Just got my car appraised for a possible trade in. Very surprised to see how far the prices have fallen.

Was offered $23,000 to $24,000 on my 2013 TL with 23k miles.

Kind of ruined my new vehicle chances.

 

I was offered $15,000 from Carmax on my 2010 with 76k.

 

and they will re-sell it for 30k

i rather take the time and try selling it myself private.

 

Well, if it helps at all. I purchased my 2012 TL SH-AWD W/Tech package from CarMax about a month ago. It had 21,500 miles on it. Paid 28,998 for it. Although they did give me $8,000 for my 2006 Honda Ridgeline RTS with 149,000 miles on it so my loan was for 20,998. Well worth it in my opinion. I miss my truck every once in awhile, but the new Acura makes up for it!!

 

For what its worth I've had a couple used car dealers (when I was going to trade in my 08 TL Type S) tell me that black and silver cars fetch a higher trade in value than others. Also depending on the dealer, a manual shift can get a much higher trade in value than an Auto. Which makes sense because they consistently sell for much more than their auto counterparts. Not all dealers will tell you this, but some will if you push them on it.

 

There's only one guarantee with any vehicle - depreciation. You're going to always get ripped unless you keep that car for several years without a payment. The best trades I've made have been on 10 yrd old vehicles, I always seem to get exactly what kbb or whatever blue book price is stating. Newer vehicles will always be low balled because the dealer's favorite line is *I can get it at auction all day for X*

 

Best way to increase the trade in value of your car is simply walk away from the transaction. Telling a salesman You will come back after selling the car on your own will quickly change the numbers. Dealers can make more money on a clean used car than selling new so they are actually losing out on two potential profit situations.

This is of course presuming the trade in is clean and desirable, sounds like your TL is both.

 

+1

I've burned through so many $$$$ paying for cars in my lifetime that I could have paid my house off by now if I had just ridden my bicycle instead.

I recently paid off my newest addition in the garage just to prove a point to those who think it's O.K. to be upside down in a car. The truck hasn't really lost any value since I bought it. The biggest loss was taken by the idiot who bought it new and traded it back after only three years and 22k.

The moral of the story is BUY IT USED and let some other fool take the big hit driving it off the dealer's lot.

 

+1 ---I buy cars now when they are like 2-3 years old and low mileage.
My TL-S I had for 4 plus years cost me only about 2K a year between what I paid and what I traded it for.

 

Ah man! Do you have SHAWD? I have a 2010 with Tech/SHAWD and 79k

 

Yes, 2010 SH-AWD Tech Pkg. Silver on black.