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Very good points verdugo. Houses can go down in value, stocks can go down in value (because of idiot bankers), so what protection can you expect if your car goes down in value?
You have about 3 viable options;
1)Take the car to Carmax and they will give you a reasonable amount for it....as the ad said, no haggle price.
2)Sell it privately, they'll be lining up in your drive way to buy the cat for 20 to 30% off MSRP.
3)Keep threatening to sue. If you do, the car will sit there for years and the lawyers will get more than you will.
I suppose option 4 might be to wait, get the part put in, and then sell and the loss won't be so great. Do we actually know whether your car is on the recall list? Avalon's are on the list, but it might not be all cars - just certain serial numbers.
Litigation is a winning proposition for the lawyers, and the time, money and worry on your part won't be worth it.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Richard
That is exactly why I didn't sue over the Cadillac. I didn't have five years to spend in court. Life is too short. I went out and found a dealer who would take it in on trade at a decent dollar figure. It wasn't as difficult as I thought. I ended up with my '03 Explorer and have been very happy.
Richard
I had a 95 Grand Cherokee that I really liked. When it was time to trade the 2000 GC became too large. I was running the business from home, and I wouldn't be able to open all the doors in the garage with the much larger GC. So, instead, I got the regular Cherokee. Although it is a lot rougher, in the interior, and the ride, and for wind noise, it was a really enjoyable car. And, they are actually pretty small, though they look bigger than what they are.
My 2000 was the last year for the Cherokee, and I hated to let it go. I wanted a red one, but the dealer could only find one in silver. I know the Explorer outsells the Jeep by a wide margin, but there is only one real Jeep, and they are unique and are enjoyable cars to drive and own.
I think this version of the Grand Cherokee has elements of great styling for an SUV
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
40-50% of the value if you sell the car now. What would the loss of value be 3-5 years down the line when you would have normally sold the car be? This will haunt Toyota for a while but I cannot see the long term effect being that much. I think that people that bought a 2010 car and keep it for say 4 years or longer won't have their resale value affected to much.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Drivers Choice likes the looks of the 2011 model. The pictures were too big for showing here, but if you go to;
2011 Jeep
you will see one. There are probably better pictures available. When a new model looks that good, I would go for it over the 2010, but it depends on priorities.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Well to be honest everyone can bike to work, but few are willing. I do bike to work a lot weather permitting.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
gogi....ain't that the truth.....LOL!
Having had the opportunity to drive almost every car in the general category I'm looking at, you et to come up with your own impressions.
-Audi A4 and A5.....at least the A5 is sexy, IMHO. Both have lots of "bling", due mainly to the LED driving lights (which mean little to nothing to me). Either one, A4 or A5 can be had for well under $40K, if you don't mind being a bit sparse on the option check off list. Both handle nicely. Both seem to be built nicely. Little disconcerting that they aren't rated very highly when it comes to reliability.
-135i and 535ix......another set of really nice cars. Not much more can be said for the handling that hasn't already been said. They handle very, very well. 135i is way cramped and very close to the price of a 335i. Pretty sparse interiors but I kind of got used to that, given I've had a couple in the past. Their big problem is price. Optioned up, like for like vs their competition, they tend to be about $7K-$10K (even more of a delta with the 5 series) more than their competition with few discernible advantages (personal opinion). I got the distinct impression that BMW really focuses on leases. That's where they become much more competitive in the price equation. Problem there is, I don't lease.
-Infiniti Gx......every bit the handler, and speed, and ride of the BMWs. You can tell what Infiniti was going for with the G......BMW. They replicate that speed, handling, feel...at a price that's usually $10K less than the 3 series, optioned like for like (after negotiations).
-Acura TL (in this case a SH AWD version)....a real "tweener". Performance and feel of the 535i, probably the A6 or Infiniti M too, at a price that's dead on an Infiniti G (real world pricing). Styling is polarizing. I happen to like it. To me it looks "masculine" (if a car can look that way). Some don't. Then again, I find the grill of the Audis to be just as pronounced as the TL's is. Optioned up, it would be hard to ask for much else except for a few minor features here or there.
-Mercedes C class (300 with 4 matic)....I'm not sure what this car has going for it, other than it's a Mercedes. It's really not competitive on performance, content, price....maybe handling. Even the handling/ride can be found in cars costing less. The Audis are closest to the performance of the C. Unless it's absolutely imperative that you have the Mercedes logo on your car, there's lots of competition that beats it in just about every comparison you'd care to make (even build quality), for a lot less money.
All these cars are fast (with the exception of the C class, less so the A4/5). They're all built well. They all handle and ride well....very closely, actually. Normally, they are really close in all the performance parameters, too. It boils down to price, and what you expect for that price with all of these cars.
Just one man's opinion.
Richard
Richard
When BMW North America introduced the US-spec version of the 1988 BMW M5 the advertising noted that only a limited number would be imported(500-600 if I remember correctly). BMW ended up importing approximately twice that number. A class action lawsuit was filed against BMW NA by 1988 M5 owners claiming that the values of their cars were significantly diminished by NA's importation of additional cars. Believe it or not, the lawsuit was settled by giving each 1988 M5 purchase a transferable voucher($4000, methinks) that was good toward the purchase of a new BMW. Back when I had the E24 M6 I recall several of those vouchers being bought and sold in the pre-internet M Register newsletter.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbuDRA4zNbw
Google is your friend driver. VW's come with "free" maintenance now, but only for 3 years/36k miles.
Richard
Not if my New Year's resolution was to start losing weight after the Super Bowl :P
Great video and it was on topic.
Richard
I don't know how long it will take Toyota to fix the cars that are affected, or even if this fix is the right one. Only way to know that is to see if the fix does indeed address the issues of UA and braking over a period of time.
I've read estimates ranging from 3 months to 6 months, or more to get all the affected cars fixed....whether owned by private parties, or on the dealership lots. So, at least in the near term, that has to negatively affect any sort of value these affected cars will have. It's also going to affect the sales of their new Toyotas/Lexi for some extended period of time as the public will wait and see.
I guess it also depends on how Toyota approaches rebuilding their reputation, too...as far as the public's perception of them (which right now is pretty dismal). They've got a big hole to climb out of. Me thinks it's going to take more than just an apology. Something more tangible is going to have to be done to even begin to approach the reputation they've had in the past.
Whether they're willing to do something tangible (say, substantially extending the warranty of their cars) isn't something I perceive they'll do, at least not yet. That's going to make it even harder for them. I don't see any way around doing that, though.
No tweed coat--the nature of my work is too messy. Does an ink-stained apron still work with your image? I'm an art, not music professor--small distinction, I know. I used to wear glasses , but have been doing monovision for about five years. At 52, the hair is beginning to thin so not as much of a shock as I once had.
Bicycling has always been a big part of my life, but the generally mild weather and not-too-heavily trafficked roads make it reasonable most of the year, plus my round trip is only 12 miles. It probably takes me an additional 10 minutes to get to work vs driving. I probably do fit your stereotype pretty well except that a much higher percentage of profs at a land grant university in OK drive full size pickups and SUVs--even a few in my own department. All the BMWs, Range Rovers, MBs, Lexus, etc are either in the business college and engineering lots or the student lots. The coaches all seem to drive whatever local dealers loan them.
Gogiboy
Of course, these are local conditions.
We paid a little over 24K for it new 6 years ago, so I'm fine with it's current value.
One more thing....Sticker Shock! Many things have come down in price lately, especially TVs and appliances, even furniture hasn't changed in price much over 10 years, but cars are up 25 or 30% in 10 years. So, when a RAV4 is over $30k, it makes a Mercedes or a BMW a bargain for $40k"
Driver--
What you are saying makes sense, but, then, for many (and I'd put myself in this category) the chasm between $30K and $40K is like the Snake River Gorge. It will likely be so wide as to swallow any discretionary spending for years. I'm also guessing that the majority of RAV4 sales in many parts of the country are 2WD, 4Cyl and either "base" or "sport" models, which produces a range closer to $22K-$25K
When we looked a couple of weeks ago you couldn't even get a new 4WD in OK and most all the others were under $25K.
We didn't buy because we re thought the need for 4WD (which I like when we visit family in MI). Also, the V6, although really, really peppy compared to our 02 2.0 cyl Rav4, just felt like overkill for the way we drive and, perhaps most importantly, the interior had a lot of wear for a two-year old car. It was certified, but Toyota's bumper-to- bumper is only three months and we began to have misgivings about how well it was treated. We also wanted to pay cash for the vehicle and that ruled out buying a New Rav4.
The only reason the dealership had the V6/4WD trim unit was that it was a fleet vehicle turned in by someone who had transferred from a Toyota franchise in MD.
Gogiboy
That picture shows a 1998. I couldn't copy the picture of a 95, but they look the same. I see a few of those in Florida (old cars seem to last, maybe their masters just get old and hang onto them). I like the straight lines, large windows, and I think the cladding actually suits an SUV very well.
Florida is a different place. We went to the outlet mall near Bradenton this morning. We ran into people we last saw 12 years ago in Newfoundland.
What are the odds?
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Great video, GM should use it here, it might help sell more Caddies.
The Chinese love Buicks and Cadillacs for some reason. They have Buick models that we don't even have. I believe it is the 3rd best selling car line in China.
Those drivers were incredible. Especially when they go nose to nose at high speed. They should put that show on the road here, I'd go to see that.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
That's letting it go kind of cheap. Edmunds says about twice that as a trade and that's for 2WD. How many miles?
I know AWD SUVs are selling well in my area. Post some pics and maybe one of my cheap friends will give you an offer.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
We paid a little over 24K for it new 6 years ago, so I'm fine with it's current value.
Perfect punctuation. Just stay away from the cocktails, the punctuation seems to go downhill in the evenings :P
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Didn't see this one until I read the one before. Tomorrow is Monday so let's get in shape or you know who will be giving you a failing grade.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Or even better Mitsu with 10 year/100,000 miles.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Thank you for your answer, which I fully understand, and I feel I have learned a bit from it. The main thing is, there are times when even $1000 difference can mean a lot if it isn't in the budget. But, I remember when I bought my first new car, a 1973 Maverick and the cost was going to be about $2000. My father said, get all the options you want because even if the car costs $2500, which was a lot of money back then, it will only cost you an extra $100 or $200 a year. Money was tight, but I got the V8 engine, automatic, and a better trim model...oh yes, and white walls and full wheel discs. Total came to $2300. I never regretted spending the extra amount because the car moved pretty well with the 302 V8, and I am sure I kept it for a longer time because I enjoyed it.
There could be a lesson for someone in there :confuse:
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I know AWD SUVs are selling well in my area
The last thing you need is another cheap vehicle.
Any new adventures in the van lately?
(I did see your last sentence - it is for a buddie (lol) ha ha.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
If he can afford to put his wife behind the wheel of a new car without selling or trading in the Avalon - & he apparently can - then the sensible course of action would be to hang on to the Avalon until (1) Toyota fixes it & (2) the uproar subsides & Toyotas regain at least some of their resale value.
Right now, he seems to be guided more by emotion than by logic, & that will hurt him financially.
...but he should have written "I'm fine with its current value". "It's" (with the apostrophe) is short for "it is", while "its" (no apostrophe) is the possessive form of "it".
There was a Comet model that had bucket seats and a nice console. I bought mine before those came out. My old 1987 Ford Galaxie that I was trading in was falling apart. The remote mirrors suddenly stopped working and I had 3 flats before the Maverick came in, so I had bald tires and a different make of tire on each wheel.
All the paperwork got signed and the last thing the salesman said as I drove away was, "Are you sure this is the same car you brought in before?" Isaid it certainly was, as I drove out of the lot. I think he said something about "Never come back here again", as I drove away...and never did go back again.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
That isn't quite as good as it sounds, maybe. Sit on a depreciating asset in the hopes one day it will go up. Pay interest on the money, or lose the interest you would have with the cash in the bank. Have the car sit in the garage for 6 months or 3 years. If he doesn't want it, and he isn't willing to wait until they start fixing them, then it is best to sell asap. Sell privately or go to Carmax - no fuss no muss, they buy your car without haggling...would probably give him a price over the phone.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
personally, punctuation is not that important to me in an informal forum.
i've always found numbers more interesting than words.
Not quite as simple driver. The hysteria is artificially pushing down prices. Once things calm down a bit, prices will go back up. Of course he shouldn't hold on to it thinking he will make a killing. He should hold on to not lose as much money.
The market for Toyotas is out of whack due to the hysteria surrounding this recall. The temporary deviation from prices is no different than when gas prices were really high and people were paying thousands of dollars above book value for Geo Metros with 100,000 miles on it. Once the hysteria passed, do you think people are paying that much for them? Of course not.
The Chinese definitely don't support any Japanese makes. Let's just say there's some history there...
25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0 / 03 Montero Ltd
I admire your willingness and ability to bicycle your way to work. It keeps you in shape and helps our environment. I miss my hiking experiences. I'm afraid that "Arthur" has forced me to give it up. My wife gave me a beautiful ebony cane with a gold lion's head for Christmas. Pride prevents me from using it. My doctor asked me recently why I didn't use a cane. I told him to use it because I'm the one who is retired.
Richard
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460