Quote:
Originally Posted by Thanntos
Could I ask what you mean/how? I am planning on doing a trade in of my 03's RSX (great condition, 67k miles) and I'd REALLY like to know/get some tips on what you meant by this and how? Right now I am looking at a KBB value of 7500-8k on it. I still owe about 4k though.
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Check KBB to see what your vehicle is worth as a trade-in to a dealership then "honestly" assess the condition of the vehicle. Let's say it's worth $14,580 in "excellent" condition as a trade-in, go there with a printout of what KBB says based on the options the vehicle has and let them know you won't except any less then the KBB pricing. Be prepared to be told "ya right" and have them low-ball you about $1,000 - $2,500 below what KBB says you should get.
When I traded-in my 2007 Mercedes C230 w/30k in "excellent" condition (I had a professional body shop fix all the scratches and polish the entire car and had the interior detailed "$300 interior detail"). I then called the dealership ahead of time and pre-determined what I'd pay for the 2011 4Runner Limited ($2,000 below sticker) and told them I wouldn't accept any lower then $15,500 for my trade-in). When I got there they honored the pre-arranged price but tried to low-ball me $1,500 on my trade-in. I told them I was walking unless they came back with $15,500 and after about 15 mins of BSing with management I had new keys in hand and was smiling.
Of note, the dealership had it listed for $18,900 the next week so they made a little over $3,000 on it. I could have sold it private-party for $19,000 but Craigslist had over 15 Mercedes that were same year, similar features with more mileage for $2,000-4,000 cheaper then I would have tried to sell it so trading it in was just easier for me.
HTH