Advice on maximizing trade in value.

Try Carmax or Carvana?

 

craigslist is essentially a zombie website anymore. the dollar vehicle listings killed their business. now the only people paying for listings are the buy-here-pay-here, $1-down, places. anything selling private sale goes to facebook marketplace now, which is just as much of a shitshow as facebook is in general.

 

In Kalifornia for example, there is no tax savings by trading in a vehicle. You'll pay the tax on the full sale price regardless.

 

You forgot "trade for 420?"

 

Depends how “desperate” you or the dealers are.

If one is a cool head and is willing to walk depending, it’s plenty leverage :because eventually you will find a dealer that has to take the leverage 0)

In this case, it sounds like the OP “wants” and not “needs.”

 

Put it back to bone stock. If you have had any accidents, it may show up on CarFax, the dealer will adjust your trade. Selling it to a private owner, you will pay sales tax on new purchase, trading, you pay sales tax on the difference.
B 1

 

Pulling parts and selling to the public who usually are... well you can fill in the blank. Clean, clean and clean more then sell whole to someone on here.

 

I'd strip it back to stock. Whenever I shop used vehicles I won't even look at anything that's been modded. I never trust the parts used, the install, the condition of any of it. I view a heavily modded vehicle as less desirable than a clean stock one.

I second what a few others have said in the Carmax idea. Costs nothing to get a quote from them to give you an idea of where you stand. It may also give you some negotiating power on your trade value at the dealership. It's easy and free...so I'd hit them up.

I've never done private seller. Although it can net you more $$$ it is a giant hassle. Plus, since your trade value is offset by sales tax saved I find the difference between private/trade isn't too bad.

I'd return to stock, check with Carmax, then work the trade hard during negotiations on your new car.

 

Buying car with a trade at dealer
Dont mention trade until you have out the door price on what you are buying
Put the car to stock
Don't spend a ton of time detailing car they don't care
Again...Don't mention trade until you have out the door price on what you are buying

Private party
Detail car
try selling first with mods
paying for ads with auto trader and car guru can pay off private party if you undercut dealer pricing
If possible make it easy for buyer by talking to your bank about possible loan assumption from buyer if needed

One more time for those in the back...Don't mention trade until you have out the door pricing on what you are buying, the trade in value of your car, and the price of the car from the dealer are 2 different transactions and should be treated as such, unless you are in the business of paying too much and getting too little.

If they balk at all about their price you just negotiated when you mention that you may want to trade one of your vehicles, you were about to get ripped off....

 

I use O.R.O. Or Reasonable Offer = you decide what is reasonable
O.B.O. Just opens up the flood gates. Or Best Offer is that the best offer you receive in one day, one week, one month...

 

It’s all about negotiation. Put yourself in the best possible “offensive” position beforehand.

 

Thanks for all of the feedback guys. I detailed the truck and stuck it up for sale privately as I have the time to do so. Unfortunately, we do not have Carvana here in Canada and it appears Clutch and Carmax have pulled out of Alberta so other options are limited.

 

UPDATE: Good news gents. I took the advice and posted it for sale on FaceBook Marketplace. Someone picked it up last night for $46,000 CAD cash and I kept the topper. I will be able to sell that myself and get some more money back. I was at the dealership over the weekend, and they said top dollar would be $38,000 for trade in. 4Runner should be in mid-april!