I was at Van Bortel the other day and was told they take trades in based on "actual cash value". Can I get this number off the internet somewhere? I'm not doubting this is still a good deal with the $700 off a new F-150 at all. I just like having a general idea before I'm standing there talking with someone. I like doing my homework.

Thanks.

 

When you buy at or below invoice you are only going to get actual cash value for your trade. ACV is the price that the vehicle will bring at auction or what they can get from a wholesaler they sell their trades too. I used to buy from a dealer that always had wholesalers hanging around the showroom and if you had a trade they would ask the wholesaler what he would buy it for and pretty much offer you that price. That way they can't get burned by sitting on the trade for six months. Also you will see them looking through the recent auction prices to get an idea what the trade will fetch. You can only look at the NADA trade in prices if you going against MSRP. You really have to look at the bottom line, what its going to cost you out of pocket. If it ends up costing you more at another dealer when they give you two grand more for your trade its really not a better deal. Hope it helps. What are you trading? I won't ask what they offered you for it, but if you wanted to mention the price, well that would be cool too.

 

The actual cash value in terms a dealership is bottom line "wholesale" blue book value that they can expect to turn the car to another dealer or auction. In the case of someone that's upside down, this number can take on a totally different meaning, but the bottom line is the same. This is the most likely place you're going to get taken, best thing is avoid this situation if possible.

You can refer to Kelly Blue book and Consumer Reports for three different figures. You can find both on the web. One is above and the other two are direct sale to another indivudual and last is retail that a car dealer would ask if they were selling the car.

I've always used the bank loan value for a bottom line asking price and I've never traded a car in on a new vehicle. It's a lose - lose situation if you plan to be in and out in less than eight hours of haggling.

I ordered a new F250 on April 05, was in and out in thirty minutes. No trade, no hassel, no BS, and 200 over invoice. But I did my home work for about a month before I went to the dealership.

 

Thanks for the responses guys. I know the definition of "ACV", I was just wondering where I can find the value of MY truck, as in "What is the actual cash value of the truck I'm currently driving" (2001 Dodge 1500 4x4). I haven't met with the trade-in appraiser yet, I was going to do that this week. I just like having a general idea of what that number is going to be before he tells me, so I'm not gasping for air when I'm standing in front of him. I'm guessing this dealership is pretty good on trade-ins, based on many comments on this site (including one of their salesman) and the fact that the owner also has a Subaru dealership that's one of the largest in the country. You don't sell that many cars by handing out bad deals, unless you can find a LOT of stupid people. Anyway, trading in a vehicle does have it's downsides, but, I can't afford to sit on 2 trucks by purchasing the new one and waiting for the old one to sell. AND, I can't sell this one and THEN purchase the new one because it's going to have to be ordered and I can't go 8 weeks without a truck. AND, by the time you figure out how much more you pay on tax (because you only pay tax on the difference with a trade, but would pay tax on the whole thing without), it's not really worth much more to sell private and buy on a clean deal. I've done almost all my homework, I just need the ACV of my truck.

 

Try kbb.com, edmunds.com, nada.com

 

OTHG MIKE hit it right on the head in his description. ACV is not something you as a consumer can go somewhere and look up, because it's going to vary from dealer to dealer. Smith Motors will look at a vehicle and determine its ACV based on its own research and opinion of the vehicle; you'll then take it to Johnson Ford, and their ACV could be quite different. It's any one dealer's opinion of the true (or cash) value of your vehicle. In other words, let's say you weren't looking to get a new vehicle, but for some reason you had to sell the one you currently own. ACV is what a dealer will give you if you were to drive in and ask them how much they'd buy your vehicle from you for. "Trade-in Value" (the number you see in Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds or NADA) is ACV plus the amount of discount that they're willing to take off the new vehicle. As the old saying goes: something is only worth what someone else is willing to pay you for it.

 

Thank you, that's what I was looking for.

 

When you get your final numbers go to the next Ford dealer and present him with the same deal. If his numbers are better it's a better deal. I think the most important thing here is what if anything you owe on the Dodge. I took a five year loan on 2001 Lariat SC with nothing down. I owe just under $15,000 the truck and I'm getting $18,000 for a trade. The new truck is at invoice. The dealer has a buyer for the 2001 so I came out on top and my payments went down a little because of the better interest rate. I went to three different dealers and there was a $1,500 spread from the highest to the lowest. I was buying the truck at invoice so it all came down to the trade and was easy to compare. I've herd nothing but good things about Van Bortel Ford but don't let that cloud your judgment, shop around. No offense Jeff.

good luck
Mike

 

Man Oh Man - Does that story ring true. I went to ten different Ford dealerships over a five week period. There are some 30 dealerships within a 35 mile radius of where I live in No. Central Texas. There was $4500 difference from high to low. This was true even with no trade in, financing arranged and a substantial down payment.

Good friend in the business told me that there are approximately 8500 Ford trucks sitting at various dealerships in Texas with Dallas, Houston and San Antonio having the most. With that much inventory just sitting around depreciating, you'd think these folks would get their pencils a tad more sharp.

 

You're trying to apply LOGIC to the car business. I can tell you that, after 18 years in this business, there's one rule that always applies: THERE ARE NO RULES! The only thing consistent about this business is its inconsistencies.

 

Man oh Man, I heard THAT!!!