jcat_350

Hey all, this is the first time i've really ventured out of the 2GS forum but i figured i'd offer my services to the rest of the community.

having worked at a dealership in used cars as well as new cars, I know the game pretty well and how its played. A few members have asked me about various cars a couple times now and I'm welcoming the opportunity for any "what is my car worth" or "what should i pay for this car" requests. I'd prefer PM's because I know you guys would probably like to keep it quiet, but if you want to post it to here be my guest.

Minimum factors I'll need to give you an accurate appraisal:

Year/Make/Model
Mileage
your zipcode (regional adj. comes into play bigtime)
optional features that you know for a fact the car has.

other things you can include to get more detailed:

damage/repairs needed
condition (scratches, dirty, stains etc.)
mods added (usually doesn't have much bearing on price but always good to consider)
any other factors you think I should know about.

i realize there are tons of sites that give you blue book values and I'd be lying if i told you i didnt use those as part of my responses, however coming from the industry background I know how dealerships work, I know the prices they charge relative to how much they gave for a trade in, and I've become pretty well versed in negotiations.

That being said, have at it! I'll probably respond to PM's or posts pretty quickly as I'm almost always on here, but in case I get stacked up, don't worry, i will get to it.

good luck and cheers

IS350jet

http://WWW.KBB.COM

jcat_350

apparently you don't like to read. i already stated that I know there are plenty of sites that will give you the blue book value, but these numbers mean nothing to a dealership when negotiating a price.

if you dont need it, please keep the negativity to yourself. Some people who can't afford a brand new IS350 might actually need the help when deciding on a car.

SLegacy99

Hmmm....okay.

Subaru/Legacy GT Limited/1999
5 MT
103,000 miles
19380
Side door dings.
Sunroof, leather, gold wheels and emblems
Replaced clutch & timing belt
Repainted Rear bumper
JDM Fog and tailights.

jcat_350

assuming the car falls under the same category as most used cars (seems as though it does if all you listed was a few dings) I have an average trade in of around 4800 bucks.

that being said, not many dealers (new car dealers with used dept.) would be interested in reselling your car. They would probably give you about 1-2 grand for the car, wholesale it out for 3 grand or 3500, and that dealer would sell it for say 5000. This definitely would be a vehicle to sell outright on your own to avoid getting screwed by the dealer.. If going to sell the car, I would not accept less than 4500-5500, as you seem to have taken care of it pretty well, and with gas and such the way it is, the car is an attractive model, especially the northeast kind of area we are in with it's all wheel drive.

hope that covers any questions you may have had. any more, shoot me a pm or reply here. cheers

SLegacy99

Interesting. Sounds about right. Back in '05 my '96 Legacy GT was worth $4500 trade in. I sold it outright for $7k.

I figured that the 4 cylinder (and good sized 4 cylinder it is) would make it more valuable than say if gas were $2 a gallon.

jcat_350

absolutely correct. the automotive market is one of the most elastic markets around. economy goes down, so do car prices. Gas goes up, fuel efficient cars go through the roof. etc. etc.

however, I will say that even though it may take a lot longer than usual, there will ALWAYS be a buyer for every type of car. hence how you found someone willing to pay 7k for a car that was 'valued' (i use the term loosely for reasons i'm sure you can understand based on my post above) at only 4500.

thetopdog

How much do you think my car is worth?

2006 Chevrolet Corvette
43,000 miles
Sunset Orange
6 Speed Manual
3LT Package (Head Up Display, Heated Seats, almost every option except nav)
Glass Roof and Painted Roof
Polished Aluminum Wheels
Aftermarket Pioneer D3 Navigation
Zip: 02135

I have a tiny rock chip on the hood, a small chip on the driver side door, and a slight scratch on the passenger side door (it's so hard to keep a car pristine, regardless of how careful you are ). The interior is pretty clean, but there's some slight wear on the leather on the driver's seat

I'm not looking to sell any time soon, just wondering how much it might be worth, although I'm sure the number is depressing

jcat_350

magnetic ride control or no? that's a big option in those cars.

without the MRC, i have an average trade in of 34,600. With MRC, i have an average trade in of 35,500.

now, its easy to say the market for these cars has gone down with high gas prices, but I actually think the opposite. these cars are obviously not bought for fuel efficiency, and are only used on weekends predominantly. The vette is one of the more popular weekend cars and there will always be a buyer, especially in your color because it's so rare. You've taken very good care of it by the sound of things, but honestly for a vette, the mileage is a bit high for an 06.

my opinion, if you were going to trade it, the dealer is going to offer you a foolish number based on the small market segment for the vette, probably around 25-27k. This is so they can turn around and put it back on the lot for 38k and work their way back down and make their money. That being said, i would never take less than 30k for a trade in with this car. Selling it outright, I'd say hold off like you're planning, try to keep the mileage down, and in a few years when you're ready, dump it for 30-35k based on rarity and condition..

RXGS

iTrader: (2)

1991 blk on gray mercedes 560 sel with every possible option, only 15k on it with recent service and new tires in absolute mint condition. Comes with a;; service records as well as car cover, if that matters haha

jcat_350

holy hell man, only 15k? wow, thats a gem.

definitely look into an auction that specializes in collector benzes before anything else if you're going to sell it. you'll find more enthusiasts there that will appreciate the car more.

now, don't freak out and stop reading when you see this part. Clean trade in (and i would definitely consider this to be clean more than average) i'm getting around 5,700.

that being said, it IS a big engine, big car, and an old car, which not many people are looking for these days outside of collectors. If i remember correctly it's into classic status, but wont be an antique until 2011.

i personally wouldn't let the car go until 2011 when it becomes an antique, because then you will start to see the real enthusiasts come out of the woodwork for it. keep the mileage down as much as possible, hang on to it for a few more years, and then sell it.

if you were to trade it in today, i wouldnt let it go for a penny less than 7 thousand. The dealer will tell you about how old it is, how it's a big engine, uses a lot of gas etc. and probably offer you a grand or two at the most BUT, this is only so they can turn around and make a ton by selling it, highlighting guess what? the age, the low mileage, and the condition its in.

selling it outright today, i wouldn't take less than 9-10k. However, hold onto it a couple more years, once its an antique, and sell it to a collector for 15-20k.

good luck and cheers and props on having an excellent car, though im not sure how many on here would truly appreciate it (i myself have owned one mercedes, ML430, and my family has owned a few throughout the years, and they certainly don't make them like they used to anymore.

ssmoked

how about my car

2008 IS250 MT
5800 miles
Matador Red Mica
Clean inside and out
1 wheel curbed 1'
Legal tint (35-20%)--does that count??

thanks

jcat_350

nav? heated seats? sport package? these will help me be a bit more accurate.

ok, its still a bit too soon for the 08's to have good information about them, but i can infer it based on an 07.

if it does have all those options, i'm getting a clean trade in of 32,075 (1k more than an 07).

that's a pretty decent number, considering depreciation these days.

a dealer would again offer you a ridiculous number, probably in the neighborhood of 25k. I wouldn't trade it for any less than 29k.

selling it outright, i wouldn't take less than 33k. The car gets excellent mileage, obviously holds its value, and lexus is one of the brands to buy right now for their excellent reliability.

cheers

RXGS

iTrader: (2)

yea, i didn't expect the benz to get a lot in the real world market, you just need to find the right person. I am just glad it is a 560 and not a 350 or 420, and there is nothing like closing those doors, it is a great sound. And the miles, they have been sitting in the 15k range for the past 2 years haha

fatmike

2004 MB CL500
35k
02109

It's designo package, color mocha. Fully loaded (parktronic, distronic, heated/ventilated seats, keyless go, automatic trunk) Very clean, just some paint chips from rocks, serviced on time.