Quote:
Originally Posted by toro1966
This.
It is a zero-sum game to them. They may give you a great amount for your trade - but then don't expect to get the best deal on the car. Rarely will you get both.
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All you have to do is look at any of the car value appraisal books or web sites. All of them will tell you trade in value is $2k less or more than selling the car private party outright.
Now frankly even if it's a bit of a hassle to sell a car private party, if you just follow simple guidelines you will still get more money than you can at a dealer.
Your starting asking price should obviously be more than the bottom line you will take for your car, so there's negotiating room. Do a little research as to the realistic value of your car selling private party, and you start your asking price a few hundred to maybe a thousand dollars more. If your car is decent and you aren't asking an unrealistic price, you'll get close to what you're asking for it, even if it takes a few days or even a few weeks.
In the end you're still getting more than the top trade-in value.
Trade ins just seem like throwing money away.
When my stepdad bought a new 2012 Buick Regal he wanted me to help him put up his 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix GT for sale. The dealer offered him $3500 on trade. At the time the top end was $6200 private party for it's condition (it was mint and had about 60k miles). I cleaned it up real nice, glossed the tires, cleaned the engine cover and as much of the engine bay as I could, took pictures and put it up on craigslist for $6500.
The next day he got a call, they came down to look at it and drive it, and made him an offer of $6000. He countered with 6200 and they gave him the cash right there.
Now, he had always sold his cars the old fashioned way, putting it up on the corner with a sign in it. This time it never left the driveway. He was blown away at this whole interwebs thingy lol!
That's 2700 more than the dealer would have given him. And that cash went in his pocket.