I can't agree more.<br>If someone wants retail for their car, they ought to do just that: retail it. If a car's a very good car, I will go to the friggin' MAT for it to be here as a used car. I am sorry if the word "jargon" is your euphamism for the word "candor". It ought not be.

Sorry if that offended you. You must be one of the few salespeople out there that don't treat customers like idiots. My experiences with every car purchase I've ever made...with the exception of Mercedes Benz...was a painful experience where I was more informed about the product than the person doing the selling. This includes the purchase of my Prius where the salesperson was unsure of how the hybrid system worked and guaranteed me that I could have a navigation system installed later.....

drringold, not offended, just a tad surprised. I am sorry your Prius experience wasn't that great, but perhaps as these cars start entering the market thru other means, even other brands, the lot lizards will also be familiar with these fine cars. I have heard my own sales people downstairs telling folks the oddest things about these cars!<br><br>While it's very good to sell your own trade, it is also very aggravating and a source of total terror for others. I don't even sell my own cars! I take the trade value and keep on trucking as I am too busy and candidly, have sold enough cars to enough people to not have the patience to deal with private party buyers. (no offense to anyone)... it sometimes isn't always about money.<br>Dianne

Clarification! The Prius experience is excellent! I love the car...more so than any I've ever owned. But, the sales experience was kinda poor. But, you're right...the more people know about them, the better they'll be at selling them. And, I suspect that if I sold cars, I wouldn't be crazy about selling my own privately. I just think that, as there are folks specifically dedicated to servicing them...there should be folks (i.e. you and other sales folks who know and care about the product) dedicated to selling them so everyone gets a first rate buying experience. However, I've not let my iffy buying experience cloud what is...and I hope will continue to be...a great experience that I have no regrets over....<br><br>Hope you sell tons of these cars!!!!!

"If someone wants retail for their car, they ought to do just that: retail it."<br><br>In Dianne's defense, this is what she told me in person when I asked for a quote on my car. She suggested that I sell it if I want more - and didn't have a problem being honest in that area.<br><br>I will say that dealing with Dianne isn't like dealing with most sales people - there is absolutely no pressure to do anything you don't want to do, which is refreshing in today's world.<br><br>-Rick

Agreed - most people take the loss on their trades simply because there's something wrong they don't want to fix or because they don't want the hassle of dealing with private parties. Right now I'm down the middle. I've detailed the car, and put on some signs, but I haven't "listed" it in any classified index. If I get a bite, great. If not, I'll see what happens on delivery date. If I'm not happy, I'll sell it privately. If I am, I'll cut my losses w/ a trade.<br><br>Unfortunately for me, I owe about $4k more than I'd get at trade on my car, and don't want to eat that much just to get into a Prius - nor do I really want to wrap the difference into my new loan (paying sales tax on the balance, higher payments, etc.). So selling outright and only eating 1-2k (best case) may be a good idea in my case. <br><br>It all depends on the situation and what you want to go through.

Here's another way that I look at it: Value is generally relative. An item may easily have more value to me than to you. Similarly, a used car may have more value to a retail buyer than to a dealer. (And a used car from a dealer may have more value to a buyer than a used car from a private individual).<br><br>In addition, your used car going as a trade-in may have value to you beyond the $$:<br><br>1) In some states it reduces the price you pay sales tax against<br><br>2) It counts against your downpayment for a loan<br><br>3) It is hassle free (relatively).<br><br>Burns

&gt; 3) It is hassle free (relatively).<br><br>And to me, that was the biggest deciding factor to trade my car in rather than try to sell it. Of course, my car was 14 yrs old so the cash difference between trading-in and selling wasn't as much as someone else's might be. YMMV<br>-Cindy

I learned that my current saturn is worth around $5000 if I sell it, or only HALF if I do a trade in... with the fact that its our only car and since our Prius is showing up any day now I am willing to take the loss on it... but I expect the dealership to work with me to get almost full blue book trade in value towards my down payment..

Oh to be young again...<br><br>If there is a "location" in your hometown where people park their cars for sale (i.e. a parking lot, a busy intersection, a consignment lot, etc), wouldn't it be worth putting that money in your pocket? Dealers just LOVE it when a customer trades their vehicle in, cause they get to screw you twice. <br><br>I sincerely wish you luck.<br><br>-Michael<br>CA "01 Prius"

THere are a few locations in town like that but this is our only car and we couldn't really do much w/o it-like groceries and such..its just one of those things that if I made an effort I could probably get the extra $$ but the question is, how much effort will I make? Thanks though!<br><br>Crystal

"Dealers just LOVE it when<br> a customer trades their vehicle in, cause they get to screw you twice. "<br><br><br> What an incredibly childish thing to say. You say you think it would be nice to put that extra money in your pocket, presumably for the hassle of selling it yourself. Yet if a dealer buys it, chases the title, likely spends $100 's on all the things wrong that the owner "forgot" to mention that can't be caught at an appraisal, cleans and reconditions it, provides financing, and a warranty to back it up, well they're "screwing you" because they want a profit? I suppose the other part of "twice" you refer to is the profit on the new car? <br>

Actually that is very true-another reason I don't want to put the car on the market is because I know it needs new brakes and although I have kept up its maintance-if I person took it to a local garage I have no idea what they might say about possible repairs allowing that buyer to come back at me and try to lower the price. As I read on a website to help people purchase cars is that there is only a 10 to 20% per purchase for the dealer. I work in an advertising specialty company and understand the costs of doing business, so I understand although it may not appear I am getting my money's worth for my trade in, someone has to pay for its maintaince or any dings to be fixed before being resold. I loved my saturn and think its kinda neat that I am coming back to the same dealership to buy my Prius that I bought my saturn from.<br><br>Crystal

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Another good point to show is that those items at wal-mart or target have a 50% mark-up instead of 15%.... and jewerly stores have upto 100% mark-ups.. now agreed a 50% mark-up on a $10 item vs a 15% mark-up on an $15000 it a bit of difference, BUT even though I bought a Saturn i want to point out that they might not "haggle" but they are making some decent money because of it. I tried to buy a 1994 used Saturn from the local dealership and even though the carpet had been warn away and there were dings and chips here and there the "set" price was HIGH blue book used-as in "perfect" condition. There was no way it was in perfect condition and I saved over $3000 going to local Toyota Dealership to buy a newer saturn in better shape. <br>Again, you are right, if a consumer is informed then they can make a better decision and with the internet and the zillions of sites I can't see why someone can't take a lunch hour to check it out. <br><br>So it really depends on a perspective-you can make a cd of music for $1.50 but you go into a store to buy it and its $15.00.. those profits went to paying everyone inthe business just like all profits do and at this time is unfortunately when we need more money in the economy instead of less.

Let's all agree to disagree on this. Yes, trading in a car gets ya less $$$$, but saves you hassle. If it's $$$$ ya want, sell it yourself and hope for the best.<br><br>I think that, however, when I buy a new car...and a 2002 Prius may be in the works to replace our 99 Mercedes!...I'll opt to buy from one of the very professional sales folks that frequents this board. I fully suspect that the folks that we purchasers fear most don't post here.

Crystal<br><br>Go to the Kelly Blue Book web site. They have a chart that allows you to determine the resale value of your car based on its condition. Then you can determine the difference between trade in and private party sell values and decide then whether trading in vs selling yourself is worth it. Remember... you would be selling your car as-is, but with full disclosure to any would be buyer. You could give it a try for a few weeks to see if you could sell on your own. You'd be surprised what people are willing to buy. I've got my car "sold" to a friend of my husband's, even though he knows there are problems with it. He gets it when my Prius arrives. You never know unless you try... and you could end up with more in YOUR pocket instead of the dealer ending up with more in THEIRS.