soloist3

Looking at replacing the I30 which I just sold to a friend that really needed a car really badly. Of course, I really miss my I30, but I had always been holding out for a grey/brown 2000-01 I30, love that color and body style. Well, I have been looking and managed to find one in great shape, actually I have found a few in great shape, some with lower miles than others, but most between 115-135k. The question I have is, while I sell cars using blue book value, and usually struggle to do so despite my vehicles being in outstanding condition, these sellers are asking 4000-5000 for these cars despite blue book being closer to 2700-3000. I guess I just don't get it, now it's one thing to pay a few hundred over book for something exceptionally clean, but it's entirely another thing to go a grand or more over blue book value. Is there a current market trend for I30's that actually supports these consistent $1k over top book value prices? I know kbb is geared towards buyers and NADA toward dealers, so of course sellers love to use dealer retail values and NADA values instead of private party values, but I figure the truth is often times in between the two books (on something very clean), which puts these cars in the 3300-3500 price range.

In retrospect I suppose I should have sold my I30 for more, though I didn't lose any money and it helped out a long time friend, but yeah, let me know what kind of values are reasonable for the above mentioned type of I30, perhaps KBB and Edmunds are just out of touch with the market, some how I doubt that as these aren't Supra's or IS300's with the special 2JZ motor that drives the prices up 10 times their value, they are just your average I30, which admittedly are great cars but hardly rare or unique/collectible.

The Wizard

iTrader: (43)

the car is worth what someone will pay for it. KBB isn't too far off, so your thinking is correct.

Those asking top top dollar are smoking crack, and just waiting for a sucker to come along as they're in no hurry to sell the car.

Mattx

iTrader: (2)

Always start by cutting the high number in half or there about and work from there.

Derrick2k2SE

iTrader: (3)

Asking is asking. I sold cars at dealerships for years. There's no real formula. You start high because you can always drop the price but you can't raise it. Once in a while a person will come along and pay the asking price with no negotiation at all.

Remember, Their asking price has NOTHING to do with the true value of the car. If the car is worth $2,500 it's worth $2,500. It doesn't matter if they ask $10,000. Offer the lowest you think the car is worth and work from there. You can always raise your offer. Some people will ask a high price expecting people to offer some % of the asking price as a way to determine value.

That being said, I've always felt that Maximas booked to a very low value in relation to their quality, performance and perceived value. We used to buy them very cheap at auction or trade in. I always got excited when we had one because, if I could get someone behind the wheel, I'd make a very nice profit.

foodmanry

iTrader: (15)

It all comes down to how badly you want that car. Whenever you go into a purchase at any level (even a home) be prepared to walk away. Many times people get too emotionally caught up in their larger purchases to balk and then walk.

The seller says, "Thanks sucker!" While you weep later on at the inflated price you paid.

sanford7575

Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. A car is what it's worth to you. I buy all of my Nissans used on ebay, that's the only way that I get anywhere close to the KBB private party value. Any local place or used car dealership will mark up to kbb dealer retail price which is usually well above what the car is worth. I've had to walk away from many a used car dealer who wanted way too much for a 10-15 year old vehicle. It's the nature of the beast, as used car dealers really try to squeeze unsuspecting consumers who don't know any better. My advice is to check ebay, and be willing to travel a couple hundred miles; you'll find a car at the price you want to pay eventually.

soloist3

Good advice here. Yeah, I NEVER buy from dealers, inflated prices plus taxes and fees, yeah that's not happening. I don't need to pay double what something is worth just because some dealership a-hole happened to get a half decent trade, I mean in 99% of the cases you get the same "as is" sale (with no warranty) that you do from a private party, so why even bother at dealers.

The issue I keep running into is that private party sellers are DIE HARD stuck on Dealer retail prices, or will quote me NADA dealer retail as "nobody uses blue book anymore". The guy I talked to today has a 2000 model with 117k miles on it, creampuff-ish, and he wants 4400 firm. Now just for the hell of it I put in every option available through KBB private party and it kicks out 3080 in EXCELLENT condition with mileage adjusted. Now I can understand the rarity of a cream puff car but I will be damned if I am going to pay 1400 more than TOP book, MAYBE 500, but I guess I don't get it, it's still a 15-16 year old car, and the miles aren't "crazy low", just lower than average by about 30k. I suppose I have to learn to walk away if I can't convince this guy that what I am offering him is actually reasonable, it's just frustrating because it's not like I am low balling him and offering him $2700, which is still VERY GOOD condition book.

The Wizard

iTrader: (43)

If you really like the car, make your best offer. Then sit back and wait on this car while you continue to look for another one. After 2 or 3 weeks go by, hit him up again and tell him your offer still stands. See what he says.

maxinout93

I can understand where your coming from. Ive looked almost 2 years for a 5.5 gen for the right price. I have turned down many cars because of the mileage, and over inflated prices. Someone was trying to sell a 02 Max SE with a salvage title for $5000, another for $4000 with 180K and clearly leaking oil. It was crazy everyone wanted $4000 and up for 5.5 gens and neither had low miles.

Donkeypunch

It's not really worth selling the maxima becas it's such a good car really, but it's worth nothing.
At this mileage everything is falling apart and you put all this money into it to make it perfect but it's only worth 3,000.

So a reasonably priced maxima is going to be falling apart, and one that's been taken care of, pretty much everything has been replaced and resealed at this mileage people are going to want 5,000 at least. For a boring boat 4 door nobody wants or think is cool in the slightest.

soloist3

I have an IS350 the isn't boring at all, so I have my fun quota filled. I actually want a boring 4 door commuter that is fun for being something that I can take care of but not obsess over. Plus, to be honest the I30/I35 has just enough power to be comfortable and a little fun around town, I wouldn't want anymore power in a FWD car anyway.

Also, I am not sure what Maxima/I30/I35 you are driving but a car isn't even broken-in in my mind until 80-100k anyway. The most I have ever had to do on a Maxima is change the water pump, weld up exhaust leaks, and change out window regulators...EASY STUFF, even on my own, total cost in unexpected maintenance has been less than 500 in 3 years owning my 1996, yeah...I am not following the same paradigm of "everything is falling apart on these cars". The people that have a lot of problems probably drive around on ancient fluids, running bad O2 sensors and MAF's, or are just plain unlucky.

maxinout93

YOu are right, I can honestly say i bought my 95 maxima with 217K miles on the clock. I only had to change the radiator, and normal wear and tear items, still got good gas mileage and still hauls butt even at 275K, wont hesitate to take it out of town because it loves the highway at 85mph. NIssan made a good car with the 4th gen vq engine, i seen one in a junkyard with 390K miles.