[saturno_v]

So I sat down with the salesperson last night, he did pursue me very aggressively during the last two weeks to make an offer.


A white fully loaded automatic ZL1 stickering for 69K and change, they were asking off the bat 63.9 on their web page.

I showed them some dealers around the country offering similarly optioned ZL1 (more or less) as little as 56-57K.


So I offered 60K (+ sales taxes) for their ZL1 or 60.6 for a blue one on the east coast with the same options plus the Carbon Fiber instrument panel trim, transportation on me.



I asked 22K, less than the average dealer trade in transaction price on KBB for my ride, a loaded to the hilt 2014 Infiniti Q50 Sport AWD (MSRP almost 56K when new) with only 37700 miles, one owner (me), car never saw kids in the back, etc......very very good condition, new tires and brakes.


The manager did not protest the offer for the ZL1 but he came back with only 18K for my car.


Only 30% of the original sticker for a 37K miles car, optioned to the hilt (from 360 degrees cameras to Active Cruse control, AWD, sport seats, premium sound, etc, etc...).
As far as I'm concerned, I'm going to keep it until the wheels fall off, this was a very good wake up call, if I needed one once more, a sobering reminder of the folly of the "new car every few years" mania......it is literally money down the toilet.


I cannot even imagine the money I would lose on a CTS-V, the other car I was interested in beside the ZL1, few years from now


Happy Thanksgiving!!!

[Bluecyclone]

I agree, as when I traded-up to a GT mustang my 14 Cyclone was seriously depreciated.
I had $8,000 tacked on to my $30,000 sale price for the 16 GT. I'll drive this to my own death bed.

[Smokin19]

When you are trading cars, it is always about the difference. Most times when trading you are going against list (not always). If they reduce their price, you obviously get less for yours. If they give more for your car, then less off on their car.

I would suggest the latter, getting more for your trade against their list price. This would give you some break on the tax for the difference. If you really want the car, don't give up yet.

[Deakins]

I don't care what mental gymnastics you do, the OP is correct in his statement that it's a massive amount of money thrown away. I don't fault the dealer for trying to make money on both ends, but I feel that a great many people in America get caught up in the latest and greatest craze...and that leaves them with depleted bank accounts and minimal wealth accumulation. From iPhones to Cars, some people gotta have the latest at all costs.

[raptor5244]

I looked up what your Infiniti is selling for at the auction and it looks like $19,500 is a good wholesale number so there is a little room with your trade. The problem is that all of those options don’t really get you much back on resale, especially tech options since they change so fast. Your car is a 2014, which is now 5 years old in the market. It’s sucks but it is just the way it is. Infinitis also don’t hold their value as well as say Lexus. For example, an IS350 in a similar msrp price range would probably be worth 5k more.

The smart financial move is to drive your existing car into the ground but you know sooner or later the bug will bite again. The good news is that the buik of the depreciation on your existing car has already taken place. It will still drop in value but at a much slower pace.

[harner]

I traded in an '11 CTS-V that was modified for my new ZL1 a few months ago. To my surprise, I was offered more than any other dealer by a couple thousand. It was right about what a stock V was going for with those miles on KBB.

Then I haggled on the ZL1 pricing a bit and ended up paying about 64k out there door. I'm totally satisfied with the transaction and didn't lose my ass on the V. The only thing I'm not excited about is that my insurance went up $1200/yr.

If you are serious about getting a car, find the right dealer. I cannot stress that enough. Build a relationship with that dealer and they will work for you...not with you.

[SSDan]

I try to keep it simple on my side of the equation when trading in a vehicle. I establish how much I will pay on top of giving them my car. That is the number I fouus on. I don't care how the salesperson gets to my number. They can manipulate the new vehicle sales price or the trade in number up or down as they see fit as long as they hit my number.

For instance on your original offer it looked like you were willing to give them your Infiniti and 38K for the ZL1. The salesperson countered with "I'll take you car but I need an additional 42K in cash to sell you the ZL1". So now you are 4K apart to make this deal. You can either walk away or decide if you want to make a counter offer over that 4K difference. That is the heart of the matter. For me the rest of the back and forth about how much the trade-in is worth is just noise that clouds the issue in favor of the dealership.

The successful car salesperson is a master at mind games and emotional manipulation. The more they get you to thinking about the better. I suggest you focus on that 4K difference and decide how much you want or need a new ZL1.


I personally hate the whole car buying game. In fact the last three cars I bought I did all the preliminary work through email with the internet sales team. When I got to the dealership I did not tolerate the 2-3 hour haggle of back and forth and the "let me check with my manager B.S". I walked in to a finalized deal contingent on one final test drive of the new vehicle to make sure it met my expectations and if then to sign the paperwork and hand them a check.

Good luck! I hope you find a solution that gives you peace and satisfaction.

[tecboy]

If i have a car to trade when purchasing new...i always tell them i want the price they are will to give me on my trade in...even before i tell them what car i am looking at...its a fight sometimes as they say.."we dont do it that way"...there is so much info on new car pricing/etc...the big unknown is how much your trade in is worth....too subjective...

[raptor5244]

Originally Posted by tecboy

If i have a car to trade when purchasing new...i always tell them i want the price they are will to give me on my trade in...even before i tell them what car i am looking at...its a fight sometimes as they say.."we dont do it that way"...there is so much info on new car pricing/etc...the big unknown is how much your trade in is worth....too subjective...

Yeah, A lot of folks don't realize that the dealer often times makes more money on your trade-in then they do the new car. They know you are there, excited about the new car and you are vulnerable so they try to take advantage. Another game they play is that in a lot of states you can save a lot on sales tax as you only pay tax on the balance after trade-in so what they do is low ball your trade and try to show how much value your trade is worth when you include the sales tax savings on the new car. "Yeah, we are giving you only $20,000 on your trade but if you figure in the 6% sales tax savings on the new car we are really giving you $21,200 for you trade-in?

You can't get too emotional with this stuff. It is not personal, it is just business and dealers are good at it since they do this day in and day out. Typically, the only time a car deal is really considered good or fair is when neither the customer or the dealer is particularly happy with it. :-)

[s.hammer]

You're only 4k off with your first trip to the dealer, that's a lot closer than you think, don't give up yet, they will be calling you.

[Rodan]

Originally Posted by SSDan

I try to keep it simple on my side of the equation when trading in a vehicle. I establish how much I will pay on top of giving them my car. That is the number I fouus on. I don't care how the salesperson gets to my number. They can manipulate the new vehicle sales price or the trade in number up or down as they see fit as long as they hit my number.

This is usually how I approach it if I'm trading a car.

What irritates me is dealers that want to talk book values, but want over "retail" for what they're selling and then lowball way under "trade-in" value on your trade....

We traded a '17 Mustang GT PP (bought low mile used) on our '18 ZL1 (also low mile used). We were further apart than the OP when we started, but got to my number. I did have to grind on them for a while, and it cost me a bit to trade so soon, but I didn't want to pass up the opportunity on a 2700 mile ZL1...

[sengli]

I am always amazed how little the cars I have traded are really worth. I baby them, keep them as perfect as I can, and in the end they are worthless pieces of crap to the dealer.

[raptor5244]

Originally Posted by sengli

I am always amazed how little the cars I have traded are really worth. I baby them, keep them as perfect as I can, and in the end they are worthless pieces of crap to the dealer.

True, they are just pieces of plastic and metal to a dealer.

[saturno_v]

I definitely do not get emotional and I'm ready to walk away.


In my previous purchases, I never lost so much money on my trade (I always got the average KBB figure) so I do not see a reason to start now....


19K maybe is the selling price of a bare bone 2014 Q50 for 50K miles or more, definitely not a low mileage Q50 Sport AWD loaded with every imaginable gizmo....even if my car is a 2014 it was so advanced in electronics back then that there are many luxury cars currently on the market that still do not offer all the options I have...my car was the first with the "Super cruise" capability meaning it can literally steer by itself as long as the curve is not too sharp.....you can drive for miles in some stretches of freeways without touching the steering wheel.


In my neck of the woods, a similar vintage and similarly optioned Q50 has a asking price of 26-28K.


I think dealers are still simply too fat and happy on the good times (car sales have been on a tear for years) but things are changing fast, sales are slowing down significantly, interest rates keep going up and the stock market is in a bit of a tailspin......both Cadillac and Chevrolet dealers got my number and know my figures...let's see if in December or January, in the middle of the winter with hard to sell powerful RWD models such as the ZL1 or the CTS-V, they are ready to change their tune....ain't changing mine...


Do not gorge too much on the turkey folks!!