Ever trade in a new car shortly after purchase?

[nsl]

Not saying I'm really going to do it, but I've thought about it several times.
Long story short is that I researched for about 7 months on a car, and finally settled on a new version of my old car.
Anyway, I guess it may be because I'm older, but I'm not feeling it after a few months of ownership.
I know I'll lose by trading it in, but who here has also had this experience?

 

[Geronimo Jim]

I traded a 2017 Toyota Highlander for a 2019. Does that count?
Oh...2017 was a XLE and I wanted a Limited.

 

[Engineer1911]

A "wealthy" family member trades his F-150 pickup every year for another new one. He has a 6 or 7 year loan that he rolls every time. His monthly payment changes ± $10.00 according to his story. The payment may decrease because of factory or dealer incentives. According to his story, the trade in truck sits on the lot about 3 days with less than 20K miles on it.

 

[Robotaz]

A "wealthy" family member trades his F-150 pickup every year for another new one. He has a 6 or 7 year loan that he rolls every time. His monthly payment changes ± $10.00 according to his story. The payment may decrease because of factory or dealer incentives. According to his story, the trade in truck sits on the lot about 3 days with less than 20K miles on it.

I drove Fords my whole life and a ‘13 Mustang
, ‘15 Mustang GT, and ‘17 F150 taught me to ditch them. Serious QC problems. Never again. They’re building garbage and it’s their own fault for setting no bar on their suppliers.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Way back in my Puppy Dog days-
Met a wealthy Dude up in Ohio who bought a new Cadallic every year.
He drove the new one. His Wife drove last years.
Her old one went into warehouse with the others.
He never traded. He just kept the old ones in a warehouse he owned.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Might need to bite the bullet to be rid of it. New car dealerships will rent vehicles also, it you want to try before you buy.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

 

[wood714]

I traded a 2017 Toyota Highlander for a 2019. Does that count?
Oh...2017 was a XLE and I wanted a Limited.

I bet they gave you close to what you paid for it in trade?

Was walking around the lot when I had my 10K service done on my 2018 Tacoma. They were asking up to $5K more for 2017 Tacoma's than I paid for mine new. They weren't even 4 wheel drive either.

 

[Jack Flash]

I like cars and keep them a looong time. But I can see the value of always driving one that's only a year or two old.

When I lived in Missouri, I was told of a guy who made out like a bandit trading in year-old Mazda Miatas. You have to remember that when the Miata first came out, every dealer only got a certain allotment, and thus the waiting list for one was a full year.

Well this guy waited it out, bought his first one and immediately got on the waiting list for next year. I don't know the details but I think you had to put down a $500 deposit to get on the list. When the new Miata was delivered to the dealer, he took possession and listed his "old" car for sale in the paper. Oh yeah, and got right back on the waiting list!

You probably guessed that the market for used Miatas was red hot, with a lightly used year-old example going for more than a new one, bought by people who just couldn't wait a year. So the guy repeated this cycle and was always driving a new car for not much money.

Or that's the story I heard anyways.

 

[GypsmJim]

1973 **** (won't mention the brand).

First week...
- flat tire, couldn't get it out of the garage
- while waiting for a tow truck and dolly, the gas tank sprung a leak and dissolved the newly applied rustproofing, leaving sticky tar all over the garage floor.
- got it in the driveway, fixed the tire, waiting for the 2nd tow truck to take it to the dealer when it rained. The rear hatched leaked filling the inside of the car with water
- got it back from the dealer with a new gas tank - the next day the fan belt broke - waiting for another tow truck
- 1 month later went hunting and this time the hatch broke so we couldn't get the deer in the back to take it home.
- 1 week later traded it in on a VW

Rest of story - NEVER bought another rice burner EVER.

 

[GypsmJim]

Way back in my Puppy Dog days-
Met a wealthy Dude up in Ohio who bought a new Cadallic every year.
He drove the new one. His Wife drove last years.
Her old one went into warehouse with the others.
He never traded. He just kept the old ones in a warehouse he owned.

My old buddy did that with Corvettes.

Rest of the story - soon after marriage his inlaws died and they inherited the property with a huge pole barn. Additionally, he never had kids.

 

[LEO918]

Back in the '70s and '80s I traded several Dodge cars and trucks that came from the factory semi finished not even the dealer could make them work.

 

[ditrina]

Just traded a 2018 Highlander Platinum ( 9,000 miles) for a 2019 Honda Pilot Elite. Like the man said, was just not feeling the Highlander..

Happy as a clam

 

[Farmer17]

My wife once worked as an accountant for a real estate devolper/home builder and the owner of the company bought himself and his wife a new 5 series BMW every year. He said he didn't want to learn all the details on how to operate a different kind of car. This guy was always behind on paying his bills and had a lot of people mad at him which put a lot of pressure on the accountant, we were both really glad when she quit.

 

[Golddollar]

I just put a 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis that I bought new through the Gettysburg Auto Auction with 242,000 miles on it.

 

[gman51]

I bought a 2006 Mazda Miata MX 5 brand new thinking it would probably be my last car purchase. About 7 months later I traded almost even up on a 2006 Chevy Malibu. Mazda had 19,350 miles on it and the Malibu had around 19,320 miles on it. I paid about $185 difference and drove off in the Malibu. Never once had a regret doing it.
Then I bought a 2010 Chrysler 300 in 2012. I later found out these cars have a poor resale. That was probably why I got it for several grand less than market value. I put around 12,000 miles on it and sold it 3 months later to a dealer for two grand less than I paid for it, one grand was sales tax loss. I would take a Malibu over that Chrysler 300 any day. I so wanted to like the car but other than the appearance of it I was really dissappointed in it. I never drove a car that that while in cruise to hold the speed going downhill it would downshift from OD to drive. Strange car. It was not road quiet and the ABS brakes scared the **** out of me. The brakes reminded me of the old drum brake fade problems. Stand on the brake pedal and hope the people stopped in front of me got moving real quick. Luckily they did and I kept my distance after that episode. I felt the brakes were way under powered for the weight of that car.
I lost two grand and I never regretted that either. I really think test drives are a joke. Better off renting a car for a week and see if you really like it before buying it.

I just remembered my biggest oops I ever made. Back in 2001 I thought about getting a Harley Sportster 1200 for just run around joy riding since I sold my dressed out Yamaha Venture with trailer. I had a 1969 Sportster 900 that I really like riding so I figured go for a Sportster again.
It was a rather cool Saturday at the Harley shop. They had two Harley's on the floor among dozens of other Honda bikes. I told him I was interested in a Sportster and he took me upstairs. Holy cripe they had dozens and dozens of Harley's in crates up there. I guess they keep most of their Harleys hidden making people think there is a shortage of them available. Making people think Harley's are selling like hot cakes so they can bump the MSRP by a huge amount.
So he shows me a Sportster with forward controls and a few other goodies. So I tell him I will take it. In the finance office she spins the contract around for me to sign. The total payoff would be $23,000 and I said oh NO. She said what's wrong and I again said oh NO. I said I am not paying 23 grand for a Sportster. So he comes up with a more plain Jane 1200 bike and it is around 11 grand payoff. So I sign the papers and put $1500 down on it.
They un-crate it, put it together and get it running. I rode it home. Oh boy I thought what a John Deere on two wheels this was. It was a cold ride home also. I parked it right out in the middle of the driveway hoping someone would steal it overnight. Nope it was still there in the morning. I thought well I would give it another spin to see if I felt any better about it. Nope, I again thought what a piece of John Deere clone it seemed to be. So total mileage I had ridden was around 100 miles. Oh I hated this two wheeled Harley thumper. I guess I was to used to riding large rice grinders and had been a long time since being on a Harley to remember what it was like riding one.

The Harley shop was closed Monday but Tuesday 8 a.m. I was on the phone with the manager. I asked had he sent in the title yet and he said no and he asked why did I ask that. I said because I don't want it. He said how many miles had I put on it. I said well by the time I ride it back to his shop it will have around 150 miles on it. He said well then it will have to be sold as a used bike then even though it hadn't been titled yet. Well this ordeal cost me a grand of the $1500 I put down on it. Yep I screwed myself big time but at least I didn't have to ride it again. It cost me around $6.60 a mile I put on it. LOL I could have rented one for less money. Well like they say it's only money. I thought it was funny the mileage cost calculation came out to 6.666666

 

[pawngal]

Had a Lexus RX350 SUV 2007 that I loved, traded it for a 2013 RX350 with
6000 miles, hated it, why?? don't really know. Traded it less than a year later for a low mileage 2011 Tundra 4x4 4 door with a nice topper. Got a nice check for the difference. 4+ years later still have the Tundra and it is still worth close to what I have in it.

 

[hittman77]

was just not feeling the Highlander..

Well as you know ...... there can be only one.

 

[Onomea]

Not saying I'm really going to do it, but I've thought about it several times.
Long story short is that I researched for about 7 months on a car, and finally settled on a new version of my old car.
Anyway, I guess it may be because I'm older, but I'm not feeling it after a few months of ownership.
I know I'll lose by trading it in, but who here has also had this experience?

If you can afford it, have at it. Life’s too short to expect every deal you make to be financially astute.

Speaking as an older guy, the reason we earned all those bucks over all those years, after taking care of those for whom we are responsible, is to enjoy life.

 

[Imissedagain]

Bought a new Yamaha 175 Enduro in ‘79 instead of a new leftover MGB.
Drove the bike from the shop to home.
Drove it to the shop the next morning and swapped it for an XT500.
It was a $175 bike ride.

Still have the XT500 and hopefully will make a side car for the kids..... an old school ATV.

 

[whitestang]

I'm a drive them until guy. I had a 02 Taurus that I drove to 141,000 and replaced it with a 07 Mustang convertible ,it had 74,000 on it when I got rear ended last July and was a total loss.