Maxima SE pricing... please help so I don't get ripped off!
 

Hi,

I'm from Canada and looking at a private seller's Maxima. Here's the details:

1996 Maxima SE
Black on black leather
5-spd
FULLY LOADED - dual heated leather seats, power everything+sunroof, etc.
Car was bought and driven in Vancouver, British Columbia and just brought into Ontario on a flatbed. I think that the car is in immaculate condition. BC does have better Winters than Ontario so rust is probably non-existant.
Mileage is 128,000 kms and mostly all highway. It has only been driven about 20,000kms in the last 2 years.

He is asking for $15,000 CDN. I would only be paying 8% tax on that since it is a private sale. If I bought through a dealer it would be 15% tax. Now when its all said and done it would be just over $16,000 CDN for that car. The current exchange rate is US$1 = CAD$1.53 or so. So, is that car worth that much? I know car pricing is different in the US vs. Canada... are there any Canadians that can shed some light on this? How about the US guys... what do you think?

What should my initial offer to him be and what should my max. offer be? What is a fair price that I should aim to close the deal at?

Thanks for helping. I just don't want to get ripped off.

$16,000 CND (assuming the 53% rate you mentioned) equates to about $10,500 USD.

Not a bad sounding deal.

Re: Maxima SE pricing... please help so I don't get ripped off!
 

Do the basic checks on it just ebcasue it has passed the 100km mark, things like clutch, spark plugs, tranny fluid that stuff becasue if not you're going to have to shell out some cash for that and who knows how it will run you then. If all is in good order knock off 500-1000 see what eh says, even tell him that you think it should be lower because you have to spend like 500 on maintenance items. But it is a good price. I liive in Canada so I know what you mean by the winters. I picked my Max last year for $18,000 +tax (f'in dealer) had 100k on it but everything was perfect, I've already put on like 30,000km without an incident (knock on wood) But hopeully you'll get it, GOOD LUCK! And hey if eh does lower the price you can spen soem on mods. Oh yeah my friend picked up a max last year 96 for 17,500 tax in with 85,000km SE Auto So the price you ahev is pretty good.

I think you might be able to get it for a little less.

A year ago, I bought a (pearl white w/dark grey leather) 95SE 5speed with all the "toys" - 130,000km with some minor scratches on the corners of the front & rear bumpers - in Toronto for $12,000CDN.

I know that cars are usually a little more expensive in the "lower mainland", but 25%???

As for salt/rust. We may have salt on the roads here in Ontario during the winter, but you have salt in the air all year long...

I think that's expensive. Here in the US, my car books at like $12k for private sale and it's a 98SE with 65000 miles ... That car has high miles and is 2 years older and I personally wouldn't pay more than $8,000 for it.

I've had my car since Aug '97 and there's no rust on it because we hardly use any salt on the roads in Vancouver. Salt in the air? :p

...from the ocean - that big puddle to the west.

Umm Big Ham he had 12800km not miles on it, so if you look at the average amount of miles per years your average would be higher bringing down the value, also up here in Canada cars are more expensive. Actually a lot of people from the states made a killing exporting cars from Canada to the States becasue of the dollar value, but I think all car companies have stated now that warranties from Canada will not be valid in the States. Anyways just bring the guy down in price a bit and grab it!

65000 miles = 104607KM
128000km = 79535 miles

If you wanna talk about Miles/year, it would probably work out in my favor. For example, I'd rather have a 98 with 79535 miles on it then a 96 with 50000 miles on it. The 96 was driven in stop and go traffic more than the 98. You want a car with highway miles if possible. Years take just as much off the price of a car as the miles unless you're talking about a collectible car of course. This example does not account for EXTREME cases (old lady's 95 maxima with 30,000 miles and oil changed every 3 months whether it needed it or not), but as a majority rule, cars with similar mileage and differing years should be going for WAY different money, especially when you are talking about 2 years. So, in silly US non-metric terms, we're talking about a 1996 Maxima SE fully loaded 5 speed with ~80,000 miles on it. $8,000 may be a low ball figure, but something to start at. DO NOT pay more than $10,000 for a 6 year old car on the downside of the 100,000 mile hill.

KBB.com - LOADED 96 Maxima minus the auto tranny using a buffalo ZIP to be as close to fair as possible.
http://www.maximafreak.com/car.gif

I agree but once again it's all about the US dollar being stronger that's the whole thing. $15,000 in Canada is $9,769.44 USD. That's why american exporters/importers where picking up canadian cars and selling them in the states cause they can make a killing, just like with everything because of the strong dollar you guys have you save a bunch, and because of the free trade agreement anything made in canada or in the states selling in either contry doesn't have to have duty fees paid when bringing across the border. Man I remember when the dollar was stronger in Canada and the big problem was canadian cross border shopping, eve just for groceries cause you save a ton. But since our dollar is crap it now benefits U.S Residents. Hope this makes sense.

Then I would get him to $15,000 w/tax as the absolute maximum. As you can see, the car I rung up on kbb I rated in "Excellent" condition, which basically means flawless. Sans tax, you should be paying $13,000 - $14,000 for this mythical "flawless car". I would low ball him at $12,000 and see what he says. He'll say no (especially if his car is, in fact, in excellent shape), readjust as you see fit, but I wouldn't pay more than $14,000. $14,000 will put you right at the kbb price for the car in US$, and at about $15,120 (US$9882) total purchase price with tax. KBB is my bible when buying used. Remember, it's not all about what you think it's worth, it about what your insurance company says its worth. The reason to buy used is so you're not upside down on your car loan from day 1 ... if you wanted to be upside down, you'd buy a new car ... :D

Exactly