I took my 2011 Hyundai Sonata SE to the dealer to have an oil change. While waiting, I wandered over to the new car showroom, and the sales mgr. recognized me and said we're very low on used cars, and would I be interested in a great deal on a trade-in? He knows how I take care of my cars.

The offer he made was my car + $4,300 OTD for a brandy-new 2013 Hyundai Sonata SE. Almost the exact copy of the car I was trading in. My SE had only 4,200 miles on it. He never even took a look at my car before making me the offer. And it's not that I was looking for a new car - I wasn't.

I told him I'd like to think about it, and I'd get back to him.
A few hours later he gives me a call to see if I decided, and I told him I was still on the fence. I asked if he could add a few things to the deal, and I got 6 free oil changes, mud flaps, nitrogen filled tires, wheel locks, and I'm also getting my windows tinted for free. It already seemed to me like a good deal, but this took me over the fence and I bought the new car.

I told the sales mgr. when I come back for oil changes I am going to remain in the service area and not wander again.

Still, thats a buck a mile.

So you had a 2011 with super low miles on it, traded it for a 2013 AND had to pay $4K more on it?

You would be my type of customer if I was in the car business.

__________________
Don't look, reload and shoot!

hmmm.......ok

__________________
C & L

When I saw the title I thought maybe they'd done what we call "half an oil change."

Hope ya specified synthetic oil with those oil changes.

My last new car was retired from service after 247,000 miles. Things were starting to go wrong with it. There's a BMW in my yard with 295k on it. I doubt I'll try to put it on the road again. The van I'm driving has 196k. I expect it to see at least 250k.

I can't imagine trading in a car with only 4200 miles on it. Then again, I can't imagine trying to get anything for a car that I am done with.

I figure $4,300 for two years is not bad. If you are happy, all is fine.

Regards and for Pete's sake: d-r-i-v-e the new one!

Dyson

I thought that they left the plug out and it cost him a new motor (when I saw the subject line)

Happened to me once on a used car that i bought the weekend before.They chased me down the street when i left. Wasn't hard, just followed the oil trail.The plug was never tightened. I had to document my oil changes for my warranty.

You can't shoot free oil changes or nitrogen tires. I would have definitely negotiated something from the S&W catalog into the trade-up deal.

Then again, Allen-Frame's treatise on economics has much merit. $4k buys some nice vintage Smiths.

__________________
I'm with the banned ...

I thought moving up 2 model years for $4k was good.

You know it is!

only if the old cars been a nightmare to own and the new models a drastic improvement on the old one

either that or they redesigned it so its bigger and nicer with the 2013.

actually why did he have a 2013 with only 4 K miles on it to begin with? that's really quite odd.

sorry about the negativty this comment might give you if this is not the case but maybe you traded in on a lemon without knowing it?

You mis-read the post. He traded a car with 4k miles in on a brand new car.

oh my mistake, sorry.

It is...for the dealer!

__________________
-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

What they have a quota on used cars to sit on the lot?

Weird.

Hey, if you're happy, I'm happy. However, I'm another one that drives 'em till the wheels fall off. Sometimes a few miles farther.

__________________
Insert short witty words here

I dont know that I would even own a car if I only put 4200 miles on it in 2 years...

I put that on my truck in about 3 months.

It sounds like an OK deal though. That's about the amount it depreciates when you drive it off the lot.

4200 miles? I look out the window and see my 2001 Cherokee with 170,000 miles on it, and the wife's Ford Focus, both are paid for and if I can get one more year out of both I will be tickled, since right now the rebuild on my Ford F-100 is almost done. I won't buy a new vehicle again, they depreciate so fast its just not worth buying one.

__________________
Vaya con Dios

I put +/- 30K miles a year on my car. I think if I could trade up for $4K every other year then I might be tempted. But I don't think they would be eager to make that same deal... :P

My wife will hit 200k on her '03 Sable this week.
So far
1 transmission @ 50k
1 starter (last week)
2 batteries (new one last week)
2 sets of front brake pads
3 sets of tires (about due for another though)
Regular oil changes.

She gets 28 MPG and is still happy with the car.

Oh yeah - Other than the trans and tires I do all the maint myself.

__________________
In dog years I'm dead.

Last week parked in front of walmart was a 2007 jeep with $17,500 on it. A private party had it for sale and it had a ton of extras on it. Huge tires, lift kit etc. This was about as professional looking and tough as you can get. Also he had wrote on it that the bank would lend over 20 K on it. The next day I seen it on a dealers lot for almost $6,000 more!!

I average about 3480 per month. I expect to have well over 60K at the 14 month point due to a trip in June. BTW, upgrading 2 model years worth for $4300 is a pretty good deal, especially when you consider that the biggest drop in value is right after you fire up the car and leave the dealer's lot.

__________________
NHI, 10-8.

Well, a couple of thoughts.

Back when I was younger, the general wisdom was that if one was gonna buy a new car every so often, it should be done every other year. The idea was that the big hit (depreciation) was the first year, and the lesser hit the second year kinda balanced out that first one.

Anyway, the money you paid for the new car was, IMO, pretty darned good.

And, apparently you got the vehicle you wanted, too.

Sigh..., I wish I could do that. I envy you.

But, I am just too darned cheap. I drive them till they become unreliable, then buy another. My 2007 Pathfinder has just under 140K already and I am retired, spending my days shooting lots of trap, some skeet, some sporting clays, and a very little pistol and rifle.

But, like I said, I envy you. The VP of something or other at the Nissan place cornered me, too. Needed good used cars, wanted to make me such a deal.

I just couldn't do it. Too much goodie left in the Pathfinder to get rid of it yet. Couple or three more years, maybe.

Bob

jeeze, I oughta make the gmc people really happy when they see my '07 sierra with 12K miles on it. Course they might complain about the dog hair on the back seat. My daughter has our old 1990 rodeo with over 150K and that sucker keeps on truckin along. Book trade in value is probably zilch so she won't get much on trade in time. Frank

220,000 miles

No repairs. Just normal maintenance. 2 timing belts, oil change at 7,500 miles, tires, air filters and other fluids as needed.

Jeff

I bought ONE new car. I still have it. 1997 Ram. 230,000 miles. Three transmissions (under warrantee).
My wife's 2010 Jetta wagon was $19K with 20,000 on it, and it will go 300,000 with us as the owners. New cars are insanely high priced. Like guns....

But it's a car.......not a fighter jet

My Dad is so in love with his Prius, he wants my Mom to get one too. So she was asking me what she could sell her 09 Camery for, and she was shocked, that she could upgrade to a new car for only $10k more. Ya Mom, that is what happens when you don't drive them into the ground before selling them

your happyall that counts

Welllll ,,,, $4000. is about 3 of these ,,,,,,,














New car , or ,, 3 vintage Smiths.

I'll be driving my 2005 Corolla till the tires fall off.

Allen Frame

' Keep the shiny side up, and the rubber side down ' < Allenism.

__________________
NRA cert.instructor&R.S.O.

That's funny, I know a guy that knows a guy that has tires for a '05 Corolla and will throw in a mirror for a 17.

BTW Nice pictures.

__________________
Dum vivo cano

$4,000 is not a lot of money today. If you are happy with the deal, I am happy for you. It sounds like a nice car.

Thank you for that.

Fortunately, I'm in a position where I can afford to do this comfortably, and yes Allen, still buy a gun once in a while, although I never expect to keep up with you.
Maybe this will help me curtail my gun buying addiction?

If I don't spend my $$ it will go to my nephew in my will.
If I could plan ahead, I'd like to die with $1 in the bank.
I'm working towards that end.

Nephew He seems to be around in all our lives
I'm working on .50
Spend that bread, enjoy otherwise someone else will

__________________
Doesn't hasta call me Johnson

I thought a long time about if I reply or not. But as a car guy and former MB employee I kinda have to

Since Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai have had a cooperation in the past, I'm pretty positive about that engine- and transmission components are "up to date" on Hyundai's these days.

I personally had a '11 Sonata as rental car and I traded it the next day for a '11 Fusion. Couldn't sit in it, my back was hurting too bad. I'm not talking about design or appearance of the car, this is up to personal taste.

The things you've got with the deal you mentioned, are nice to have. But these days almost normal to get by purchasing a new car. Heck, sometimes even used cars get the tint for free.

Nitrogen is known for some positive affects in the tires. What most people forget; a gas medium is never leak proof. And nitrogen you cannot just get on every gas station. Refills are expensive too.

I really hope you enjoy your new ride, and no offense - but I wouldn't have done the trade.

__________________
Jorge