Trading In Tips - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

husker boxster · 06-30-2011, 02:44 PM

Calculate what a reasonable value is for the vehicle you're buying. Then look at the trade-in value of your vehicle. Figure out the difference and then focus on that number when you go to negotiate. A dealer can tell you they're giving you any amt for your trade but the important number is the difference. And don't let them talk to you in terms of the payment amt. You don't know how long you'll be making those low payments and at what interest rate. Save the payment talk for after you've negotiated the amt required to trade.

And I guarantee no matter what you have to trade, they'll tell you the mkt for that vehicle is crap. Of course people are beating their door down for the car you're interested in, so you better move quick.

Block off a big chunk of time to negotiate. It can be a war of attrition. Don't be afraid to stand up and take a step towards the door. They can't sell a car to someone who walks. And if you do walk and they call in a day and ask if you're ready to buy, ask them if they're now ready to accept your offer.

And if they won't deal, forget 'em. My dad said there's always another car around the corner. I've found this to be true about women, too.

Topless · 06-30-2011, 02:48 PM

Tip: If the real KBB trade in value is $5k and the car is really clean it will probably sell in 1 week pp for $6500 cash through Craigslist.

Quickurt · 06-30-2011, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Topless

Tip: If the real KBB trade in value is $5k and the car is really clean it will probably sell in 1 week pp for $6500 cash through Craigslist.

Bingo!!
$5k cash down beats a $5k trade value any day of the week, twice on weekends and three times the last weekend of the month!
See if that salesman can convince you your cash is in less demand than the car he's trying to sell you!

thstone · 06-30-2011, 04:29 PM

To answer your question directly, one rule of thumb is to recognize that the dealer is going to have to clean, repair, and advertise your car for re-sale and he needs to make a $1,000 profit on it when he's done. Thus, expect a dealer to charge $1,500-$3,000 on cars less than $15,000.

Paul · 06-30-2011, 07:40 PM

I never treat this situation as a trade in.

Negotiate buying the new car and selling your old car to them as separate conversations.

Start with the new car, once you have their bottom price then ask what they will pay for your old car.

Jager · 06-30-2011, 08:26 PM

I’m with Paul; you will do better if you buy the new car without a trade-in and negotiate the selling price without having to hear the salesman talk-down your current ride. I have been able to get (on average) 20% knocked off sticker price of new vehicles. It takes a little work but it’s easier to do without a trade-in. You will get more for your trade-in vehicle if you sell it on your own (with a little work); dealers have to make money on the vehicles they purchase, they can’t offer you what the car is worth.

Dale_K · 07-01-2011, 11:23 AM

If you have a Carmax in your vicinity you will probably get a better price for your car than at the new car dealership. It will still be a wholesale price but in my experience selling them several cars, it was always better than any other kind of dealer.

A Ford dealer offered me $7k for my 2000 S that I bought only 6 months ago for $12k. I decided to keep the Boxster. There isn't much of a market in my area for high mileage Boxsters.

mikefocke · 07-02-2011, 12:03 PM

I was flat out amazed how easy/fast it was to sell a priced right car via Craigslist. I live 50 miles from a population center and had doubts but in the 2 selling cases I tried a simple honest priced right 4 line no pictures ad. I had multiple people calling me within 2 hours begging me to hold the car till they could get here. Both were low mileage 10 year old cars needing nothing. Cost me 3 hours each to clean up, answer the phone, deal with the buyers and get the deal done.

Each brought ~$2k more than any dealer was offering and getting rid of them meant the deal on the new car was easy to see, compare and get priced right. The cost of the new car wasn't clouded by the trade-in which meant the new car dealer had to price in a straightforward manner and not throw figures around until it took a spreadsheet to figure out what they were paying and what I was paying.

The bottom line on selling my wife's car on Craigslist and buying a new car from an out of state low cost dealer was about $4500 in my pocket versus the best of 6 offers I had from dealers. Exact same car.