I had my car FS for about 3 months in the FS forum, kept dropping the price. I got lots of contact, but never was able to make it happen. I had several offers at $26k, one at $26,400, and one at my asking price of $26,800 that never materialized due to time constraints for them to come see it.

Well, I thought I'd see what would happen if I traded it in. I have kids in daycare, no time to mess with my car, so I wanted to trade the scalpel in for an appliance that would have a lower payment. I found a car, talked them $2500 off, and everything was looking good.

Then the hammer dropped. They offered me $22,500 in trade. I have an SSS with 9000 miles on it, and they are thousands lower than KBB, which is obviously meaningless in this economy.

It ticks me off, but I pulled my FS ad and threw a bunch of extra cash at the wifemobile instead, and should have her car paid off late this summer.

I guess I am married to this car for awhile until I can pay it way down, or just keep it and get over it. Because I am not giving it away.

Anyone else look at trading in their car and have a dealership hit them this low or lower?

 

no dealership will give you KBB value..the only reason they buy cars for cheap is because they want to make money. I WOULD NEVER EVER trade in my car at a dealer cause they rip you off, i rather sell it for 4k less than give it to them and have them make money at my expense. Private seller/buyer ftw.

 

My wife is not fond of the X (although for some reason I think she likes to ride in it, she just hides it well). She wants to bring the car count down to 2 (instead of 3) and sometimes would suggest I get rid of the car. I would usually give it some thought, sometimes I'd lookup the KBB and read any threads that would pertain to trade-in value, carmax selloff, or private party... then I would reconsider and eventually I'd remind myself how much I wanted one ever since the Evo8 came out in the US. =) I'll keep this car for a VERY LONG time.

 

While this is true, there is a big factor that gets left off. If you trade for a car of near equal value, you only have to pay the tax difference. Tax on a $23000 car in my state is nearly $2000!

So trading in at $25,000 would actually give me move money than selling it at $26,500 (assuming I buy another car). Its pretty crazy.

 

yea they always offer you crap, once I had a car with KBB of 21500 and they offered 14k!

they say they go off auction average...

 

I'm in the same position. I need to sell my bmw at a very fair price which is better than any private sale one and a solid 4k under a dealer. Or do I take a 3k under private sale and trade at dealer.

 

also if you can take above standard tax deduction in deductions, trading has even better case as you can claim that

 

The dealer offered me 10k on a 2006 STI when I bought my X.

Now, granted it's a Subaru, so it's worthless and ****ty, but I was still mildly amused. The KBB on the car at the time was like... 18k? Something like that. Plus, you morons, I had already stated it was paid off.

Drink bleach and die, dealers. Trying to make a profit. My socialist roots frown upon that.

 

That made my day, man. I needed a little pick me up.

This dealer gets the double crappy, because they also have a freaking MITSU dealership. They have like infinity Ralliarts, but not one Evo on their lot right now. I know these lowballers could give me $26k and turn and sell it for $28k-$30k with their eyes closed. But instead, they want to make a $6000 profit on my car. Not likely, suckers!

 

Trade in on my car is 16k retail is 23 large. Nice n fat mark up i'd say

 

I hear you on this! We recently traded my Wife's 06 TSX towards her X. They gave us $14,900 for it while similar TSX's were selling for $17,000. The car needed tires bad so any private buyer would have wanted $800 knocked off plus any other bargaining power in this buyer's market. For the difference we would have made in a private sale it just wasn't worth it to us. Plus we got to deduct sales tax. I'm sure they'll make a profit on the car but that's what they're in business to do.

Trades don't always suck. They usually do- but sometimes they work out.

And for what it's worth they should give you atleast 26,000 and be sitting pretty.

 

You shoulda took the 22k... and made them give you an extra 4k off the new ride man.

 

I tried to trade in mine as well and they only offered me 33k~ I said screw it!

 

Yep! My 08 STI w/9200 miles $26,500 for a 2010 EVO X my tax saving of $1800.00. It's like selling my STI privt for $28,300!

 

I know what you mean Noize, I was selling my 09 RA with 6500 miles last November and a dealership offered me 14500 for my trade in. haha I told them to go Eff themselves, They also told me"we write the checks not KBB so if you don't like the price, why don't you sell it then??!!" HAHA can you believe this guy!