Krash Kadillak

'Book' the HHR using Kelley Blue Book. Factor in mileage and all equipment. If the dealer's price is within $400 of Private Party 'excellent cond' value, then your price is good.

http://www.kbb.com/new-cars/

HHR777

Yeah I did all that. Where KBB gives too much room is the "condition" I cannot assume excellent condition without a certification or knowing the car. So I use between good and fair like they do on a trade.

In that case the car is worth no more than $8200 as equipt and not $9500.

I just don't know of any discontinued run of the mill Detroit car being worth more than 50% of it's original resale value after 7 years. That's a 4 year deprecation hit. I bought my 08 2WD DCSB V6 Tacoma TRD OR for $20,500 two years and 7000 miles ago. Carmax has made a written offer for $19,000. THAT is resale value.. I don't see that kind of demand for the HHR to pay what dealers are asking. The dealer has all the paperwork done and the check cut but I am going to want them to increase that check from $9500 to $10,500 to close the deal. The Tacoma will depreciate less than any car I buy today going forward so I can afford to wait for the right deal.

I met up in a parking lot with a guy who bought one a few days ago. A very clean 50K 06 with everything in the car could have on it. he paid $9995.00 OTD That was a "fair" deal. But sales tax here is capped at $300 +$25 title fee so he paid $9675 for the car.


The HHR is a niche car and not without its foibles.

I chose it because I thought they should be great values. Even though I love the look and had one I cannot let emotions dictate a purchase.

There is an 08 with a standard transmission here. 27K miles. I am not sure who would want a Red HHR that is not a SS with a standard in it. I am sure they will sell it though.

IgottaWoody

Then you probably have some haggling room....but consider, the used car business is way up so the prices reflect this...especially with cars that are in demand..seems these cars are still wanted and they dont set too long.

HHR777

Yeah I did all that. Where KBB gives too much room is the "condition" I cannot assume excellent condition without a certification or knowing the car. So I use between good and fair like they do on a trade.

In that case the car is worth no more than $8200 as equipt and not $9500.

I just don't know of any discontinued run of the mill Detroit car being worth more than 50% of it's original resale value after 7 years. That's a 4 year deprecation hit. I bought my 08 2WD DCSB V6 Tacoma TRD OR for $20,500 two years and 7000 miles ago. Carmax has made a written offer for $19,000. THAT is resale value.. I don't see that kind of demand for the HHR to pay what dealers are asking.

I met up in a parking lot with a guy who bought one a few days ago. A very clean 50K 06 with everything in the car could have on it. he paid $9995.00 OTD That was a "fair" deal. But sales tax here is capped at $300 +$25 title fee so he paid $9675 for the car.


The HHR is a niche car and not without its foibles.

I chose it because I thought they should be great values. Even though I love the look and had one I cannot let emotions dictate a purchase.

There is an 08 with a standard transmission here. 27K miles. I am not sure who would want a Red HHR that is not a SS with a standard in it. I am sure they will sell it though.


These guys are out of their minds

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...gIndex=1&Log=0

They offered me $7000 for my $19,000 truck to take that car......As if.

IgottaWoody

Wow..a 2006?? Is it gold plated somewhere?

solman98

Bottom line is, a car is only worth what someone will pay for it. The HHR is now out of production. It's a good small wagon that delivers good fuel economy. With gas prices today, it's in demand. Used car prices have risen over the last few years. It's had to find that "perfect" used car.. So if you find one you want, and then let it go, good luck finding another.

Your not allowing the condition of the vehicle based on an "unknown" assumption. The condition of the vehicle can be verified by any mechanic. You can easily look and inspect the vehicle yourself for everything that is non mechanical. Your dropping KBB value for no reason other than you don't want to pay that price.


If CarMax did indeed offer you $19K, why would you even consider talking trade? If CarMax is willing to give you $19K for a 5 year old Tacoma, you better take it....



No doubt there. And neither is a Tacoma, nor Toyota for that matter. Last year, highest recall rate in history, not to mention the ordeal from just a couple of years ago. Tacoma frame rust worst than most cancers

If you don't want emotion to be involved, go buy a Corolla.


Might as well ask why anyone would buy an SS with an auto and any other color other than red. I mean, seriously?

solman98

just for S&G's I just went into KBB and looked up mine. 06 1LT, 2.2, 5 speed, 88K miles. $8716 (not bad since I paid $17K new in 06, don't remember sticker price). I don't have ABS or traction control or Side air bags.

I also changed mine to a 2.4 and a auto and that raised it to $9116 (hard to think that was $2500 more when new...lol) So this dealership is not out on line if this is a fully loaded 2LT.

HHR777

Your car is worth $6K at most if it were mine. Retail is not what my vehicles are worth. Wholesale is what I would get TODAY. That is the real value of the car. My truck is wholesale "good" at $19K. Because that's what dealers will stroke a check for today. Not what the dealer will sell it for or what I would sell it for or what the insurance company would pay out

The car I was looking at was not fully loaded. No floor boards, No moon roof, No On Star. I had a fully loaded 06 2LT and got $10,000 for it three years ago at CarMax. Which was low book. Dealers and Carmax will pay "good" KBB "Actual Cash Value" I wholesaled it. They sold it for $13000.

HHR777

I will try to respond to your points as clearly as possible with back up when needed.


Bottom line is, a car is only worth what someone will pay for it. The HHR is now out of production. It's a good small wagon that delivers good fuel economy. With gas prices today, it's in demand. Used car prices have risen over the last few years. It's had to find that "perfect" used car.. So if you find one you want, and then let it go, good luck finding another.

I agree. My car is worth what a dealer would pay me for it today. As for gas prices. Sorrentos with V6s are getting better mileage than my 06 HHR. Technology is changing fast. Used car prices have risen with new prices. I paid $20.5K for a truck two years ago and "lost $1500" in real depreciation. If I sold private party retail, I would have driven it for nothing and maybe even make a few bucks.That alone is making it a tough act to follow and why i am very particular in what I buy and what I pay for it.

Your not allowing the condition of the vehicle based on an "unknown" assumption. The condition of the vehicle can be verified by any mechanic. You can easily look and inspect the vehicle yourself for everything that is non mechanical. Your dropping KBB value for no reason other than you don't want to pay that price.

If I wanted to go through it with a mechanic it could possibly be in better or worse condition. Either way I cannot pay the price without knowing. I do know this, The front end was clunking over bumps. Maybe sway bars, Struts. I don't know I never had a high mileage HHR
I am not dropping KBB value in as much as I am limiting the dealer profit. I know what trade in prices are and negotiate the dealer's profit. If they think they can sell the car for more they let me walk. If not they will keep calling and making better offers.


If CarMax did indeed offer you $19K, why would you even consider talking trade? If CarMax is willing to give you $19K for a 5 year old Tacoma, you better take it....


$19K is easy. KBB NADA Edmunds. Black book all have the Taco at a minimum of $19K. Nissan offered me $19.5 today ACV on any car in their lot. They ahd a nice Rogue Krome. But I don't know much about Nissan, I know Toyota I have two of them. The reason I always go to Carmax is to get the buy price in writing is so I can negotiate solely on the car I am buying and bring the trade in at the end of the negotiating process. The dealer will always match Carmax because if they don;t want the vehicle they can take it to Carmax and get the same money


No doubt there. And neither is a Tacoma, nor Toyota for that matter. Last year, highest recall rate in history, not to mention the ordeal from just a couple of years ago. Tacoma frame rust worst than most cancers

Despite all that, the Tacoma has the 1st or 2nd highest resale value of any Vehicle in it's class for the last 10 years..and Toyota is the best brand for resale overall....go figure. If your frame rusted out do you think Chevy would buy back all those vehicles? If you had 90K on an engine and blew a head gasket would GM repair that free because they found they had bad gasket material for a couple years? That happened back in the 80's

http://www.kbb.com/new-cars/best-res...-10-cars-2013/

http://www.kbb.com/new-cars/best-res...ds/best-brand/

If you don't want emotion to be involved, go buy a Corolla.
Really? Buying a car (or any major purchase should never be an emotional choice. Those people usually make poor choices and are never able to get out from making payments and generally cannot become financially independent.

http://www.adviceiq.com/articles/dav...otional-buying

All my vehicle purchases are with an eye toward value. I initially chose the HHR because I had one. I liked it and I thought they would be a good "value" because they have been discontinued and are a niche vehicle. I thought dealers would be giving them away. I was wrong. The car is not a good "value". Dealers want too much for them and are giving too little on trades. Because people are making emotional decisions when buying them. Good for dealers. not good for me. I appreciate the dialog though. My vehicles are not a hobby. I don't put enough miles on four wheels. (4K a year is high) I put 2X the miles on my bike. My truck had 24K on it 2 years ago, Has 31K today.


Might as well ask why anyone would buy an SS with an auto and any other color other than red. I mean, seriously?

Why WOULD someone buy an SS with an Automatic?

HHR777

Nope No haggling room. They let me walk. The quote I got on the truck is more than proof of the point you make about the used car business today. The HHR is selling in weeks. I was surprised but glad for you guys who love them.

The "hot" manufacturer today seems to be Hyundai and KIA. They have come a long way. I was at a KIA dealer today and they rolled four vehicles while I was there. I also was at Nissan today and Honda last night. Those places were morgues.
The guy who bought the Loaded 06 2Lt for $9950 bought it at the Honda dealership. I wanted to see if they had any more. He dropped them nearly $3000 in a few visits...That is not unusual for a used car. My Taco initially had $2399 on the window. Dealers seem to mark up used cars 30% and many will roll a 10% profit.