Dealers insult!

[Al Goguen]

Dealers insulted me today when I went to try and trade the MM for a 2003
Cobra coupe!....Even with the mods I have and the condition of the MM
which is perfect. They Insulted me by saying its only worth 17K....I told
him that is the whole sale for a Grand marque not a Marauder... I don't
think they have any idea what one of these things are worth.......Needless
to say I walked out after making a few "Nasty" comments about legal
robbery... LOL.
Anyone got a 03-04 Cobra (preffereable a Convertable) they wanna trade
for an 04 DTR Marauder with 16.3K on the clock....(see Mods in signature):D

[Rider90]

I'm suprised they even considered buying it after you told them the car was modded.

[Hack Goby]

Dealers dont want a Marauder with "Mods"on it It makes it harder to sell.I was only offerd 18k for mine with 17,000 on the odo and I didnt tell them what I had done.Check out blue book prices 18 is all they are worth(To them)Then they turn around and sell them for 22-23,000 Its a sad fact.

[Mike Muldrow]

I traded my 04 DTR and got 20k for it on a GM employee deal last month. They turned around and sold it at auction for 20k. I would think that is the going rate on a clean 04 DTR in Florida. Good luck

[marauder307]

Yeah.

The dealers stick religiously to the Kelley Blue Book when taking trade-ins. After perusing it myself and checking out a few values, it's bluntly obvious that Kelley is designed to help the dealers...not you. It allows them some kind of legal leg to stand on so if anybody jams 'em up legally over trade-in values, they can honestly say in court that they've got a "publicly accredited" source dictating what they can and can't do.

It IS legalized highway robbery. What's even worse is that with the advent of all these so-called "employee pricing" programs, the dealer's profit margins are going get cut closer still; the Blue Book's going to make a lot of appearances as these guys do absolutely everything they can to make up lost profits on the backside of a deal.

[kartherma]

I believe every word.

Two or three weeks ago I was in a Ford dealer because as I drove by I saw an 05 white with the blue stripes...it was beautiful. So I stopped in. Completely obvious in their sales tactics and everything. No respect what-so-ever! I was fed a line about "just have it appraised" so you will know later what it is worth when you buy xxx.

I figured sure, I wasnt really doing anything anyways. What the heck. In the mean time they show me a Chevy 454 SS and I liked it figuring that since it was an 02 I would be close on what I would spend on it.

The dude starts filling my information out on a computer. And it started innocent enough. Name, Phone, Address. But when he wanted the names, phones and address of three friends who would "vouch" for me when they run the credit I lost it. This guy actually sat there and told me it was REQUIRED...PERIOD! I said if I walked in here with a cashiers check or for that matter cash, you would not ask me this crap. You already know what he said. Sir, it is company policy that all car sales are accompanied by a credit check form being filled in. In fact, california requires it...

anyways, now that I was really pissed, the final insult came:
Sir we have your car back and great news! you will only have to finance 23K for that truck you wanted to buy today. Your payments will only be xxx.xx, just sign here and we will do the rest!

Turns out they offered me 14K for an 04 silver birch with 12K miles on it.

I am so glad I have a dealer here in Yuma who knows me and helps me.

on a side not, stopped in and saw the black one. She has the 4.10's in her and the tail is going on this next week. Cant wait to get her beefed up a bit!

be good!

[Dennis Reinhart]

Dealers dont want a Marauder with "Mods"on it It makes it harder to sell.I was only offerd 18k for mine with 17,000 on the odo and I didnt tell them what I had done.Check out blue book prices 18 is all they are worth(To them)Then they turn around and sell them for 22-23,000 Its a sad fact.
Dealers don't want to give you crap on a trade in, they want to steal your car, have you pay out the nose for your new car and then they make 5 k on your trade in, I would never trade a Marauder in I would sell it out right, then make your best deal with a good dealer, if any can be found.

[SergntMac]

Legal robbery? I think not. Good business? I think so.

Point 1: Your trade-in is worth what's it's worth to any insurance company that has to pay out for a "total loss", and not one penny more. Doesn't matter how much you love it, or, what you have done to "improve it" in your humble opinion. A "bone stock" automobile, (however sorry it may be in your view) is always worth more than any "modded", or. "improved" automobile, in the present owner's opinion. Just because you love it, doesn't mean other will want to buy it. BTW, you are trying to sell it, yes? How much "love" is that?

Point 2: If not for the highly respected Kelly Blue Book value index, which protects us owners in trade, as much as it protects any dealer, you would be offered much less than that KBBV, if offered anything at all. One small (5-6-7 cars a month) dealer by me doesn't take any trades at all, ever. But, he sells cars non-stop, at maybe 1000-1500 dollar profit each. Care to do that math? Potentially, (and conservatively), 7 large a month, yes? Not bad for a local businessman, with his hand in HIS pockets.

Surprisingly, his deals only used cars, and cars which are much better deals. But, no trades. Not interested. Cash only, maybe at best and maybe, some light financing through the neighborhood bank down the street. "Neighborhood" business, X2, and he's doing a steady business for over 30 years now. Put his 7 kids through college, two doctors, one priest, eh?

Automobiles are not a financial investments. They are an emotional investment, but a financial loss. Just ask any money dude. When you buy any car, you are pizzing money down the toilet, beginning when you pull out of the dealer's lot.

I have to ask...Is there something wrong or bad about a dealer making money? "Buy low, sell high" is the dealership's goal, and this keeps the lights on, the doors open, and the inventory revolving. The overhead of running a dealership today is financially overwhelming, and you need to remember that you are doing business on their terms and turf. If you want top dollar for your precious trade in, sell it privately.

BTW, what was the asking price for this Cobra? I ask because your deal may have been better than you think? You seem rather stupid about it all.

If YOU were a dealer, would you not want to buy fresh used car inventory as cheap as possible? Would you not prefer a "bone stock" model over one which the previous owner "modded" to his opinion of perfection or delight? Would you not want top dollar for your used cars on your lot? Would you not ask yourself why someone would trade such a beautiful and seemingly perfect automobile, for a sports car of the same year, that someone else dumped on them last week? Dude?

If I were a dealer, I would not. And, I would also suspect that there may be something very wrong about your trade-in, something that you're not fessing up to. But, if everything looked okay to me, I would buy low too. If it checked out, I would keep it on my lot and use it to draw more customers. If I couldn't be sure about your trade-in...Auction, and with my mouth shut on mods too. Let the buyer beware.

For every single owner who deals straight up with an automobile dealer, there are ten behind him who want to cheat, and cheat as bad as they think a dealer has cheated them. It's human nature.

No dealer in the world will sell any automobile at fair market value, therefore, it's automatic, maybe guaranteed, that a dealer won't take in by a trade, at fair market value.

Welcome to the real world, of automobiles, and ownership.

[Dennis Reinhart]

Mac never sugar coats any thing bottom line is any dealer wants to make as much on your trade in as he does on the car he is selling you I have always felt in most situations your better off selling the car out right, unless you are buried in it

[Al Goguen]

Went to a a different dealer with a GT Convertable 2004 and got a better
offer on the MM ($22.500) and they want 21.5 for the GT.......I am
thinking about it......I think I might do it and then trade it when the new
Cobra 500's come out next year. (07's)......
I'll call my credit union monday to find out what I need to do....
Thanks for the comments Sargmac....(stupid????-some times that fits)
I just get upset about the fact that when they sell, the stuff is gold but
when its time to trade its not worth anything.....Profit is fine but rape without
some kind of lube just hurts.....
P.S. ABout the mods being mentioned? The dealer is mod friendly. Matter of
fact they even sell the SCT tuners. I have had all my service done by them
even some mods.....I always Make sure about mod friendly before I open
my mouth. But your right, some wouldn't touch a car with MOds...:nono:
.:beer: