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Software Vault: The Diamond Collection
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The Diamond Collection (Software Vault)(Digital Impact).ISO
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SELRTRAD.TXT
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1995-01-15
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9KB
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Sell or Trade - A Tough Decision
How much will a car dealer allow you when you trade
in your old car? It depends on a lot of things: Make and
model, age, condition, mileage, and whether or not it has
the popular options, such as automatic transmission and
power steering. It also depends to some extent on the
price of the car you are buying. Dealers have more room
to deal on expensive late model used cars.
The way cars are sold, it is often difficult to
determine just how much the trade-in allowance is really
worth. This is because used cars really have no fixed
price. Some dealers set their price high, expecting that
they may have to bring it down in order to sell the car.
If they are aware of your desire to trade in a car, they
will bring the price down less, or not at all, then offer
you a pretty good allowance on your old car. If you are
making a clean deal, without a trade, they will be more
willing to bring down the advertised price. In the case
of dealers who need used cars, the opposite may be true.
They may offer you a better deal with a trade than on a
clean deal.
If you make a clean deal, then at the last minute
decide to trade, you will probably be surprised at how
little the trade-in allowance is.
Theoretically, the trade-in value of a used car is
the wholesale value or average trade-in price set by the
NADA Official Used Car Guide or some other trade
publication. If you plan to buy a car from a dealer, and
trade in your old one, it is a good idea to call your
bank or credit union and ask them to tell you the average
trade-in or wholesale value of your present car. Then you
will have some idea what your trade is worth. However,
this price is for a car in average condition, and the
judgement as to whether a car is average, better than
average, or worse than average, is often in the eye of
the beholder. The owner often overestimates the condition
of the car to be traded, and the dealer, thinking of the
cost of cleaning, repairing and reconditioning, will
usually form a lower opinion.
There are some advantages to trading in your car,
rather than trying to sell it yourself. The old car is
taken off your hands immediately. Within a few days you
are driving your new car, or newer used car, without any
worry about the old. Another plus for trading is that you
do not have to turn your car over to strangers for trial
drives or, even more disturbing, go along. That can be a
major consideration in these lawless times.
If, however, you decide to sell your old car, here
are a few suggestions:
Do not use the prices in dealer ads to price your
car. If you set the price too high, no one will come to
look at it. Many dealers repair and recondition their
used cars, and offer a warranty. This increases their
value. They may also overstate the price, as indicated
earlier, anticipating the need to bargain. But the main
thing that allows the dealer to get a higher price is his
car lot. People pass through his lot every day looking
for a car to buy, whereas you will not have that
advantage. And consider that the dealer may need to keep
a car on his lot a few months before someone buys it.
Will you have that much patience?
In view of all this, it is advisable to price your
car somewhat below dealer prices for a comparable
car in your area.
Certain things make a car very saleable. Features
such as automatic transmission, power steering, power
brakes, air conditioning, rear window defogger,
stereo-cassette and cruise control are popular and will
help to sell a car. Other things being equal, low mileage
is a big plus.
Manual transmissions are popular with some young
people. As people grow older they usually look for more
conveniences. If your car has a manual transmission, or
is a highly styled model, your market may be limited.
Generally speaking, an attractive car under two
thousand dollars is relatively easy for a private owner
to sell. As the price goes up from there, expect to wait
a while for a buyer, unless your car is an absolute
bargain. This fact may help you decide whether to sell or
trade.
Cars in good condition, priced under one thousand
dollars, sell very quickly in most metropolitan areas.
Remember that you do not necessarily have to get more
than the dealer said he would give you. You can often
come out ahead selling your car for less than the dealer
offered on a trade. The real value of the dealer's offer
is the difference between the price of the new car after
deducting the trade-in, and the price the new car would
have sold for on a clean deal. This figure may be
difficult for you to determine, because dealers are quite
expert at concealing it, but give it a try. You can
probably sell your under-$1000 car for more than the cash
value of the dealer's offer.
If your state requires periodic safety inspections,
have the latest inspection sticker on the car. Thoroughly
clean the car inside and out. Get a lube and oil change.
If it's running rough, give it a tuneup. Have at least a
quarter tank of gas.
Now you are ready to sell the car. The best way to
advertise is in the classified pages of your local
newspaper. Keep the ad simple and don't try to be clever.
State the year, make and model, best features, the price,
and your telephone number. If it's an asking price, say
so. If it's a firm price, likewise.
If you like, you can also type up little ads and
place them on bulletin boards in super markets and at
work (if it's permitted.)
Some people like to place a For Sale sign in the
window of the car and park it in the driveway or in front
of the house. If you do this be prepared for prospective
customers knocking on your door at inconvenient times.
Most prospects will want to test drive the car. This
is to be expected. Test drives should be taken in
daylight and limited to within a few blocks of your home.
Whether or not you go with the prospect is a personal
choice. Some people prefer to hold the prospective
buyer's drivers license and let them take the car alone.
If you do this, be sure to note down all the information
from the driver's license in case you later discover
that the car was returned with a different battery or
tires.
When you find someone who is willing to buy your car,
do not accept a personal check. Insist on cash or a
certified check. Give them a receipt, on which you should
note that the car is sold As Is. It will be necessary to
go before a notary public to have the title transferred.
Wait until you get before the notary before signing the
title. It is customary for the buyer to pay all costs
involved in transferring the title and licensing the car,
including the notary fee and state tax, if any.
After reading the above and seeing what is involved
in selling your car, you may decide to trade it. But
whichever you decide to do, trade or sell, good luck and
happy dealing.
End