Real-World Trade-In Values

qbrozen · October 2009

Yes. Out of warranty.

Private sale is not out of the question, just not what I want to deal with on a relatively expensive vehicle I still owe money on. If it comes down to it, I will go that route, though.

stickguy · October 2009

get an offer from car sense yet? I have to stop there some day. I drove past a cuple of times.

qbrozen · October 2009

Oh, sorry, thought I shared that. It was way low. Of course, sight unseen. But I'm not wasting my time if they aren't in the ballpark. They were actually the lowest quote yet.

jayrider · October 2009

Selling your volvo privately could take 6 months easy. You're better off shopping it as a trade in. Good luck.

british_rover · October 2009

A sentra eh...

And a manual hmhh

You have mail.

peetert · October 2009

Yes, it's not a typo. This is my mother's car and she is looking for something more reliable. She just had the fuel pump replaced due to a stalling issue and will be getting a tuneup. The stalling issue spooked her and with the fact that Peugoet parts and mechanics are very rare, she wants something a bit more mainstream. That is my next task, what to get a very independent 87 yo.

I seriously doubt that we will be trading it in, but would like see about what I could expect as a private sale on either eBay, CL and even posted on various Peugeot site ( though most seem to be West coast centric and we're in NJ).

It's actually a really nice car and fun to drive. I wish I had more spare time to tinker with it, but parts are a PITA to find, esp for this model (6-cyl).

Specs are
87 505 STX (2.8L 6cyl)
~ 70k miles (could be off, but the car rarely gets driven)
Auto RWD
Dark Gray Mettallic w/ Blue Leather int
Sunroof (Needs new cable)
PW, PL, heated seats,AM/FM Cass

The car was bought new by dad and has spent its entire life garaged. First few years it literally was only driven Sundays, if it wasn't raining. The paint looks like new except for a parking lot ding in the rear driver's side door :mad:

My guess is a token $500 on trade and maybe around $1K privately, but someone, please surprise me.

Thanks

Peeter

robr2 · October 2009

Ooohhh - maybe Peugeot USA would want it. They're still in Jersey:

Peugeot Motors of America Inc.
Overlook at Great Notch
150 Clove Rd
Little Falls, New Jersey 07424
Tel : 001 973 812 44 44
Fax : 001 973 812 21 48
E-mail : customerservice@peugeotusa.net

And why would an 87 YO need anything more reliable than a 22 YO french car??

sebring95 · October 2009

The really good news is that she's looking for something more reliable. I'm guessing that pretty much includes every other vehicle in the U.S. :P

ateixeira · October 2009

Yeah seriously, tell her to look on the web site:

WeSellOnlyUsedLemons.com

She can have the pick of the litter!

Actually, though, I bet given the low miles and light use, that it probably served her well. It'll just be hard to find someone else who will appreciate it.

That's the sort of car you list on a Peugoet club web site, if there is such a thing.

volvomax · October 2009

I think $500 is a stretch lol

Put the thing on ebay or Craigslist.
Hopefully, there is another francophile out there somewhere.

volvomax · October 2009

I stepped up a bit and went to a real franchise type dealer

There is your problem, a pot lot's not gonna give you a decent trade in value.

qbrozen · October 2009

A pot lot? That means a private place, right? Yeah, that's what I'm figurin.

Well, I've got a couple of things cooking. A nice looking Sentra up in CT I could trade for.

And I've also gotten a phone estimate from a volvo dealer in PA who will buy it (I'm sure you know the place I'm talking about, vmax). At this point, I'll most likely head out to PA tomorrow. Its just about a 90-minute drive. Although I will have to drive 2 cars that far since my wife needs to follow me.

volvomax · October 2009

A pot lot is a non franchise dealer. They usually deal in lower end merchandise.

peetert · October 2009

Put the thing on ebay or Craigslist.
Hopefully, there is another francophile out there somewhere

That's the plan, just trying to set a decent price point. Not much out there to compare it to. I hate leaving money on the table, even when it's not my own.

I figure we'll probably buy her replacement first and then I'll work on selling it. I still have to get over there to take pictures, etc. Now to start researching small sedans.

woodyww · October 2009

There are 7 Peugeot 505 "completed listings" on ebay in the last few weeks. 2 sold, 1 for "parts" sold for $490, an '81 TD for $2600. Most of the ones that didn't sell had weird issues, or serious problems.

Yours sounds really nice.......so......There are also a ton of 505 parts on ebay. I'd be curious to know how much repairs & maintenence it has needed; it almost seems a shame to sell it, given the mileage, history, etc.

My amateur opinion is to "ask" $2000--$2500-ish, privately, if you have to sell.......someone might pay up for a really nice one, low miles, nice paint, etc.....just don't play too hard to get.....

jayrider · October 2009

Put it on ebay with a starting bid that covers your fees -- no reserve-- you might be surprised. There is a 67 403 pos that needs lots of stuff including a floor pan -- at $517 so far.

cdnpinhead · October 2009

Sounds like a BHPH place -- that'd be buy here pay here. They finance their own deals and they come complete with the knee breakers and repo people to back up their "business model."

oldfarmer50 · October 2009

"...Manheim, where the nice cars are..."

Funny you mention that. One of my former car sales contacts tells me that the Manheim auction here in upstate NY has a reputation as a "junk yard", as he put it.
The prevailing wisdoms says that only the marginal cars are run through here. He also says that some big time used car organization is buying up most of the inventory and sending it to its' lots all over New England. He thought it might be Auto Nation but he wasn't sure.

I have seen a lot of older inventory coming out of this Manheim location this week. A lot of early 2000s Impalas and other domestics. I even saw a mid 90s Ford F-150 with rusted out wheel wells on one carrier.

Gotta wonder where they're headed.

qbrozen · October 2009

I'll tell ya, it is real tough finding good used stuff right now. I've been searching and searching and coming up empty. Eh, a few things maybe, but very little. And, interestingly, almost nothing from private sellers. I think a possible testament to this is the fact that today's (Sunday's) big local paper has a whopping half page of cars for sale. Wasn't long ago it occupied at least 3 pages.

steine13 · October 2009

Same here, but as far as the local paper goes, I think the reason is largely price.

The cost of running an ad in the local paper -- circulation of 100,000 or so -- has almost tripled from a few years ago. It's now on the order of $50 or $60, so it's 90% dealers now.

For a while they had the "under $3,000" for $10 or so per week but then that went away... and craigs, being free, attracts all sort of trollers.

So yeah, that's what I'm finding, too... could use a winter beater to garage the '03 Sienna until spring, but no luck so far.

And stick shifts have just about become impossible to find, period.

Sigh. -Mathias

qbrozen · October 2009

yup. Craigs has become almost unbearable. Gotta sift through what seems like hundreds of garbage ads each day.

I just did a search on Ebay for all private sale sedans/hatches/wagons under $4k (mind you, that still shows cars where current bidding is under $4k and reserve not met) within 25 miles of my zip and with under 150k on the odo. Came up with just 51.

ECorneta · October 2009

Baby one the way, looking for a bigger car ...

I have a 2007 Mazda 3s, 39.5k mi., manual, sunroof, front side airbags. The dealer I went to offered $8,500. All the research I have done (TMV, KBB, black book. NADA) set the trade-in value, at lowest, around $9,200-$9,500. I understand that these might not be the most reliable but I am surprised at the big difference. Just looking for opinions. Thank you in advance for your response.

jayrider · October 2009

Tried to sell my 02 chrysler concorde ltd last year. 72k miles leather, roof etc-all maintenance records and a year left on chrysler warranty. Extra clean - no smoke/kids great tires etc.drove like a dream.Huge trunk - a grat around town driver. Tried for 2 months to get $5500 -- zero interest. Dropped to 5k -- zero interest. Took it to a chrysler dealer and got $4500 -- he sold it in 2 weeks -- listed for $7900 don't know what he got. Every car I've ever had was well maintained with records -- clean etc. I knew they were great used cars with many miles left and except for a 1990 Grand Prix[sold] -- had zero success in selling -- and I priced them just a few hundred over wholesale. People always say good used cars are hard to find. Mine are always in top shape and even at rock bottom prices get zero interest. Have a 03 jeep liberty ltd 26k miles, dealer serviced/ records/leather /roof/custom wheels/new tires/bilstein shocks/never off road. Very nice -- clean 4x4. Not for sale but would expect little interest if it was. If people are looking for great used cars -- they aren't in my neighborhood.

longislander1 · October 2009

The sources you mention give high trade-in prices that are really misleading, since dealers rely on auction prices and not these sites. I don't understand why the sites don't simply reflect auction prices. It could eliminate a lot of bad feelings when you go into the dealer, hear the auction price and automatically think you're being low-balled. (I'm not saying that low-balling doesn't happen; it certainly does.) When I went to trade my Mazda Tribute, the sites you mentioned above had trade-in prices as high as $11K. The dealer offered me $8K, which -- when I checked on this forum -- was much closer to reality. We eventually settled on $8,500. With the discount I got on the new car, that number worked out just fine. I'm sure someone on here will respond with an accurate number for your Mazda3.

The same sites also give misleadingly high prices for new cars (except maybe for truecar.com). You can usually get more off by negotiating with the dealer. When I recently shopped for a new Mazda3 for my niece, the internet prices I received from dealers were already lower than the sites had recommended. For example, while I think Edmund's in general is a great resource, it's TMV pricing on my niece's car was $545 higher than the dealer's first internet offer. Anyone naive enough to believe that this was a good price would have unnecessarily handed the dealer an extra $545 in pure profit.

You have to wonder whether the sites aren't pressured by advertisers to make the trade-in prices unrealistically high (to lure buyers into the showroom) and also make new car prices higher than necessary (to increase dealer profit). Think about it: if you accept the auction price on the trade and a site's recommended price on a new car, that's a very nice profit spread for the dealer.

ECorneta · October 2009

Thanks longislander, very insightful. I realize that the sources I used may overinflate pricing. In fact I didn't pay attention to the trade-in values for a "clean" car (e.g. Edmund's TMV had this value at approx. $11,500 for my car); I just used the trade-in values for "rough" condition expecting an offer somewhere in that neighborhood. I just didn't expect a $1,000 difference. I'm with you in that these resources should reflect more realistic pricing (aution/wholesale) so that people like me don't get set up for disappointment.

jayrider · October 2009

Trade in value sites are just guesstimates. The auction prices tell the best story but those aren't available. I've seen auction prices and they are interesting because they vary for similar cars. Example -- 07 widget xl awd. above avge-avg-below are different but I've seen prices for above avg for the same car differ by 2k because for whatever reason buyers bid up that car. There is a range that you can estimate but the bottom line is -- the value is what you finally get in trade -- period. If you have the time to get multiple bids you might improve your net but WHO KNOWS???

oldfarmer50 · October 2009

"...Could use a winter beater...stick shifts have just about become impossible to find..."

I just picked up a vehicle that solves both those problems. A 20 year old Chevy van with stick. Beater in the winter, farm hauler in the summer.

I wonder if Volvomax can give me a trade-in value?

oldfarmer50 · October 2009

"...they aren't in my neighborhood..."

Come over to my neighborhood. A nice car with those kind of records would sell.

explorerx4 · October 2009

the question is, did whomever sold it to you already ask?

andyfromjersey · October 2009

New York City Metro Area
2007 Audi A4 quattro, 2.0T 4 door tiptronic
w/ premium package, convenience package and about 25,000 miles
Black on Black w/ Aluminum Trim

How much would it be w/ maintenance records?
How much would it be w/ out maintenance records?

PLEASE HELP ME! I am planning to purchase a CPO Audi A4 w/ those specifications.. Most dealers are going for 23-26k.. How much could I haggle off the sticker price?

I would ideally like everything including taxes to be under 23k. Thanks for your help

qbrozen · October 2009

Pickings are ridiculously slim. Got a call from a dealer last night, though. She just got this in and I'm wondering what its worth.

'01 Jetta GLS. She says moonroof and power seats. 5-speed. 74k miles. Blue.

Problem is, my guess is it is the base 2.0 engine, which would be a dog. I'm going to try to get that info today. But let's assume 2.0.

Thanks.

stickguy · October 2009

I thought that all the GLS models at that point were the 2.0> That was pretty much their mainstream car for the "ladies" (the 2.0 AT combo). A german Camry LE.

qbrozen · October 2009

According to Edmunds, you could get a GLS with any of the 4 engine options (2.0, 1.8T, V6, or TDI).

Anyway, I just confirmed. Its a 2.0.

Back to the search. I did find something of some interest to me. A 2000 Focus LX with 90k miles. 5-speed. Red. Already has full Eibach suspension, catback exhaust, and 18" wheels. Looks tasteful, though. $3k asking.

budsbrother · October 2009

This is for a co-worker. She's looking to buy her Mom's 1999 Lexus RX 300 AWD, which Mom bought new. Location is northwest of Boston, mileage 120,000. Color is gold with tan leather with the moonroof. I'm told the condition is average and it's never had any accidents. Don't know about the tires, so assume average. She's looking for trade-in and private party so Mom and her can work out a family price. Thanks in advance.

ifontaine · October 2009

So, is there a source (internet or otherwise) that the general purchasing public can access that give regionalized auction info? If it's true that car valuation sites don't reflect true auction cost, then there has to be a resource somewhere that can be used for this purpose?

Anyone have an idea?

qbrozen · October 2009

They are out there, but not for free. You get what you pay for.

jayrider · October 2009

Auction prices are available to dealers who pay for the info. If you hook up with a new or used car dealer who is looking for a vehicle for you -- they might share what THEY would have to pay for a particular unit. You obviously wouldn't expect to pay that price -- there are auction fees-transportation costs - detailing- and profit. I'm not sure auction prices are all that relevant to shoppers anyway. The wholesale prices at various websites are probably good enough -- used car shopping is as much art as science. Being in the right place at the right time helps too. There are buyers who will find what you want for a fee. Edmunds profiled one[authority auto] for new cars and did find the deal better. They will work with you on used cars as well. Everyone is looking for an edge to get a better deal. Good luck.

sebring95 · October 2009

I don't know that I would call it a dog. They have a different power band than a japanese 4cyl so depending on your driving style it may feel fine. It's all relative. I recall classifying my daughters Celica GTS a dog simply because I'm not fond of rolling along at 5k rpm just to have any of those ponies available.

qbrozen · October 2009

In a typical compact car, I'm sure it would be fine. But the Jetta GLS weighs in at 2900 lbs. So I don't think 115hp is going to be very effective in that car. I'll check it out on Thursday when I'm picking up the wife's ride from service, but I don't have high hopes.

deltheking · October 2009

Quote - "Edmunds profiled one[authority auto] for new cars and did find the deal better. They will work with you on used cars as well. "

Well ,I just checked and they have a website in which they claim to get much better deals than the common man.They claim to be able to negotiate the lowest price for a service fee they charge.Is there a conflict of interest?Well they say no and explain it in detail.
They say that Edmunds has endorsed them and recommends them.Is it still vslid?I never see any ads for Authority autos on the Edmunds website. :confuse:
Here`s the Edmunds link:
link title

sebring95 · October 2009

Well they don't drive like a typical compact car either. I've got 200k miles seat time in an '00 Jetta TDI...which is the same car with just a slightly more efficient engine

I've driven a 2.0 Jetta years ago and don't recall thinking it was any less powerful than any other small econ-box. It was an automatic as well, but felt good on the highway which is where I spend 99% of my time and where IMHO most of the Japanese cars feel underpowered. I've got recent seat time in '09 Corolla and '07 Civic and they felt like you had to beg them to keep the speed up. And tracked like a early Caddy.

jayrider · October 2009

I don't know that they are endorsed by edmunds -- they just profiled a deal that showed a specific instance where the service was better. The website touts this deal. Could be an option for folks who don't want to do anything but pick a car and write a check. I've always did deals myself and my track record isn't that great -- always something I realize after the deal where I got zinged.

ateixeira · October 2009

In VW circles it was known as the 2.slow.

volvomax · October 2009

$.95 :P

jayrider · October 2009

My first new car was a 1968 142s. Grey with white vinyl inerior. Had $1500 and borrowed another grand -- financed for two years. Didn't want it but my uncle sold them got pushed into that one. Wanted the p1800 -- "kid you'll put your eye out" no go. Hated the car but my dad had a 66 122 and it had character. You knew you were driving something different -- handled great and funky looking. The 142 was trouble -- wouldn't start in the rain-all the interior knobs broke off -- no fun. I should have bought his 66 cheap and had more fun. Still think about the p1800 -- payments could have been stretched to 3 years and may have been lower. Bummer.

steine13 · October 2009

"I just picked up a vehicle that solves both those problems. A 20 year old Chevy van with stick. "

Really? We want pictures!
Well, I want pictures.

I had one, way way back in the day, and I loved it.

What year is yours, and what engine? I thought they stopped making them in the mid-80s, no?

Inquiring minds demand to know!

Cheers -Mathias

oldfarmer50 · October 2009

"...$.95..."

LOL I overpaid again.

Well, I'll haul 50 K in veggies to market in it over the next few years. I'll hardly miss a few hundred.

oldfarmer50 · October 2009

"...We want pictures..."

Sorry, I don't know how to do that.

Actually it's not really a Chevy it's a GMC (identical) 1988 Vandura 4.3L 6 with 4 speed overdrive. Has a clutch like a truck which is OK for me because I'm used to driving standard shift school buses and this is a lot like that.

The thing is as noisy as heck but it suits me fine for what I have to get done with it.

I've learned that there is a certain liberation when you drive an old vehicle. You don't sweat every little scratch and dent. If it runs a little funky that's OK. But mostly you are happy that it runs at all.

cdnpinhead · October 2009

Wanted the p1800. . .

Indeed. I ended up with a 145 in '72 because I had a sales job in Canada, but would have definitely preferred the p car.

OTOH, the 145 was $5K & served us reasonably well.

tkfitz · October 2009

2007 Hyundai Azera Limited
55000 miles
Loaded- leather, moonroof, infinity sound system, rear sunshade. Pretty much everything except Nav.
Light brown,tan interior
OK condition, not exceptional either in or out, definately used. Car needs complete recon interior and exterior to be nice. Tires and brakes too.
I looked at it and wondered why they would put it out for sale this way????
Located in New England- NH
Any idea what the trade/wholesale would be? They are asking $15000 as is.
I thought the salesman was joking at first.......

Real-World Trade-In Values

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles