Have you ever traded a used car...

I saw a Metro hit a Honda Accord... The Accord had a dented bumper and a broken headlight... The Metro looked like an accordion... I don't know what happened to the driver, but they were taken off in an ambulance while the Honda driver didn't have a scratch on him...

I don't trust many of those cars that get such great mileage because in a lot (but not all) of the cases, it's because the car isn't built as well...

 

In my case, the front end did was it was supposed to do. It crumpled. But if it crumpled that much at such a slow speed, I can't imagine where I'd have been if it was a 40mph v. 40 mph collision.

 

When I was in college, I got stranded in Manhattan with no money.
I traded Liza Minnelli my Grateful Dead-stickered 1974 Gremlin and a pair of size-11 Creepers for bus fare, two Percocets and a pint of Kessler.

 

Assuming the vehicle isn't broken or breaking down quickly, Dirk, I would strongly consider trying to sell your car yourself ... Kelley Blue Book should be able to help you set a price better than trade-in while undercutting what Leisure Suit Larry will want on the wrong side of the tracks. In the meantime, see if you can find a more fuel-efficient vehicle elsewhere. Maybe you already have.

You'll take a financial hit almost any way you slice it. But this way, the hit isn't as bad. Plus you can wait out a halfway decent offer, and zoom in on that next fuel-sipping special.

Good luck.

 

Yep, sell yourself first then go shopping. That's the best way to maximize your current asset. I sold my car recently and if you've got some patience, you should do okay, a lot better than trading it in. Dealers need to get some return for taking your trade and the only way to make it worthwhile for them is to profit on it with the risk of holding it while you get the $$$.

 

The last two cars we sold, it took one day with the first one and three for the second... We got considerably more than if we had traded it in...