mara.....if anyone thinks you're at a disadvantage, run, don't walk from that dealership. You don't want to do business with them.
I've said this many times before. You, me, we....the customers, control what we pay for any car, or how we're treated. We hold the checkbook. We don't like the price, or how we're treated, the amount of time it takes us to say "bye-bye", is the only decision we have to make.
I was walking a local dealer's lot this weekend and noticed they have at least four 2006 Crv's left. Looks like 3 EXs and 1 SE. When I suggested to the salesman who I encountered that it was time to move these cars he acted like they were doing well by only having 4 left. Are they any incentives still left on these? My instinct tells me the store would want to move them yesterday but I live in Hawaii land of the ADM :mad:
I just wanted to mention it in reference to the wrong assumptions that are sometimes made - based on accent, gender or whatever. Dino, are you trying to tell my story?
Depends on how bad you want the car. Probably was a dealer loaner? Should be o.k... but I wouldn't take it. If the dealership tells you it has 95 miles on it, and it doesn't, how can you believe anything else they say?
in my opinion, i don't see it being an issue. it happens when a dealers swaps a car, and the person picking it up may not look at the miles before leaving the other dealership, confirming what the dealers had discussed. i am not a mechanic, but i don't know what anyone could possibly do in 600 miles that would completely destroy a car...i wouldn't worry about it so much, but that's just me.
mistakes happen, even though jipster likes to think its always the salesperson/dealer lying to you
A dealer loaner is a vehicle a dealership loans out to a customer while the customers vehicle is being repaired by the dealership. Judging by the mileage this vehicle was probably driven for about 2 weeks.
But, the thing about it is, you are paying for a vehicle that has 600+ miles... when you are suppose to be getting a vehilce with 95 miles. I would think the dealership would at least lower the selling price by at least $200 due to the excessive mileage, and customer goodwill.
The dealership knows you are in a tight spot. They also know you are somewhat inexperienced. They "may" be trying to take advantage of you. I would call their bluff and tell them you want your deer car back and will take your business elsewhere...or lower the price to account for the increase mileage. But, thats just me. If you want the car and can't wait a bit longer... then it should be o.k to go ahead and buy. Let us know what happens and good luck.
even though jipster likes to think its always the salesperson/dealer lying to you
The eternal pessimist(not) meets the eternal optimist. :P Better to be a bit pessimistic when dealing with dealerships... at least in my experiences.
Sure mistakes happen... but when a dealership makes a notable mistake, that affects the value of a vehicle(500+ miles more than what was promised) then they should try to make things right with the customer. That this dealership isn't even going to throw manfmnantucket a bone, leads me to believe they do not value their customers.
HELP! I bought a used 94 camry from a shady dealer and found out too late that it was issued a salvage title a year and a half ago, although it does not show up on my copy of the title. Does anyone know if it's true that a dealer is required by law to inform you of a salvage title? I still owe money on this car... do I have any claim to some sort of retribution since I was not informed? Or am I only left to regret my stupidity? Thank you to anyone who has any advice!
either way, i agree with isell - i don't see the mileage as a big deal. many times dealers send drivers to pick up cars...and the driver should check mileage and car condition before bringing it back, to make sure it matches what was agreed on. sometimes though, the driver makes a mistake, and doesn't check everything before driving it back. it happens.
if you really don't feel comfortable, i would suggest not going through with it. you should feel comfortable with a purchase this big, no doubt about it. however i think you'll be fine
Sounds like your dealer didn’t do their job or somebody else didn't do theirs, either way you’re not getting what you were told and that’s you’re problem if you go through with the deal. I wouldn’t hesitate to take a car with 600 miles on it but I wouldn’t pay a new car price for it either. Tell them what you want to pay and if they don’t make a fair adjustment, walk away. Don’t buy what you don’t like and definitely don’t allow yourself to be forced into making a quick decision because you need a car right now. Doing this, will surely come back and bite you.
What's the worst that could happen?
If you’re dealing with a dishonest dealer you’ll find out in the F&I office.
My experience with almost everything that starts out bad is that it usually gets worse.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
FWIW, I don't think you and jipster are pessimists, but realists. When you're dealing with thousands of your own dollars, you owe it to yourself to be as cautious as you feel necessary. While it may not be necessary to back out of the deal, you should ask that there is an adjustment that corresponds to the additional miles. It's not as though this would be a great deal of loss on their end and it would reinforce that they're being straight with you.
I would imagine it would knock the price down maybe several hundred dollars; this is as much of a matter of principle as it is one about money. If they know that you won't stand up for yourself in a situation like this, who knows how well they'll honor any potential warranty work in the future? I'm sharing this concern based on personal experience.
Should all else fail and you gave them a fair chance to get this situation settled, but they won't comply, just ask for your deposit back. They may tell you that your car is sold to keep you locked into the deal. If they do say so, ask them for some sort of proof of sale. In the event they did actually sell the car, you should ask for the money they made on its sale and take your business elsewhere.
Believe it or not, you hold the cards and they can't take that away from you. You simply have to stand up for yourself and be prepared to walk, despite any inconveniences. I hope that it doesn't come down to you needing to take such drastic measures. If they're as reasonable as you suggest, this should all stop at a fair price readjustment. Best of luck on your potential sale.
Isell, please stop acting like an old fart ... I wasn't being negative with the dealership. I gave both sides to the argument and wrote he should be o.k if he bought it. The dealer "may" have made an honest mistake, or the dealer "could" be trying to take advantage. It has been known to happen from time to time ya know.
The fact is manfmnantucket was promised a car with 95 miles and got one with 600+. The dealership wouldn't offer any compensation. Most reasonable consumers would find this a bit alarming... and questionable behavior.
A typical vehicle travels 12,000 miles each year meaning that 600 miles compares with 18 days of regular use. Would you consider a car brand new if it had been driven as a full-timer for nearly three weeks?
I was unhappy my first car I ordered was delivered with, IIRC, 12 miles on it. But it did have a note from Ford saying it had been selected to be driven at the factory for a quality check. It was a Mustang.
But, to manfmnantucket it is a big deal. He wrote he was looking forward to his first new car... without the "high" mileage.
Though you are right, it is a matter of personal preference. Having 600 miles on a "new" car will most likely not affect long term reliability and means nothing to a lot of people. But, there are many people who prefer their vehicles as close to "virginal" condition as possible. Personally, if I'm buying a new vehicle and spending 20-30k... I would require it have under 100 miles...preferring under 20 miles. But, that's just sweet lovable pessimistic me.
Would you consider a car brand new if it had been driven as a full-timer for nearly three weeks?
No, actually I wouldn't consider it brand new. Not trying to scare manfmnantucket off this deal, but to me 600 miles is significant on a "new" car. You have "someone" driving this car for 3 weeks, maybe they drive responsibly, as our salesmen friends would suggest... maybe they don't. Odds are that there would be absolutely no problems with this vehicle due to the mileage. But personally, the pessimistic "part" of me wouldn't want to take the chance.
New Hondas are REQUIRED to have at least ten miles on them. They get driven a bit at the factory and our PDI techs have to drive them to make sure all is well.
"If he is that unhappy or fearful he should simply not buy the car and get on with life. End of story."
You mean "unhappy or fearful" regarding the situation, correct? I know you're not classifying a person who doesn't uncomplainingly accept an extra 500 miles on his or her "new" car as unhappy and fearful. At least I hope not.
I'm sorry, folks -- 500 miles as an "honest dealer's mistake" doesn't pass my BS test.
What in the world was done with the car over that period? Was the car used as someone's daily driver? Can the dealer promise the car was driven to the specifications laid out in the owner's manual (many makes recommend soft starts and stops, under XXXX on the tach until fully warm, and driving at varying speeds, for the first 1000 miles.)
Personally, I'd walk away. But if you can live with the notion that someone else has used your new car for X number of days or weeks, I'd ask for a discount at least equivalent to depreciation -- $200-300.
There once was a man from Nantucket...Who's wallet the dealer did pluck it...He said with a tear, as he cried in his beer..."So I told that old dealer to f*** it!"
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Wow, I am amazed at the premium folks have placed on how many miles a "new" vehicle should have. Whether it has 3, 10, or 100, it's still under warranty. I do agree that they should deduct a couple hundred bucks on a vehicle with 500 miles on it as it has had some wear and tear, but in my recent experience Toyota or Honda dealers won't. Heck, I was looking at an 06 Tundra demo with 6K miles on it and they wouldn't even discount it at all so I ended up buying one with 33 miles on it. After taking it for a test drive, it had 38 miles on it so I can easily see how a few miles can get racked up. I expect any new vehicle I buy to have very few miles on it but I would never buy it without a test drive. Ideally, I take it right off the truck for the test drive and then buy it.
While I do think 600 miles is excessive for a "new" car, not a demo.
But, I don't think those same 600 miles will reasonably affect the long term reliability, nor longevity of the car.
If these are indeed scarce, and you really want that particular vehicle, I'd ask the dealership to....
1) extend the bumper-tobumper warranty for 1,000 miles 2) ask for some free oil changes/tire rotations 3) give you a $100 or $200 off the deal
But, if as you say, you want that NEW, new car (with few miles on it), then none of that is going to fit the bill either.
If they haven't sold your trade, ask for it back and unwind the deal. If they have sold the trade, then ask for the trade money returned to you and go shopping, again.
sold.....I'm a bit confused. The car had a salvage title, but it doesn't show up on your title? If it doesn't show up on your title, then how do you know it actually had a salvage title?
Salvage status is issued by your locale, an insurance company, etc, not by the dealership.
I think there are two questions here: 1. Would dealer treat 600-mile vehicle trade as new? I think the answer is obvious, so if 600-mile trade is used, so is 600-mile demo purchase. 2. Is it really important to have no miles on a vehicle at time of purchase? That depends on many factors, including personal preference and financial incentive to buy used. If the vehicle is sparse and the discount is decent, I would take it, of course. If on the other hand, 5 other vehicle with same specs are just sitting on the lot next to that one and the dealer isisted that 600-mile iron is worth the same as new, I see no reason to buy it.
Warranty and other issues are really secondary here.
When I order a car, I expect that it doesn't have miles other than from being driven by the service department as a part of preparation for delivery.
If I buy a car off the lot, it depends. I bought a car that I drove, liked and bought as soon as GM released it. I believe it had under 40-50 miles on it.
It certainly didn't have 600 miles. If dealers act like cars with thousands of miles are new and don't discount I agree with dino001 about what would a dealer do if I had traded the car I won in a contest without ever driving it or titling it, but it had 600 miles on it!!!
I would expect at least $1 per mile off the price if I really wanted the new one. It ain't new, it doesn't smell new, and it's been used. Otherwise I'll find another dealer or order one and wait 4 weeks at most.
I have done alot of research on 3 cars that are right around my price range. I am looking at 04 SE SL Maxima loaded up leather, moonroof, etc.. Also looking at 03' TL type S as well as 04' G35 AWD.
I see edmunds Trade In Values are vastly different than some dealerships as much as 5k difference. For example I went to a Nissan dealership yesterday and they did not have the car I was looking for but I decided to test drive an 04 SL with 45k in which they were asking 23,900 which i thought was very high. They also had a G35x with 60k on it that i test drove they were asking 24,365 i think.
I am looking to spend about 18-20k on a car while putting down 3-4k and financing the rest through my credit union which I have already been approved.
Am I way off here or are these prices way too high?
I saw a 04 SL when i went home and checked a different site with 40k miles and they were asking 21,900.
A while back my wife was dead-set on a new 2005 Mustang GT Deluxe 5-speed. I went to the local dealer to see if they would honor X-plan pricing (for a while there no one would) and to figure out a value on her older V6 auto 'stang, which I un-lovingly refer to as Secretariat.
I test drove a V8 Mustang they had on the lot with under 40 miles on the odo, looked at some numbers, then told them I needed to think about it (we needed to figure out if we really wanted the higher payment, and I wanted to call the insurance guy, which turned out to be the deal-breaker!).
Well, they absolutely insisted I leave the trade with them and drive the Mustang home to show the wife. None of the objections I raised had any impact. I was commuting over 70 miles a day at the time, and wouldn't be able to make it back until two days later, but they didn't care. So I accepted.
The car had close to 300 miles on it when I returned it 2 days later, shocked by the insurance quote and certainly not going to buy it. I felt bad about all the miles, but I had told them in advance and they had still insisted. They didn't seem to worry about it at all.
Well, most stores try to buy their product for wholesale and sell the items for retail. Car dealers are no exception. By the time the car go's through the shop, get's detailed gets advertised, a 500.00 profit wouldn't be worth the effort.
But it depends on the car. If the car has been sitting on the lot for three months, I'm sure they would be delighted to just break even on it. Of course, there is usually a REASON a car isn't moving. Wrong color, wrong model, interior stinks etc.
Also on the right cars, we will often pay over the trade-in values you are looking at.
$500? Only if they just got the vehicle yesterday, put it on the lot as it was - no preparation, no inspection, no fluid change, nothing - and a customer showed up next day and bought it.
Think how much would you pay for those services if you had to do it. Then there is a cost for every day the car stays on the lot (financing, storage, etc.). Assuming that average car may sit there for 2-3 months before sold, add that cost. There is a cost of showing the car to multiple potential customers. Somebody has to take their time and do it. There is also a risk cost - when the car is acquired, it may have hidden defects that may need to be repaired before it is put on the lot. And of course "haggle room" - in used car market nobody expects to pay asking price.
All of it amounts into asking prices being thousands higher than trade in values, especially for late models, especially in franchised dealers that tend to sell quality used vehicles.
It does not mean they all of those cars are worth that much - sometimes market may force dealers to sell some cars at loss. Other time - thousands above cost of acquisition and preparation. But adding $500 to the tradein price and expecting it would be received well is unrealistic wishful thinking.
I guess I don't understand what "trade-in values" mean to some people.
Last year, we spent an average of 1100.00 reconditioning costs on the used cars we sold. This doesn't include advertising or any of the tremendous overhead we have. It doesn't include taxes we pay or commissions.
Yet, people want to pay what we pay for these cars?
I guess the question I would ask is this..."If you invested, say, 20,000 in something, what kind of return would you expect for your investment"?
Comments
Color of money is the same but its possible to start seeing more dollars signs when you think someone might be at a disadvantage.
what things should I watch out for if I go ahead and get
the car?? what could the other dealer have been doing?
The other dealer was probably about 80 miles away.
Sto lat!!! From one pole to another.
I've said this many times before. You, me, we....the customers, control what we pay for any car, or how we're treated. We hold the checkbook. We don't like the price, or how we're treated, the amount of time it takes us to say "bye-bye", is the only decision we have to make.
Thanks, have enjoyed your contributions here.
Dino, are you trying to tell my story?
It's not so much a matter of want as need- I'm driving a rental and they already have my tradein.
What's a dealer loaner?
The dealership who told me it was 95 miles got it from another dealership, who didn't check the miles. At least that's what they say...
What's the worst that could happen?
mistakes happen, even though jipster likes to think its always the salesperson/dealer lying to you
-thene
But, the thing about it is, you are paying for a vehicle that has 600+ miles... when you are suppose to be getting a vehilce with 95 miles. I would think the dealership would at least lower the selling price by at least $200 due to the
excessive mileage, and customer goodwill.
The dealership knows you are in a tight spot. They also know you are somewhat inexperienced. They "may" be trying to take advantage of you. I would call their bluff and tell them you want your deer car back and will take your business elsewhere...or lower the price to account for the increase mileage. But, thats just me. If you want the car and can't wait a bit longer... then it should be o.k to go ahead and buy. Let us know what happens and good luck.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
The eternal pessimist(not) meets the eternal optimist. :P
Better to be a bit pessimistic when dealing with dealerships... at least in my experiences.
Sure mistakes happen... but when a dealership makes a notable mistake, that affects the value of a vehicle(500+ miles more than what was promised) then they should try to make things right with the customer. That this dealership isn't even going to throw manfmnantucket a bone, leads me to believe they do not value their customers.
600 miles will hurt nothing.
Yes, the dealer should have known.
Highly doubtful they would use that kind of a car as a loaner. My guess would be one of their managers was using it.
And, don't let jipster scare you. He is one of the most negative people who post here if it has anything to do with a car dealership!
Still thinking of that old limerick!
either way, i agree with isell - i don't see the mileage as a big deal. many times dealers send drivers to pick up cars...and the driver should check mileage and car condition before bringing it back, to make sure it matches what was agreed on. sometimes though, the driver makes a mistake, and doesn't check everything before driving it back. it happens.
if you really don't feel comfortable, i would suggest not going through with it. you should feel comfortable with a purchase this big, no doubt about it. however i think you'll be fine
-thene
What's the worst that could happen?
If you’re dealing with a dishonest dealer you’ll find out in the F&I office.
My experience with almost everything that starts out bad is that it usually gets worse.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
I would imagine it would knock the price down maybe several hundred dollars; this is as much of a matter of principle as it is one about money. If they know that you won't stand up for yourself in a situation like this, who knows how well they'll honor any potential warranty work in the future? I'm sharing this concern based on personal experience.
Should all else fail and you gave them a fair chance to get this situation settled, but they won't comply, just ask for your deposit back. They may tell you that your car is sold to keep you locked into the deal. If they do say so, ask them for some sort of proof of sale. In the event they did actually sell the car, you should ask for the money they made on its sale and take your business elsewhere.
Believe it or not, you hold the cards and they can't take that away from you. You simply have to stand up for yourself and be prepared to walk, despite any inconveniences. I hope that it doesn't come down to you needing to take such drastic measures. If they're as reasonable as you suggest, this should all stop at a fair price readjustment. Best of luck on your potential sale.
The fact is manfmnantucket was promised a car with 95 miles and got one with 600+. The dealership wouldn't offer any compensation. Most reasonable consumers would find this a bit alarming... and questionable behavior.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
But, to manfmnantucket it is a big deal. He wrote he was looking forward to his first new car... without the "high" mileage.
Though you are right, it is a matter of personal preference. Having 600 miles on a "new" car will most likely not affect long term reliability and means nothing to a lot of people. But, there are many people who prefer their vehicles as close to "virginal" condition as possible. Personally, if I'm buying a new vehicle and spending 20-30k... I would require it have under 100 miles...preferring under 20 miles. But, that's just sweet lovable pessimistic me.
No, actually I wouldn't consider it brand new. Not trying to scare manfmnantucket off this deal, but to me 600 miles is significant on a "new" car. You have "someone" driving this car for 3 weeks, maybe they drive responsibly, as our salesmen friends would suggest... maybe they don't. Odds are that there would be absolutely no problems with this vehicle due to the mileage. But personally, the pessimistic "part" of me wouldn't want to take
the chance.
I hear these are scarce so he may have to settle for somthing different, different color etc?
You mean "unhappy or fearful" regarding the situation, correct? I know you're not classifying a person who doesn't uncomplainingly accept an extra 500 miles on his or her "new" car as unhappy and fearful. At least I hope not.
I'm sorry, folks -- 500 miles as an "honest dealer's mistake" doesn't pass my BS test.
What in the world was done with the car over that period? Was the car used as someone's daily driver? Can the dealer promise the car was driven to the specifications laid out in the owner's manual (many makes recommend soft starts and stops, under XXXX on the tach until fully warm, and driving at varying speeds, for the first 1000 miles.)
Personally, I'd walk away. But if you can live with the notion that someone else has used your new car for X number of days or weeks, I'd ask for a discount at least equivalent to depreciation -- $200-300.
500 miles? Come on.
Agree. I'm not sure why there was even a question. I would have dropped the deal in a split second.
I hear these are scarce so he may have to settle for somthing different, different color etc?
Spoken like a true salesman!
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Whose limericks we cannot embrace.
We ask that you stop
This embarrassing flop
So our topic can stay in its place.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
Well sometimes you do have to make compromises.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
That statement is not true, new Hondas are not REQUIRED to have at least ten miles on them.
But, I don't think those same 600 miles will reasonably affect the long term reliability, nor longevity of the car.
If these are indeed scarce, and you really want that particular vehicle, I'd ask the dealership to....
1) extend the bumper-tobumper warranty for 1,000 miles
2) ask for some free oil changes/tire rotations
3) give you a $100 or $200 off the deal
But, if as you say, you want that NEW, new car (with few miles on it), then none of that is going to fit the bill either.
If they haven't sold your trade, ask for it back and unwind the deal. If they have sold the trade, then ask for the trade money returned to you and go shopping, again.
Salvage status is issued by your locale, an insurance company, etc, not by the dealership.
1. Would dealer treat 600-mile vehicle trade as new? I think the answer is obvious, so if 600-mile trade is used, so is 600-mile demo purchase.
2. Is it really important to have no miles on a vehicle at time of purchase? That depends on many factors, including personal preference and financial incentive to buy used. If the vehicle is sparse and the discount is decent, I would take it, of course. If on the other hand, 5 other vehicle with same specs are just sitting on the lot next to that one and the dealer isisted that 600-mile iron is worth the same as new, I see no reason to buy it.
Warranty and other issues are really secondary here.
It's really that simple.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
If I buy a car off the lot, it depends. I bought a car that I drove, liked and bought as soon as GM released it. I believe it had under 40-50 miles on it.
It certainly didn't have 600 miles. If dealers act like cars with thousands of miles are new and don't discount I agree with dino001 about what would a dealer do if I had traded the car I won in a contest without ever driving it or titling it, but it had 600 miles on it!!!
I would expect at least $1 per mile off the price if I really wanted the new one. It ain't new, it doesn't smell new, and it's been used. Otherwise I'll find another dealer or order one and wait 4 weeks at most.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Or, you walk away from it with either the car you traded, or the money (if the trade was sold).
If that Pilot only had 3 miles, the PDI tech didn't do his job. They come off the trucks with that many miles or more.
We have beat this to death.
If the buyer isn't comfortable he/she should walk away.
Otherwise every time he/she feels a vibration or smells something funny, they will think something evil happened during those 600 miles.
What bothers one person will be nothing to the next buyer.
And, tidester, these are in short supply at least in my neck of the woods.
Cool cars with lousy visability out the rear sides.
I see edmunds Trade In Values are vastly different than some dealerships as much as 5k difference. For example I went to a Nissan dealership yesterday and they did not have the car I was looking for but I decided to test drive an 04 SL with 45k in which they were asking 23,900 which i thought was very high. They also had a G35x with 60k on it that i test drove they were asking 24,365 i think.
I am looking to spend about 18-20k on a car while putting down 3-4k and financing the rest through my credit union which I have already been approved.
Am I way off here or are these prices way too high?
I saw a 04 SL when i went home and checked a different site with 40k miles and they were asking 21,900.
any input would be greatly appreciated.
I test drove a V8 Mustang they had on the lot with under 40 miles on the odo, looked at some numbers, then told them I needed to think about it (we needed to figure out if we really wanted the higher payment, and I wanted to call the insurance guy, which turned out to be the deal-breaker!).
Well, they absolutely insisted I leave the trade with them and drive the Mustang home to show the wife. None of the objections I raised had any impact. I was commuting over 70 miles a day at the time, and wouldn't be able to make it back until two days later, but they didn't care. So I accepted.
The car had close to 300 miles on it when I returned it 2 days later, shocked by the insurance quote and certainly not going to buy it. I felt bad about all the miles, but I had told them in advance and they had still insisted. They didn't seem to worry about it at all.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
Probably figured they'd just roll back the miles. :P
But it depends on the car. If the car has been sitting on the lot for three months, I'm sure they would be delighted to just break even on it. Of course, there is usually a REASON a car isn't moving. Wrong color, wrong model, interior stinks etc.
Also on the right cars, we will often pay over the trade-in values you are looking at.
It's the MARKET that always determines price.
Think how much would you pay for those services if you had to do it. Then there is a cost for every day the car stays on the lot (financing, storage, etc.). Assuming that average car may sit there for 2-3 months before sold, add that cost. There is a cost of showing the car to multiple potential customers. Somebody has to take their time and do it. There is also a risk cost - when the car is acquired, it may have hidden defects that may need to be repaired before it is put on the lot. And of course "haggle room" - in used car market nobody expects to pay asking price.
All of it amounts into asking prices being thousands higher than trade in values, especially for late models, especially in franchised dealers that tend to sell quality used vehicles.
It does not mean they all of those cars are worth that much - sometimes market may force dealers to sell some cars at loss. Other time - thousands above cost of acquisition and preparation. But adding $500 to the tradein price and expecting it would be received well is unrealistic wishful thinking.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
Last year, we spent an average of 1100.00 reconditioning costs on the used cars we sold. This doesn't include advertising or any of the tremendous overhead we have. It doesn't include taxes we pay or commissions.
Yet, people want to pay what we pay for these cars?
I guess the question I would ask is this..."If you invested, say, 20,000 in something, what kind of return would you expect for your investment"?
And, yes, there is a tremendous risk.
-thene :confuse: