# Cruze trade in value + dilemma



## Macman (May 4, 2011)

so, I may be trading my cruze in and my altima in and getting a new 2012 cruze equivalent to mine. It's a LONG story. So I'm just wondering what the 2011 cr uze 2LT RS trade in value looks like?


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## shawn672 (Oct 31, 2010)

kbb says 16k in my area, my buyout is 15 so I'm up but you're most likely down if you didn't put a decent down payment.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

Macman said:


> So I'm just wondering what the 2011 cr uze 2LT RS trade in value looks like?


Wow, I'm guessing this is going to hurt a bit. I once traded a vehicle in after 18 months and the residual value made me so upside down with the 5 year loan I had, it was pretty painful. The trade in estimators don't even have 2011 values in them yet. AutoTrader doesn't either. I'll wager that you will need to visit two or three (or more) Chevy dealers and see what they offer you for it. The Chevy dealers around me still have new '11s on the lots, so they will be inclined to move those first. These dealers also have quite a few used '11s on their lots. FWIW, there is a 2LT without RS listed for $19,796 on one lot, marked down from $20,880. It has over 11,500 miles on it. There is another 2LT without RS at another dealership for the same price with over 18,000 miles on the clock. My guess is the trade in was likely 60% of that, but that's just a guess. Your experience will be different, I'm sure. Good luck.

Update: I think 60% is a bit harsh. I'd like to re-estimate that trade in to 80% of retail price.


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## cruzeman (Mar 13, 2011)

If you want to know the real trade in value you have to goto galves.com. it will cost you a few dollars but its the real deal. Dealers will never give you kbb or nada value.

sent from my Thunderbolt using AutoGuide App


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## Patman (May 7, 2011)

Yea I have fought long and hard with dealers about the value(KBB and Nada) of my trade ins. I was always the orig owner and most cars had less @40000 mi and were typically @2 years old. That is when I was single and allowed to get bored with my cars. Any more you have to have to hold on to a car for eternity or until it becomes a repair money pit you will get "taken for a ride" when they work the numbers. I am happy with my LS for a while.


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## rgblack316 (Apr 4, 2011)

I just traded my 2011 Gold Mist Metallic Cruze LT1 with the Driver Convenience Package and Fog Lamps installed and got $15,000. I only owed $12,200 so I came out with almost $3,000 in equity towards a new 2011 Silverado 2WD Ext. Cab LT. I would have gotten about $1,000 more had they not had the same model minus the fog lamps sitting brand new on the lot discounted to move it.


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## VGT (Oct 9, 2011)

Wow.


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## rgblack316 (Apr 4, 2011)

Wow what?


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## yourdoinitwrong (Aug 7, 2011)

Depending on the exact equipment you have and miles you are most likely looking in the $16,500 to $17,500 range. Forget about KBB or NADA values, we never use them at dealerships. Black Book and recent auction transactions are what we look at.


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## Macman (May 4, 2011)

yourdoinitwrong said:


> Depending on the exact equipment you have and miles you are most likely looking in the $16,500 to $17,500 range. Forget about KBB or NADA values, we never use them at dealerships. Black Book and recent auction transactions are what we look at.


where do I find blackbook values?


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## yourdoinitwrong (Aug 7, 2011)

Macman said:


> where do I find blackbook values?


Used Cars for sale

In the bottom right hand corner, click the Black Book logo and it will take you to the page you need. When looking at the value, the one you are interested in is the Average column under trade value. Most dealers will be around that number or start slightly below that. Not saying that you are, but ignore the Clean column. That is only used for high value or specialty cars that actually bring extra money for being immaculate and having low miles. Chevy Cruzes don't fall into that category.

Keep in mind this is just a guide and not every dealer will go by this. Also, the inventory of new Cruzes is now beginning to stabilize at normal levels and are not as hard to get as in 2011 so that may have somewhat of an effect as well. Shop the trade value to get the best deal you can. I hate it when people do it to me but that is exactly what I would do myself. Also, if you are given a low number don't take it personally. I have some customers that feel their trade is worth it's weight in gold and act like I kicked them in the shin if I don't offer them $3K over clean book value. It's all business, not personal so just explain to them what value you are trying to achieve and why. Sometimes it works, sometimes it won't but just part of the game.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

Macman said:


> where do I find blackbook values?


Two ways I know of:
1. Link at the bottom of the Cruze web site main page, or from the BYO page.
2. Identification Page


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## cruzeman (Mar 13, 2011)

A Honda dealer by me actually had the nerve to only offer me 12,500 for mine. Needless to say I grabbed my keys and left in a hurry.


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## gmarcucio (Apr 19, 2011)

trade in value on the Cruze is not good. This is a car you need to purchase and hang on to and get your money out of it or you will lose big time trading it in within a few years. My 2011 LTZ was $26,900 new. I got a trade in price with 9,000 miles on it 9 months later from 2 different dealers. One was $17,000 and the other was $20,000. The $20,000 trade was towards a $46,000 Volt. So... I would lose from $7,000 to $10,000 trading it within 9 months. Crazy!!! Most dealers base their trade on current auction price because that is what the vehicle is bringing in "real time."


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## 70x7 (Apr 24, 2011)

gmarcucio said:


> trade in value on the Cruze is not good. This is a car you need to purchase and hang on to and get your money out of it or you will lose big time trading it in within a few years. My 2011 LTZ was $26,900 new. I got a trade in price with 9,000 miles on it 9 months later from 2 different dealers. One was $17,000 and the other was $20,000. The $20,000 trade was towards a $46,000 Volt. So... I would lose from $7,000 to $10,000 trading it within 9 months. Crazy!!! Most dealers base their trade on current auction price because that is what the vehicle is bringing in "real time."


Thats exactly why I wouldnt/didnt pay anywhere near that for the Cruze I have.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Trade-ins are a VERY poor representation of the car's value. That's a "I'm too lazy to put it up for sale privately" way to sell a car and you definitely pay for it.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Trade-ins are a VERY poor representation of the car's value. That's a "I'm too lazy to put it up for sale privately" way to sell a car and you definitely pay for it.


Yeah. My Car is only worth like $17,000 on a trade in according to the blue book. WTFFFFF. Good thing I like it because I'm stuck with it for a while!


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## David1 (Sep 16, 2011)

You are also competing against all the rental Cruze's crossing the block now.


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## limited360 (May 6, 2011)

I was offered 15,500 on my ECO without the dealer see'ing and it had 16,000 miles at the time...


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

A lot has changed over the years, back in the 50's, my next door neighbor was a Chrysler Plymouth dealer, was like a dad to me, and really got me involved with trading cars. But back then we were talking about 75 to 200 buck cars. Recall a really nice 52 Mercury two door hardtop, super clean for $495.00, that was way out of reach.

Also back then, dealers were making 30% off the price of a new car and 50% off of the accessories, and they sure had a long accessory list, like do you want hub caps? I still don't believe these invoice prices they have today. if a dealer is only making a hundred bucks selling a brand new car, would need a gal at a check out counter selling a new car every minute just to keep their doors open.

For the many components I have designed for new vehicles, the price today is far cheaper due to automated assembly and technology. In 1965, cost us $2.86 to manufacture an electro-mechanical voltage regulator at 1965 prices! Today, a far more sophisticated voltage regulator, all microchips is made for about 75 cents at todays prices. Same with engine parts and everything else, back then was all hand made, today, automations spits these parts faster than you can see them. Then the extensive use of aluminum and plastics that replaced cast iron and chrome plated steel.

So why are our new vehicles over ten times the price today then let's say in 1965? Back then paid $2,900 for a fully loaded 1965 Buick four door hardtop Electra, really liked that car and was made very well, put on over 330,000 miles on it and weighed over 5,000 pounds, loaded with chrome and stainless steel. Today, a Buick is about half that weight, all plastic and aluminum, have problems with the transmission, especially the AC system, was all brass back then and the interior is dirt cheap plastic with plastic knobs. But yet looking at over 40K bucks for this POS!

Back then a color TV set was 600 bucks, washing machine, 300 bucks, an electric drill, 40 bucks. In these areas seeing vast technological improvements at either a fraction or maybe twice the price. But not in automotive, getting robbed blind.

So this makes buying a new vehicle a heck of a lot easier than trying to get rid of it. Another option is trying to sell it as a private party. Good luck on that, last time I tried that a zillion people came over, single moms crying with kids, my car is broke, I need another, can you sell it to me for ten bucks a month? Promise I will pay you back. But sure not talking about a 20,000 buck car, those are practically impossible to sell on the private market. May get offers pending on the buyer getting a loan, fat chance of that.

So when buying a new car, pretty much plan on driving it into the ground to get my money back. With that Buick, actually sold it for 400 bucks, had 330K on it for around 2,500 so my depreciation was 3/4 of a cent per mile. Today, getting difficult to even get a buck per mile based on the same calculations. Practically cheaper to take a cab.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

A dealer once offered me $7000 for my 2005 Bonneville GXP as a trade-in. I sold it 2 years and 20k miles later for $8,500, private party.

I do agree though, not too great of an idea to be selling your new Cruze.


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## limited360 (May 6, 2011)

I bought my Lincoln LS V8 for $6000 with 89,000 miles, sold it 4 years later for $7400 with 110,000 miles... Only thing I did was window tint and a set of tires 

Private party is the way to go!!!


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Okay, in 1974, purchased a Ford motorhome during the energy crisis with only 7,000 miles on it for $3,000.00, put over 80K on it and sold it in 1987 for $6,500.00, practically instantaneously. A lot depends on the trends and the economy. If the Cruze is as hot as the dealers claim it is, could be lucky, but you don't know until you try. 

Also have the internet for practically free listings, Craiglist is definitely free. Neighbor purchased a new 2004 diesel F-350 when he was stationed down south. Not a good vehicle up north, had to install a 1500 watt heater that ran up his electric bill. That was in 2007, Ford dealer only offered him $7,500 with the trade-in value listed at $15,500, he advertised it for that price. Here it is 2012 already and he still has it.

Don't have to tell you what Wall Street did to our county, and that money was not lost, ended up in someone's pocket, and was taken out of ours.

For us, with a couple of bucks in the bank, was and excellent time to buy a nice motorhome and a boat, just pennies on the dollar, but sure glad I wasn't trying to sell stuff like this.


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