Honda giving those steep discounts?

May as well get that over the Civic. At least you'd have real savings in fuel costs.

roadburner

Kind of like the look of the 328xi wagon with auto ( sorry).

The auto isn't bad, it's just that the Mazda's replacement will be my track rat and that makes a stick mandatory. Speaking of which, I found a 2007 328xi coupe today- Space Gray/Coral Red. Gorgeous. Priced right. But an automatic.

explorerx4

what about insurance? my experience is that small fuel efficient cars can have noticeably higher premiums. just something to consider.

sebring95

Unless you're in the kid rates, it wouldn't be enough to matter much anyway. I had a short-term relationship with an '07 Civic and the rates were cheaper than any vehicle I've owned in years, even our minivan. :surprise: Of course a Civic is dirt-cheap compared to my other vehicles as well so maybe I shouldn't be surprised. Minivan was almost twice as much as the Civic to buy.

rshivdat

Thanks for the feedback IM_Brentwood. I made an appointment to visit the local Honda dealer where I purchased my '08 Odyssey a year or so ago. They showed me a few certified pre-owned Civic LX sedans that fit my needs. They also gave me an appraisal for my car. They offered me $20,200 for my car.

I'm definitely looking at a used Civic 07-08 or so. I owe $5k on my car and will most likely get the used Civic and pay it off out right. So in a addition to my fuel savings I'll also be dropping a $250 per month car payment and hopefully some additional insurance costs as well.

I did consider continuing to run my car down but with fuel costs rising and my car being out of warranty I don't want to run the risk of being hit with higher variable costs down the road.

Thanks again, I do appreciate your input everyone!

tifighter

If you can drop a payment and get a car you're happy with, it sounds like a win-win. Nice work.

blueiedgod

I owe $5k on my car and will most likely get the used Civic and pay it off out right. So in a addition to my fuel savings I'll also be dropping a $250 per month car payment and hopefully some additional insurance costs as well.

If you owe only $5,000 on the curent ride, and you can buy the Civic outright, why not just pay it off and keep it? The fuel savings will take a VERY long time to add up to the depriciation that you are taking on the Infinity.

You already know the service history of the Infinity, and you have taken the hit on the depriciation, might as well enjoy it until the wheels fall off.

And if you drive the Infinity the way you will be drving the Civic (gentle acceleration, lots of coasting, cruising to a stop rather than racing from light to light) you may even achieve similar gas mileage. However, if you are planning on driving the Civic aggresively, be prepared to never achieve the EPA estimated fuel economy. Winding the small engine to the redline to get every little bit of performance will cost in increased fuel use, probably matching that of the Infinity, without the thrill of the convertible.

A neat trick to get better fuel economy is to skip gears, i.e. shift 1-3-5 instead of going through all the gears. This way the throttle stays wide open longer, but the RPMs are low due to the taller gearing...

sanjaysdca

I am with blueiegod on this

Keep the infiniti. Financially it might be a wash
but you will regret going from M to Civic... specially when you WILL figure out that you have not saved much.

Also you have only 5K left on the car... either pay it off and you have no recurring payment or keep the loan as you have paid most of the interest already.

Infiniti M is one of the most reliable cars out there... you know the history.

If for any reason you do decide to go with civic please check with civic maint. forums. 4 or 5 year old civics & CRV's are known to have air conditioning problems.

deltheking

Why buy a 16k Civic now plus 5k = 22k?? keep the Infiniti.Pay off the 5k and you are set . Why add an extra 17k burden?? Infinitis are reliable-you should easily get to 150k with just regular maintenance. 17k gets you a lot of fuel. Plus you are really downsizing.
In my opinion,this would be a very very bad choice. You are not saving anything. the Infiniti will be good for another 5 years-then you can spend 17k at that time- and newer models and more fuel efficient models would be there... Just my opinion though.I personally absolutely would never trade the Infiniti and buy the Civic.. CR has good reliability ratings for Infiniti..

tifighter

He's not spending $17k; the dealer offered him $20,200 for trade-in on the M...

deltheking

Oh! Sorry about that . I completely missed it.. So he owes 5k and the car is worth 20k trade in ,And he wants to buy the Civic at about 15k so that he has no payment left.. Got it-- Did not read the previous replies. If he is getting 20k for that car--absolutely, I would go for it if I wanted to downsize..

OTOH,used Civics are poor deals used.. A 1 or2 yr Civic is not that cheaper than a new one..But if fuel saving is top priority and badge is not a problem then a 1 yr old used Hyundai can be a very good bargain..I would also look at a used Prius.The Prius battery has proven to be very very reliable.. His choice though... If he likes the driving dynamics of the Civic then he should go for it !!

sanjaysdca

It still Doesnt make sense

After trade in he will have 15K...that will buy him 2007 civic
After 5 years and his high mile driving Infiniti M and Civic probably be worth the same
Not much savings...

As you said used Hyundai makes more sense. Used Honda's attract stupid money

im_brentwood

We already crunched the numbers.. there's really very little financial upside to trading the M for a Civic, and on top of that, you go from driving an M to driving a Civic.

I personally would NOT be happy driving a Civic that much, or, truthfully, at all. But then I am used to driving Luxury cars and the extra expenses related to driving them are worth every penny to me.

OTOH, that M35 is not worth anywhere near $20,200, if the dealer is ACVing the car for that, it does sway things I suppose.

But you pays your money.......

explorerx4

my experience with an '04 focus was different. it was more expensive than any of our other vehicles. a hundred or two more a year.

deltheking

That was my thought too.. B`cos I think the dealer is over allowing on the Infiniti by about 3k b`cos $20k for a 60k mile Infiniti is a very very good offer unless the dealer is making that up on the used Civic. If that offer holds without a pruchase,just as a trade in actual cash value--then must say it`s a very very good deal but we need more info on the Civic here..

rshivdat

ok guys, some information has been mixed up a bit. Let me clarify. I have been offered $20,200 for my M35 and that's whether I buy or not. The civic i'm looking at is either an '07 or '08 sedan with roughly 40K miles. Offer on the Civic is $13k. I'm looking to go lower cost on the Civic if I can, but either civic is Honda Certified for 7yr/100,000 miles which may be increasing the price of the car.

This deal whether it's at $13k or less for the Civic will ultimately give me back some money out the door plus a paid off Civic.

I also understand the pain of giving up the M, but this is temporary. I want to get a convertible next year. The Civic will be my work horse to get back and forth to work, while the convertible is for the weekends.

tkfitz

Anyone here have any idea what these cars are going for at the auctions? 2009s with 20 something miles- quite a few are former rentals. Auction prices both for the base and the premier models if possible. I got some good info here before on similar cars, but that was a while ago and probably dated.
thanks in advance.

deltheking

You got a very good deal then..20k for the Infiniti- excellent trade value and then a certified Civic for 13k and so you save 7k---That`s a really terrific deal you have got.. Go get the Civic before the dealer changes his mind ! :shades:
And a used Civic even with 100k miles can get you atleast 3k private party plus it is very reliable and fuel efficient.So savings everywhere ! :P ...

rshivdat

thanks deltheking. I'm headed over there today again to see something they pulled together for me from one of their sister dealerships.

toadangel

hi - i have a 1999 Civic EX 2-door

white with grey cloth interior, not overly worn but have had two dogs in there frequently

~120,000 miles

standard features for EX (moonroof, power locks/windows, cruise, automatic, 4 cylinder)

running fine - regular maintenance; plugs/wires 1 year; battery & brakes(pads & rotors) & michelin tires 1.5 years; struts/exhaust/fuelpump/belts/fluids/all that good stuff at around 80K

no accidents but it was stolen about 5 years ago & they took some random things like hood hinges, a tire, speakers, etc. Insurance covered repairs.

aftermarket sony XM/cd radio and polk speakers

body has minor scratches, no rust that i have seen, small chip in windshield from years ago on passenger side

in Columbus Ohio

i want/need to get a slightly larger car or i'd probably hang onto it for a while longer. Looking at a CR-V or Outback, new.

Can you give me estimates on trade & private party values please? thanks

thanks,
Lisa

sebring95

No way you want to trade that, you'll get nothing or very close to it. Private party, $3,000 would be a pretty easy sale, so maybe start at $4,000 and go from there. Has timing belt been changed? If not, probably deduct $500 and unless you catch someone that doesn't know better.

mikefm58

Heck if I were closer I'd buy it. A 10 yr old well maintained Honda is such an easy private party sale. I sold an 8 yr old Honda CRV with 140K miles for $6K in 2 days with a Craigslist ad.

toadangel

thanks so much guys

clm8

I would like to get a trade in value for the following:
2007 Honda Civic EX Coupe
Auto
17000 miles
galaxy gray exterior/gray interior
no damage
Louisville, KY area

Thank you.

im_brentwood

Lisa,

Reality is.. $2k as a trade, you might get $2200-2300 on a real push, but that's basically a $2k car wholesale.

Bill

im_brentwood

If it's clean, no paintwork.. $11,500 give or take a few hundred. West coast it might pull closer to $12k.. Midwest I'd peg it $11,500, dont be shocked at $11,200.

im_brentwood

Mike,

They'll do that across the auction block... CR-Vs are "Shipper cars" and exporters often don't care about the odometer readings it seems.

clm8

Thank you. Yes, its clean, I bought it new 3 years ago. I'm thinking of trading it on something more fun, an Audi A4 convertible. If I go through with it, I'll let you know what they offer. Thanks again.

roadburner

Trade in on this heap(in Louisville):
2007 Mazdaspeed3
Wagon
2.3 Turbo Four/Six Speed Manual
FWD
52,000 miles
Blue Gray Mica/Black
Grand Touring Package(Includes leather, xenons, Bose stereo w/six disc changer), Wheel locks
Excellent condition, no dings or chips Factory powertrain warranty to 60K miles.
Tires need to be replaced within the next 1,000 miles
Brakes 90% worn
Maintenance current(5K mile synthetic oil changes + all Mazda recommended service)

Trade and retail on these two:

In Louisville:
2008 BMW 128i
Coupe
3.0 liter I6 manual
RWD
17,700
Sedona Red/Tan w'Gloss Black trim
Sunroof, Premium sound, Comfort Access, Xenons
Excellent shape, BMW CPO

In Cincinnati:
2003 BMW M3
Coupe
I6 manual
RWD
72,558
Imola Red/Black w/Aluminum trim
Sunroof, Harman-Kardon, Cold Weather Package, Premium Package, Xenons, folding rear seats
Excellent shape, service history

Many thanks!!!

steine13

Learned Friends,

This may not be the right forum, but it surely is the right crowd here. I would like some advice on what to buy as a long-distance car.

I've had lots of cars in my checkered past; most of them at the low end of the spectrum, most of them used, and most of those very used indeed. I've never had any use for a truly "nice" car as my commute is 5 miles round-trip, half of it takes place on a college campus -- some years back, I got rearended twice in one semester -- and i bike 90% of the time anyway. So any car will do for "transportation."

But at some point in the middle distance, might not be until the fall, I'd like to buy a good 'vacation' car. Something that is comfortable, high quality, quiet, handles well, and eats up the miles. Classy looks would help, but no bling, please. No SUVs. Budget: $5,000 to $12,000. "Old" doesn't scare me in a quality car if parts are available. I know a good mechanic or two.

What I'm shooting for is a something like a newer incarnation of the W124 Benz, or even the corresponding S class before they got ridiculous. You know what I mean: Solid, not flashy, well put together and there's a way to make them last a quarter century with proper maintenance schedule. I know this works with Benzes cause I see them when I visit the old country.

One candidate is the Acura RL through '04. I like the looks, and their values drop like a brick.

There's of course the 5-series BMW, but I don't like the baggage that comes with the roundel. Audi A6 maybe, but Oy! the pain and suffering. Infiti Q or M I know almost nothing about. I'm not after power, but I don't want a barge.... Toyota Avalon is an idea, but handling is cheesy.

Anyway, I think y'all get the flavor. Advice? Opinions?

Thanks in advance,
-Mathias

corvette

The first-generation M45 was pretty unpopular. You can probably pick one up at a reasonable price now. I've never driven one, but it was always intended to be a sportier alternative to the Q45. (I'm biased--I just bought my second Nissan Altima. Still in the honeymoon phase.) You might be able to find an early G35 in your price range, if you don't mind a compact car.

What about a Camry SE? From what I've read, the SE model with the sport suspension is a different animal than the more pedestrian versions.

You might look at the Volvo S60 and V70. They are one of the few European cars in that price range that are recommended by Consumer Reports. I'd avoid the early models with the five-speed automatic if possible (check with a Volvo expert for specific years). The early ones have transmission issues. From most accounts, the 2.5 turbo and non-turbo engines are tough-as-nails reliable.

stickguy

Vette beat me to it. I was going to through out the volvos for discussion.

For you, the early S0s might be a better bet. Qbrozen just bought a 2001, the first year of the remodel (bringing with it the 5 speed AT), and they did have a few glitches (likely remidied by now I would guess).

A 2000 S0 SE might be perfect. Solid, reliable, loaded, pretty bullet proof, and cheap enough. ANd, you can get it as a wagon if you want.

Newer? A Mazda 3 is probably too small for your criteria.

If you want to get real adventerous, there is always SAAB.

tifighter

As I was reading your post, I was thinking 1st-gen M45. Funny that Corvette beat me to it. It would not be easy to find and would be at the top top part of your price range. But, there's something about the square shape of it that I like. If I recall, it was a JDM Nissan that they plugged into the lineup as a holdover until the second gen M was ready.

The RL is a depreciation nightmare, so that might be worth a look too. The swedes do have great seats which makes them good distance cars. I have a friend with a 04 Saab 9-3 aero he bought new and now has 180k on...it has been rock solid reliable. It has to be a fluke. And if you're looking at the Avalon, the Hyundai Azera might be worth a look. Shoot, I recently saw a low mile Mercury Marauder for 12k...there 's something you don't see too often, and its handling was rated better than you'd expect by the media at the time. Anyhow, lots of options out there...have fun. :shades:

tidester

What's the best vehicle for my needs? would be the right place to pose your question.

tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

deltheking

Here are my "Guesstimates" :shades: :

Mazda3- around 9k and then deduct for brakes and tires--so around 8.5k
BMW 1 - around 20k trade: CPO costs about 1.5k-2k per vehicle but since it is a very new car not sure too much was invested in the CPO process,so retail around 24-25k asking.
BMW 3 - around 8k trade,so retail 10k-11k asking. Also a BMW with high mileage can be a money pit as they age poorly and have lots of reliability problems.

The folks in the car biz can give you a more accurate "estimate" and not just a " Guesstimate" :P

roadburner

Also a BMW with high mileage can be a money pit as they age poorly and have lots of reliability problems.

We've been down that road before; my personal experience with nine BMWs over 25 years doesn't reflect that. In any event, keep repeating it. It keeps the prices down for the cognoscenti.

lrguy44

Although all the cars on your list can last for alot of years and miles and I personal prefer the european driving experience, The RL may be the best choice if money spent to maintain the vehicle is a major consideration.

deltheking

To each his own.. There are some folks who have absolutely no problems with a statistically trouble prone car... CR gives the ratings based on the majority`s reporting.. And I think BMW was good in the 80`s and early 90`s .It`s the mid 90`s onwards and the 2000 decade that have been trouble prone...Your experience may be different.. Hope you have good luck in your quest...Keep us posted !! :P

roadburner

I'll take my own first-hand experience(and that of others that I know personally) over third-hand hearsay from non-owners and flawed statistical models.
Now back to the original topic...