2013 Fiesta Advice

Michelle227

I’m upside down on my loan and want to trade in for a better vehicle at this point. However, haven’t driven it in a few months and now it won’t start ?dead battery, past due for inspection, and won’t pass due to a headlight issue... also needs new tires from sitting too long. Worth fixing up to trade? Is there a dealer that would let me tow it in for trade? It has about 95,000 miles on it. Transmission has been replaced twice under warranty and new brakes and rotors recently.

PF_Flyer

Well, you might start at our car appraisal tool to get an idea of what you might expect to get in a trade. "Headlight issue" sound like more than a burned out bulb. Tires are going to be a couple of hundred dollars at least. I see commercials for dealers saying they give $xxx in trade for anything you can drag in. Does that mean you're getting a good deal? I don't know.

Realize too, that how much you're upside down is probably going to limit how much of a "better" vehicle you may qualify for.

But I'd start with figuring out what the car might be worth in a trade and weigh that against what it will cost to get it to where some dealer might think it's worth their while to offer anything close to what you think the trade might be worth.

stickguy

not sure what your situation/needs are, but my take is that a lease is usually the easier way to make an upside down problem go away. In the end you have no equity of course, but that is still more than you have now.

if the car has been sitting, does this mean you just don't need to replace it? if so, can try to sell as is (off craigslist, etc.) but you won't get much. dealer will only take it if you are buying something to replace it.

normally getting it running at minimum is required to sell for more than scrap. So a battery and cheap tires (heck, you can get used ones, or the super cheap specials from the tire store) should have a positive ROI. Do the headlights not work at all? That sounds odd, but you really can't sell a car without them (at least, probably shouldn't, and at minimum, need to disclose and take the big hit).

it is probably worth a few hundred $ to a dealer as is, as a courtesy trade. Put the minimum you can to get it running and lighting, and should be a pretty easy sell privately for a few K.

xwesx

I agree... if you haven't used it in a few months, then perhaps re-evaluating your need for any car is worthwhile. Don't spend money on a car, and you'll find you are not upside down at all.

The issues you note seem minor in terms of cost and convenience. Sounds like the car runs just fine, so having it in such condition is better than not. Age-wise, I really doubt there are serious issues with the tires, unless you have a flat and it's sitting on the rim, etc.

I would put it back to right, sell it privately, and enjoy a car-free life for a bit before you plunge back into the fray.

thecardoc3

95000 miles is nothing. Properly repaired the Fiesta should give you many more years and miles of use. Yes it costs some money to service the car and repair the things that break, but that is pennies compared to what it costs you to keep going further and further upside down. When you upside down on a car loan you put yourself into a losing position that can only be corrected by keeping the car for several years after it is paid off. So what that means right now is get the problems fixed and drive it, care for it and learn to love the money you are saving even if you don't love the car anymore.
My Escape is turning ten years old and just passed the 320K mark....
https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/44956/ford/escape/the-200k-club#latest