15k buyback offered from dealer who changed my frame

In the mail I got a "Private invitation to a customer appreciation savings event" from the Toyota dealer who changed the frame on my 2006 TRD Sport

On the flyer it says that they have a "pending buyback offer of up to $15,675"

My truck only has 98,000 miles on it. It is running fine, and does not need any work other than an impending clutch replacement hinted by a squealing noise it makes when I apply to much torque when letting the clutch out.

On the flyer I must RSVP before the weekend is over and schedule an appointment to see what my actual buyback offer would be.

My truck does not need to be replaced, but at this point my in my life I wouldn't mind getting rid of this ridiculous lifted Radiant Red attention grabbing cop-magnet I have created for a normal black TRD off road.

All my co-workers tell me I'm crazy to give up this deal although I'm only promised "up to" 15k. I only paid 19k for my truck to begin with in 2010 as the second owner with 25,000 miles.

Is this too good to be true? Feels like bait and switch

 

What's to bait and switch? You know they want you to buy a new Toyota and they are offering somewhere between $0 and $15,675 as a trade in. They will gladly take your truck for as little as they can give you to part with it. Comes down to how much it's worth to you and how bad you want to part with it.

 

It probably is, but if you're thinking about trading anyway it doesn't hurt to have them look at it. I doubt they offer the full $15K, but they may still may make a fair offer. Nothing says you have to accept any offer they make.

 

Definitely a dealership gimmick. But if you're looking for something different, no harm in seeing what they have to offer you. However I wouldn't mention the trade in until after you have negotiated the final price of the truck and then I would shop that price around to near by dealerships online.

 

Yeah they do these gimmicks all the time. Their main goal is to get you in there with just the slightest thought of trading and not let you leave until you have bought a new car.

 

Yea if you're thinking of a new truck anyway go see what they'll offer for your old one. Prepare to be disappointed, though -- as others have said, this is just a tactic to get you into the showroom and emotional about buying a new truck.

 

If you want $15,675 you'll likely need to sell it yourself.

 

Pics of cop magnet?​

 

I did this one time for shits and giggles. Got a post card from the dealer and a phone call stating they'd buy my truck for up to $24k. Went to the dealer and they ended up offering $19k for my truck. I asked them why the huge difference, they said it's due to the cost of restoring the truck in order to sell it. Mind you I only had 15k miles on my truck at the time, and it was pretty much mint condition. Only spend about 15 minutes there and it was for a good laugh. I drove across the street to carmax to get an appraisal of what they'd give me for my truck, 20 minutes later they offered me $22k.

Needless to say 5 years later I still have my truck, and based on KBB today, its valued at $21k trade in.

 

Ok I admit it's not really a "cop-magnet", but I say that to emphasize how ridiculous the color is (to me). I've grown to hate the color so much over the years, especially at times during the day when the sun hits it just right and it literally sticks out like a sore thumb. I've been told by so many that it's a nice truck, but I still regret buying it in this color. I only bought it because I got a good deal on it back in 2010. If were black, silver or even white I wouldn't have a problem

 

Thats a damn good looking truck​

 

Those kitty wheels are cool too!

 

My wife gets those silly BS notices 3 or 4 times a year from the dealership from whom we purchased her 2003 Highlander...

 

Those black wheels are what's making the red stand out too much. Every bit of your attention is focused on the red because there's nothing to draw the eye elsewhere.

 

I got a call from the local toyota asking to buy my truck back... yeah right! Itd have to be one help of an offer!

 

Go check. But as others have said be careful they are sneaky lil bastards

 

It's total marketing BS! We get them about every other month on my wife's car.

 

Davenport! Get Mr. Griswald's car and bring it back here.

 

Those things are horseshit, trust me

 

The reality is $16k is about what the dealer would list your truck for if it were sitting on their lot, and then someone would talk them down off of that. They want to make a few grand or it's not worth their time, so I suspect they'd probably offer you around $11-12k for it.