Kelly Blue Book

OK.

02' 4Runner SR5

160,000 miles

Private Party:

Fair: $7,750

Good: $8,600

Excellent: $9,275


Trade In:

Excellent: $6775

Good: $6225

Fair: $5275


Did I say 160,000 miles?...

To be clear about my point. I think the private party value at "fair condition" is what the trade in value is at " in excellent condition" should be. The private party seems very high and does not seem to reflect reality in my mind. This makes people have higher than rational expectations when deciding to sell their car in the private sector.

So they put it up on craigslist or whereever for somewhere near $8,000...ridiculous...especially for a car with 160,000 miles on it. Would never pay that in a million years. In the meantime a dealership has it up for $10,000 and will probably take $7,800 (at this point, in this market). Wouldnt pay either of those prices with that kind of mileage... maybe unless it is a corvette......good luck with that!

Granted it is one of the better trucks in that (pre-give a crap about gas mileage period) (that coming from being a chevy man my entire life)...but the 4runner gets excellent gas mileage comparatively and delivers pretty decent tow and offroad capabilities...

But those differences are pretty interesting and it seems for someone trying to buy private party they may as well just go to a dealership...considering the dealership will not give you the exact KBB amount and will mark it up at least $3-4,000 hoping a dumb consumer walks in and does not negotiate. Also, what it does is keeps the newer cars at a "reasonable" level in the consumers eyes...well $10,000 for an 02'? Shoot might as well spring for the extra $16,000 for the new one with bells and whistles...not to mention it is...new and gets better gas mileage...only an extra $140/ month...no biggy...So what is all this helping to cause? An artificial prop up of the prices of vehicles. **drum roll please** hence the (deep booming voice) conspiracy...bum bum bummmmmmmm...

Admittedly, prices have gone down dramatically, but there is plenty more room for correction...

Example: Dad bought a brand new 94' 4x4 Silverado when I was a kid for $24,000...(after interest probably paid closer to $35,000) 16 years prior he had bought a brand new 4x4 Chevy custom for $4,000! That is almost 6 times (sp?) price hike in less than two decades...not including interest! Then the dummy bought an 06' diesel 4x4 for somewhere in the vicinity of $47,000 I believe. Never got the entire amount...I think he was too embarrassed. Great truck, but that kind of money is assenine.

So, anyway, Im posting this thinking Im not the only one with these sort of thoughts...So I will leave it to good ole ATS for opinions...

edit: dang it! I suck at spelling...


[edit on 25-9-2009 by open_eyeballs]

I totally agree, especially when you can go onto www.japanesevehicles.com and acquire a car or truck for much less.

Four years ago, I wanted to buy American. I've never purchased a new auto in my life, and didn't want to start. I shopped online for about six months, and was apalled at the pricing difference. I ended up buying a spiffy 1994 Mazda Bongo van for ........... $900.00 USD. It had 32,000 km on it, and it gets almost 40 mpg. Back seats lay down to form a bed and I can carry full sheets of plywood or sheetrock in the back. It cost $1500 to ship from Japan to here.

How can they do it!!!!! Well, in Japan, they want to encourage people to buy newer vehicles, so the registration becomes more prohibitive as the cars get older. I wanted to buy American, but I wasn't willing to bend over for it. So it goes. Kelly Blue Book ....... vastly overprices for some cars, especially in these times.

I expect next year I'll be using our tandem trike all the time. s'okay. It has a 500 lb. payload.

High Millage is mostly a Drivetrain issue. Things like the engine and components are a part of that(and the associated values assume that you dont mind fixing them, haha); but if the body and interior are in great shape then its feasible, but that price still sounds way high to me, haha.

I just bought a Kia with less than 20,000 Miles for really cheap because it had a few dents from a hail storm.

I suppose I could see the conspiracy aspect of this...

But who in their right mind still uses KBB? NADA is the way to go. Always good to take them both, average it out and sell for the higher of two lower values. Also, the location you're purchasing in should affect the price. Buying in Texas where everyone drives 50-100 miles to work (one way) every day, a pickup truck will cost less than purchasing it in NY. The economy of the car makes it more expensive here.