Trading in a car when "right side up?"

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

When my wife was shopping for hers, it was a few grand cheaper to order new from the dealer than to buy any of their used ones on the lot. That was in the spring of 2006 and she saved almost $4k ordering new over what their lowest miles one with same options cost on the lot. Probably not like that anymore, but it happens.

When the PT Cruiser came out the same thing was true. People would rather have it *right now* than wait in line to order one.

Same thing with the Beetle when it first came out

Same thing with the Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice when they first came out

Same thing with the Mazda Miata when it first came out

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

What's so hard about selling a car? Clean it up, write an ad, take a few pictures, save thousands. As Eric detailed, you are not coming out ahead trading it in except in convenience. Remember that the dealership is in it to make money, ultimately they are giving you less than your car is worth and selling you a new car for less than they have invested. They may fool you into thinking you are getting a good deal however......

Originally Posted by vash

dude..what do you know about selling and buying cars? wait..nevermind. i thought i was talking to someone else..where did that guy go?

Evidently, not much.

[kaisen]

That's funny Zeke

[epbrown]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

What's so hard about selling a car? Clean it up, write an ad, take a few pictures, save thousands.

You forgot the part where you deal with (supposedly) potential buyers. Selling cars is the worst, and selling sports cars is the worst of the worst.

[intakexhaust]

In the late 1980's I took in trade a 944 and a Cessna 172 for a 911. Also, often we would give buy figures for Porsche's to other dealers, like from a Ford, Chev dealer that a customer was perhaps negotiating / buying their product line. No biggie.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Quote de onewhippedpuppy

What's so hard about selling a car? Clean it up, write an ad, take a few pictures, save thousands. As Eric detailed, you are not coming out ahead trading it in except in convenience. Remember that the dealership is in it to make money, ultimately they are giving you less than your car is worth and selling you a new car for less than they have invested. They may fool you into thinking you are getting a good deal however......

Quote de vash

dude..what do you know about selling and buying cars? wait..nevermind. i thought i was talking to someone else..where did that guy go?

Evidently, not much.

Freudian slip, that's what many car buyers want to believe.

[tevake]

One way to have an easy time selling a car is to price it to sell. First decide what you think it should go for in the retail market. Then determine what a dealer will give you for trade in.
Then split the difference, probably quite a bit of difference. You will arrive at a price that should move the car quickly. And still yield quite a bit more than the trade in.
As to the tax picture, well Eric could well help you with a situation that deals well with the tax issues, And most likely help you into a nicer car than you would be able find locally.
Quite a few here at PP BBS have worked with him and shared the happy outcome with us on the forum. It may be worth looking into.

Good luck with finding the right new car, and deal.

Cheers Richard

[tevake]

Eric, Thanks for the post earlier explaining how your end of the business works,
Very clarifying and interesting. I've a friend here in the commercial Kayak tour business
Who bought his last van from the mainland and was not too happy with what turned up. I had been suggesting to him that he should give you a shout to help out.
I'll forward a link to your earlier post to him in the hope that next year He will touch in with you for help.

Cheers Richard