I do not know much about resale, since I keep my cars for 8 to 10 years.

But, here is my perspective on resale. I would never buy a used 2004 vehical especially when you can get a better deal and financing for a new. This is true for any type of car domestic/import.

JohnBoy2 makes a good points.

Trucks are the best investment for a single person or family. Trucks can transport your family. Tow boats and trailers. Friends and family rely on you for their relocation moves. And they are not SUVs/Station wagon, Sedans, Mini Van and what other special classification the motor company's are calling their vehicals.

Another tip for thosetwins: No vehical holds their value, unless you buy a 1964 Mustang. Buy a classic American car next time.

 

Well now, if you trade (at a dealer), take it to a wholesaler or autionhouse then yes, you will get much less for your vehicle. As far as I am concerned, a person is stupid if they take any of these routes to get out of a vehicle. If you sell it yourself you WILL get several thousand dollars more. The biggest problem people have is their credit. If your paying high interest or traded a vehicle that still has a loan against it, then you are most likely already upside down which makes it harder to sell yourself.

My brother-inlaw has been selling cars for over 10 years. He started selling new ones, then realized the real money was in used car sales. He now manages a car lot and really brings in the $$$. He tells me, he won't sell a car unless he makes at least 3-5K.

 

He's full of it too. I ran 2 dealerships for over 13 years. Both were luxo dealers and we had a huge used car dept. (200 + cars) If he's only selling cars when he can make 3-5K per copy, he's not selling many cars. This business isn;t any different no matter where you go in the US. I have 2 friends that have one of the largest used car dealerships in this area and they try to average $1500/car before prep. Real money is about $900-$1200 after prep and customer wants.

Bottom line is if you buy a new car, don't expect it to do anything but depreciate...and fast..especially if there are big incentives on the current model. Ya a dealer will give you less than what you *might* be able to sell it for, but then again, if you're within $3k of a new one most people will go with the new and your's just sits there costing you money to advertise it.

 

Some people need to lighten up and appreciate help they get...

 

Man...you aren't kidding...sheeesh...

and stop bragging about how much money they waste on vehicles...I'm not impressed.

 

Pretty interesting thread. I can not understand why someone would sell a vehicle that isn't even a model year old yet...well..ok some '05's are on the lot. In any event, when you purchase a vehicle do not plan to drive it long enough for it to even be a model year old you will of course take the biggest hit in depreciation in any year of owning the vehicle. Its price is based on what the market will bear and given the massive rebates and year end model push, its really not a good market. Anyone remember when houses were not appreciating? It happens. Drive the truck for a couple more years and you probably still won't see much more depreciation. Consider it as driving it for practically free.

Thats my thought anyway. I still get happy when I leave work and see my truck in the lot. I probably will for the next 8 years.

T

 

Who are you referring to?

 

Not you dude...

 

The post in question has been deleted.


Rich

 

See I agree exactly.... My 04 is my first new truck in 20 years. I drove the 84' F250HD 4 x 4 with the 460 till it had 190,000 on it in 99'. Then I bought a 88 Bronco with 105k and put 40k on it. Driving this new Lariat is like dream land... Guy's that trade every year or 2-3 years don't appreciate the changes..nearly as much. Yeah, you ride in everybody's new truck, but you're not in it long enough or drive someone elses truck to learn it.. The 460 in the 84 was the best engine I've ever owned. Took 25,000 miles for it to quit burning a qt of oil every 400 miles, but it went to no oil burn like someone shut off a light switch.. The dealer replaced the valve stem oil seals 3 times.. Every time I got near the dealer they would throw 2-3 cases of oil in the bed.. Finally it quit burning oil around 24-25k.. 4 speed manual and 4.10 gears. The truck could pull a house off it's foundation if you could get the tires to stick to the ground. It was a brutal rough truck that never quit. Brakes lived over 100,000 miles. In fact I had to argue with a service manager in Kennybunkport Me to replace the rears drum with the front pads.

Now that I'm thinking about and I had forgotten till someone was asking about 05 option on late 04's. The 84' 250hd's had carbed engines. Mine build in July had a carbed 460, but had fuel pumps in both tanks instead of one on the engine.. The Service Manager in Maine also told me the truck had a Dana 70 rear axle that only came in F350's. He was completely confused with that truck.. I used it to drag boats back and forth to Fl for old guy's that wanted their boats relocated by season between NJ and FL.. Truck was bullet proof, 4 speed manual, AC and cloth seat, sliding rear window, Reg cab and 8ft bed...was the way I ordered it... 12,500 bucks... and they delivered it on my birthday 07/30/84....5 months after I ordered it cause the Canadians were on strike..

I spent allot of time in that damn truck and I'll tell you as far as gut's this 04 Lariat has 90% of the ***** that thing did..

 

No offense, TT... but your post implies that only American vehicles decline in value but not "other country" vehicles as soon as you drive them off the lot.

TT, ALL vehicles depreciate in value once you drive them off the lot.

Except Yugos.

 

I just wanted some feedback because i thought that the resale seemed low for the best built truck on the road. We can all agree on that right? But some of you seem to be taking this thread out of context like Iam bashing ford. I'am not Ive owned 4 ford vehicles and believe they are the best. I dont need to be told or given a lesson about a vehicle depreciating or apreciating for that matter. Hell people I'am not stupid and I would like to think some are intelligent, so dont say stupid stuff like "trucks depreciate" or "if you want a car that appreciates buy an old mustang" NO KIDDING new vehicles dont go up or down in value ?? WOW some of you are the masters of the obvious or what. No offense intended. BTW we are dealing with american vehicles here you can spin and twist it anyway you want with the import thing

 

The bold quote could have been left out of your statement when you started this thread. IMO this statement implies America is weak or inept and that people that buy American made vehicals should know better because they got a bad deal. It also implies that Imports have better resale value and that people that buy these vehicals are getting a better deal due to resale.

Therefore, there maybe obvious return statements to correct your quote. There is large group of Ford owners that would never buy anything else but a Ford.

If everything was obvious you would have not started this thread, then you wouldn't have us give you obvious answers about apreciation and depreciation, especially trying to sell a used 2004 anything.

 

Kelley Blue Book, the trusted resource for vehicle information, is releasing its Top 10 list of 2004 model year vehicles that will best hold their value over the next five years. This year's list has been segmented by overall retention value and by vehicle category.

Based on current vehicle data, market conditions for each vehicle, expectations of the future economy and the combined experience of the Kelley Blue Book editorial team, the lists forecast which 2004 model vehicles will retain the greatest amount of their original MSRP (manufacturer's suggested retail price). Savvy consumers in the market for a new vehicle may want to take a closer look at the following lists.

2004 Model Year Vehicles KBB Forecasts Will Best Hold Their Value Over Next Five Years
OVERALL LIST
Acura MDX Infiniti G35 Coupe
BMW 3 Series Lexus RX 330
BMW X5 Mercedes-Benz CLK
Chevrolet Corvette MINI Cooper
Honda Civic Toyota Tacoma Prerunner
(High performance, low volume vehicles or vehicles with an original MSRP over $60,000 were not taken into consideration on the overall list. Values based on the November/December 2003 Kelley Blue Book Residual Values Guide.)

2004 Model Year Vehicles KBB Forecasts Will Best Hold Their Value Over Next Five Years
BY CATEGORY
SEDAN: Honda Accord LX V6 LUXURY: Mercedes-Benz S55 AMG
COUPE: Infiniti G35 Coupe PICKUP: Toyota Tacoma Prerunner Crew Cab 4D V6 4WD
CONVERTIBLE: Mercedes-Benz CLK 320 Cabriolet SPORT UTILITY: BMW X5 4.4 i
WAGON: Subaru Impreza WRX Sport Wagon VAN/MINIVAN: Honda Odyssey
HATCHBACK: MINI Cooper SPORTY: Chevrolet Corvette Z06
(Kelley Blue Book vehicles that are expected to hold the greatest amount of value in their category over the next five years. Values based on the November/December 2003 Kelley Blue Book Residual Values Guide)

According to the Kelley Blue Book editorial team, several newly introduced 2004 model vehicles are expected to retain a high percentage of their value looking five years into the future, but fall just short of making this year's list. Vehicles just missing this years Top 10 list include the Acura TSX, Cadillac SRX, the redesigned Ford F150, Mazda RX8, Nissan Titan, Saab 9-3 Convertible and the Toyota Prius. The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and Subaru Impreza WRX STi are also expected to do well, but were omitted from the overall list because they are low volume performance vehicles.

"The Internet provides more information on car-buying today than in the past," said Charlie Vogelheim, executive editor, Kelley Blue Book. "Today, it's about more than just getting a good deal when you buy a new car, but getting the information to help you determine its actual value down the road."

When buying a new car, Vogelheim reminds shoppers to do their homework on vehicles they are considering. Information buyers should look at include:

The New Car Blue Book Value: What others are paying for the car you are considering.
5 Year Cost of Ownership: How much the car will cost to own over a five year period, which takes into consideration, depreciation, maintenance, insurance, gas costs, state fees and other ownership costs. This information is also available on kbb.com from IntelliChoice.
Quality of the Car: Kbb.com offers J.D. Power Quality Ratings on new vehicles.
Owners Reviews/Ratings: Find out what current owners of the vehicle think about the vehicle you are considering. This information is available in the reviews section on kbb.com.

Vehicle depreciation is inevitable. Some cars, like the ones on this year's Top 10 lists, have a slower depreciation rate than others. "Vehicle depreciation is based on manufacturer supply and sustaining consumer demand, as well as long-term quality, reliability and usefulness," according to Vogelheim.

No matter what vehicle you own, there are a few things you can do to slow the depreciation of your vehicle according to Kelley Blue Book.

Maintenance History Have your car serviced regularly and keep track of the car's maintenance schedule.
Save receipts from oil changes, tune-ups, tire rotations and other services that demonstrate long-term vehicle care. Providing a verified history of maintenance often helps maintain vehicle value.
Make sure you perform the required maintenance at intervals recommended by your owners' manual.
Interior/Exterior Condition This is a top factor in determining a car's value.
Interior
A one time investment of $50 - $100 for seat covers can maintain the quality of the interior.
Keeping cigarettes out of the car. Cigarette smoke is tough to remove or cover up and can affect the overall value of a car.
Exterior
Perform a thorough washing and waxing on a regular basis.
Watch where you park your car and what you park next to, try to avoid door dings. Park your car away from other vehicles if possible.
Park in the shade. Some vehicles with vinyl dashboards crack due to regular sun exposure.

Kelley Blue Book values are the most accurately and frequently reported on the Internet today. All Kelley Blue Book pricing and values are based on data obtained from dealers, auction data, remarketers as well as through consumers via a feedback tool on the company's Web site, kbb.com.

Kelley Blue Book values take into consideration the region of the vehicle, its engine, transmission, trim style, optional equipment, current mileage and current condition. In addition to actual vehicle details, other considerations that determine a vehicle's value include the current marketplace, current economy and supply and demand. Kelley Blue Book reports factual and timely data reflecting the current marketplace for consumers and the automotive industry.

 

Thats great but those #,s dont always mean alot,its what the market will bear. I still own a ford 99 expedition which has been an awesome vehicle. You don't know my needs or why I might need to sell. The F-150 is not enough truck for my needs I am looking at a 2005 F250SD with either a PSD or the new V-10 the boat I tow is just two big for the F-150, it is barley adequet. Like I said before I like the F-150 alot just need more thats why I need to sell. I will wait till december when most of the 2004's are gone and the 2005's have no rebates or incentives so i can sell and get the most out of the truck...have a nice day