Trade in v Private Sale - what's current

[sVWatt]

Was looking to trade my Polo 6R 2011 with comfort pack and DSG for a larger VW - either golf or tuigan. With 26k on the clock I've been offered either $16k, or $16.5k by two Camberra dealers.

What's others experiences?

[readerr0r]

Dealers generally just go by the redbook price which is...

* Private Price Guide $17,300 - $19,500
* Trade In Price Guide $13,600 - $15,800
* Average Km 30,000 - 50,000

Used Car Research - Used Car Prices - Compare Cars - RedBook.com.au

So by redbook standards, thats a fair valuation (A little bit over the price recommended for a 30,000K car). Whether or not you'd get $19,500 private is a different story, but if you're keeping the RNS and BT in there it should move smoothly.

[sVWatt]

Thanks readerr0r I had thought it was low, but maybe it was pretty good after all.

[RoknRob]

My experience with the used car market here in Australia has been different - and not very rewarding - compared to overseas.

There are not enough buyers looking for a used car, for whatever reason. So you start off hopeful to get a reasonable market price, then keep dropping the price until someone finally bites. In the meantime, you've had to pay for advertising, detailing (maybe), road worthy certificates that expire too soon, rego, etc.

My last 2 cars, I broke even with the trade-in value (after deducting all those expenses above), but with more aggravation and time wasted.

Maybe it will be different with the Polo - I would love to hear your experience - because after my last experience, I thought to myself, never again...

[highroller79]

Sell it privately. I was offered 20K less for my 335i as a trade. Sold it in just a few days online as a private sale for 20k more

[readerr0r]

It does vary massively on the car, even the model. In the age of online car sales, people need to know your car before they see it.

I wouldn't be surprised if the amount of searches done for say, a Mk5 Golf GTI where many orders higher than the amount for the 2.0T Jetta of the same era - even though they have the same running gear.

[06eleven]

That's not a significant amount below what I was offered for my 8 month old MY12.5 GTI with under 11k on the clock. Which was ridiculous.

If you're selling privately I'd suggest that you look on carsales and see what people are advertising similar vehicles for and undercut them slightly. Remember that what you're seeing is what they're asking for, not what they're achieving. Most people over value their cars.

[RoknRob]

If you're selling privately I'd suggest that you look on carsales and see what people are advertising similar vehicles for and undercut them slightly. Remember that what you're seeing is what they're asking for, not what they're achieving. Most people over value their cars.

Exactly - I did exactly that - undercut my competitors initially. Then kept cutting and cutting and cutting. 2 grand (and 3 weeks later) I finally got my first call.

So as 06eleven says, what people are advertising is NOT what they are getting...

Although, again, it may be different for this car - I would love to know...

[gavs]

With the rep? I'm surprised anyone can even sell one privately

[iigx]

I wonder what addons such as the RVC, Intercooler upgrades and other bits would add to the car? They obviously arent investments, but they must have some payback.