Real-World Trade-In Values

trufer · September 2003

Can you comment on the trade-in value in general? I typically look at the Edmunds true market value and the NADA value. The dealer always points to Kelly Blue Book as the real value. There is normally a very significant difference in those two values. If you can negotiate a new car price at invoice +/- $500, which resource value is reasonable to expect and close the deal?

Thanks
Tom

pintas · September 2003

I have a 1998 Red Mercury Mountaineer with 95,000 miles. It has leather seating and CD/cassette player. It is in very good condition (a few dings)and has an extended warranty until 100K miles. One owner, good service records. I am interested in a trade-in value as well as what is a reasonable price for a private sale. The car is in New York---on Long Island.
Thanks.

stebu · September 2003

Not only the crowds, I think they had the darn blimp tethered to his belt loop the whole time he was on the course. A little ack-ack should take care of that.. lol.

Oh man Terry, believe me, you're preaching to the choir about doing right by the detail work AND pricing it right before you put a car curbside. Luckily, I practically have a detail shop in my garage and like doing my own cars so much that I've actually gotten pretty good at that part and I have a local trusted mechanic for anything I can't reasonably tackle. Pricing... well for that I rely on someone like yourself to graciously set me straight.

I broke the golden rule on price once, my daughter was out of work and needed cash for her car. Turned out to be no favor since I couldn't get any lookers. Dropped the price, got a couple of live ones and the detail work sold it basically overnight. Priced right, virtually every car I've curbed went to the first or second test driver. The price, a fat five liner, and a picture when possible, gets'em. The details sells'em for top dollar with little haggling. As you've stated many times, cash is king. Amen, brother.

Oh, BTW, the Neon in my other post is an auto. I put the Std after the name to denote that it wasn't a Highline model or anything.

Thanks, once again, for the help.

rroyce10 · September 2003

........ >> blimp tethered to his belt loop the whole time << .l.o.l.. between the fans, the press core, American express, Buick and a dozen other sponsors, I don't know how he can even breath ...

Sounds like you got it figured out and your doing it right .. most folks drive it through a car wash, hope the old battery will start it, no one will ever see the "air" in the bald tires, take the highest number via KBB, Nada, Edmund's, Guess's R Us and start slamming the garage door when a instant cash buyer want's some $$ off, then wonder why they still have it 3 months later ....

Good luck and let me know ..

Terry.

steine13 · September 2003

... a web site with a few pictures and some detailed info; put the URL in your 5-liner... can really help, I was amazed.
I did it on my Corolla, and before I put it in the paper, told a guy at work... next day, his sister wanted to buy it...
Did it with my $1k Aerostar last fall, the ad hit Fri a.m. -- before 9:00 somebody called and said, if it's as advertised, I'll take it -- which they did, by noon. Cash, of course.

Oh, something to share: Drove around a neighborhood the other day where I remember a guy I sold a car to: 1983 Chevy Malibu, classy 2-tone brown, slightly dinged and rusted, 305, ran like a top... sold it to him almost SEVEN years ago.. for $850. You see where this is going: he's still got it. Looks pretty bad, but still runs. Wow.

Of course, the "much more reasonable" 1987 Audi 4000 I switched to back then is by now a handy-dandy cube of iron... live and learn.

And hey, what's that 4matic in Indy worth (#14095) ???
Always eager to add to my education, I remain
-Mathias

rroyce10 · September 2003

...... Ok Dad, I'm on it .. ;-)

        It's a 98, miles are low for the year, we have deep round things, color is good anywhere, seats better look hovered in, no "Oh Oh, it's Maaco", service better be 100% .. trade side, in and around that $18,0 zipcode ... down that path to Retail Rd, $23,9 is a good starter and $22,5/$23,5 is good price for a quick sale .. you gotta be careful on these, the retail books show Big $$ on these, the problem is their not even close ...

                 Good luck ...

                       Terry.

mirth · September 2003

Mathias - my first car was a 78 Chevy Malibu. Oh how I miss that puppy...

barbed_war · September 2003

Terry,
One owner 96 Chevy Suburban, wife's vehicle. K1500 4X4 LT. White with "grey" leather. All the options during the time except skid plates and locker on the rear. Current mileage 95036. Drivers seat is worn due to in & out. Small chip in windshield, garage kept. Rubber about 58K on matching Michelins, original spare never on the ground. ALL records on service.

Thanks in advance.

Barbed_war

Could you please give me an idea on trade-in, vs. do it yourself. Area Houston, Tx.

steine13 · September 2003

...must... fight...E-Klassenlust...
-m

mark156 · September 2003

I hope she and her family are doing well but I'm afraid she's been to a car sale lots.

Terry/Jim/Bill.... opinion needed. What do you think of the GMC Yukon Denali? After looking at several large SUV's, the GMC Yukon Denali has hit the top of my list. I would most likely buy an '04 model. After looking at the Lincoln Navigator (sunvisor problem--not adjustable), the GM product, Cadillac Escalade ESV/GMC Yukon XL Denali have surfaced to the top. Do you see these vehicles as being good as far as reliability, etc. Would you recommend one over the other?

Thanks in advance.....Mark156

zueslewis · September 2003

good looking, etc. The Denali has been a favorite of mine since it debuted - I'm strongly considering one myself (next year).

I like the GMC over the Cadillac because of the Escalade's shovel-looking nose and the higher price tag.

mark156 · September 2003

It appears the Escalade is about $8/$10K more than the Denali. Also, personally, I don't want the "Cadillac" name on my vehicle but would buy it if it was superior to the GMC Denali. I would NEVER buy the Gold package.... just not my style. The HUGE emblem on the back of the Escalade is so ugly but I really like the interior and layout. The GMC Yukon Denali seemed really nice (looked at today). I would definitely want the Nav. system but haven't seen one yet with it. The air conditioning seemed really strong which is a must for me.

Jim, thanks for your input. Mark

zueslewis · September 2003

for option, and it's $8-10K cheaper, like you said.

Also, two-three years later, they'll be almost dead even at the auction, so where'd your $10K go?

mark156 · September 2003

akangl · September 2003

***I hope she and her family are doing well but I'm afraid she's been to a car sale lots.***

Alas.....you be right, I have visited a car lot.

*hangs head in shame* I only wanted to *check out* the new Nissan Quest.

lancerfixer · September 2003

...it was hanging out in Shuttlebay Two on a rerun of "Star Trek: TNG." It was parked next to a '91 Lumina van. The El-Baz, I think. :-)

mochalatte · September 2003

Well, I finally caved in and bought the Jetta for $9k.

Mathias,
what can I say, I'm a sucker for all the extra goodies that you could find at the higher trim level. Also, I want to try just a bit of that German experience, not enough of it to convince me to get a manual

I'll check with the dealer about the timing belt. If they still have it at 105k, I'll probably change it at around 90k then... just to stretch my spending a bit.

Thanks!

steine13 · September 2003

Sounds like a good deal.
There is a big difference between longevity and reliability. This thing will last as long as you're willing to take care of it. VW is obsessive about structure and body... "panel-gap fetishists", "auto motor und sport" called them.
Next time you park next to a GM anything, compare the fit of the hood and doors... you'll be amazed.
Nice car, good luck with it!
-M

ghulet · September 2003

please see post #14050, but here's a recap

2001 Jeep Wrangler Sport
black exterior/gray interior
4.0L 6-cylinder, manual transmission
AM/FM cassette w/sound bar
hard and soft tops
34k miles
alloy wheels
no a/c, no CD player

Paint is nice, but it has a dent in the rear bumper, a small but noticable burn hole in the driver's seat and a tiny nick in the windshield, so condition is probably 'average'.

Any idea what it's worth on trade for an '04 Infiniti G35 coupe? Thanx!!!

qdisc · September 2003

Time for it to go with a baby on the way.

95 Civic CX (I think that is the model, the lowest, lowest level model). One owner, my wife, and only 37,500 miles. Few door dings and hood scratches.

Literally, the only feature on this car is the AM/FM casette...no clock, no power steering, no power windows or locks, no AC, no nothing.

3rd party v. trade-in?

thanks in advance.

qdisc

gbernsteen · September 2003

Hi I have a kind of a different question for you.

On a new Subaru Forester, XS (midlevel) model, would having the top half of one door repainted due to some chips through the clear coat decrease the value of the car? And if so, what would be a fair discount to reflect that decrease?

Thanks for any help!

rerenov8r · September 2003

Even though this is not the "deal of the century" I am pretty sure that the body style/number of doors, color, location are going to have an impact on the value...

steine13 · September 2003

He's from "CO", though there'd be a big difference between Boulder and somewhere waaaay out in the sticks.
I *believe* that the CX was only available as a 2-door hatchback.
I know for sure that's what it was for the 1996-2000 ones.
Cool little cars.
-Mathias

KCRam · September 2003

Jolie, stay away from the car lots!

(wink, smile)

kcram
Host
Smart Shopper and FWI Message Boards

zueslewis · September 2003

The Terry, Bill and Jim choir sings "Don't go there, it's a badddd place!"

dbgindy · September 2003

I bet that group would sound better after a few drinks. I just have to figure out if the drinks should go to the choir or to the listening audience. :-) What would the real world trade value for the choir be ( he asks trying to steer desperately back to the topic :-)?

stickguy · September 2003

Time for a new car in the family, but my wife has decided maybe she should get it instead of me. So, what are our 2 cars worth retail/trade (I don't mind hooking on retail road).

1) 1999 Nissan Maxima SE, dark silver, 5 speed (yeah, I know), cloth, roof, 42,000 miles. Recent tires, some scratches on the rear fender (about a $250 fix). clean inside, runs nice.

2) 1999 Nissan Quest SE, silver/gray cloth, loaded up (new msrp was 26,500) including moonroof, alloys, etc. Recent tires, new battery, 1 owner, service records, real clean (just a few door dings). 41,000 miles.

akangl · September 2003

Are always picking on me, sheesh......I only went to look and hated what I saw. That's what happens when I have too much time to waste while waiting for my mom to get off work.

There is talk of selling the Explorer to pay medical bills, not sure I have enough equity in it to do any good though. Of course I would have to buy a junker then.....would probably just go get my 94 Escort back again....yes, its still for sale.

Jolie.....who is stressed to the max with $10k in med bills that insurance isn't covering.

akangl · September 2003

What say you......and no I won't be trading it in.

1997 Ford Explorer Limited, Desert Violet Metallic/gray leather, V8, AWD, 47k miles, sunroof, 6-disc changer, JBL audio system, small dent in the pass side front fender (about the side of a grapefruit). Inside still smells new, outside is average for its age.

Would sell it on my own *IF* it looks like I have enough equity in it to pay some of the medical bills. I really like the truck, so this kinda isn't any fun.

steine13 · September 2003

.. and I used to think *I* was bad... I keep my vehicles for a couple of years, typically...
-Mathias

jrdwyer · September 2003

Here is my expereince with a 1992 Honda Civic CX hatchback that I previously owned.

Bought new in 1992 for around $8K. Same car as yours, no options. Tried to sell it myself in 1996 with 76K miles, but in this area no one wanted a late model with no A/C. Dealer offered only $3,000 on trade in. Determined, I ordered an R-12 A/C unit from a California salvage company for $400 that came out of a rear-end wrecked civic. Honda couldn't sell me a new one as they had switched over to an R-134A system and that unit wouldn't work for my 1992 model. I then paid the local Honda dealer $500 to install the A/C unit on the car and charge it. The new-to-me freon A/C worked perfectly (very cold) and I sold the car within a week for $5,700. Subtracting the cost of the A/C unit, my work netted me $1,800 more than the dealer offered.

The CX hatchback is a reliable little car, not very common, and is EPA rated at 42/48 mpg. So in other words, very desirable right now.

One more thing, I won't buy another car without A/C. Good luck.

akangl · September 2003

If you noticed, its not because I want a *new* car, if its sold its to try to keep the medical bills out of collections and to try to salvage what's left of our credit.

I'm at a loss on what to do. Insurance paid some $70k of her hospital and surgery bills from this summer, but left us with around $10k to pay.

So, if the Explorer has enough equity in it, its gone, will probably sell a few other things too.

bluestar1 · September 2003

Hope you find a way to resolve this money issue without having to "sell a few other things as well".

Like you, those 2004 Quest sure looks fugly, to me. Looked like a cross b/w an Aztek and an Edsel. I know, I know.... not even close, right ! But, what were they thinking ???

Anyways, back to the topic at hand.... Jolie's Ford Exploder....ehm Explorer

akangl · September 2003

***Looked like a cross b/w an Aztek and an Edsel***

With a hint of Chevy Lumina APV thrown in and all for the bargain price of $29k, ha, no thanks.

I hope we can figure things out too, I hate selling things, always miss them later.

And now back to my Exploder....um, Explorer (see, I do it too)

alize001 · September 2003

Hi there! This forum has greatly educated me and I thank all of you for our input!
I have a question as I am about to purchase a new Pilot this Friday. I have a 2001 Toyota Sienna XLE and want to trade it in. My question is in regards to information I need to disclose when it is evaluated. Someone crashed into the front quarter panel last year and I had it repaired through the insurance company and to me (the untrained eye) it looks like new. My question is (maybe a stupid one) should I disclose this information or just let them see for themselves? I have never traded in any vehicles, so I am new to this unfortunately.
Secondly I was wondering and would be very very appreciative if you could give me an idea of what I should look for as far as trade in value for my Sienna. It is an 01 with 18k miles, XLE w/ dual power doors, moonroof, premium sound, 6 disc changer and leather seating. I owe about $18,000 on it still and am trying to work a good deal on a new Pilot.
Any feedback wouldy be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance for your help

fjm1 · September 2003

Long time lurker, first time poster. Learned alot and I want to thank you traders.

Finally got rid of a 2000 BMW 323i. 52K miles
4dr, red, sport pack, sunroof, bald tires, near total repaint due to vandals, unscheduled service record that would choke a goat, but glossy and clean.

I couldn't private party this one, couldn't face the buyer knowing it was in the shop as much as on the road.

I got $15,500 trade on a 2003 Accord in N.J.

Way to go, or Ooops? I think I did good but could be off base. Reality check.

zueslewis · September 2003

considering it needed $800-1,000 in tires and was a total repaint - not to mention the service hsitory. Good job.

jbollt · September 2003

Been away from the forums for awhile. Please let me know what you think...
Trade in and private party values in Southern CA for 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser STOCK (no after market "stuff")
very clean, no dings
steel blue
leather
27,000 miles
5 speed (I know)
4 wheel disc brakes, ABS, traction control
cd and cassette
chrome (real, not plastic) wheels
moonroof
power drivers seat
remote keyless
tires are showing some wear (duh), but still servicable

Thanks, Jeff

mark156 · September 2003

Jolie, sorry to hear about the big debt. But, can't they make arrangements for payments on the 10-large?

Trading cars so often will not help the bank account as you know and you will never build equity. If you get an older car, the repair bills might be as much as the Explorer on a monthly basis. I wouldn't jump too fast to make changes until the last grain of rice is put in the silo.

Just my .02 worth and I wish all of the luck in the world, you desere to win the BIG lottery!!!

M.

akangl · September 2003

Its just a thought, we don't really *need* the Explorer, we can get by with less. Don't intend on trading it, just selling it outright.

The 10k is with several different doctors and the hospital. I dunno, just seems like everything hits at once. Hubby's truck needs $1500 put into it, its not really driveable, then this.

We'll manage, just hate to see our credit hit the toilet yet again, we've worked so hard to get it back to where it is now.

isellhondas · September 2003

You said something scary...

" I only went to look"

Kinda like an ex smoker..." I figured one wouldn't get me hooked again"

Be careful....VERY careful...!

Sorry to hear of your problems.

rroyce10 · September 2003

...... Aka ~ stay away from the .. oh, that's already been covered .. never mind.

Terry.

rroyce10 · September 2003

.... I could almost swear that I congratulated you on the new one .. I guess I hafta quit mixing the liquid plumber with the Draino .. but anyway, Congrats ..!

Rain rain go away and come back some other century .. 4 years of a drought in Florida, now 4 months of rain, you need a submarine to get to the golf tee's .. well I gotta go pump my pool out so it doesn't flood my tv watching room ... uggh.!

Terry

akangl · September 2003

I would NOT buy something like that, no way. I was just curious. I can't afford to buy something like that and even if I *could* spend that kind of dough it would go towards the downpayment on a nice house.

But I can't, not with the impending medical debt crashing around me. No worries about me buying something new......settle down guys.

Would like to know what that Explorer of mine *might* be (or not be) worth though. Not gonna trade, would sell outright and pay med bills. That is unless it ain't worth squat, then, well, I'll keep driving it until the wheels fall off.

Jolie *who hears "stay away from the car lots" chanting in her sleep* Thanks guys :-)

mark156 · September 2003

Is there any organization that can help you with the extra hospital costs for your daughter? Personally, I donate every year to my local organizations that help folks who need extra help in that area. I sure hope that there is something that can help you and your family over come this temporary set-back.

Sincerely, Mark156

akangl · September 2003

Unfortunatly, since my husband works for the gov't there isn't much out there. We don't qualify for anything......at least not without 2 years of runaround and paperwork.

This isn't temporary, my daughter has cystic fibrosis, so this is almost a yearly event, only the med bills aren't usually this bad. We did find out that we *might* not be out of pocket anymore than $6000 since after that our insurance will kick in again. Oy.......the joys of insurance and politics.

We'll figure it out......always manage to keep our heads above water. With all this rain lately though......we may drown.....and not in bills either!!

akangl · September 2003

scheduled programming......

hpi · September 2003

Hi Terry,

I will soon be trading my 1998 Nissan Maxima GLE for a Pilot and was wondering what would be a reasonable expectation on the trade-in value.

It's dark green (they call it evergreen) in color and has all the standard GLE features (leather, anti-lock brakes, front side air bag, cd player, heated front seats, power moonroof, BOSE stereo, etc.). There are no known mechanical problems, but it has usual wear and tear (nothing major) inside and out. Rear tires are in okay condition, but the front ones would be replaced before winter driving starts.

I am the original owner and have put 47,000 miles on it. I am in Colorado, BTW.

TIA.

dardson1 · September 2003

who is approaching 80, still driving (and pretty well considering), wants to get rid of her big Park Avenue and get a Honda (something smaller and easy to drive). Hum? She's finally convinced that Japan is no longer our enemy and hears they make pretty good cars. Anyway, the details:
1997 Buick Park Avenue (not the Ultra)
Silver over gray leather
29k miles
new tires
sunroof
very decent stereo with cassette and CD player
power everything
wipers that come on when it starts to rain
dual temp controls

I think these big Buicks came standard with lotsa stuff. It looks like a new car inside and out (child of the depression and you darn well take care of your things). Drives great and not a rattle.

She backed into a parking lot light pole last year so there's paint (looks fine to me). Otherwise, no chips, dents, or scratches, anywhere. Her gasoline gauge doesn't work and instead of fixing it she uses her trip computer to see how far to empty (a $400 repair). She lost a set of keys in a burglary so she had a new ignition set made but didn't spring for changing the doors locks.......so, she carries 2 sets of keys etc, etc, etc, but the key fob does still work all the doors. She didn't ask me about that one. Let them have the damn thing.
Not sure I'm up to a private sale and explaining all the keys or why the gas gauge is pointing south......but I will if you say so. Would it pay to fix the stuff? A value on trade or private sale (repaired or not) here in big car country, Texas? Thanks

boovu · September 2003

Hey fjm1,

I have a 2001 325ci silver at 68k in good condition. I'm looking for a trade in. You got any tips?

Real-World Trade-In Values

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