Question about Tacoma resell value

I found the same thing when I bought mine last year. As I am 61, this truck is likely the last new 4 wheeler I will ever by (gonna buy an Indian Roadmaster when it's paid off).

 

Toyota dealer here in Harrisburg, PA has a list of current vehicle incentives on a big dry erase board. In bold letters beside the list is "Trades Wanted; 2008 - 2015 Tacomas!!"

When I bought my 2012 (since sold) I went through the same thing as the OP. Ended up buying a base model 2012 for less than the 1-3 year old certifieds. It still had pretty much all the same power options as the TRD packages. Seats aren't as nice, not as much sound insulation and no CD changer, but it's still the same truck.

 

Wow, thanks for all of the replies to my post. OK, I'm not crazy! I'm really not going to find a smokin' hot deal on a <30k miles Tacoma. At least now I understand the situation.

I'll probably just suffer through the summer without a truck (and yes my son does appreciate getting the '96 Tacoma). Then when the Gen-3 comes out, I'll either get a new 2015 (they have to give a little on the 2015, right??) or order a 2016.

I think I'm a better than average car shopper -- mostly because I have patience and I'm always willing to walk away. And I'll wait months for the right seller. But non of my skills are going to apply in this situation

 

I looked for 4-5 months and found a good used 2006 Tacoma with 100k miles for $2k under KBB. I have not regretted a minute of paying $14k for my Tacoma.

 

I think the 2015 should have a decent price reduction since the 2016 is so improved/different.

Also just the nature of tacoma's, they've always held their value extremely well. They seem to be one of the few trucks that doesn't lose 5k+ right as it's driven off the lot. So at the same time, you never know, the 2015 might still only be a little less than a 2016 when the 2016's launch.

 

I stumbled across my 15' on C-list one Sunday morning. A 15' with 4800 miles for $27,900. Called and talked with the guy,said he didn't want a payment at his age. Got the loan next day and went and picked up the truck. He had put +1 sized tires,and a few other odds and ends on it. Ended getting the truck for 27k. I was set to just buy a new one like everyone else,but luck found me. Oh,its a 15' DC SR5 4x4 I freakin' love it!.

 

That's what I did. Bought it with 58k, paid just under $25k for it this summer. Original sticker was $32,165 (I have it).

 

It's not just Tacomas. Go try to buy any used 4x4 that is only a few years old with 20 or 30k miles and in great shape from a dealer, they are all like that. Who buys these used truck for only a few grand less than new? Probably the guy who does no research at all and gets talked into it by the sales guy on the spot, not realizing they could have brand new one for just a few grand more.

Tacoma's really shine in resale value when they get some age on them(6 or 7+ years), not selling them after 2 or 3 years. Both the seller and the next guy buying are going to get screwed on a 2 year old vehicle. The dealer has to make profit plus cover the costs to process the vehicle. At 2 years old there just isn't much room for them to profit unless they depreciate the seller and get a high price from the new buyer.

 

This was the same position I was in a year ago, waiting for a good deal on a used one. Never happened. Bought a new 2014 in July after looking for six plus months in the Denver area. OP- a private party seller is gonna be your best bet on saving a couple grand.

 

You could also check the states around you assuming your willing to travel a bit for a better deal. You never know what you might find, there's gotta be one out there

 

That sums it up. Is it worth $7K to get 60k fewer miles, and the full warranty, and the newer/nicer doo-dads (keyless start, better stereo, whatever...). For $7K difference, I think I'd rather go new. If a Tacoma was more like a Nissan in resell value, then you could be getting $7K off for maybe 20k miles, and might even have a little warranty left. Then it is worth it. But you are stuck with a Nissan

i'm not poo-pooing older Tacoma's. If I wasn't giving my '96 to my son, I'd still be driving it and happy as a clam. It has 155k miles.

 

props on buying american as I did too when I bought a new bike, but I'm glad there are some people that like the style of that..

 

Back in 2013 I started looking for a used one also, it was gonna be my second tacoma this one with a access cab as my family had grown. Everything I found under 40k miles was only about 4-5k less than a brand new one. I went brand new with the exact package I wanted, shopped around for a few months and found the one. I looked at KBB the other day and it's only depreciated about $1500 from what I paid for it 2 years ago. That made me pretty happy with going for the new one.

 

Put it to you this way, i bought a new 2011 truck in early 2011, drove it for 18 months, TRADED it in and got more than i paid for it AT THE TOYOTA DEALER.

 

Nuts! This is all nuts. If I was getting an economics degree right now, my thesis would be: "Inverted pricing models in used Tacoma's, and the retards who buy them. A case study."

 

I paid $22k for my '10 TRD OR 4x4 in 2011 with 33k miles, it was a trade in at a ford dealer and they didn't really know what it was

 

That's pretty hard to believe any Toyota dealer is going to give you more for a trade in than what the vehicle cost brand new less than 2 years ago.

Are you sure they didn't raise the price of the new vehicle you were buying, or manipulate other prices to make you think you were getting more back than you really were?

 

Is that 7k off of original MSRP or off of original purchse price? You're probably not getting 7k off a Frontier, compared to the actual original purchase price, with 20k miles in perfect condition and from a dealer.

A 2013 Frontier Pro-4X with 20k miles on KBB right now is listed at over 28k for fair market value from a dealer without even being certified.

My buddy who just bought a brand new Silverado two years ago, said the exact same thing also. Was originally looking for a good deal on a 2 - 3 year old truck, but just isn't worth it to save only a few thousand so he bought a new one and that is with a Chevy. You're only ever going to get a good deal on that new of any used truck if you buy private sale and find a lucky deal.

 

I went through the same thing here recently. I couldn't find a used one that wasn't very close to a few thousand off from buying new. I checked as many dealers that I could in three states. So I said to myself I can either buy used and pay extra for a warranty or I can buy new and get the warranty with it. Either way it would be very close if not the same price.

So I ordered the new one and should have it in two weeks.

 

Same thing in Ohio and WV. Trade in value is crazy.