You need to just walk away from this new "deal", IMO. Way too much drama with this dealership, and C6 Vettes are a dime a dozen.

 

Yep! 1000%. Trust is long gone. There are too many other options out there to settle.

 

Trios, Is this dealership owned by a group? Wondering if the supposed "deal" they have working is moving it across town to one of there other stores after back-peddling , etc.

Hope you get a GOOD call from them, looks like a nice car........

 

I guess I am used to be treated fairly by a Chevy dealership trying to steal my trade, I can't help and be incensed by this. A Chevy dealership NOT WANTING a clean Chevy trade? GOOD admits to making a mistake on all accounts further in the thread so...your out of order!

 

Yes the offer of $6500 was low, but the offer of $9500 is pretty good. If you like one of the cars on their lot, you might want to take them up on that. Once a dealer decides they have to wholesale a car, you'll get less than wholesale because they want to be sure they don't lose money and it costs to drive a car to an auction. I had a dealer tell me something similar to what you were told when I traded my old Buick in for a Jeep many years ago. He had a little more tact and took me aside, recommending I sell it privately which I did for over three times what they offered. It's just business, nothing personal so I wouldn't get too upset over what was said.

 

We have a winner. If the existing deal doesn't go through and I have another stab at the car, and they really are willing to pay me $9500 for mine, it's a no brainer. I'll make sure every i is crossed and t is dotted on the paperwork before I sign anything, but as long as it all comes out in black and white I don't really care about the 'trust' thing.

 

They may have found a buyer for your car. I bought my car from a dealer who had just taken it in trade, I do business with them from an auto parts end, and had put the word out I was looking for a C5 in the 10K range. They gave the previous owner 9K for it, which I verified. I am happy with my deal and my new to me car. By the way it is a 2K coupe with an A4 and 83K miles. Mike

 

Before you sign make sure you DOT the I's and CROSS the T's Is this still on going? Reading post 39, I feel I need and I want to know the outcome! 9500 is pretty good..I bought my 2000 FRC for 12k with 90k miles(From a dealer). I was so excited for my first Vette I just

 

Well, I won't go too much further into what else has transpired other than saying that the dealership is watching this thread (Hi Jeff!). Things are still in limbo for the moment, but there may be an opportunity to purchase the car still if the other deal falls thru.

Man, this has been a really weird experience, and once it's all said and done I'll report back here with my final thoughts on the matter, be they good or bad.

 

You are much better off trying to sell a high mileage Vette on your own or through a local used car lot. Dealerships look for fast movers for the most part. Most high mileage vehicles that they trade in are fast tracked through the local auto action.

A Vette is basically "a want" vehicle, not a "needed vehicle". Not saying that there is anything wrong with your C5, but a 100,000 mile Vette would usually collect dust on a dealer's parking lot. People shopping for non essential transportation (like Vettes) at a dealership, are normally looking for new Vehicles or low mileage garage queens. High mileage Vettes are just not something that a normal dealership customer base would want or even consider.

Keep in mind that 80% of all cars sold through a licensed dealer auction are sold under wholesale book. That's the exact reason they low balled you. They do not expect to get wholesale book for the car if they ran it through the sale. Therefore, although they acted stupidly in insulting you and your vehicle, they were actually telling you the truth.

Please note that I am certainly not trying to justify the dealers actions toward you, just attempting to explain how most dealership trade operations are based. I have many friends who own dealerships, who are general managers, as well as family members who were Sales and F&I managers.

If you want to move your Vette quickly, I would consider offering it for sale to a local car lot, and/or asking them if they would be willing to sell it for you on a consignment basis. These type of shops deal with a much different customer base that often look for cheaper hobby cars. They may even have a customer in mind as they speak with you.

Whatever you decide to do, best of luck to you.

BTW, no harm in asking your salesman (since you liked him), if he knows of reputable lots who could help sell your car for you or buy it. Most dealerships have relationships with one or more of these types of used car lots. Helps dealership make deals that they normally might not be able to make.

 

Be careful..he'll still try to stick you if he can. Take a witness with you, and record the audio if possible. Most smartphones have this feature.
Either bring cash or have financing in had before stepping on the lot...and don't let him upsell you on "extended warranties" "paint protection" dealer added stripes, or any other crap.

 

If i really thought I had to do business with a dealership like this, I would look for a different dealership. No way I would deal with known crooks.

I am not saying that there are not some scumbags in the Chevy dealership world, but most would like to be in business for more than a couple of years.

 

A 16K car is something that a normal dealer's customer base would be interested in. A 100K plus car, 80% of dealership customers would not be interested in it and it would sit forever or be on it's way to a local dealer auction where it would sell at absolute best case scenario at fair wholesale book.

 

3K under retail would be about average (making the car purchased near or at wholesale). What you have to watch however is if they inflate your trade value and make it up on the newer car you are purchasing (selling it at or near retail).

 

(SARC)
Well I have a pristine 2001 C5 with 200K miles. I think it is worth 20K. Does that make me unreasonable?
(/SARC)

 

3k under retail would be somewhere around 9k on my car, which wouldn't be insulting and this thread wouldn't have occurred if that's what they had offered, whether I accepted it or not.

 

C5s are older cars now and the market for them is not on a dealers lot.

 

Sorry, that was not meant to be directed toward you. Should have included the original quote.

 

You didn't understand my point, of course they want a 16k mile car on there lot, I was pointing out that they do have older cars (2003) and that his with his miles would most likely be wholesaled for around what they offered, $6,500. This time of year any used dealer buying that car knows they are going to sit on it or take very low retail at best.

 

Sell it on your own. There are lots of people who would pay well for that sweet ride.