iconoclast

is this accurate or even reasonable:

1999 A4 1.8tq Automatic with 48k miles...
(extras that the dealership prolly doesnt factor in however: Eibach Springs, Ecodes, TTvalve, Full Brullen Exhuast (dp and all), rockford fosgate 10"sub with amp, s4 fenderliner, apr chip)

and they told me theyll give me $10,500 for it... am i the only one who feels that is ridiculously low???

KBB says almost $15k<ul><li><a href="http://www.kbb.com/kb/ki.dll/kw.kc.ur?kbb.NY;625752;NY081&amp;11375;t&amp;39;Au di;1999%20A4&amp;4;AU;AA&amp;">http://www.kbb.com/kb/ki.dll/kw.kc.ur?kbb.NY;625752;NY081&amp;11375;t&amp;39;Au di;1999%20A4&amp;4;AU;AA&amp;</a</li></ul>

Phishie [K04]

with 78000 miles on it got 10000.

homeslice

Print it out the kbb page, and bring that with you. If not try another dealer.
by the way what are you looking at?

98A4Qtip

last week, basically they dont account for condition (unless they can deduct from the value). Most dealers look at used cars as a line in a book.. Usually galves or black book, which are summaries of what the cars did at the auction in the last week. There are 100,000 (if not more) or so cars sold at auction each week, mostly at operations run by manheim auctions. They take all the data and publish wholesale pricing books. Dealers take that average of what they can get rid of it for at the auction, and offer it to you. The key being they want to make money on both cars, the one they sell you and the trade, but at least be able to walk away from the trade and loose nothing there.

As far as trying to renegotiate, dont even bother. Dealers will pay galves, no matter how they show it to you. They may say that they will give you 1000 more, but it will come in the form of them not backing down on the car you are looking at.

The other key here is supply and demand. VW credit and Audi Financial Services sell 100's of cars each week, because of the flood of lease returns. These cars are readily available, and the finance cos (which are really banks anyway) take what they can get for them, because they have made tons of money over the course of the lease.

If these cars are readily available at these prices, why would he pay you more for yours. The extras are probably of little value to him, especially if he does not have the clientele that is likely to be impressed by them.

Depending on the dealer, he may not plan to keep the car at all. The local mercedes dealer wholesales everything but MB's they can starmark (similar to audi assured). They pay fixed wholesale prices for them (from the aforementioned pricing guides) and have a deal in place with a wholesaler who shows up once a week with a car carrier and takes all the cars from the back.

All in all - if you arent happy with the value, sell it privately, or try and sell off the extras, or decide if its that worth it to you to get a new car, and just suck it up.

iconoclast

i want to keep mine and pick up a bmw 2000 328ci
however the dealer said why dont i trade mine in etc... and i said out of curiousity what could i get??? and he told me 10,5... i thought at least 14... oh well... the way it seems at the moment i might just keep mine and lease the bmw... who knows... just seeing what my options are...

iconoclast

very good points...

rigor

Take the TRADE IN KBB and multiply by 97% assuming the car is in perfect condition, never wrecked.

Thats roughly what they will give you minus a $160 purchase fee.

If you trade in the car, you will save a few hundred on taxes on the new car in many states, but to be honest, Audi's aren't wort ****, they depreciate alot. Sorry to say that, but its the truth..

iconoclast

where is there a carmax??? or where can i learn more about it???

Stang Guy

I work at a dealership and I wholesaled my 96 A4, 65K miles, for $10500. The book value was around $12K, and typically you can expect a dealer to take a car in around 10% under low book value. If you're trading yours in you should be able to do a couple of grand better than that (depending, of course on other factors like how badly you may be robbing them on the sale of the new vehicle - they have to make money somewhere!). Also, keep in mind if an A4 has traditionally been a slow seller for that particular dealer, they will offer you less than what you may get elsewhere.

YRMV of course. Good luck!

Stang Guy

Well said - manheim info is now available to dealers only on-line FYI.