Trade in value of an 05 X3?

--amadeus--

Hi,

I know there used to be a thread for "how do I sell my car" questions but I have had a look down the front page and I didn't see a generic "valuations" thread - if I'm being blind / dim please move

Herself has an 05 X3, 2.0d, leather, side steps, etc. Fairly high mileage (~90k kms) but in pretty good nick for all that. She paid a frankly silly amount for it a year or so ago.

Now with the way prices have crashed and the excess stock most dealers have I am thinking about a trade in where we trade her car against two, one each. The theory is that we would get a bigger 4*4 for her (X5, Q7, XC90) and a smaller saloon for me (3 series, A4 or whatever). Before anyone goes there she needs the 4*4 for work (back roads and lots of stuff to carry)!

My justification for the change is that we can get 2 cars now for the same monthly repayment we currently have on teh X3's finance (based on cheaper credit and lower prices). But that's based on getting a sensible trade in price. I know what X3's are advertised at but what are they actually being traded in at? And would we get a better trade in by buying two (older) cars rather tyhan trading against one (newer) of teh same price?

Any thoughts welcome!

Drummerboy08

Base model X3 has a book value of about 27k. You'd be lucky to get 16-18k on a trade in with this...

An SE model has a book value of €28300. Again you might be lucky to 17-19k for it in a trade in. Nobody wants these cars at the minute - they're to hard to sell on.

If the missus needs a Jeep type vehicle - i'd look at maybe a Nissan X Trail, Ford Kuga, Mitsubitshi Outlander. I know these badges dont have the "prestige" you might be looking for, but when it comes to trading in, it's gonna be an awful lot better than an X5, Q7 etc. NOBODY wants any of these 4x4s at the minute. If you think an Estate type car would float her boat, you should look at them.

Bandara

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Base model X3 has a book value of about 27k. You'd be lucky to get 16-18k on a trade in with this...

An SE model has a book value of €28300. Again you might be lucky to 17-19k for it in a trade in. Nobody wants these cars at the minute - they're to hard to sell on.

If the missus needs a Jeep type vehicle - i'd look at maybe a Nissan X Trail, Ford Kuga, Mitsubitshi Outlander. I know these badges dont have the "prestige" you might be looking for, but when it comes to trading in, it's gonna be an awful lot better than an X5, Q7 etc. NOBODY wants any of these 4x4s at the minute. If you think an Estate type car would float her boat, you should look at them.

I can't imagine you'll get anything like 17k, I'd see them offering you 15k tops. Fact is they are most likely not going to want it at all.

Unsaleable at the minute, and likely to drop even more.

Drummerboy08

Your probably right. I'm not in retail so i might be a little off...

The mileage might pose a problem too - i think its a little high to be a retail car, i dont know who in the trade would be interested in one.

Again you might be right - i know i wouldnt want it coming at me..

--amadeus--

Thanks!

That's what I kind of suspected TBH. I had hoped that with a surplus of stock the 2 for 1 might interest a dealer enough to make a decent offer but I think I always knew it was a long shot!

Kind of sinks the car trade though - most people I would imagine would be in a similar boat to myself. Can't buy a new car without selling the old one, but if dealers won't take it as a trade in then I can't sell it. So I can't buy a new car. But dealers won't be able to take it as a trade in until people start buying cars!

Bit of a catch 22 there

Drummerboy08

It does sink it a bit alright.

There isnt really much that can be done in this situation - but i would advise this.

You have a car at the minute that is undesirable to many people - its a 4x4 type SUV (a big, diesel drinkin machine to many people) I dont think the back roads in this country are that bad as to warrant a jeep. If i was you i'd be trying to move away from the jeep type vehicle and into something like an 4x4 estate - Subaru Legacy, Audi A4 Avant etc.

Good luck with it either way.

Rob

--amadeus--

Believe me from my POV it was undesirable from teh get go, I never liked SUV's! To be fair though it's not just country roads - my OH works for a charity and does home visits in rural Limerick and Tipp so she has to go in and out of a lot of farmyards and up rough back tracks. Even if we went down the estate route it'd have to be the XC60 or something. I did try and talk her into a Legacy once before (which I think would be ideal) but failed. Sigh!

Hanging onto teh X3 isn't such a bad thing actually - it's reliable, more economical than you would think and waiting out the finance / depreciation on any car always makes sense. I just had the blinking thing and was hoping we could get rid in a way I could justify to herself!

bazz26

The X3 was pretty unpopular to begin with so in the current economic climate I would imagine that you will do well if a garage gives you any sort of trade-in offer on it.

Not what you wanted to hear OP but that's my 2c worth.

E92

90,000 km is only 56,000 miles.

Let's not get carried away with the supposed "high mileage" crap I've heard from some here.

56k is only average mileage for a car fast approaching 4 years of age.

While SUVs have gone out of fashion(tbh the X3 is one of my least favourite BMWs of all time), the X3 does have leather, a BMW badge, and best of all a nice small 2.0 diesel engine. It's not like we're talking about an X5 or a Range Rover with engines that are 3.0 litres minimum.

It should still be worth a decent price, the small engine, lowish mileage(only 14k miles per annum), leather interior and most of all the fact it's a diesel are all big pluses from a resale point of view IMHO.

ninty9er

It's not that dealers don't want to take the cars, it's that traders don't want to part with the car for what it's worth because
[/high and mighty voice] "My car is worth much more than that"

€17k is probably a reasonable price to expect on a trade in. If you are taking 2 cars from the same place you may get a better deal as they may split the trade in over the margin of the 2 cars.

An X3 isn't going to sell before Christmas and the dealer will have to compete with X5s a year newer retailing around €32-€36k in the new year. I'd say get rid while you can for something a bit more desirable like a Pajero or X-trail.

-Chris-

E92 wrote: »

While SUVs have gone out of fashion(tbh the X3 is one of my least favourite BMWs of all time), the X3 does have leather, a BMW badge, and best of all a nice small 2.0 diesel engine. It's not like we're talking about an X5 or a Range Rover with engines that are 3.0 litres minimum.

It should still be worth a decent price, the small engine, lowish mileage(only 14k miles per annum), leather interior and most of all the fact it's a diesel are all big pluses from a resale point of view IMHO.

You can list all the spec you want, it won't change the fact that the X3 is largely undesirable in the current second-hand market and no dealer will be able to give a decent trade-in value for it.
You could stand in front of me listing specs till you're blue in the face, it won't change the fact that we wouldn't want an X3 as a trade in unless it was priced at a level where we'd be crazy not to take it.

--amadeus--

AudiChris wrote: »

You can list all the spec you want, it won't change the fact that the X3 is largely undesirable in the current second-hand market and no dealer will be able to give a decent trade-in value for it.
You could stand in front of me listing specs till you're blue in the face, it won't change the fact that we wouldn't want an X3 as a trade in unless it was priced at a level where we'd be crazy not to take it.

Ouch - way to edit a post! I didn't say that, that's from a totally different poster!

I know the X3 is unpopular - preaching to the converted (a car that size on teh outside should have a lot more interior space for a start). Nor am I under any illusion as to it's value - the info on here confirms my own ideas.

But like I said above I'm not desperate to sell teh car - my living doesn't depend on shifting units. I certainly won't be knocking on an audi dealers door listing specs till I'm blue in teh face until he deigns to sell me a car...

Drummerboy08

E92 wrote: »

90,000 km is only 56,000 miles.

Let's not get carried away with the supposed "high mileage" crap I've heard from some here.

56k is only average mileage for a car fast approaching 4 years of age.

While SUVs have gone out of fashion(tbh the X3 is one of my least favourite BMWs of all time), the X3 does have leather, a BMW badge, and best of all a nice small 2.0 diesel engine. It's not like we're talking about an X5 or a Range Rover with engines that are 3.0 litres minimum.

It should still be worth a decent price, the small engine, lowish mileage(only 14k miles per annum), leather interior and most of all the fact it's a diesel are all big pluses from a resale point of view IMHO.

Would you fancy someone coming into you, looking for 18k as a minimum trade in on it?

Also, i think you might be on your own with the mileage - the majority of customers who would walk onto the forecourt would be put off by the mileage on it.

-Chris-

--amadeus-- wrote: »

Ouch - way to edit a post! I didn't say that, that's from a totally different poster!

Sorry, my bad - post corrected now (don't even know how that happened!).

--amadeus-- wrote: »

I know the X3 is unpopular - preaching to the converted (a car that size on teh outside should have a lot more interior space for a start). Nor am I under any illusion as to it's value - the info on here confirms my own ideas.

That's all fair comment, and I don't mean to knock your car. I can see you're realistic about the value and desirability of the X3. I was merely trying to counter some of E92's "optimism"...

--amadeus-- wrote: »

But like I said above I'm not desperate to sell teh car - my living doesn't depend on shifting units. I certainly won't be knocking on an audi dealers door listing specs till I'm blue in teh face until he deigns to sell me a car...

Not sure what to say to this bit.

unkel

--amadeus-- wrote: »

Hanging onto teh X3 isn't such a bad thing actually - it's reliable, more economical than you would think

Indeed. You mightn't like it, I mightn't like it, but she obviously likes it

No matter what way you view it, she's taken a massive depreciation hit on it. There's no point in realising this hit by selling the car. She might as well hold onto it - the monthly payment on the loan might seem high, but it isn't (compared to funding the negative equity realised by selling)

Added bonus is that you can shop around for a straight deal for your saloon. It's a buyers' market. G'luck with the shopping :cool:

--amadeus--

Ahh teh saloon is a nice to have since herself thinks that a 40 year old Lotus can't be trusted to pick the kids up :rolleyes:

AudiChris - didn't mean to come across as sharp in teh last para. The Audi dealership I have had dealings with are well known locally as the most arrogant shower going. The real off specs till you're blue in the face but I wouldn't touch it comment coupled with the original misquote irked me and I let 2+2=5, apologies if I offended