Toyota wants to buy my truck back? Scam?

I received this same letter just yesterday. It was from the dealer and said "your Tacoma is exactly 3 years old - this is an optimal time to trade it in. Stop by and see us!". Course, I bought a new 2009 from a different dealer 3 months ago so I tossed the letter out.

Fact is, most people only keep vehicles 3 years (hence the common 36 month lease and financing). I also feel that a vehicle has DIMINISHING RETURNS with a curve in it. Taking a shot here but I think 5 years or 75,000+ miles will get you the least value at trade-in. At that point, you are better off keeping if for another 5 years because the value doesn't change that much.

Interestingly, I also received an invitation to a picnic from the dealer who sold me the 2009. It says they have free food and drinks and will talk to me about proper maintenance to make the vehicle last longer. I'm sure they will be encouraging me to BRING IT IN for all of the required maintenance and will tell me how doing my own oil changes is not recommended . This is a great ploy to get people into the dealership more (first name basis) and make you feel more welcome when you go there. This is an EXCELLENT sales ploy - unfortunately, I'm not falling for it. I do my own maintenance.

 

I used to sell cars for a Ford dealership, we sent these mailers out all the time, anyone who came in with them either did so with a smirk on their face knowing that this was a hideous ploy, or were truly suckers. My advice to you, delete this thread and deny ever almost falling for such a car sales sham...


"well mr. pumphandle, what i'd like to do is find a vehicle that will work well for both you and your family, as well as show you some figures on your trade in, fair enough?"

"if we can knock off a thousand dollars, would ya take it in the brown?"


"ur gay to go for a test drive"


"whaddaya fingerin' your asshole for the trade?"
"I said, What do you figure you're asking for the trade?"

 

Anytime the market has or sees a demand for used vehicles, i.e. trucks at this particular time and the market does not have any vehicles to offer, via auction or trade ins they will do this. What it is basically saying is the vehicle you drive is in high demand and there is a low supply of vehicle for them to buy. You never hear about Taurus owners or Lumina owners or most of the domestics in general doing this. My dealership about a year and a half ago did this with Prius owners, offering top dollar for clean used Prius's. The current owner gets a great trade in numberand the owner gets a chance to step up to a newer model. Not a scam, just business.

 

They probably want to sell you a new truck more then wanting to buy back your old one.

 

^

I took a car for a test drive last year and, when I came back, they had (jokingly) place a 'For Sale' sign on my current car.
I threw their sign on the ground and told them I would never be back.

I also hate how the Sales Manager always has to come over and introduce himself and talk to me for 3 minutes.

 

I just got a letter yesterday from the dealer about the 2003 RAV 4 I used to own. They were saying their used car inventory was low and that according to the "Black Book" it was worth $10,500 but they think they could possibly give me more. Just a scam to get you in to look at all the new cars/trucks.

 

Exactly!
Dealers know people get hot over new vehicles and if they can get some people into the showroom,they can make some sales.

 

one more thing, dont be fooled by them telling you your vehicle is worth "top dollar"

all they are going to do is show you on paper 15,000 for your vehicle, and then roll the $7000 extra value into your new vehicle loan. so really they are giving you $8,000 for your trade.

oldest trick in the fucking book, if you dont want to listen to me thats fine, but dont say i didnt warn you...

go ahead, call them up, make an appt for them to appraise your trade in, dont be surprised when they have you sitting down at the table showing you some rediculously high number for your trade and then you walk out of there with a 500/mo payment and 8,000 negative equity.

 

Well it is a scam, but a legit scam.

 

I never allow them to show me the "monthly rate". I only talk in dollar differences or "what it costs me to upgrade". I got them good on the purchase of my 09 taco using this tactic. They were giving me like $16K for my 04 trade-in and only telling me my monthly cost to "drive a new one away". Got them down to a $12K difference and drove it off the lot

 

To the goober who gave me the neg rep saying "your real funny aren't you".

No joke....offered my 10 grand for the truck + 2000 more if I bought another toyota made vehicle. No shit man....Some sort of Frame rust recall....I'll bet you wish you had an olded rusted yota that was part of the recall...

 

These people are slimeballs & they don't give the least bit of shit about you.They want to rob you of your truck so they can resell for 5k or more profit while selling you a new one for another 5k pure profit.Snakes in the lowest form.Everytime I visit a dealers lot to look around my truck draws people away from their new trucks & it pisses them off.They try to run their con on me & when I tell them what they would have to give me to get my truck they look like I insulted them & I tell them that's the feeling every customer here has when they hear their bs. I could have sold my truck a few times right there in the dealers lot to their customers right in front of the salesman when I was just minding my business.I could tell they were pissed & wanted me outta there.One guy was so persistant he gave me his cell # & told me to call him if I decided to sell,then got in his car & left.The salesman looked at me like I stole his dog!lol,I said,sorry dude,and split.

 

i decided toyota drivers, or at least tacoma, are bigger douchebags than bmw drivers. guess what folks, YOUR SHIT DOES STINK

 

bought mine new in 2001. They sent me that stupid letter in 2004, 2005, and 2006. I actually got a little offended and called them and told them to knock it off. They did.

 

I guess so