Desert Fox

Last Wednesday I was toying with the idea of trading my 2012 Sahara in on a 2014 JKUR factory built for me. Due to sickness in my family, my Sahara sat in my garage for the past year and only has 6,420 miles on it. It looks and dives like new. I took it to the local dealer who offered me $28K for it on a trade in. I was somewhat shocked by the low number so I checked with the KBB site. Average KBB trade in value was $31,680 for a 2012 with low mileage, and in excellent condition. KBB price if I sold it on my own was $33,100. Somewhat confused, I went to my local Carmax and had them appraise it. In the past I have sold three cars to them including my 2008 JKUX. Their prices have always been within a few dollars of KBB. It came as a real shock when they handed me their offer of $28K, the exact same number as the dealer. I might add that I have a clear title and the only thing on the Carfax input was three oil changes. I asked to talk to the appraiser, but was told that he was too busy to talk to me. It appears to me that the local car dealers and the local Carmax may be in "cahoots." In any case, whatever is going on, we have been excluded from seeing the "yardstick" they are using to price used cars to ensure they make max profit on both the trade-in and on the sale of a new vehicle at our expense. Profit is one thing, obscene profit is another.

Jonathan_JK

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^This is correct Black book never lies.
They get that number from previous auction sales, Retail sales, and the number of Jeeps that are coming off of lease.

I used to work for a dealer and it was all explained to me that Black Book gets the information from a network of businesses and they have people input all this info into a computer formula to get these numbers based on all the factors. It makes sense to me

BrightSilverRubicon

This has been a very informative thread. I didn't know about the "black book".

ToolManTimTaylor

I know. Dealers are SO out of touch it seems LOL

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spartan99

Yep. The Carfx hit, as minor as the accident was, has affected the value of your vehicle in a major way. It is stupid, but it is the way it is. The dealer is giving you fair value based on your carfax.

But rejoice in that your typical vehicle is subjected to a hell of a lot more of a devaluation due to a bad carfax. Jeeps amazingly keep their value. I believe you are ahead of the game and are getting a decent trade in value.

Word to the wise: Do NOT report accidents if possible. It is stupid and unfair but a mark on your Carfax knocks thousands off of its value.

spinlock

I always sell my vehicles myself but sometimes on a dealer's insistence, I will run through the numbers of a trade in as I did on my last purchase. The dealer low balled me too so I asked for a detailed explanation and he sat me down with the used car finance manager. To make a long story short these are some of the things of the gotchas with trade-ins and a dealer will hold everyone against you that applies:
- Accident reported in Carfax
- More than two owners
- High Mileage
- Manual Transmission
- Upcoming major service
- Scratches, dings and worn upholstery classify as "average" or less condition
- Bald Tires and chipped windshield
- Trading in a brand that the dealer doesn't sell (many times they have to sell it to brokers)
- Subtract a fee for basic maintenance and checkup, since they have to offer a some type of warranty even if only for 30-90 days

They do look at NADA pricing but just as guideline, more importantly they look at how many vehicles are on the market within what they consider their business radius and what they are going for. The financing they use for used vehicles is much different than the floor plan financing they use for new ones.

As you can see they have this process wired in their favor. They get some all lathered up about their new Jeep that many don't care what they get for the trade-in as long as those monthly payments are low enough even if they are for 6,7 or 8 years. You are never going to get more than an average deal for a trade-in, unless your buying something that is stuck on the lot, but it does help in many cases facilitate the process of buying your new Jeep.

Jeeps are in high demand and have a high resale value so my suggestion is to try to sell it your self. You can easily keep $4-5K in your pocket and sell it below market value if you want to sell it fast.

mandor6863

Thought I would respond - I just traded in my 2010 JK Rubicon unlimited. As you can see on my profile it had a 3" lift and 35's on MT wheels. I traded the jeep with the dual tops and the set of stock and 35 tires and wheels. It had 43k miles and was in excellent condition.
I traded for a minivan and the end pricing was only 4k difference than trade in and purchase price of new van. I tell you this as I was not buying a high dollar vehicle.
My Jeep stickered at 34k when new on the lot, I got $24,500.00 for it in trade on the van.
The dealer was a dodge Chrysler dealer that had no used Jeeps in inventory. It was not the dealer I originally bought the jeep at.
I did take it last year to look at a chrysler 300 and was offered just $20k for it. Why the difference, not sure other than no inventory and a vehicle they had a number of on the lot this time.
I did all the pricing online and ran both blue book and black book along with some price reviews of selling at local dealers and such. I went in to drive a trade in of $25k and got just 500 less.
Not an answer but some recent info on a trade in the Canandaigua, NY area.
Stay safe.
Mandor6863

09SDunlimited

Last November I traded in my 2009 Unlimited sport with 4 inch lift 35s bumpers and a few other addons 20000 miles and got 25000 in trade. Purchase price was 21453 with tax. Feeling more lucky everyday on that deal.

spartan99

It's just amazing how these things keep their value. It's an anomaly! Never seen anything else like it.

Matthewd5

I love cars and jeeps but I hate the salespeople and all the games they play...

I had a 2001 TJ with just about 100k miles on it and it needed a new rear differential and they gave me full kbb retail for it towards a 2008 Subaru wrx that was loaded...

About four years later I was really missing my go anywhere anytime vehicle so I traded in a 2008 Subaru wrx with fairly low miles but one small accident listed in carfax and the Jeep dealer gave me some number that was at or above the Kelly retail price!

So I guess Subaru's and jeeps hold their value?

I keep meaning to join tread lightly for that below dealer invoice deal they have on new jeeps

At the rate I'm building up my 2012 JK 2 door my wife's wondering if I should tease up to a new rubicon

But my JK has like 18,000 miles on it, Goodyear duratrac's that are like new, EVO skid plate system, 3" bds lift kit, Ace rock rails, brand new Ace front and rear bumpers, plus I recently came into almost $6k from an old insurance annuity and maybe I'm crazy but I think I'm gonna get regeared and most likely add ARB front and rear lockers and probably a winch while I'm at it!

I've decided that I'd like to build it up all I want and plan to keep it for 10+ years

Also, if you were to trade in a rig with fancy bumpers and such does that gain you anything at trade in time?

I've started keeping my take off stuff like the factory bumpers and original low mileage tires

Matthew