file.newsgroup.cars.103513 Maven / Gradle / Ivy

Go to download
From: [email protected] (Alan S. Mazer)
Subject: Re: what is the deal with "blue-book" value of an auto?

Mail bounced, so...

In article <[email protected]> you write:
>i am in the process of buying a new auto.  i haven't decided yet whether
>i should sell my current car myself or trade it in as part of the new
>auto purchase.

Traditional wisdom says you are almost certainly better off selling it 
yourself if you don't mind that extra hassle.  Having a trade-in on a purchase
just makes getting the best price from a dealership more confusing.

>i know that the "blue book" value for the car is $2825.

I assume this is _retail_ bluebook.  There are two bluebook prices, one for
retail and one for wholesale.  You really want the retail price if you can 
get it.  The blue books also have adjustments you can make for low mileage
and extras on your particular car.  You should look all this stuff up yourself.
Also keep in mind that the blue book prices are averages over the country
that may not apply in your area.  For example, blue book prices are low for
California.  A better way of finding out how much your car might be worth is
to call around and see what it's selling for (if any used lots have one) or
looking in local papers for similar cars and checking out the prices.  It 
might be more time efficient to take a small loss (rather than hold out for
6 months for the best price).

>an acquaintence
>has offered to give me blue book value for the car.

I don't know what you mean by "an acquaintance" but I would make darn sure
that I was paid, that is, cashier's check in full before delivery.  There's
a real temptation when selling to a pseudo-friend to be more accomodating
than you should.  Make sure you get the money and if they hedge about paying
in full at the start (with a cashier's check or cash) then I would go
elsewhere.  Rememeber that you can probably sell your car to a used car lot
or wholesaler and get wholesale bluebook.  That's probably a safer approach
than selling to a private party.
-- 
 
-- Alan                        # Mountain Dew and doughnuts...
   ..!ames!elroy!alan          # because breakfast is the most important meal
   [email protected]     # of the day.