I'm lusting for a 2002 model. Anyone have trade-in experience with a 2001? Mine is in perfect condition, 9,000 mi single cd player and CC? What's reasonable to expect? Thanks, Dave Kane

Dave, I was only offered $17-$18,000 for my trade. I opted to keep the 2001 and sell it myself. All I did was have the dealer pull the CD changer and put it in the new one.<br>-Jim

Unfortunately, dealer trade-in will never give you what your car is worth (and if they do, they're getting their money back somewhere else in the deal). You stand to get 1-4k more by selling it yourself. Remember, they have to absorb costs of repairing, detailing, marketing, comissions, etc. plus make a profit on the car once they resell it on the lot. They may justify your loss with "market conditions" or "we're not getting much more for it at auction". If that's "okay" with you, then go ahead and take the loss. It's all a gamble in the end, but usually you'll win selling it yourself.<br><br>Take a look at www.carbuyingtips.com for great information on buying/selling cars. It's helped put some perspective in my past two car buying processes. Granted, a majority of the site is about negotiating a price on your new vehicle - which we have all deemed impossible and impractical on the Prius given it's demand. But they also have some used car selling/trading tips which those selling existing cars may find very usefull.<br><br>My 2 cents. Sorry for the ramble.<br>-Rick

Clarifying.<br><br>A dealership will give you what your car is worth as a trade in. A retail buyer with give you what your car is worth RETAIL.<br><br><br>Capische?<br><br>Dianne

&lt;&lt;Capische?&gt;&gt;<br><br>Not really. Often you see dealerships advertising $XXX for a trade in, no matter what shape it is in. Obviously, if the dealer guarantees $2000 for a trade in and you bring them a vehicle worth $500 retail, they plan to make up that deficit on the sale. So, it seems to me that dealerships do not give you trade-in or retail value. What they do is give you what they have to give to complete the deal with the most profit that they can on the entire transaction.<br><br>Steve

...Which is an excellent reason why you should NEVER trade in a car. It allows the salesperson to muddy the water with that type of jargon. A car has a value and that's the retail. The trade in is retail minus the trouble of having to deal/handle it. And, quite frankly, it's always worth the trouble to sell your car yourself and simplify the transaction with the sales dept.