Real-World Trade-In Values

steine13 · January 2016

Re: sharing cars/moving seats:
I'm a little over 6'. My wife is a mighty 5'2", and my daughter is 5 even.

Depending on the car, all I need to do after my wife has driven is tilt the back of the seat backwards a few degrees, adjust the inside mirror and wah-lah! good to go. I think she sits too far back, but try telling her that.

The daughter, with whom I share the Subaru, is another matter. It takes a felt minute just to drive the seat backwards far enough so I can get in, and then I have to adjust EVERYTHING before I'm properly sitting. Of course, being 16 and the conscientious type, she wants to have it just so, esp. with the clutch close enough and the airbag far enough away.

I consider this to be stricly a first-world problem and a minor inconvenience. If I could have, I would have bought memory seats, though. Or spec'd manual controls, which are faster. Oh well.

Cheers -Mathias

suydam · January 2016

We don't have his and hers cars. Ours are shared and driven according to function and/or personal preference of the moment. You got the dog? Drive the Buick. Going out of town for the day? Take the Honda. It helps we aren't that different in size and most of the settings don't change.

Sandman6472 · January 2016

I drive the Golf exclusively while the A3 is the wife's and I only get to drive it to the Audi store for a bath and vacuum, like today.

The Sandman

tjc78 · January 2016

Luckily for us the car we "share" has memory seats. My wife is much shorter than me and I can't even get in behind the wheel with her settings. My car, lacks memory but she hates it and drives it only out necessity.

roadburner · January 2016

For those of you who don't read the CCBA topic, I bought the 2014 CPO M235i I was looking at. Got it for about $400 over qbrozen's low number and the dealer gave me $1000 more than Edmunds said the MS3 was worth as a trade. So, smiles all around, and many, MANY thanks to qbrozen for all his help!

Mr_Shiftright · January 2016

He's the man---and congrats on the "new" car! Nice.

steine13 · February 2016

I posted this back in November of last year:

"2012 Mazda 3 i Touring hatchback
2.0 l skyactiv engine 6-spd automatic
black
one owner
20,000 miles"

..and qbrozen obliged:
"Mazda is worth about 10 and a half grand at auction, [..]"

Sure enough, my buddy sold the car back to the dealer he bought it from and got $10,500.
Now he is on his way back to England. The glamorous life of the itinerant physicist...

Thanks again for the help!
-Mathias

qbrozen · February 2016

congrats, RB. And you are welcome.

andres3 · February 2016

roadburner said:
For those of you who don't read the CCBA topic, I bought the 2014 CPO M235i I was looking at. Got it for about $400 over qbrozen's low number and the dealer gave me $1000 more than Edmunds said the MS3 was worth as a trade. So, smiles all around, and many, MANY thanks to qbrozen for all his help!

So how fast on your scale of speed is that M235i? Manual? Ceramic brakes? Color? Trade-in-Value? Curious if you'll miss the Speed 3.

breld · February 2016

Hey Q - just wanted to say thanks again on the trade feedback on my friend's Tundra.

He did get a trade offer from a Toyota dealership of $33k, so at the very top end of what you figured. It was nice to have your info to be confident it was a good offer.

That being said - after spending some more seat time in the Tacoma, I think he's holding on to the Tundra for a little longer. Big difference in the interior room between the two trucks.

andres3 · February 2016

Not sure if I mentioned this, my memory is going with the years and with having a child. My 2014 S4 fetched a 29K value at an Audi dealership in my area with no haggling, however, it was tied to buying a new car there, I'm sure. That being said, I'm sure they'd go up to $30K without too much hassle. Part of the reason for this is the Car Fax is still clean.

roadburner · February 2016

andres3 said:

roadburner said:
For those of you who don't read the CCBA topic, I bought the 2014 CPO M235i I was looking at. Got it for about $400 over qbrozen's low number and the dealer gave me $1000 more than Edmunds said the MS3 was worth as a trade. So, smiles all around, and many, MANY thanks to qbrozen for all his help!
So how fast on your scale of speed is that M235i? Manual? Ceramic brakes? Color? Trade-in-Value? Curious if you'll miss the Speed 3.

It's pretty swift- 12.9 quarter mile at 109 mph. 8 speed automatic, which-to me, anyway-performs as well or better than most every DCT I've sampled. Alpine white with M Sport brakes. While. I got $4500 for the MS3, and I will miss it; it was a really fun car- but I can't keep 'em all...

stickguy · February 2016

Black interior? I kind of liked the red seats on the one breld found. But my wife would kill me. She hates that color.

roadburner · February 2016

I like the red as well, but the black should be a little easier to keep clean. When the total of CPO M235is in the US comes to 26, you can't be too picky...

cdnpinhead · February 2016

Yeah, I used to think I could find and buy a BMW wagon with a manual transmission (this was years ago). Did several internet searches and determined that, ignoring color and all other options (beyond the manual), I was screwed. There weren't many wagons and none of them had manuals, but at least in those days they had dipsticks and real tires.

tommister2 · February 2016

breld said:
Hey Q - just wanted to say thanks again on the trade feedback on my friend's Tundra.

He did get a trade offer from a Toyota dealership of $33k, so at the very top end of what you figured. It was nice to have your info to be confident it was a good offer.

That being said - after spending some more seat time in the Tacoma, I think he's holding on to the Tundra for a little longer. Big difference in the interior room between the two trucks.

I really like the idea of a Tacoma, but the Tundra is so much more truck. I know the Tacoma isn't small but it still feels small to me. Maybe when the kids are grown...

steine13 · February 2016

Fun and Games with General Motors.
A couple weeks back, we had a discussion on credit card points etc.... allow me to quote myself:

>>The last two cars I bought from Chevrolet, I had my meager earnings "topped off" to $2,000 and $3,000, respectively, at which point it didn't matter what I had accumulated on my own.

New wrinkle -- just got it in the mail today:
"Spend $750 between Feb 2 and March 31 and receive $2,000 in bonus cash, good for the purchase or lease of any Chevrolet, Buick, etc etc dot com."

So now it's not "top off" savings anymore, now it's above and beyond what's accumulated on the card. The bonus has to be spent by 06/30... maybe the Cruze Hatch will be out by then?
[Never mind. "Available Fall 2016"]

Maybe I'll do a short lease on an Equinox instead or something.
There'll be trouble. My daughter just informed me that an automatic transmission "that's like cheating."
Still, roughly $3,500 behind supplier pricing isn't bad at all.
Why can't they build a Malibu Wagon again -- I loved my 1983!!

Cheers -Mathias

xwesx · February 2016

Whoa now.... Easy there, Mathias!

asafonov · February 2016

steine13 said:
Fun and Games with General Motors.
A couple weeks back, we had a discussion on credit card points etc.... allow me to quote myself:

>>The last two cars I bought from Chevrolet, I had my meager earnings "topped off" to $2,000 and $3,000, respectively, at which point it didn't matter what I had accumulated on my own.

New wrinkle -- just got it in the mail today:
"Spend $750 between Feb 2 and March 31 and receive $2,000 in bonus cash, good for the purchase or lease of any Chevrolet, Buick, etc etc dot com."

So now it's not "top off" savings anymore, now it's above and beyond what's accumulated on the card. The bonus has to be spent by 06/30... maybe the Cruze Hatch will be out by then?
[Never mind. "Available Fall 2016"]

Maybe I'll do a short lease on an Equinox instead or something.
There'll be trouble. My daughter just informed me that an automatic transmission "that's like cheating."
Still, roughly $3,500 behind supplier pricing isn't bad at all.
Why can't they build a Malibu Wagon again -- I loved my 1983!!

Cheers -Mathias

@Mathias,

I remember year ago, you mentioned being able a Vibe way back of supplier pricing using your GM card. Well, I see Cruze LS ~~Classic~~ Limited advertised under 13k new, with a manual. A new Cruze under 10k in your future, perchance, if you are still ok with a base vehicle?

steine13 · February 2016

asafonov said:

[..] a Vibe way back of supplier pricing using your GM card.

Ah, those were the days.
2004 Vibe base/stick/power package but no ABS/side air bags, $14k even OTD. Heck of a deal.

asafonov said:

Well, I see Cruze LS ~~Classic~~ Limited advertised under 13k new, with a manual.

Wow, any links? Best around here is $16...
The thing is, at $13 or $14 I might just buy a leftover '15 outright and send the daughter off to college with it, depending on where she goes.

The Cruze is a nice car, but I don't trust the 1.4 turbo for the long haul. It's a fine engine for leasing, but the 1.8l ecotec is the one to get for ownership [says Steve Lang on TTAC. He ought to know.]

I ran the numbers, and it looks like a 24 month lease on a base car would cost... well, nothing. The only cost is use tax. A 1LT with the turbo motor and decently equipped -- cruise control being the big deal -- is a whopping $20/month. That's an even better deal than the stripper, as far as I am concerned.

The only problem is that the nearest 'LT' with a manual is 200 miles away. Maybe I'll have to order one and trust the $3,450 lease cash is going to stick around. It's one heck of a deal any way you slice it.

Cheers -Mathias

stickguy · February 2016

you won't drive 200 miles for a "free" car? Tough customer, or Mr. Moneybags!

base car taking sign & drive to a new level, cutting out the pesky making payments component.

steine13 · February 2016

stickguy said:
you won't drive 200 miles for a "free" car? Tough customer, or Mr. Moneybags!

Um, I was more worried about the "out of state" part.. is that possible?
-m

stickguy · February 2016

didn't know about out of state, though not sure why it should matter. Unless there is some reason you aren't allowed to cross state lines?

iluvmysephia1 · February 2016

20 clams a month ta lease a base Cruze?

stickguy · February 2016

Iluv, I checked out the Ia today at the car show. Pretty nice little car. Good value for the money. Definitely a Mazda inside!

steine13 · February 2016

iluvmysephia1 said:
20 clams a month ta lease a base Cruze?

No.
The 20 clams is for a 1LT.

If I'm leasing a "base", they're paying me $2/month.
And that's with sales tax; I misspoke before.

Have to pay $428 tax on rebates, tho.
I'm not saying they're not crazy, I'm saying that's what the numbers are.

I'd say it's something in the water, but after the Flint fiasco, that'd be in poor taste.
-m

iluvmysephia1 · February 2016

Coolio! Still haven't sat in one but they'll be here for the 2017 MY at Lewis Toyota. I still want one in red.

kyfdx · February 2016

steine13 said:

stickguy said:
you won't drive 200 miles for a "free" car? Tough customer, or Mr. Moneybags!
Um, I was more worried about the "out of state" part.. is that possible?
-m

It's easier to lease across state lines than it is to buy. On a lease, the big national finance company does all the tax calculation. On a purchase, the out-of-state dealer has to figure it out.

stickguy · February 2016

buying depends on the state and dealer. I have dealt with it, no problem. But that is in an area where the dealers are close to the other state.

North Jersey and NYS dealers do it all the time, and S. Jersey where I am and PA dealers. I bought my Sonata in PA, and they did all the DMV work too (got the tax, registered it, got the plates) just like if I bought it in Jersey.

If you buy way out of state, just end up with a non-resident temp transport tag, and should have to deal with the tax in your home state when you go to register it.

asafonov · February 2016

steine13 said:

asafonov said:

[..] a Vibe way back of supplier pricing using your GM card.
Ah, those were the days.
2004 Vibe base/stick/power package but no ABS/side air bags, $14k even OTD. Heck of a deal.
asafonov said:

Well, I see Cruze LS ~~Classic~~ Limited advertised under 13k new, with a manual.
Wow, any links? Best around here is $16...
The thing is, at $13 or $14 I might just buy a leftover '15 outright and send the daughter off to college with it, depending on where she goes.

The Cruze is a nice car, but I don't trust the 1.4 turbo for the long haul. It's a fine engine for leasing, but the 1.8l ecotec is the one to get for ownership [says Steve Lang on TTAC. He ought to know.]

I ran the numbers, and it looks like a 24 month lease on a base car would cost... well, nothing. The only cost is use tax. A 1LT with the turbo motor and decently equipped -- cruise control being the big deal -- is a whopping $20/month. That's an even better deal than the stripper, as far as I am concerned.

The only problem is that the nearest 'LT' with a manual is 200 miles away. Maybe I'll have to order one and trust the $3,450 lease cash is going to stick around. It's one heck of a deal any way you slice it.

Cheers -Mathias

Here's the link, Mathias -

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ram/ctd/5431172683.html

This appears to be a largish Mazda - Chevrolet (what a combination!) dealer near Minneapolis.

Being an LS, I believe it has a NA 1.8l engine, not the 1.4 turbo one.

steine13 · February 2016

Ah! Thanks. That one be used, though.
It's got 600 miles and, more importantly, is not listed on their website among the new cars.

I shall see what I can do. Looks like I've got until the 29th at least.
The hardest thing appears to be locating a 6MT.

asafonov · February 2016

steine13 said:
Ah! Thanks. That one be used, though.
It's got 600 miles and, more importantly, is not listed on their website among the new cars.

I shall see what I can do. Looks like I've got until the 29th at least.
The hardest thing appears to be locating a 6MT.

Good catch. When I search their site for new Cruze Limited ones, the lowest that comes up is this one:

2016 Chevrolet Cruze
$13,488
Mileage:8
Body Style:4D Sedan
Stock Number:63087

Another Twin Cities dealer has a bunch of automatic LS Limiteds at $13,300 (+TTL, of course).

http://www.jeffbelzer.com/inventory/Make_Chevrolet-Model_CruzeLimited?cid=2&sort=price&count=50&page=1

stickguy · February 2016

looking near me, can't seem to find any manuals. Like they don't even exist!

stickguy · February 2016

well, found one down near my daughter in NC. This looks like what you are searching for, right? As strippo as they come? Cheap MSRP!

http://www.chevrolet.com/all-vehicles-nav/cars/2016-cruze-limited/search-inventory.extapp.html?tp_gmna-btl=/locateNewVehicle/ShowDetails?dealerSelected=false&selectedVehicle=1G1PB5SH0G7185749&x-zipcode=27244

If you would rather go to Maryland (Andre's neck of the woods) they have one in a nicer (and no extra cost) color!

http://www.chevrolet.com/all-vehicles-nav/cars/2016-cruze-limited/search-inventory.extapp.html?tp_gmna-btl=/locateNewVehicle/ShowDetails?dealerSelected=false&selectedVehicle=1G1PB5SG7G7201100&x-zipcode=20170

Michaell · February 2016

You guys stop! I've still got $4200 in GM points lying around ... cheapest Cruze I can find in SoCal for my kid is something like $16-17K.

steine13 · February 2016

The plot thickens... went to the only dealer in the area who has a 6MT Cruze "LS" -- due to leasing math, it leases better than the loss-leader "L" that has no daylight between MSRP and capitalized cost.

In other words, the cheaper car is more expensive to lease. Go figure.

At any rate, I learned that there's $1,000 conquest cash -- even if your "off-brand"

car is not leased. Look at that. By my math, they'll pay me $66 to drive 20k miles. That already includes $500 acquisition + $400 disposition + $200 DOC fee.

My total cost will be$318 upfront with no payments... gotta pay 6% use tax on all the rebates.

Question for the "I'm not an attorney" crowd: Is the "cap cost reduction" rebate subject to use tax?
I know the GM Card rebate and the $1k conquest rebate are... but I can't figure out whether the $3,450 "lease cash" is taxed. My guess is YES, since I know about it. Dealer rebates aren't taxed but they're usually hush-hush.

Not that it really matters, I just like to understand my numbers before I sit down to work it up.
Cheers -m

xwesx · February 2016

Michaell said:
You guys stop! I've still got $4200 in GM points lying around ... cheapest Cruze I can find in SoCal for my kid is something like $16-17K.

Shoot, for those prices, you could buy it and drive it to him for a substantial savings.

Michaell · February 2016

steine13 said:
The plot thickens... went to the only dealer in the area who has a 6MT Cruze "LS" -- due to leasing math, it leases better than the loss-leader "L" that has no daylight between MSRP and capitalized cost.

In other words, the cheaper car is more expensive to lease. Go figure.

At any rate, I learned that there's $1,000 conquest cash -- even if your "off-brand" car is not leased. Look at that. By my math, they'll pay me $66 to drive 20k miles. That already includes $500 acquisition + $400 disposition + $200 DOC fee.

My total cost will be$318 upfront with no payments... gotta pay 6% use tax on all the rebates.

Question for the "I'm not an attorney" crowd: Is the "cap cost reduction" rebate subject to use tax?
I know the GM Card rebate and the $1k conquest rebate are... but I can't figure out whether the $3,450 "lease cash" is taxed. My guess is YES, since I know about it. Dealer rebates aren't taxed but they're usually hush-hush.

Not that it really matters, I just like to understand my numbers before I sit down to work it up.
Cheers -m

Yes, the lease cash is subject to tax.

steine13 · February 2016

Michaell said:
You guys stop! I've still got $4200 in GM points lying around ... [..]

Seriously, Michaell, they will PAY YOU to drive the silly thing for 20k miles.
Or at least get a Camaro or something

-m

asafonov · February 2016

steine13 said:

Michaell said:
You guys stop! I've still got $4200 in GM points lying around ... [..]
Seriously, Michaell, they will PAY YOU to drive the silly thing for 20k miles.
Or at least get a Camaro or something

-m

Mathias,

Here's another new (12 miles) Cruze Limited LS manual in my area, so they are out here.

Brand New 2016 Chevy Cruze ~ $89/mo w/ ONLY $1k Due at Signing - $13208 (Anoka ~ Free Oil Changes)

Michigan can't be that different from Minnesota - if anything Chevrolet dealers in Michigan might be more aggressive?

BTW, taking an opportunity to thank you, Mathias, for steering me (remotely via your posts) towards Prizms and Vibes - I ended up buying one in 2002 for what I thought would be a brief period, and ended up driving it until last summer

xwesx · February 2016

asafonov said:
BTW, taking an opportunity to thank you, Mathias, for steering me (remotely via your posts) towards Prizms and Vibes - I ended up buying one in 2002 for what I thought would be a brief period, and ended up driving it until last summer

Wait, you're thanking him for that?!

asafonov · February 2016

Indeed I am - I saved (and invested) a lot compared to buying or leasing new, even moderately priced vehicles over this period.

steine13 · February 2016

xwesx said:

Wait, you're thanking him for that?!

Ha. Very funny.
It all comes down what are you doing with the car.
Yeah I got tired of the juvenile racket and the sloppy shifter of my Vibes, but if you drive short distances.. or you don't care too much... or "my other car is a bicycle" -- then these are fine cars.

Not to put too fine a point on it -- I just rode my bike home from work. 2.5 miles on a light coating of ice and snow.. with studded tires.. in 17 degree weather. Builds character, and I don't exercise in any other way. It kind of puts things in perspective, though.

If I had a 100-mile roundtrip commute like some of my colleagues, I'd pick my cars with much greater care. Horses for courses, and all that.

Cheers -m

xwesx · February 2016

That's very true. I used to ride my bicycle to work at two different jobs back when the max distance between them and my "house" was about four miles. There were paths or sidewalks that entire distance, and it wasn't very far even on a bicycle.

I'm still "only" about thirteen miles from work now, but I just don't feel like spending ~three hours a day commuting, nor am I particularly interested in risking life and limb (in a significant way) each and every time I do so. As a casual ride, I could be persuaded to attempt it, but then *I* get to pick the details.

I'll still drive my truck or van to work every now and again "for fun," but I wouldn't want either of those to be my daily drivers again.

kyfdx · February 2016

steine13 said:

xwesx said:

Wait, you're thanking him for that?!
Ha. Very funny.
It all comes down what are you doing with the car.
Yeah I got tired of the juvenile racket and the sloppy shifter of my Vibes, but if you drive short distances.. or you don't care too much... or "my other car is a bicycle" -- then these are fine cars.

Not to put too fine a point on it -- I just rode my bike home from work. 2.5 miles on a light coating of ice and snow.. with studded tires.. in 17 degree weather. Builds character, and I don't exercise in any other way. It kind of puts things in perspective, though.

If I had a 100-mile roundtrip commute like some of my colleagues, I'd pick my cars with much greater care. Horses for courses, and all that.

Cheers -m

I almost died, just spending 5 minutes pumping gas, yesterday.. in 11 degree windchill.

Ride a bike in this weather..

Michaell · February 2016

kyfdx said:

Wait, you're thanking him for that?!
Ha. Very funny. It all comes down what are you doing with the car. Yeah I got tired of the juvenile racket and the sloppy shifter of my Vibes, but if you drive short distances.. or you don't care too much... or "my other car is a bicycle" -- then these are fine cars. Not to put too fine a point on it -- I just rode my bike home from work. 2.5 miles on a light coating of ice and snow.. with studded tires.. in 17 degree weather. Builds character, and I don't exercise in any other way. It kind of puts things in perspective, though. If I had a 100-mile roundtrip commute like some of my colleagues, I'd pick my cars with much greater care. Horses for courses, and all that. Cheers -m
I almost died, just spending 5 minutes pumping gas, yesterday.. in 11 degree windchill. Ride a bike in this weather..

Was pushing 90 at my sisters today. Almost 80 at my moms, closer to the coast.

steine13 · February 2016

>> Was pushing 90 at my sisters today. Almost 80 at my moms, closer to the coast.

Was that really necessary?

There's -3 F in the forecast for Sunday morning.
No mosquitoes, though, so we've got that going for us.

Cheers -Mathias

kyfdx · February 2016

It will be 95 F in about 12 days.

At least, where I am going..

suydam · February 2016

Note to self: when I move to California, do not post glorious temps in winter to people who are freezing their a**es off.

sb55 · February 2016

It's supposed to be a high of 0 def. F (w/o wind-chill) on Saturday up here. But, it is the 1st really cold air of the season and it's WAY better than last winter.

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