Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
Options

Real-World Trade-In Values

17107117137157161100

Comments

  • 28firefighter28firefighter Member Posts: 9,821
    So, I think it is getting to be about time to upgrade our family 3rd car. A dealership not to far from us has been blowing out '05/'06 Cadillac SRX's with some factory warranty left for under $16k, and that seems to be an excellent deal. Anyway here are the specs- going to sell this privately obviously, just wondering what would be realistic expect.

    Location: Philadelphia, PA (or Pittsburgh PA depending on if that helps it or not, my son can sell it at school)

    Year/Make/Model: 2001 Ford Taurus SEL
    Engine: 3.0L V6 24V (Duratec Engine)
    Mileage: 60,500 (mostly highway since my son drives between pittsburgh and columbus every weekend)
    Color: Black
    Major Options: Mach Audio System with CD Changer, as well as aftermarket Sirius Sportster professionally installed (Hardwired to the stereo- not FM Modulated and it created an AUX jack as well), Leather, 5 passenger seating (center console mounted shifter), Auto Climate Control, Sunroof, Rear Spoiler, the SEL Wheels
    Condition: Car is extremely clean- meticulously maintained by my son- we have all the records for it since we bought it 4 years ago, body is in good shape for a car pushing 8/9 years old (original in service is 9/2000), Brakes are good, Tires are new, interior is in great shape.
    Other: Had a minor incident when I backed my excursion into the drivers side rear door- door was replaced. You can only tell if you look hard for it, but it happened and I couldn't sell it without disclosing it.

    I figure to advertise it locally- put a for sale sign on it too- craigslist, auto trader, etc and ask $5495- let it go for the first $4800/$5000 cash that I get.

    What say the guru's?
    2025 Jetta GLI Autobahn, 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xE
  • henry_nhenry_n Member Posts: 33
    Location: Houston, TX
    2005 Ford F150 Supercab, XLT, 5.4L V8, Automatic,
    62,000 miles
    Brown over sand in color
    Power steering, power brakes, power windows, power locks
    cloth interior, split bench seat
    trailer towing
    Interior very clean
    Exterior has some minor scratches and imperfections (very minor)
    Tires will pass inspection, but would probably have to be replaced before a dealer would place the truck on his lot.
  • homerj31homerj31 Member Posts: 13
    Location: Austin, Texas
    1999 Mustang GT coupe
    4.6L 5-speed Manual
    Mileage: 70,000
    Yellow exterior with Black Leather interior.
    Major options: Mach 360 Audio system, Leather, Traction Control, ABS, CD, etc
    Condition:
    Car is in good (great for a 9 year old car) condition. Car is stock, no mods.
    One problem, the ABS light is on which forces the traction control system to be disabled. Still passes state inspection no problem.
    Tires are about 60-70% Worn, will need one ones in about 10k miles.
    Brakes should be fine, changed within 10k miles
    Just oil changes etc. Been using Mobile 1 since 1k miles.
    Other: One insurance claim. When the car had 2k miles, a family member that was borrowing it ran over a spare tire in the middle of the road. Some steering stuff needed to be repaired. Not sure but about 1k in damage.

    Besides the ABS issues, the car has been flawless for 9 years. Only non-maintenance cost was a $40 idle control valve that was replaced about 1 year ago

    Normal around town driving, MPG 17-18
    Highway MPG 23-24 @ 75-80MPH with AC
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    Trade somewhere in the $7,000's.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    ABS issues can be expensive.
    Car is prob a $3000 car in its current condition.
  • homerj31homerj31 Member Posts: 13
    Thanks for the reply.

    What would be the value if the ABS problem was fixed?
    I think it is a bad sensor and not the actual ABS unit. I am not 100% sure since I have not gotten the ABS code checked out yet.

    homerj31
  • dbtdbt Member Posts: 298
    What would the following go for in a wholesale auction? Thanks.
    Minneapolis, MN
    2007 BMW Z4 3.0i Convertible
    2k miles
    Silver ext, Black leatherette Interior
    Options: Steptronic Automatic only
    Pretty much new condition, no accidents
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    Generally, it's the unit.
    they run a grand or more.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    In MN?
    $21-22,000. Esp this time of year.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,723
    are you sure it's not 160K? 370+ miles round trip columbus, oh and pittsburgh, pa.
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • 28firefighter28firefighter Member Posts: 9,821
    Oh I'm positive- believe me.

    The only other real driving he does with it is to and from the giant eagle at school and other small errands. I exaggerated a bit- it's been two-three times a month roughly for the last 8 months (he only brought the car to school last january) and they've been dating a year.

    We bought it certified pre-owned in February 2004 with 32,000 miles and it had pretty light duty until this year when he started making those trips.

    Any suggestions on what to ask for it, or rather...what I could get. I know its not worth anything on trade for the most part.

    But yeah..189 miles each way adds up...
    2025 Jetta GLI Autobahn, 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xE
  • cccompsoncccompson Member Posts: 2,382
    Well, the problem with these cars is twofold: they are a dime a dozen and are considered to be money pits. Your thoughts on price seem a bit high, even with the low miles. Come down about 20 percent and stick it on craigslist with some good clear pics.
  • waterdrwaterdr Member Posts: 307
    Even in today's crappy market, you should be able to sell that Mustang for $5,000 to $6,000. 1999 is a good year too compared to the 1996-1998 cars. That car actually has a fairly broad appeal-base, eventhough there are many on the road. The car will appeal to college students, married guys who always wanted that "sports car" and have a budget, and the weekend warrior....especially an all original car with only 70k on the ticker.

    Of all the modern Mustangs, the 1999/2000 are pretty desirable to drag racers. Why? They are the oldest of the 1999-2004 cars, which means they are the cheapest. And, if you want to rip it apart, it is a great platform to start with. The motors on the 1999/2000 cars have slightly lower compression too which makes them better suited for adding a blower. Weekend racers, BTW, generally turn-off the traction control.

    The transmissions and driveline on these cars are nearly bullet-proof and can withstand 2 times the power output. The motor, Tremec Tranny, and rear axle is worth a few grand alone if pulled off the car.

    While far from a gold mind, join Americanmuscle.com; modulardepot.com or one of the many dedicated mustang sites out there and you will probably find a buyer in your area. What do you have to loose if the car is only worth $3k on a trade?
  • skopiecskopiec Member Posts: 14
    Thinking about downsizing my LC for something somewhat smaller. Is the market coming back for these things somewhat since fuel isn't in the news as often?

    1998 Toyota Land Cruiser
    Tucson, AZ
    4.7L V8
    AWD
    93000
    Silver exterior/tan interior
    Fully optioned
    Fantastic condition in/out. I searched for a long time to find one in this condition when I purchased. A few rock chips on the front bumper, but bisides that could pass for a 2004 or so. No dings
    50% tires
    Brakes good
    Maint up to date including recent timing belt and WP replacement.
    Clean history
    Always a dry climate car - first eastern WA, then AZ. Underside looks new.

    Thanks!
    Scott
  • dbtdbt Member Posts: 298
    Thanks Max.
    I know it is an off time for this car, but hey, it was 66 on Sunday here! (though winter will probably arrive soon ...)

    General question:
    With the liquidity crunch / financial crisis, I was wondering whether we were seeing a faster drop in auction prices / increased difficulty of selling certain vehicle types at auction. Not only do consumers need financing to buy, but dealers need it too. I know that when gas prices were spiking, some dealers were refusing SUV trade-ins (and I suppose some SUV auctions failed to find buyers). Is anything like that happening now, to SUVs or to other types of vehicles?
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    You may be interested in this discussion: Buying a Car During the Credit Crunch

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • dbtdbt Member Posts: 298
    Tidester,
    Thanks for the link. A good bit of interesting discussion. kdhspyder had an interesting comment, that vehicles in the $25-$35k range were mostly sitting (people were going for less expensive ones), and corvette conjectured that incentives would rise and hurt auction values.

    But, what I'm interested in is on the auction side: Is the (credit crunch / having dealers like Bill Heard going out of business) starting to show up significantly in the wholesale / auction market? [and I was thinking of posting here because the RWTIV are fundamentally derived from the auction market, so the people here would be on the ground floor of this. Should I repost this over in the other discussion?]

    Thanks.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    I recommend trying Got a Quick Question for a Car Dealer? for your auction related questions. It's more general than this discussion and dealers would be attuned to auctioning. "Trade-in" values do relate to auction values but that's not really the focus of this discussion.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • cccompsoncccompson Member Posts: 2,382
    Volvomax can best answer your question as to value since he's right in AZ. Generally speaking, though, the market for these did not take quite the hit as SUVs as a whole because there is a dedicated group of fans of these beasts. Yours is particularly attractive given its relatively low mileage and condition. It is something that should most definitely be marketed privately.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,723
    the only reason i asked about the miles is that one of my kids goes to school in oxford, so i pass north of pittsburgh and through columbus on my way there, or back. there is kind of a major service due @60k. if that isn't done, it won't help your asking price.
    overall, sounds like a pretty nice car.
    i don't know about the money pit opinion, but i agree with cc and definitely check craigslist to see if there is anything comparable.
    a reply from 'max would help too.
    check out these prices: HUH?
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • 28firefighter28firefighter Member Posts: 9,821
    The 60k service was taken care of already- I'm OCD about maintence, but he takes it to an entirely new level. Normally he has it taken care of at a private mechanic, but since this was a biggy, he took it into a dealership to get it done- slightly more expensive but worth it.

    Honestly I was thinking of telling him to take it to CarMax in Columbus, just for the heck of it. Craigslist and the like has nothing comparable to this car- mostly the strippers with the slower engine with ridiculously high miles and pretty beat up. I'm wondering if the market for it would be better with me in Philly or in Pittsburgh?

    On another note, may consider looking at a loaded up '09 Focus SEL instead of a used SRX...between the warranty and all the technological goodies, might be a better buy. One local Philly dealer quoted me $16,500 for a Focus with an MSRP of 22,500- pretty much has every option on it. Not sure what the better route is really. Thoughts?
    2025 Jetta GLI Autobahn, 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xE
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    Miles are good, and the Land Crusher is a cult truck.

    Off hand, I would say trade in should be in the $8-10,000 range.
    Kind of hard to narrow it any more than that.
  • skopiecskopiec Member Posts: 14
    Thanks for the info -

    In your opinion, what would be a good starting place for a private party ad? 12K?
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    In your opinion, what would be a good starting place for a private party ad? 12K?

    $12k or best offer.
  • corvettecorvette Member Posts: 11,274
    $11,995, or best offer.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    $11,875.

    It's that whole psychological thing, the numbers keep going down. ;)

    Laugh if you want we sold our Legacy in less than a week for near asking price and got 40% more than the dealer offered us for wholesale trade.
  • woodywwwoodyww Member Posts: 1,806
    Nice vehicles, for somewhere between the estimates given here ($8-10-$12K) someone will get a good deal with those miles. Personally, I wouldn't take less than $10.5K, & try to get more. You could probably keep it for years more, & it wouldn't depreciate much from that......
  • cccompsoncccompson Member Posts: 2,382
    Well, I just sold my '99 LX470 with 136K today on craiglist for $10,950. Put the ad up last night and received inquiries from as far away as Chicago (I'm in Columbus). There's certainly a market for 'em. I say price your '98 at no less than 12. Actually, you might even start at 13 because the low mileage is a real draw.
  • tfinantfinan Member Posts: 13
    Location: north jersey
    Year/Make/Model: 2007 BMW 335xi
    Body Style: 4dr
    Engine: 3 liter, 6 cylinder, auto
    Driveline: AWD
    Mileage: 15k
    Color: exterior monaco blue/interior brown
    Major Options: cold weather, premium packages
    Condition: very clean
    Other: no damage.

    Thanks!
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    Hard to get a feel for this one.
    Only 1 car has gone over the block.
    Figure anywhere from $30-33,000 trade.
  • aj4caj4c Member Posts: 5
    Hi,
    I’ll probably be trading in my car around late March or early April on the new MINI cabrio that’s coming out, so it will probably have around 3-5k more miles on it at that point. I might try to sell it myself but I would honestly just rather trade it in for the ease. I was hoping someone could tell me what a fair offer to expect from the mini dealer might be. I didn’t buy the car there, but it is where I’ve had all the service completed. Here’s the information:

    Boston suburbs
    2006 MINI Cooper (hardtop)
    Automatic
    Chili red
    A little under 35K miles

    It’s pretty basic as far as options, though it does have a number of minor ones, the most significant being Dynamic Stability Control. I would say it is in pretty good condition, probably fairly standard for its age (purchased in November 2006). It has a one or two door dings and a few very small paint chips on the hood. The interior is very clean with no blemishes or stains in it. I just replaced the tires two weeks ago. Thanks so much for the help.
  • breldbreld Member Posts: 6,918
    A local Toyota dealer (Denver) has several of these in stock:

    2007 Highlander V6, base model AWD
    Options include sunroof, spoiler and foglights
    They all have around 30k miles and are Toyota CPO.

    According to carfax, looks like these were previous rental cars in Florida.

    Any advice regarding what they likely paid for these, and what they may let them go for? They're asking $21,490 for each of them. They recently had a similar vehicle that had been sitting on the lot for awhile, and they were advertising it as a "special" for $17,500.

    Thanks!

    2024 Audi Q8 e-tron - 2017 911 C4S - 2025 BRZ - 2023 A6 Allroad - 2024 Genesis GV60 - 2019 Cayman

  • cecilt1cecilt1 Member Posts: 74
    Looking to trade my '06 Acura TL navigation 6mt. 3.2L. Has 36,500 miles. Anthracite exterior and ebony interior. 35% tint all around. Aspec front lip spoiler, splash guards and all season floor mats. I am original owner. No cosmetic issues. No accidents. Pristine condition in and out. What is reasonable trade vs. private sell? No liens and employer pays with 0% financing and since they title it they deduct expense pre-tax so anything I spend is always at about a 30% savings not to mention no finance charges. This is why i like to buy cars that hold value and get rid of them within either a mfr warranty or certified warranty.

    Options considering. Which one is best deal:

    '07 Acura TL Type S. Black/Black. 16k miles. 6mt. Has nav and fully loaded. Private party. I've offered $26,900 and they are considering.

    '07 Acura TL Type S. White/Black. 16k miles. Auto. Same as above but through dealer. About $28k.

    '08 Acura TL Type S. White/Black. 11k miles. Auto. Has upgraded Acura 18" wheels. $29k through dealer.

    I will probably sell in about 2 years if I buy one of the 3 above. I do about 17k miles per year. Which would be best to buy now and then sell in about 2 years. Thanks
  • 28firefighter28firefighter Member Posts: 9,821
    Location: Philadelphia, PA
    2005.5 VW New Jetta 2.5
    5spd
    Package 2- Leather, Sunroof, Satellite radio, climate control, 17" Alloys
    FWD
    38,000 Miles
    Dark Blue/Gray Leather Interior
    VW Certified Pre-Owned
    Dealer Asking $15,990

    Haven't talked to anyone about it yet, but I saw it at the dealer this weekend- looks to be in great shape. Assuming everything is clean, what is reasonable to offer for this car?

    Thanks!
    2025 Jetta GLI Autobahn, 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xE
  • cecilt1cecilt1 Member Posts: 74
    Looking to trade my '06 Acura TL navigation 6mt. 3.2L. Has 36,500 miles. Anthracite exterior and ebony interior. 35% tint all around. Aspec front lip spoiler, splash guards and all season floor mats. I am original owner. No cosmetic issues. No accidents. Pristine condition in and out. What is reasonable trade vs. private sell? No liens and employer pays with 0% financing and since they title it they deduct expense pre-tax so anything I spend is always at about a 30% savings not to mention no finance charges. This is why i like to buy cars that hold value and get rid of them within either a mfr warranty or certified warranty.

    Options considering. Which one is best deal:

    '07 Acura TL Type S. Black/Black. 16k miles. 6mt. Has nav and fully loaded. Private party. I've offered $26,900 and they are considering.

    '07 Acura TL Type S. White/Black. 16k miles. Auto. Same as above but through dealer. About $28k.

    '08 Acura TL Type S. White/Black. 11k miles. Auto. Has upgraded Acura 18" wheels. $29k through dealer.

    I will probably sell in about 2 years if I buy one of the 3 above. I do about 17k miles per year. Which would be best to buy now and then sell in about 2 years. Thanks


    Update '07 Acura TL Type S that is at the dealer is now $27,500 and the '08 TL Type S is now $28,500.
  • halcuthalcut Member Posts: 4
    Hi guys,

    I was wondering if all you experts can help and share your thoughts on this for me...would really appreciate it. I am thinking abt buying out my current leased vehicle below. Should I buy it out? Price is little high and also interest rate on the buy out option is pretty high. What are you thoughts? Is it a good price? Thanks in advance.

    Buyout option:
    Residual Value: 19621
    Buyout Price after tax: 21195
    If financed from Mercedes financial: Rate is 7.89%

    Vehicle Info:

    Location: Edison, NJ
    Year/Make/Model: 2005 Mercedes Benz C230 Kompressor
    Body Style: 4Dr Sedan
    Engine: 1.8L 4cyl Auto
    Driveline: RWD
    Mileage: 25000
    Color:Exterior Black Interior Black Leather
    Major Options: Garage Door Opener, AM/FM/CD Audio System, Power Sunroof/Moonroof, Heated Front Seats, Front and Back side Air bags
    Condition:
    Exterior is spotless with only a little scratch on the hood. Interior is clean and neat.
    Tires - worn.. most probably needs changing
    Brakes - Functional makes noise when braking
    Maintenance - Not sure how good the internals of engine and car are
    Other: No insurance claims
  • pdurantpdurant Member Posts: 18
    Hey Guys,

    '08 Mustang GT Premium, Black, Auto, Red Leather Interior, 1,226 miles.... I bought this baby back in April as a toy but the wife wants to park in the garage again.... :shades:

    It is just an extra vehicle so we aren't really going to trade in on anything but I was wondering if someone could give me a real world trade in and private party value so I can stick it by the curb and see what happens. I don't want to give it away but I know our wonderful economy and the time of year won't be in my favor.

    Thanks!

    Philip
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,736
    Curious what this would bring at auction.

    2001 PT Cruiser Limited automatic. Looks like a copper color. Only 31k miles. In NJ.

    Thanks.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    Auction valueas are between $15-16,000
    CPO warranty/recon typically adds between $1-3,000 depending on the brand.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    Car is probably worth $15-16,000 wholesale so you are paying retail for it.

    Personally, I don't think the rate is that bad for an 05.
    You could try another bank or Credit Union.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    Trade in is probably in the $19-20,000 neighborhood.

    Private party a couple-three grand more. Hard to say.
  • aj4caj4c Member Posts: 5
    Any idea about the 2006 MINI volvomax? (See previous page) Thanks!
  • linmar1linmar1 Member Posts: 2
    Hello,

    I'm thinking of selling my car private party or (at last resort) trading it in. Could you tell me what I could expect to get in both cases?

    Wash DC metro (Maryland suburbs)
    2006 Ford Escape Hybrid, auto CVT
    4wd
    ~44K
    Safety package (adds side curtain airbags)
    Appearance package (adds painted bumpers)
    Good condition/clean (normal wear and tear, no dings), full maintenance records
    Same brakes and tires, just got a report at the dealership that they have plenty of life left

    Thanks for any guidance you can give me!
  • mjfloyd1mjfloyd1 Member Posts: 3,806
    Indianapolis, IN
    2005 Acura MDX Touring
    desert rock (gold) with tan interior
    53000 miles,
    new tires 3000 miles ago
    service up to date
    a couple parking lot kisses but none very noticeable, rear bumper drivers side has been airbrushed after a backing up incident - very good job
    no interior issues
    no nav or dvd
    has acuracare $0 deductible 4yr warr (or 99,000 miles)- has 45 months left on warranty- it is refundable prorated if I trade (or would it be worth more to the dealer with the acura warranty???)

    Looking for real world trade in and private party sale numbers please
    thanks in advance,
    Mark
  • cecilt1cecilt1 Member Posts: 74
    Anyone ? I'm located in Va BTW.
  • breldbreld Member Posts: 6,918
    Well that sounds great, 'cause I pulled the trigger yesterday and it sounds like I bought well. So here's the update:

    I bought a white 2007 Highlander V6 AWD, base model. It had some value package on it with a sunroof, spoiler, fog lights and roof rack. 31k miles. Toyota CPO.

    They had reduced their asking price to $20,500. I offered $17,500 plus tax, and somewhat to my surprise, they ended up coming back at $17,800 plus tax (no trade-in), which I agreed to.

    It was a great transaction - once I made my offer, they came back with some paperwork saying their cost in the car was about $17,500, which seems pretty accurate based on volvomax's estimate of $15-16 at auction, plus the CPO. After I stuck to my offer of $17,500 and politely told the salesperson that I may still be interested, but wanted to look at some other cars first, they came back with the $17,800 offer.

    It probably helped that they had about six virtually identical Highlanders on the lot, three of which were white, the color of my choice.

    So, thanks for the feedback - this forum helps so much in getting a fair deal on used car purchases.

    2024 Audi Q8 e-tron - 2017 911 C4S - 2025 BRZ - 2023 A6 Allroad - 2024 Genesis GV60 - 2019 Cayman

  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    My Crystal Ball doesn't go that far out.
    Check w/ me when you are ready to trade.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    Not a lot of info out there for these vehicles.
    My "guess" is @ $15,000, maybe $16,000 on a trade.
    Maybe $18-20,000 retail.
  • aj4caj4c Member Posts: 5
    Ok, I'll ask again in a few months. My mistake.
  • chloe_6chloe_6 Member Posts: 10
    Hi there....looking at the below for purchase...what's a realistic offer for a used 2008?

    Location: Dallas, TX
    Year/Make/Model: 2008 Volvo S40 2.4i
    Body Style: 4dr
    Engine: 2.4L DOHC I5 engine, automatic
    Driveline: FWD
    Mileage: 4,776
    Color: Black/Black
    Major Options: Leather interior, 5-speed Geartronic auto trans w/Auto-Stick, 8-way pwr driver seat, pwr glass moonroof, everything else is standard equipment.

    The carfax says it was a rental in California and it appears this dealership has had it since 9/20/2008.

    Also, with the S40 being phased out (2009 model year is the last year???), how will that impact future trade in value if i were to purchase this car?

    Thanks in advance!
Sign In or Register to comment.