[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by epbrown

Exactly. In a deal like this, I'd save all of the sales tax (9.75% in Cook County) in addition to the cash I'd get back. To me, trading is typically a best-case scenario as you can typically get a nicer price on the trade if they're trying to move the car you're buying; one of the chief benefits of Carfax is it tells you how long they've been trying to unload a car. Unfortunately it's the end of roadster season and any dealer buying now would worry how long the car would be sitting on their lot.

The worst case scenario would be selling it privately - man, do I hate the hassle that comes with that.

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......