Trade In Value

Mike G · 05-07-2013, 01:23 PM

I have been thinking about upgrading to an Evergreen Ascent A171RD and was curious to what I could get for my 2012 A122 if I sold it. The dealership offered $7600.00 over the phone, which I think is reasonable, but I would like to get $8500.00. My A122 is in excellent shape.

I know I can get more if I sell it outright, but Im not sure I want to deal with the hassle of the sale.

I would like to hear your thoughts on the sale and trade in value of our a-frames.

dustman_stx · 05-07-2013, 01:34 PM

The dealership is only offering what seems to be a fair price because you haven't haggled on the price of the new. Get the price of the new one down to about 65-70% of MSRP and then see what they offer. You will almost certainly come out thousands ahead by selling it yourself and then haggling a dealer on the price of the new. You have to be very careful when trading because the dealer has 2 numbers to play with (new and trade). If you let them talk payments instead of sticking to actual vehicle cost, you are in big trouble because then they have all kinds of numbers to play with and confuse you; like term length, rate, down payment, trade in, etc. It's not coincidence that the first thing a car dealer (and often RV dealer) asks is where you want your payments to be.

SteveBingham52 · 05-07-2013, 01:35 PM

For what it's worth $900 means you don't have to bring strangers around to look at it. No hassles with appointments not showing or the casual "we are really just looking" folks. It is sold easily and no hassles with checks or someone calling you to complain a tire blew or this don't work, did you know that. What you want is probably what it will go for so dealer needs a little room to make money. Just been there done that several times on cars and willing to take less to not deal with it.

Mike G · 05-07-2013, 01:44 PM

Thanks for the advise! I am treating this just like buying a car, I would like to sell the camper myself, but I hate dealing with all of the low ball BS that you have to deal with. I am going to see if I can make this happen, but the numbers will definately have to be right. I still like my A122, but the wife is not crazy about the lack of a bathroom and I am looking to simplify the camp setup even more.

It will be nice not having to setup or take down the shower/potty shelter or a canopy. The older I get the less I want to mess with stuff like that, but I still enjoy camping.

dustman_stx · 05-07-2013, 01:53 PM

In reality, if he knows how to research and haggle, he's looking at way more than a $900 difference here. If he planned to pay MSRP no matter what, it'll actually be cheaper to trade after you account for the decrease in taxes. In my experience of selling many items online, you get very few people willing to drive to see what you have just for the fun of it. Usually only serious buyers. Price it a few hundred over your bottom dollar, clean it and spend some time patching up things to make it look as good as possible, be honest about condition and realistic about price and supply lots of pictures in your ad. I have always been able to get 20-30% over a true trade in value by taking a days time to do these things. And most of the time the first person to look at something I have buys it. If a days time and a few calls isn't worth $1000 or more to you, then by all means, trade it.

loganmartin · 05-07-2013, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveBingham52

For what it's worth $900 means you don't have to bring strangers around to look at it. No hassles with appointments not showing or the casual "we are really just looking" folks. It is sold easily and no hassles with checks or someone calling you to complain a tire blew or this don't work, did you know that. What you want is probably what it will go for so dealer needs a little room to make money. Just been there done that several times on cars and willing to take less to not deal with it.

I agree with this.^^

Sometimes it is easier to have a clean dealer swap over a private sale especially if you have a really busy schedule and don't have the time or energy to sell it yourself. Consider the price difference a convenience fee of sorts. I know some would frown upon this but it really just comes down to what your time is worth.

LM

garbonz · 05-07-2013, 02:07 PM

What is the bottom line. Eg what check will you have to write the dealer? That is the only number that matters. If you and get 25% off the Murphy on the new one and the wholesale blue book on the trade then that is decent.

thunderalley3 · 05-07-2013, 02:12 PM

I agree with the ease and the no haggle of trading and letting the dealer handle it, but honestly in most cases they don't want the trade in, just makes more work for them and possible added costs etc.

When I was getting ready to buy a new trailer in December I found a consignment lot that had a flat $500 fee, not bad and lots of traffic, lookers.

While cleaning it out my wife asked what I was going to put it on the lot for,, I priced it fairly, told her and before we had it cleaned out she took pics, posted it on her phone to craigslist and had a looker and sold it before we finished cleaning it up, got a $500 cash deposit and the rest in cash at 11 the next morning, she also had 2 backup wanna be buyers, hey I bought her a nice dinner, it never made the consignment lot and saved me $500.

dustman_stx · 05-07-2013, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loganmartin

I agree with this.^^

Sometimes it is easier to have a clean dealer swap over a private sale especially if you have a really busy schedule and don't have the time or energy to sell it yourself. Consider the price difference a convenience fee of sorts. I know some would frown upon this but it really just comes down to what your time is worth.

LM

It's always easier. If I could justify taking a hit of $1000+ to avoid a days work I'd definitely do it. Just encouraging him to be realistic about the true cost to do that.

loganmartin · 05-07-2013, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dustman_stx

It's always easier. If I could justify taking a hit of $1000+ to avoid a days work I'd definitely do it. Just encouraging him to be realistic about the true cost to do that.

Maybe it will be $1000, maybe it won't....who's to say? If he does his research and catches a break, the costs of trading could be quite less than that.

Maybe it's a days work, maybe it's a month of headaches...who knows? Where does he live? Is there a market for that unit in his neck of the woods? What if nobody comes to see it? There are alot of "what ifs" with the sell it yourself scenario.

LM

thehamguy1 · 05-07-2013, 02:35 PM

Do you think a bank or car dealer might have a Blue Book price it could share? I'm under the impression there is such a thing for RVs; I know there is for motorcycles. Your dealer is probably giving the low end of trade-in value for a starting offer. Depending on his/her markup on the new one there may still be some wiggle room for them.

Even though the FR line is new, there should be a lengthy track record on resale value for Aliners and Chalets. Many things that are options on those units (AC, water heater, microwave, etc) are standard on the FR models, so the price comparisons shouldn't be TOO far off.

TURBS · 05-07-2013, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thehamguy1

Do you think a bank or car dealer might have a Blue Book price it could share? I'm under the impression there is such a thing for RVs; I know there is for motorcycles. Your dealer is probably giving the low end of trade-in value for a starting offer. Depending on his/her markup on the new one there may still be some wiggle room for them.

Even though the FR line is new, there should be a lengthy track record on resale value for Aliners and Chalets. Many things that are options on those units (AC, water heater, microwave, etc) are standard on the FR models, so the price comparisons shouldn't be TOO far off.

Nada has an rv section.
So does kBB

dustman_stx · 05-07-2013, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loganmartin

Maybe it will be $1000, maybe it won't....who's to say? If he does his research and catches a break, the costs of trading could be quite less than that.

Maybe it's a days work, maybe it's a month of headaches...who knows? Where does he live? Is there a market for that unit in his neck of the woods? What if nobody comes to see it? There are alot of "what ifs" with the sell it yourself scenario.

LM

Most of the things you point out apply to trade value as well. If there isn't a good market for you, then there won't be one for the dealer and the trade value will reflect that. It's just a simple fact that a dealer isn't going to take on your unit without making a profit. And, in my experience, they actually expect to make more from a used unit than a new. Most people think they are getting more for their trade than they actually are because there is more markup in the new than they realize. If you get the price on the new to it's absolute bottom dollar and then mention a trade, you'll realize they are not giving you much at all for your trade.

With this being said, if someone lives in a very rural area I would say hook it up and go trade it. Obviously if you live in an area with very limited population within, say, 2 hours or so from you, you won't likely have many potential buyers. (I'd still haggle first, then introduce my trade just so I know the REAL trade in I'm being offered) Maybe the OP can tell us if he lives in a rural area or not so we can be more specific with our answers???

dustman_stx · 05-07-2013, 03:19 PM

Also be aware that, at least in my area, dealers do NOT consider any options. It is very easy to have thousands of dollars worth of options that a potential buyer would see value in, whereas dealers won't pay anything extra for them.

loganmartin · 05-07-2013, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dustman_stx

Most of the things you point out apply to trade value as well. If there isn't a good market for you, then there won't be one for the dealer and the trade value will reflect that. It's just a simple fact that a dealer isn't going to take on your unit without making a profit. And, in my experience, they actually expect to make more from a used unit than a new. Most people think they are getting more for their trade than they actually are because there is more markup in the new than they realize. If you get the price on the new to it's absolute bottom dollar and then mention a trade, you'll realize they are not giving you much at all for your trade.

With this being said, if someone lives in a very rural area I would say hook it up and go trade it. Obviously if you live in an area with very limited population within, say, 2 hours or so from you, you won't likely have many potential buyers. (I'd still haggle first, then introduce my trade just so I know the REAL trade in I'm being offered) Maybe the OP can tell us if he lives in a rural area or not so we can be more specific with our answers???

Trading it in would be my first pick...IF they can make the numbers work on both the trade and the new unit. This can be done within' minutes to hours. Alot of that will depend on how bad the dealer wants to sell the new unit. My fallback position would be to walk away and try to sell it on my own. This could take who knows how long and lots of variables can change in the time it would take to get his price.

LM

handbuilder · 05-07-2013, 03:56 PM

NADA has 2012 prices on their site. I checked my trailer value last week. I paid $12,500 for my unit in April 2012. NADA shows the price one year later as $11, 800. Never hurts to be aware of the value of things.

SO check NADA, list your price & post it on Craigslist. It reaches a large audience. We just sold our boat & trailer 2 weeks ago - it was on Craigslist for only 2 hours before the first call & it rolled past me as I turned down my street coming home....it turned the cornerone way as I turned the corner the other...I couldnt believe it left us that soon!

When I sold my Jayco travel trailer, it was on Craigslist 2 weeks - but only because I was holding firm to my price & eventually sold it to a nice couple who realized a good deal. I was in no hurry to sell it. Same for when we sold our motorhome a few years ago, we listed a great price and had a list of people to call back if the previous lookers didnt buy it. Again, no reason to consider lowering the price.

I dont consider it a hassle to use Craigslist...just schedule appt to view at our convenience & if they dont show - no biggie because I would already have been home. Most serious buyers recognize a good deal & will work with your schedule.

So all that said, I would sell the A-Frame privately - and then negotiate the cost of the new trailer to 20-30% off dealer MSRP, go ridiculously low so you can always come up in price, rather than offer too high, as you cant go lower than your first offer.

If salesmen see you want the deal to happen yesterday, (they count on this emotion) they will pressure you and downgrade the trade in...It pays to take your time & let the only pressure you feel, be the pressure you place upon yourselves. Have your financing ready - get your own interest rate... There are other dealers to buy from. Trade ins only work in favor of the dealer, rarely for the purchaser.

**bikendan** · 05-07-2013, 07:42 PM

low NADA retail.
and don't include value for "options" that they all come with.

VinceU · 05-07-2013, 08:13 PM

Dealers use a large "Trailer Life Directory" size NADA manual of used RV values. They use wholesale values which are 10-20% lower than the public database NADA Guides low retail. Leave KBB at home, they won't consider it. I learned this when I bought my Georgetown. Went armed with KBB and internet NADA values, the salesman showed his bible, a huge book of multiple years and mfgrs numerous models. Mine was in there, just 15% less than I hoped for.

Pooneil · 05-07-2013, 08:14 PM

My third call in buying my new trailer was to a dealer in a town several hours drive away. I told him where I was calling from and why. He gave me a very good price. One that I could go to my local dealer with because it was within a days drive to pick it up. Ultimately the price difference was less than the price of gas to go to the further dealer.

As far as the trade in take the dealers price then add a nuisance cost on top and a negotiating premium. List it at that price if it is reasonable, relative to other information you can find. At the right price it will go in short order.

dustman_stx · 05-08-2013, 07:42 AM

I will also add that, on the rare occasion I do trade something in(which has only been once in my life that I can recall), I work off of the retail number. I never work off of trade in numbers- they assume a several thousand dollar markup and nobody is gonna make that kind of money off of me but me. If your camper shows a retail on NADA of say 10,000, you can rest assured that the dealer is going to get close to that. I always take exceptionally good care of my things, so I know it will bring a premium. If I'm comfortable with them making a $1500 profit, then I expect 8500; trade in value from the book be darned. We purchased our last camper from RVWholesalers and had it delivered. This saved us several thousand from buying local. And I sold my previous camper on Craigslist. First person to inquire about it bought it. I saved in the ballpark of $6000 by going this route instead of trading in locally. And this was on 2 relatively inexpensive campers($7K and $18K). The margins would have probably been greater on more expensive units.

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