Have dealers been fair with Trade-in Value?
 

I'll admit I didn't search for this topic already because I'm too excited knowing my car is ON ITS WAY! Should be here today/tomorrow! (Hoping tomorrow as it would work better for me...)

ANYWAY! I'm going to be trading in my current car and was wondering if any other BRZ buyers have had decent experiences on the value given for their trade in? I have a 2011 that is in good shape and I'm hoping that Kelly Blue Book is correct in the value I should expect... So, can anyone confirm/deny that dealers have been fair with trade in value? I'm scared that I'm going to get a crap offer and have to walk away after all this time of waiting! :cry:

I'm in the same boat as you, I have a 2011 Legacy with almost 34K miles on it. KBB is around $16,400 and the Subaru dealer I went to gave me a trade in value of $16,000 before any negotiating. However I went to Mazda and they offered $15,000... Are you trading in another Subaru, or a different make?

As a safeguard, I would go by a Carmax or similar and get a quote. If the dealer gives you a worse offer you can go sell it to carmax.

You'll find that most dealerships evaluate trade-in value based on a combination of NADA black book values and Manheim auction records. KBB can be spotty.. sometimes accurate, but sometimes too high.

Remember that trade values can be negotiable as well. Competition is your best leverage, so as stated above.. try other dealerships to get a "buy price". Carmax is usually pretty solid.

Every trade in situation is unique, so asking what other people here have seen will most likely not be a good indication of what you should expect.

I got GTP value (guaranteed trade-in program from Subaru - you can get a value of their web-site) for my 2010 SE STI and was VERY happy. Given that in NJ you pay tax only on the price difference between trade-in and new car - we saved another $1900. There was NO way I could have sold it privately for "trade-in+$1900".

Good point.. If you have a late model used Subaru of which you are the original owner, you will get the GTP value if you trade it in at a Subaru dealership.. The GTP values are usually pretty good.

Yes, it really depends on a number of factors, some of them being regional. I recently traded in a 6.5 year old used Mazda 3 and I was able to get the full KBB value with some negotiating, but those cars tend to sell well used and get good gas mileage which is something used car dealers want on their lots.

Used cars that are in demand, you should be able to get KBB value on your trade-in. What make and model do you have?

I got 18650 for a 2010 speed3 with 33k miles, nearly bald tires, and a door ding - so I think I've been doing alright with trade-in :)

2011 CR-Z KBB is about $16.5k to $17k. Dealer offered my $15.5K. It sucks but I've been watching the local market and I know how hard it is going to be to sell around here. It's to new to sell as used. People figure why not just get a new one.

I'm going ahead with the trade in. I'll save about $1000 on taxes and not have the hassel of trying to sell it myself.

I've been trying to get my dealer to raise the trade in value before my BRZ comes in tuesday. Manheim doesn't always help for cars that are rare... We've come to an agreement that come monday I'm printing trade in values from KBB, NADA, and Edmunds. They are going to pull Manheim auctions (my model trim car hasn't been auctioned within the last year, so they've been telling me a trim lower than mine) and analyze from that point. It sucks for me because Saab only made 621 of my car. So I'm trying to argue up about $3,500 in value on trade...

It's a shame for people who drive a lot, because according to their website if you have a 2011 model car it can't have more than 15K miles, otherwise the GTP is not applicable, and I have 34K... :(

You drive a lot of miles :)

Your dealer seems to be giving you a very fair price considering the miles.

I just managed to get in myself. For 2010 they offer 30000 miles. I had 28600 at the moment of trade-in.

Keep in mind at Mazda they could have been discounting the Mazda more to show you more money on your trade... Often times a dealer will do this to make it look as though they're giving you a good trade-in value, when in reality they're just taking money off the top of their own car. This won't be the case with the BRZ because no one is discounting them, so the trade-ins may not look as good as if you go to say, Mazda with an MX-5 or Hyundai with a Genesis coupe.

A Saab? Yikes I would think most people would want to stay as far away from that as possible given it's now a completly defunct company.

I've got a 2011 Kia Forte SX with tech package (Basically Fully Loaded)

Yeah, my father-in-law has a 2008 9-3 and he is not even sure he can get parts anymore. He is also looking to sell it, but is going to get fleeced so he may just keep it until something happens with Saab. It is actually a nice car, and he has owned nothing but Saab's for the last 30 years...

selling a used saab and expecting a good trade in value is a bit of a reach don't you think?

In theory it's a Chevy Trailblazer SS, it's a 9-7x Aero (with the 6. litre LS2 V-8)

My dealer also sells collector cars on the side, so that's in my favor, but pricing it similar to a Trailblazer SS, its still under GM factor warrantee so we'll see!

My advice to you: Sell the Saab privately or run it into the ground. You can still get parts for them, you just can't get them from a dealer anymore (why would you want to in the first place?) When the Saab dealers closed up shop, I'm sure they sold off their parts inventory to wholesalers. There must be places out there selling these parts off. There's still plenty of aftermarket support, too.

That definitely helps you since it is basically using GM parts.

It is tricky. As you said, you can get parts as long as they were stocked and were in current inventory. All other parts are being held as part of the bankruptcy and cannot be acquired. My father-in-law has contacted several of his local trusted Saab mechanics concerning this and, truth be told, depending on what might fail on the car and what part he might need, the car could become a door stop. It is not a good situation at all, and it really devalued the hell out of what is a pretty good car. His biggest concern is going on a road trip and getting stuck in the middle of nowhere with the car. So now he only drives it local.

Hmm, I don't know think I'll have time but I was just told by the dealer (Subaru Dealer) that they're needing to fill their monthly quota. Thus they asked if I could complete the sale by today. I'm hoping this will play to my advantage!

$19500 with for my 08 G8 with accident in the car fax, 31k miles, and 2 nice half dollar sized dents in the quarter panel. Its a fair deal considering.

We drove my friend's 2000 9-3 for 6 hours to CT and back and on the way back, the shock tower rusted out, releasing the shock from the mount. It bounced around the wheel well for 2 hours on the way home. Sh*t was hilarious! Then later that year, the brake caliper... fell off on the highway! He had to use his handbrake to get home. ohhh, that Saab...

It was the opposite actually, Subaru was giving me $16,000 on my trade and $500 over invoice on a WRX with 2.9% financing, and Mazda was giving me only $15,000 for my trade for a MazdaSpeed3 at MSRP with 5.9% financing :paddle:

Sounds like a tactic to get you to agree on a deal you are not 100% on, be cautious.

Have you guys looked at the conditions within the GTP?

They seem rather extensive and rule out almost any car that isn't in absolutely perfect condition. Like the bottom says if your paint isn't perfect, you don't qualify for the GTP. Another says if you have ONE mismatched tire, you don't qualify for the GTP.




I have hood damage from some asshole hitting it (more like pounding it with his fist) in a college parking lot as well as minor fender scratches from people that don't know how to park. Guess I'm screwed.

I haven't had a single issue with mine yet (85,xxx miles) but then again its 98% GM parts

You say that like it's a good thing...

Ahhh.. Using the handbrake to get home.. Been there and done that...

Almost had to change my pants a few times..

:confused0068:

Dealers will never give you what you want,

in terms of fair, you need to understand that they have to re-sell the car after as well..

So they kind of low-ball you.

Personally it's better if you can to sell it privately, or as someone said, drive it till it's gone.

Afterall cars are always depreciating, except for vintage ones :)

MSRP on a Speed3? Wow. I had two local dealers offer me $500 under invoice recently. And full KBB trade-in for my 6 year old Mazda 3. I came very close to doing the deal, but the Speed3 just was not for me.

lol better than just Saab! :iono:

I've gotten fair trade in prices from dealers. The most important thing is to do you're own research so you know what your car is worth in your area (not just KBB), and know what your bottom line price is before you start negotiating. Then be ready to walk away without getting offended if they don't meet your price.

It's just a game, and people take it way to personally. Also people tend think their cars are worth more then they really are when you consider dealers need to make a profit.

That is not to say that many dealers aren't going to try and lowball you.

I didn't negotiate at all, I was just laughing inside if they thought I was going to pay $550/mo. for a Speed3. I just wanted to test drive it :burnrubber:

Sitting in the dealer.... Got what I calculated I'd Need to get for my car and hit it spot on!!! I have a DGM BRZ here in a few minutes!

Beyond jealous right now!!!

i got a independent trade in value by carmax.

guys at irvine subaru offer me the same thing carmax did without hassle.