I drove the same 2000 4.2 for the third time today and I'm sold on the car. The car is silver with black interior. It has 17 inch rims and a cd changer. It doesn't have nav, warm weather or sport package. I'm not sure what options were available for 2000. The dealer here in Dallas is asking $42,500. When I go back the dealer on Monday what price should I shoot for? I haven't told them that I need to trade-in my '99 Volvo S70 GLT. How is Audi on trade-ins? What questions should I ask and what should I be concerned with?

 

But beware - they are not necessarily accurate. I think there was a previous thread on used car pricing problems. Good luck.

 

I would check out what it will cost for a 2001. The sticker on a 2001 with the CD changer and 17 wheel option is probably about 51K or so. You should be able to get it for about $1,000 to $1,500 over invoice, or about 47K. You can get the exact invoice info from Edmund's. Also, in about 6-8 weeks the 2002 will be here. (which means a 2000 is now two model years old) Price may or may not go up, but I would expect the same sort of deals, especially with the economy dipping. Also, you should really drive one with the sport package. Major difference in handling. I think you can get the Sport Package with the 17" wheels for about $1,750. Also, you can buy the CD changer for about 299 at clair, or from Audi for 350.. Its wired and ready to go. About a 30 minute job. As for the trade in. Depending on the demand for your car, dealers usually pay less than low blue book. The market is absolutely flooded with used cars, especially nice low mileage 3 year lease returns. The difference you receive by selling it yourself could make up a large chunk of the difference between a 2000 and a new one. Also, and you probably know this, but if you are facing a lease return deadline, DO NOT tell the dealer or you are dead meat. They will know you are pressed for time and stick to their price. Also, you can buy an absolutely loaded 2.7T, either 2001 or 2002, with all packages, including sport package with 17" wheels for about 43K. Finally, the 2000 only have a 3 year warranty, 2001 have a 4 year bumper bumper warranty. The one you are looking at could have been purchased as early as July 1999. At the very least get the dealer to throw in an extended bumper to bumper. Good Luck.

 

I agree with btme that a 2000 is nearly 2 years old, although I bet it is really closer to 4 months before we really see '02 models in the showrooms. I think you could get an '01 with approximately 10k miles, nearly fully loaded (-GPS) for about $42-44k, so a '00 should be around $38-40k now, unfortunately for those who want to sell one. Of course dealer resales are much higher priced than private sales or trade-in values.
If you live in an area that has a good number of 4.2 ('01) on the lots, I agree with btme that ~$1000-1500 over invoice is do-able, although it may create a little animosity between you and the dealer.
You always need to wonder why a '00 was traded in. Do they have the repair records for the car? Did the person who owned it smoke?
I would suggest against trading in. Your Volvo is a fairly desirable car and should be sell-able at somewhere between KBBs trade-in and retail value which is much better than any dealer would give you as a trade. (They don't usually even come close to the KBB trade-in value).
Options for 2000 were: cold weather pkg (HTD seats fr and rr), warm weather pkg (solar sunroof, power rear shade, manual side window shades), rear airbags, 17 in pie-plates, GPS, Xenon, CD-changer, acoustic parking, and ESP. The sport package came out late in '00, but wasn't even available in some areas until '01 and is a very worthwhile option. (I actually would not buy the car until I could get the sport package because I thought the non-sport suspension had way too much float, dive, and roll which annoyed the crap out of me).
It is very easy to fall in love with this car. I just think you could do a little better for your money. Mine too is a silver/black, it is awesome ('01). Good luck.

 

you are likely to walk in offering too little. It's the old song and dance. If you can meet in the middle, everyone should be happy. If you are ready to buy a car now, use the edmunds site as a guide. Their numbers are based on real world sales numbers acheived recently.

If you want the dealer to really sharpen their pencils, do tell them that you are in the immediate market for a car. If you plan to trade in the Volvo, and do not disclose this until late in the negotiations, do plan on it taking a lot more time to finalise the negotiations and transaction. The manager will have asked the salesperson if there was a trade and have set up the deal in the system with-out a trade. Just as you might use the last minute tactic to confuse the deal, the dealer can also use it to their advantage. You play games, they play games. They do it every day for a living. Do you ?

As for the trade-in, you need to consider the time and negotiation skills you have on hand. You will always get more money in a private sale. I have found people looking for used Volvos to be extremely picky and quite frugal. The dealer has to include all the factors in the overhead of selling such a car to that type of clientel. A Volvo wagon seems to bring more interest. Expect the dealer to apply a similar wholesale price reduction ratio on the Volvo as you are looking on the Audi. The guys here suggest 38K for the Audi ? 4K back of retail. Expect 4K below wholesale for the Volvo.

If you are set on a specific version of the A6, the time it takes to sell your car may be a factor in timing and availability of the next car. Do you have a back-up car to drive until a new or pre-owned version comes available again if this one sells? If you are leasing the Volvo, are you looking for someone to take over the lease or are you buying it out, or do you plan for the dealer to do that.

My "cut the bull" suggestion is that you ask to see the ACV ( actual cash value ) sheet. This paper details what the dealer paid for the vehicle. Attached to it should be the reconditioning costs. Add to that the Audi Assured warranty ( abt $400 ). Fair pricing on a used car is in the $2000 over ACV + recon range. You might try for lower than that, but expect them to walk away from your offer as a car like this usually can be sold for a larger margin. It is important that you be prepared to do the deal if that number is in your comfort range. You won't get a another chance. Most dealers have great reluctance to show the ACV - so walking away would reinforce that attitude.

 

KBB says $41,360 for dealer retail on my car. Edmunds is almost TEN THOUSAND less at $32,742. Talk about a nasty way to drive down the perceived value of Audis!!!!!!!!!!! I'm tempted to complain.

Autotrader.com gives some good examples of A6 dealer and private sale values.

 

Thanks for the input. I am delaying my purchase for a couple of reasons, none being that I don't like the car.

 

I delayed for almost 2 years---it's worth the wait---good luck