I was just messing around last night and went to a couple of car dealerships to see about possibly trading in the Max. I went to a Mini dealer and they offered me $14,000 for my Max on trade in. They told me upfront that they would not be able to give me what I want for it, but I at least expected around 17k. I have an 03 GLE fully loaded (everything except Nav) with 34k miles. That is less than half of what I paid only two years ago. I then went to a Honda dealer and they offered me 15,900 on trade in, I almost cried. I owe around 20k for this car. I just wanted to vent. I'm sure most of you know the resale value for Maximas is terrible.

 

If you want to get rid of a car after 2 years, don't buy it just lease. This is one way where the dealer profits comes from.

 

the max's depreciate kinda of quickly the first two years (But so do all cars).
It levels out after that. Look on AutoTrader.com. Some 2000 Maxs are going for $15k+ still. If they are offering you $14-16k, the I would think you could easily get $18-20k if you sold it yourself. Kbb.com value is about $21k.

 

A dealer will always screw ya on a trade-in

 

trade in is different then street value. sell it privately youll get a lot more. look up the blue book value for retail

 

According to NADA...

Trade-In: **$17,650.00**
Retail: $20,735.00

If your Max really is 03' loaded except NAV, then they are in fact low-ballin' ya. However, you're definately getting dinged for your mileage on a 03.

I use to sell cars, and I can tell what people are saying is true. Your hard-pressed to find a vehicle that doesn't take a huge hit the first few years.

Best advice is to keep the car until it's at least paid off, or if you've gotta sale, sale to individual thru auto-trader.

Hell, the long-term durability and reliability is what brought me to my Max...

My .02

 

Sell It Yourself!!! Dealers Fu@k You On Trade In's!

 

What do you expect? Do you really think any dealer is going to offer you a GOOD price for your car off the bat? Of course not! That's the price they're starting from. And anyway, what matters is the bottom line after the trade-in and purchase of the new car. You have to have that number in mind when you go in and work around that. NOT the trade-in value. When I purchased my Max last year, I had the bottom line of what I was going to write on the check when I went in, not trade in value or the purchase price of the car. Bottom line, the negotiation took 5 minutes and the deal was done. On paper, I got $3,000 for a '95 altima 5sp GXE that had been in at least 4 accidents and was a five-tone car with 120,000 miles on it but it ran good. Would anyone on the street pay that for my car? I seriously doubt it. I told him to make the value of the trade and the price of the new car whatever it had to be to get to my BOTTOM LINE number. That's all that matters.

What a dealer tells you your trade in is worth, at the start, means NOTHING!

 

dont go to the dealers, why pay them 4 grand to resale your car when you can do it yourself?
just find someone to take over your payments,
the actual value of your car is not 14G
they offer you that price at the dealers, so that the dealers can make profit off of selling your car.
pretty much your paying them to resell your car, why would you pay them when you can do it yourself?

 

sell it private party, believe it or not more people would rather avoid the dealership scams, and taxes and just pay you what the car is worth, that car could def get 20k from a private sale.

 

Frist of all your trying to trade in a car that's less than 2 years old ..... you will get creamed on this kind of transaction no matter what brand of car it is particularly if it is a different brand that what you will be purchasing.

If you are going to keep a car for 3 years or less it always pays to lease it.

This is kind of a stupid question but why don't you just keep it?

Mr. P

 

i just got an offer from a Subaru dealer for 17K for a 2k2 6 speed with everything but leather and NAVI with 35K on it.... that was after i yelled at them.

Just yell at them and tell them they're nuts and you would never sell you car for that.

they offered 11 for it first, i laughed and called him a moron. after i told him that i wouldnt even sell it for 17, he said ok 17K out the door.....

eh

-IgS

 

Well said its not only the Max, my Dumb wife wants to get out of her 350 and the Acura dealer offered her 19,000. Then she came to reality!

 

and they brought out the '04's early...I believe that helped increase the depreciation on the '03s

 

Screw Dealers, Buy Direct @ Auctions, Sell it yourself. Honda civic ex coupe 2001 ,45K miles, pm if interested, 2k2 max se 20K miles pm if interested, see , be a walking add for your car ..SPAM If you have too...

 

i take it you're not registering the cars you buy at auctions... but HEY WAIT! this isn't a for sale thread!

 

I cannot lease a car because I average about 20k miles per year. I do not really want to get rid of the car, I just want a lower payment. I am still in school and have to drive 40 miles per day and want something cheaper and more econimical on gas. I also just had a house built, so money is tight right now.