Local Cruisers on Lots?

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Carp

Carp

Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Threads
87
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Location
Piedmont, SC
Website
www.davidmichelle.org
So, I can't seem to give my Miata away, and it's starting to want some money thrown at it. So, rather than give it what it wants, I am probably going to trade it for something 4WD. I'm hoping to do this with no to minimal cash outlay, as I have none.

Does anyone know of any LandCruisers or 4runners in the area that are on dealer lots? I doubt that there are many 40s on the lots, but I'm also considering a 60, 62, 80, as well as 1st and 2nd gen 4runners. I'd love specifics if you have time, but a location and name/number would be great.

I'm asking y'all because I feel that I should be able to trade for a 4cyl Dangler straight up, but would prefer a Toyota product. I've already checked autotrader and cars.com and can't seem to find much in the way of Toyotas in G'vegas.

Thanks!:beer:
 
You could trade your car in at CarMax, take the money, and buy a 4wd in a few weeks if you can deal with the transportation hurdle. CarMax makes decent offers on used cars. Two that I know of: a friend was offered 14,000 at CarMax and 14,500 at a new car dealer and I was offered 5,000 at CarMax and 6,500 at a new dealer.

If you know of a 40, 60, 62 etc that you want you could sell your Miata to CarMax and then run over and buy the 4wd.
 
eventhough said:
You could trade your car in at CarMax, take the money, and buy a 4wd in a few weeks if you can deal with the transportation hurdle. CarMax makes decent offers on used cars. Two that I know of: a friend was offered 14,000 at CarMax and 14,500 at a new car dealer and I was offered 5,000 at CarMax and 6,500 at a new dealer.

If you know of a 40, 60, 62 etc that you want you could sell your Miata to CarMax and then run over and buy the 4wd.
Click to expand...

I've thought about this, and talked to a friend about it. He was offered close to trade in value. Were the numbers you quoted close to the trade-in values? There is such a discrepancy with Miatas that I go from a good running Cruiser to a project Cruiser. (~4000 private value to ~2500 for trade in) I have a hard time taking a hit like that.

I may still go by there today and see what they'll give me. You never know.
 
VTCruiser said:
will carmax buy cars outright even if you don't buy something from them? I may see what they'd give me for my aero if I can't sell it...
Click to expand...

Yup...ETA: Marshall beat me too it...

Supposedly their appraisal is independent of your purchase of another car from them. The sales people are tards though. Every one I have talked to knew nothing about the vehicles on the lot. You won't get top dollar from them but you can probably be in and out the door with your $$$ in under an hour.
 
carpdawg said:
I've thought about this, and talked to a friend about it. He was offered close to trade in value. Were the numbers you quoted close to the trade-in values? There is such a discrepancy with Miatas that I go from a good running Cruiser to a project Cruiser. (~4000 private value to ~2500 for trade in) I have a hard time taking a hit like that.

I may still go by there today and see what they'll give me. You never know.
Click to expand...

Its worth a shot. My truck had a KBB value of around $6,000 give or take (I took the KBB value and adjusted it to fit my truck more closely). Note that KBB often gives a slightly higher figure but not by much. IIRC my figure was based off of trade-in and I adjusted slightly higher b/c my truck was in very good shape. I would give it a shot. The appraisal will probably take 20 mins from in the door to getting a # and you can always leave. What I hate though is they don't just give you a #, they have to tell you some cockamamie 20 step process they go through.

Also, what is funny is that CarMax in their cockamamie process explains how they get the price for your vehicle which is pulled from recent sales records to give you a 'fairer' read "lower" price. On the other hand they show KBB values on their used cars which are higher...something to chew on...

By the way - CarMax did screw me - I had to b*^%# all the way up the chain to corporate to get things straightened out so BUYER BEWARE.
 
** Disclaimer - I am not a fan of Carmax. YMMV. **

I agree that Carmax could be good if you're in a pinch and time is of the essence.

My experience with their "offers to buy" has been a little different in that I've checked with them 3 times in the past and have always sold privately for 50-100% higher. You are obviously paying for ease of the transaction and doing very little marketing / work on your part...

And buying from Carmax? I have some stories that would blow your mind.
 
carmax doesn't give you fair value for your car. They will give you money for it. But when I was selling my blazer, I sold it for $6000. Carmax offered me $2500 for it.
 
jcoles said:
carmax doesn't give you fair value for your car. They will give you money for it. But when I was selling my blazer, I sold it for $6000. Carmax offered me $2500 for it.
Click to expand...

Ditto...I went to check out how much Carmax would give me for my 2001 Honda Accord and they offered $5000....went to a private/local dealership and they offered to buy it for $9500 even though I wasn't going to buy a vehicle from them...check out your local dealerships or mom and pops dealerships...good luck...R
 
I stopped by Carmax for their "buy your car" disservice this afternoon. Long story short, 1 hour later I had a quote to buy my car for $2000. I am thinking that they only offer this service to steal from the unsuspecting client that doesn't have an idea what their car is worth... The salesperson that was working with me told me that they give you what they think they could buy your car at a wholesale auction for. Makes sense, if my car was running on 2 spares, 3 cylinders and missing 4 body panels...

Maybe I should rename this thread: "Carmax wants to steal your car."

Thanks for the information and help everyone. Guess I'll be putting the car on the road side and in the papers again.
 
Im thinking about selling my Tacoma and buying a 80, and I thought about going to Carmax and seeing what they would give me for it but decided not to after hearing to many low ball stories.
 
In 2004 I had a 2000 Expo with 48k miles (granted that was like 148k on a cruiser) that I took to Carmax... thinkng I'd trade for a 100 they had on the lot. Offered $9800 and tradin value was 15k. The drivers door had been keyed at one time and repainted... that was the reason they gave me for the low value. Said I'd have been better off not repairing the paint.

I opted to sell myself... for $16500.

The 100 was overpriced by at least $5k. Haven't been back since.
 
I think they know what they want, what's selling, and pretty much grab those up when they come in (ie Marshall's Touareg), and if it's something they won't sell, or they have plenty of, then I think they lowball you so they can make money at the wholesale auction as well...
 
Dealerships (including CarMax) will pay you what they would have to pay at the auctions (if you negotiate hard), which is below the NADA blackbook. Nobody uses Kelley Bluebook. And what Carpdawg said...he's correct.
 
Dealerships give you wholesale on used car deals

Coming from a long line of new and used car dealers (GM, Willies, etc.), if you trade in a well used car to buy another used car, you get at best "wholesale" value on your trade and pay near retail for the used car you want. They know you are in a car you no longer like and they know they have the car you want (you have just shown all of your cards). This is why the used car business is lucrative.

The same "well used" car will get you closer to book "trade-in" value on a new car deal since there is a lot of profit in a new car sale. (You are not really getting anything more than wholesale, it just looks that way)

The experts will tell you that you should always sell your car yourself, not tie it into any other car deal, and let the market dictate your price. As my grandfather use to say, "there is always someone who will want your car really bad . . . you just have to be patient."

The best way I have found to sell a car is to place it in the IWANNA or a local paper that also puts it in Cars.com. Lots of opportunity for your car to find the person who really wants it, and ALWAYS put a price with your ad.

I also think that posting it up here and on mud's main board is a good idea, especially if you are a mud regular.
 
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