Should I trade in my car? | Page 2 | The Compost Bin | Forums

So wife and I went to local chevy dealer last Tuesday to look at trucks, told the salesman we had exactly and hour and a half and we wanted to have our vehicle appraised for trade in and look at trucks.

He said he would get the appraiser right on it and let's go walk around the lot.

We didn't like the silverados due to space in the cab but they did have a red crew cab colorado z71 that we both really liked and the back seat space was much more conducive for our daughter. They had a price of 38,000 on it and I asked how much room was on it and he said not much.

We continued looking and after not seeing anything he took us into the showroom to show us some that they had at their other location, which had the trail boss edition above. We both loved it but it was 42,000 dollars. Uh nope. 

So I told him thanks for his time but we will keep looking else where. He replied that they still needed to do an appraisal, by this time an hour had passed. I replied what? I thought it was being done while we were looking.

He said they were backed up but the appraiser was looking at it now, so we agreed to let them look at the fj as my wife and I walked around looking at other models.

About 20 minutes later I looked up towards the used car lot and the fj was just sitting there. I said to my wife, they haven't even looked at it yet. So we walked over there and there were 3 salesman standing outside. I inquired if the keys were in it and they replied yes so my wife and I went to get in the vehicle. Right then our salesman comes running up and says he's coming right over to do the appraisal!

I said dude, you have told me two different times the appraisal was being done and it hasn't. I told you we had an hour and half before we had to head back home and we are already beyond that.

Well why do you have to get back home so fast?

Excuse me?

He repeated the question.

My wife and I were shocked and said basically none of his damn business and left, wife was not happy. But all I was thinking about on the way home was the trail boss.

The next morning I thought about driving the two hours to their second location and checking it out and dealing with them instead of the salesman from the day before. Wife was initially against it because she was pissed about the way we were treated the day before but she said if I wanted it to go look at it.

Then I got a phone call from the internet sales rep at the local dealer and she was asking me what exactly I was looking for, I told her a trail boss in black, she said we have one at another location and actually it is the only one in New England. I said I know, I am about to drive down there to look at it and have an appraisal done, she said well why don't you just bring it here and we will do it to save you driving and if you want we can bring the trail boss up for you. I said I would think about it.

Newsettler stopped by and I asked him if he wanted to go on a roadtrip, I still wasn't set on any vehicle so I figured we would stop at the toyota dealership, then the chevy to compare them.

Went to toyota first, told the salesman that I was comparing the toyota and chevy, so he ordered the appraisal and gave us keys to a 2017 tacoma. Not impressed with them at all. Ride was mediocre and the interior was very cheap feeling.

Besides, my daughter is taller than newsettler and with the front seat adjusted he had barely any room.

Appraisal came in at 10,000. Now I had gone through kelly blue book sell it now and was offered 11997 through there, just had to take them to the dealers listed for them to look at it. This will come into play later.

Thanked him for his time and told him we were headed to Chevy. He asked that if I knew they would be 2016's not 2017's. I said I did.

So I walked into the chevy dealer asking for the internet sales rep and the dude from the previous day showed up. *sigh*

I told him how upset we were with the way the previous day was handled. He apologized and said that they were extremely busy. I replied I can understand that but the way we were treated my wife never wants to step foot on the lot again and I was surprised she would even be fine with me being here, but she knew I liked the trail boss.

I informed him we had just left the toyota dealer and were thinking between the tacoma and trail boss so order the appraisal and give me the best the deal you can.

We took the red z71 for a test drive and newsettler and I were talking in the front seat comparing the two makes, obviously only saying positive things about the tacoma since the salesman was in the back seat.

He chirped up that it was comparing apples and oranges, the colorado has bigger engine, more standard equipment, greater towing, etc. 

Which was all true, plus the colorado rode a heck of a lot better than the tacoma.

So we get back to the dealer and the appraisal is done, I tell him to run some numbers and present me with an offer and my wife and I will compare them against the toyota.

After about 15 minutes we sit down at his desk and he slides me a piece of paper, they offered 7500 trade in and didn't budge on their price. I was speechless.

After a minute I said thank-you for your time, looked at newsettler and said let's go. We stood up and he asked what would it take to make the deal.

I said you are so far off the mark with just the trade in it isn't funny. I have been to 3 other dealers in the past month and the minimal I have been offered is 10,000 for trade and have a standing offer through KBB for 11,997.

He said to give him a minute. So we sat down and after a bit he comes back with 10,000 trade in and 1000 taken off the price. I asked if that was the best he could do. Yes he said. I said thank-you for your time and I will get back to you. So we left.

To be continued.

So newsettler and I got in the FJ and decided to hit the Nissan dealer to look at the frontiers which you can get a loaded one for the price of a base model of the other two.

I see why after going for a test drive, holy crap those things ride like crap and are louder than heck, it sounded like the window was cracked open going 70 down the road.

So we took it back to the dealer and told them we were going to keep looking.

Newsettler said we should go look at the Canyon's, little more expensive but the exact same the Colorado. Funny enough the GMC dealer is right across the street from the Chevy dealer.

So we pulled up and they had a black slt canyon long bed sitting out front.

We looked inside and man that interior was gorgeous. All leather.

The young gentleman in the top pic approached us and asked if he could help us, I said yes, I tried buying a trail boss across the street and they totally insulted me with their trade in offer and the way they treated my wife and I so let's talk canyons. How much did they offer for a trade he asked? 7500 at first, then 10,000 when I laughed at them

Well let's get an appraisal done he replied and go for a test drive.

We spent the next three hours test driving, looking at options, took the slt down to my wife to drive, etc. They came back with an appraisal of 10,500.

The slt was beautiful but it was too nice, wife and I decided that the leather interior was not a good thing to have with 4 dogs.

The only other black one they had was a duramax which was like 45,000 dollars which was way too much, crazy how expensive they are.

So our salesman says, you know, we have an all terrain version of the canyon which is basically the trail boss without the light bar, sidesteps and spray in bed liner. Some come with the last two options and the light bar is an easy add on. I could probably find one in the area and ship it up.

So he did a search and found one in NH, it was a long bed all terrain adventure that they put together a deal for and we sat down and looked at the numbers. 39 month lease at 400 a month with us getting a check for 10,500 minus tax, title, tags and first months payment. It already had the steps and bed liner, they would add the sports bar. Or we could buy it at 0 percent with the whole 10,500 going down and we would be looking at a payment of around 429 IIRC.

I told him I would talk to the wife and give him a call later.

He was awesome, he was just a 24 year old kid but had a great personality, was very thorough and busted his butt trying to make the sale. I was highly impressed.

So as newsettler and I were leaving gmc the chevy dealer called and said they had brought the trail boss up if I wanted to come look at it, so we did.

Damn that thing was beautiful.

.

I asked him if they were firm on their offer from earlier, he said they were. I told him I would discuss it with the wife and would bring her up for a test drive the next morning around noon if she was willing.

So I got home and told my wife everything that had happened, she said we are buying the canyon right? I said I don't know, I really want the trail boss, plus there are only two more days in the month and everyone wants to get a sale.

So the next morning I get an e-mail from a dealer in Portland, one of the three that was willing to pay 11,997 for the FJ. They wanted to know if I was going to bring it in for them to look at it.

So I called them and talked to the sales manager, told him I was almost two hours away and was very limited on time. He asked what I was looking for, I told him an all terrain long bed with a list of the accessories I wanted. He said they have a short bed and the accessories in stock, and it was 3000 cheaper than the deal from the night before.

I told him I would see him in 2 hours.

So I drove down, they had everything ready, I handed them the keys to the fj, they handed me the keys to the canyon, spent about an hour driving, sat down with them to discuss their trade in offer. 

They offered 11,400 due to the fj needing new tires. So here I am with a vehicle that is 3000 cheaper with almost 1000 greater in trade. I told them I would have to discuss this with my wife who was back at home. That's fine they said, do you want to leave a deposit so we can't sell it?

Yes.

So I left a 500 dollar deposit and drove home.

Talked with my wife and she asked if we were going to buy that one, I said I wasn't sure I wanted to think about it.

So I had welding class that night and I went an hour early, I had called the chevy dealer and told him we were going to be late for the test drive, got there around four and he asked where my wife was.

Isaid she was still upset and didn't want to step foot on the lot. I explained everything that I had done that day and showed them the appraisal for 11,400 and told them last chance, give me your best offer. I told them that since I was going to be paying to accessorize the canyon I would apply that to the trail boss, I just needed them to give some more for trade and come down in price a little. I told them that my wife really felt her fj was worth more than the 10,000 they offered.

They went and sat in the office for about 10 minutes and came out and made an offer of 10,500 and cut about 900 off the price. The numbers were more in line with the canyon deal from the night previous. I said that was much better for me but I still needed to discuss it with the wife. She had the final say.

They said that was fine, give them a call in the morning. I asked them if they needed a deposit to hold it till then, they said no but asked that I fill out a credit app, that way they could have all the paperwork ready if and when we decided to take it in the morning. I thought that was rather presumptuous since I had just told them the woman who they had pissed off had the final say.

Besides I had other plans.

I felt the young kid at gmc deserved the sale, he worked the hardest for us and with the effort he put in building a rapport and relationship the previous day, he earned it.

So I drove across the street and asked to speak to him, we sat down and I asked to go over the numbers again so he pulled out the sales sheet. I looked at it and slid it back to him and said I am not buying this car from you.

His face dropped.

But I am going to buy a car from you, you just need to come up with a better deal. I explained everything I had done that day, showed him the paperwork from the other gmc dealer including the appraisal offer. I said you need to get close to this, I'm fine with being a little higher but 4000 dollars total difference and I will drive down there and do the deal with them.

And then he explained what he had been doing all day.

To be continued...

So the first thing we did when we got home was to add a tonneau cover, the only problem is the light bar, it kind of gets in the way. Time for some modification.

I ordered a Lund Genesis Elite roll up off amazon that was reasonably priced and that was delivered Tuesday, so after I picked up the truck I took itover to Newsettlers.

Mocked it up to see where we needed to operate

It takes a very steady hand!

Sliding it in place around the pillars and locking it in

Need to add some silicone around where we notched and we should have a water tight seal, as much as tonneaus can be anyways!

I also ordered some husky all weather floor mats off amazon to protect the floors, it came with carpeted mats that I stuck in the worshop until we trade it in. They have about a 2 inch form fitted lip all the way around that will work much better for us.