[skiracer8148]

Whats up with all these trade in dealers trying to offer half of what your car is worth, I am looking to trade in vs sell outright so I dont have to repay sales tax in NY but all these dealers are trying to offer me 10K for a car that is worth at minimum double that. Any help or insight is appreciated!

2011 335 M-Sport with Harmon Kardon, Privacy Shades, Navigation 86k Currently
NADA is 21,500 clean trade in, clean retail is 25

Clean Carfax as well!

[csu87]

do your own research and bring that in with you when you are going to trade in. Also, you arent going to get what it is worth, only what a dealer will be willing to give you.

Give some details on your car and i bet youll get responses as to what it actually is worth.

[raisingAnarchy]

Yours is a 2011 just like mine. I was blown away by the numbers I ran recently too, but depreciation is awfully cruel come the 4th year of the car's existence. On top of that, there are a lot of used versions of the new generation available now which drives down the price of the old generation even further.

I've only owned this car for 1 year, and the same car on dealer lots now is 20-30% cheaper than when i was shopping. The only way to fight this is lease all cars going forward or only buy jeep wranglers and subarus. Luxury cars don't hold value at all.

[Wingnut335]

Originally Posted by raisingAnarchy

The only way to fight this is lease all cars going forward or only buy jeep wranglers and subarus. Luxury cars don't hold value at all.

I had a Subaru (as did many of my friends). Unfortunately, they don't hold their value very well either. Maybe slightly better than a BMW, but nothing worth noting.

[skiracer8148]

Selling the car outright (eBay, Craigslist or Auto Trader) I can get what I believe is reasonable 22-24ish (NADA is 21,500 clean trade in, clean retail is $25k), but I wanted to trade in so I would only pay sales on the difference instead of paying $3500 in sales tax all over again. But these dealers think im some crack head who needs the money, I told the one dealer after he offered 10k for the trade in I would set the car on fire before I took a loss like that haha

[335NJ]

10k for an 11' M-Sport 335i?! They're smoking crack unless your car is in terrible shape.

[BeastMode335i]

They offered me $17k at Carmax for my 08' 335i 72k miles with ca, sport, prem, and no idrive..

[tuphdc]

If I was a dealer I would low ball this car too. It requires a very specific buyer and I would expect this car to sit on my lot for quite some time.

I would pay near market value for other cars that are more likely to be bought by the average person.

Good luck though.

[csu87]

i got a price of about 17-19k trade in value, with putting in basically all options and good condition. Dealers always start low and go from there. if they are pricing the trade in value at 17k, id expect them only wanting to pay at most, 15k unless they really need the inventory on 4yr old high mileage cars

[kfriceman]

Never offer your car as a trade until you have settled on the price of the new vehicle.

-Kevin

[BeastMode335i]

Originally Posted by kfriceman

Never offer your car as a trade until you have settled on the price of the new vehicle.

-Kevin

Just curious as to how this theory is beneficial...??

[dbond]

BMW 3 series used to be the best value holding model among the luxury segment. With the turbos and a bunch of unreliable electronics loaded these days this is no longer true. Just ask yourself how many times you had to fix it recently.
I'm not sure about the miles on your car but with average for the age 50k you should be able to get $19-20k in private transaction. Also check your tax math. I think it's more like $1,600 (8% * 20k car).

EDIT: OP posted miles. If you get more than $17k you are in luck IMHO

[skiracer8148]

Originally Posted by tuphdc

If I was a dealer I would low ball this car too. It requires a very specific buyer and I would expect this car to sit on my lot for quite some time.

I would pay near market value for other cars that are more likely to be bought by the average person.

Good luck though.

I know the dealer has to make money but not 15k more like 3-4k. The dealer even admitted after seeing pics the car is beautiful and would sell very quick.

Originally Posted by dbond

BMW 3 series used to be the best value holding model among the luxury segment. With the turbos and a bunch of unreliable electronics loaded these days this is no longer true. Just ask yourself how many times you had to fix it recently.
I'm not sure about the miles on your car but with average for the age 50k you should be able to get $19-20k in private transaction. Also check your tax math. I think it's more like $1,600 (8% * 20k car).

I paid close to 30 for this and will be paying over 30 for my next one.

[bbbuzzy]

NADA, KBB, Edmunds all offer "values" based on whatever formula they put in place and serve as a guide for consumers like us. Sometimes it's helpful.

Dealers do not use these numbers. They mostly buy from Mannheim auctions and resell at a higher price. It seems likely that the price they offer you will be close to the Mannheim prices. I don't have a lot of visibility to what those prices are, but my understanding is they are in the range of 75-80% of the retail price they will list.

If you want the full "value" of your vehicle, sell it yourself. If you are not willing to do it, prepare to have someone else make the profit.

[328XIdiot]

If it is a car that they will sell on thier lot, they will offer you a more realistic trade value. Something for your car, I would see something like $13500 range.

with the milesage and age of your car, they will try to sell it immediately to a wholesaler. They still want to make money on that transaction, so the wholesaler is probably offering 11k and they will offer you 10k.

At least that has been my experience as of late.

[skiracer8148]

Originally Posted by bbbuzzy

NADA, KBB, Edmunds all offer "values" based on whatever formula they put in place and serve as a guide for consumers like us. Sometimes it's helpful.

Dealers do not use these numbers. They mostly buy from Mannheim auctions and resell at a higher price. It seems likely that the price they offer you will be close to the Mannheim prices. I don't have a lot of visibility to what those prices are, but my understanding is they are in the range of 75-80% of the retail price they will list.

If you want the full "value" of your vehicle, sell it yourself. If you are not willing to do it, prepare to have someone else make the profit.

I have many friends in this business and even checked Manheim to get any idea and they are doing 20-21 with these options and mileage. Not too mention a car from the auction most likely needs some work, this car is perfect and well maintained needs nothing, tires and brakes were done this summer it is ready to be sold.

[csu87]

Originally Posted by BeastMode335i

Just curious as to how this theory is beneficial...??

some dealers wont work with you on the price of the new car if they know you are then going to haggle on the price of the trade in as well. They wont take a loss of profit on the new car, then turn around and bend over for the trade in. Why do you think they always ask if you are going to trade in the car you drove there in as one of the first questions?

[csu87]

Originally Posted by skiracer8148

I have many friends in this business and even checked Manheim to get any idea and they are doing 20-21 with these options and mileage. Not too mention a car from the auction most likely needs some work, this car is perfect and well maintained needs nothing, tires and brakes were done this summer it is ready to be sold.

maybe retail price, not auction or trade in price.

[vapore0n]

Go somewhere else.
Every time Ive traded in my car, Ive gotten above kbb value without even arguing.

[tuphdc]

Originally Posted by skiracer8148

I know the dealer has to make money but not 15k more like 3-4k. The dealer even admitted after seeing pics the car is beautiful and would sell very quick.

that doesn't make any sense. if the car would sell quickly, the dealer would buy it for near market value, and turn up a quick profit somewhere around ~3k.

Dealers are afraid of this car, because it WILL sit for an uncomfortable amount of time - in dealer land.

[Wingnut335]

I don't see why people would think this car would sit too long on a lot. Aside from the black wheels, the car pretty much looks stock. Are there big engine mods? Does it have a really loud exhaust or muffler delete which would give it that 'race car' stigma?

[lichtgelb]

A dealer isn't going to give in trade any more than what a similar vehicle will sell for at a dealer auction. It's as simple as that. They may play some shell games with the price of your new purchase but in the end the only money in the deal that is being applied to your trade is its auction value. There are two main reasons for this. First, why would a dealer pay you more for a vehicle to put on the lot than they could buy at auction. Two, most likely your trade will not meet the criteria for their used lot (age, miles, condition, make/model) so they will end up selling it at auction. You're not getting any more for the vehicle than they would expect to recoup at auction shell games notwithstanding.