jerome829

Hi guys.

I have a question about trading in my car for an xB.

Here goes:

I own a 2002 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE 5sp.

26,000 miles, no problems, runs great.

The BB value in good condition (trade-in value) goes for $14,225 excellent condition and $13,360 good condition.

The private party value goes for $16,185 excellent condition, $15,215 good condition. (BB value)

Now, it makes the most sense to sell the car privately, but I'm having a hard enough time doing that.

I've been contemplating just trading it in to a Scion dealership, but I have absolutely no idea what they would give me for it.

Will they take such a high-end trade in if I'm only looking to buy a base xB? (no additional options whatsoever)

Building a base xB (MSRP + Delivery, Processing & Handling) totals out to $14,195. (dreaming of a Polar White xB, 5sp) From your guys' experience, how much extra did you have to pay for title fees, taxes, documentation, etcetera?

Did it total out to more than $16,000? Would it?

If so, would they still finance me after the trade-in of my vehicle?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I'm still trying to weigh my options here, and would like to know...

Thank you very much!

- Jerome

fr130

Ever thought of selling it to CarMax?
Here's a link to IL CarMax superstores:
http://www.carmax.com/dyn/companyinf....aspx?state=IL

Got more than I thought. They accepted my car with dent on my bumper, tinted windows, blue eBay Toyota emblem in the rear. That was for a Camry. And they still gave me more than the local dealers.

I think there is a CarMax superstore that also sells Scions. But also sells other makes. Kenosha maybe? Not sure about your area

Here's my review at Laurel CarMax...note the hints that my salesman told me to assure that I get a better trade in value:
https://www.scionlife.com/reviews/re...id=21&offset=0

Milhamscion

Hi Jerome,

Trade ins on Scions are supposed to be appraised @ ACV (actual cash value) Unfortunately most dealers dont rely on kbb to approximate values. They probably use the black book. Most of the time the bb value is between "fair" & "good" on kbb.

As for the total out the door price, I'm not sure what the tax rate is by you but in PA it is 6%. Lets say you get $13000 from the dealer(just a guess).

14,195-13,000=1195x6%=71.70. 14,195+71.70+registration+license+doc & otherfees= the price of the car. Now subtract the trade in amount(13,000) and you have the amount you would need to come up with to do the deal.

Toyota Financial has a minimum amount that you have to finance. It sounds like you are going to be well below it. Most dealers work with a bank that can get you a loan for a smaller amount or you could try your bank.
Let me know if you have any questions!

I hope this made sense :D Good luck~Dan

bbcrud

In Arizona (and other states I assume) you're only going to pay sales tax on the amount left AFTER the trade. We took a truck in trade for an xB and ended up giving the man a car and a check for the difference. The Scion dealer you're working with should take any type of vehicle in trade. If it's not something they would resell they will get buy-bids from other dealers and wholesale it to them once the finish your deal.

You'd still pay the other fees associated with the deal.

If you have any questions please ask.

UnFocused

DAYUUUUM!! i did not the resale on an altima was that bad!!! wasnt it about 25k new???

jerome829

Thanks, I considered CarMax, but had no idea that some also worked with Scion? Kenosha has two available, but it's in TCM... still... am very surprised by that.

Now, they do have a PW, actually in MD, (where you got yours, at Laurel) you think they'd be able to haul that one over?

Doing that (selling, and then buying from CarMax) might actually save me some time/hassle... I guess I'd have to stop by at one to see!

Thank you, I will definitely look into it, see what they could offer me... think I should bring my title and stuff to a CarMax before they could even appraise it? How does the whole process work, how long does it take?

jerome829

Thank you for the #s and the heads-up on the minimum Toyota Financial covers... I guess I will also need to bring my car there too so that they can evaluate how much they could give me for my car and how those numbers work afterwards... thank you!

You guys have been more than helpful and very honest about all of this, I truly appreciate it!

jerome829

:nod: I'm going to go to Toyota probably this Monday and see what I can come up with... thank you!

jerome829

It's not only the Altima... it's Nissans in general... that's why buying a used Nissan is almost always a sure bet... a more powerful Nissan could be had for less than a pricier Honda...

Example, 1993 Sentra SE-R vs 1993 Honda Civic EX

Anyway, yes, I purchased the car for 24,500, knowing full-well its depreciation factor... hard to say no to a VQ35 w/240HP and 246TQ... plus, I'm kind of biased... it's my 3rd Nissan to date!

Never had any issues, ever!

fr130

CarMax can haul any vehicle across the country. Depening on how far it is, you do have to pay a transfer fee (trucking it from one shop to the next). Not sure how much that would be.

Bring your title and Altima related documentation with you (if you are going to buy the vehicle the same day as the appraisal). But, don't show them you have the documents. Dont make them think you are going to buy a car today. Just tell them assertively, nicely you just want your car appraised. They dont need the paperwork to start the appraisal process. They do need your car and a key to though :D . Also do not leave the title in the glove compartment. Take it with you. No one leaves a title in the car, if they spot then they will start thinking. That's what my salesman said. The buying and appraisal process is seperate.

The appraisal took about 1 to 1.5 hours. Start of financing to driving the car off the lot took about 3hrs. It took that long because they had to prep the car (I brought home the car when we just had a nice snow storm ) I had my appraisal done a month before the i took delivery. My salesman was able to work things out with the appraisal people and let me keep the same trade-in-value a month late with an extra 1K miles on it. This typicall doestn happen as since the form they give you stating your trade in value states that the offer is good for 300miles or 7-days.

SweetDaddyDelicious

The dealer I'm dealing with hopped online, went to Kbb.com, typed in the info for my car (bmw 318ti), and then entered condition as "fair" and said they could give me $1495 for it. No thanks. I can score an easy 9K all day long for it and sell it in the drop of a hat on my own. KBB doesn't take into account the "cult following" of some rides (take a VW corrado for example- I sold my old one for $7k when KBB was probably only $2K) or mods, or rareness of particular models. For example, my TI is leather where most are cloth. It's in perfect condition with not one single scratch or door ding, and you ain't getting jack for your mods on a trade in (tint, 18" M3 wheels with Yoke Spec 2's, M3 front end, lowering, etc). I'd be an idiot to trade it in. As long as you can try to sell it yourself, go that route. List it on autotrader.com, put it in your local paper, put a sign on it and set it out in a busy area, ...I've NEVER had a hard time getting premium value for a used car. I've always got way over book. Of course they are usually exceptionally taken care of, detailed, and tastefully modded.

I guess that only goes for a "rarer" car though. If the market is flooded with slightly used cars and returned leases, and the incentives are good on the new ones, it's pretty hard to sell a ride that's just a few years old, or doesn't have anything special to make it stand out from the crowd.

It just kills me the pricing dealers will quote you on trade in. I had a dealer get out the old NADA auction black book one time and quote me $800 trade in value on a civic hatch I had. I was asking $6,200 for it, and I had some decent offers, but then I decided to trade it for all the parts to make a honking performance aircooled VW motor (a 2280 cc over the stock 1600cc) and traded it for about $5,800 worth of parts.

They can whip out just about any book, to show you just about any price they want. I've never understood why people trade in their cars. Just seems like you take such a beating. I just can't do it, when you drive by those other used ones on the way in and see what they are making on them. I know you have to make money, but they are making loot on the new car you are buying from them too.

You can't be in a hurry to get that shiny new car, that's when you get ripped. Just hold out to you sell it and go plunk a briefcase of cash on their desk. You shouldn't have to finance a car that is worth less new than your used car.

jerome829

I wonder how much it would be to haul it. Also wondering how long it would take for them to do so.

Thanks much for the advice, I will make sure to keep the title and everything else on me, just in case.

Hopefully they can work something out with me... I am not looking to buy the xB until after September 27th, because, my home closes on that date... I don't want to be trying to get financed for a new car and then have the mortgage all at once... I don't think that'll look good with the creditors...

Thanks much, I will take this advice whole-heartedly!

fr130

With your situation you dont need to transfer an xB from Laurel. Just place an order with Kenosha (CarMax) Scion in Wisconsin for an xB with the accesories that you want and not what Kenosha ordered to be taken right off the lot. It will save you money.

Go to: http://www.scion.com/drive/gallery/d...b_gallery.html and click the link that states "Build Your Scion." Email the order to Kenosha or print out your order and go directly to the store and place that order with the Scion sales guy/gal.

Another way is this:
Since there's already CarMax Use Car stores near Chicago just go there and have the Altima Appraise. Then go to another Scion dealer close by and hand them the printed order sheet of what you want on the vechicle. You dont have to go to Wisconsin. I am not sure if all CarMax stores will appraise the Altima the same.

If you want you can just go to a CarMax store right now and get the altima appraise. They will hand you the trade in value of the vechicle as it stands at that moment. This should give you an idea of what it is worth to them. And when your order is about to arrive, get it appraise again.

If you dont mind the wait you can save money by not buying the xB right off the lot. BTW, do not buy the cargo cover or the rear bumper applique, both are useless:
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...ighlight=cargo

jerome829

fr130, thanks! I will go ahead and do just that... the new home I'm getting is only going to be fifteen to twenty minutes away from Kenosha so it won't be such a big deal... I still have to get the Altima appraised, hopefully I can do that some time soon... with my new home closing so soon, it's been too hectic for me to do anything else besides that and work... as far as accessories, the car is coming with none... so don't worry, I had no plans with the cargo cover or the rear bumper applique!

Thanks again!