Is it just me or is it impossible to sell a used car these days.

Just bought an 04 Silverstone Red/Black and I am trying to sell my 01 Prelude that is in great condition. I have not recieved a single call on it in the past two weeks. $15k and it has 62K miles, I figure that should be a resonable asking price.

Has anyone else out there been trying to sell a car and have the same bad luck or is it just me? I thought that since I live in Chicago its just a bad time of the season. Would I do better if I were located in a warmer climate? Would really appreciate advise on selling a used car, or an offer.

Check it out at:

http://homepage.mac.com/slac11/Prelude/Pho...otoAlbum20.html

Thanks

 

put the ad in the bigger/popular newspaper around your area, i always get good results.
or you can always sell it to carmax, they'll give you a deal and most likely buy the car with no questions asked.

 

I have ads in all the major chicagoland newspapers and I did take it to carmax. They offered to buy it at bluebook wholesale. I am not ready yet to dump it for wholesale.

 

Is it manual?

 

yea, its a 5 spd.

 

Yeah, I sold my Mustang Cobra to get an '04 and had a really hard time doing that - a major newspaper, autotrader.com, Caramax (BIG TIME low-ball offer), my company's bulletin board - no interest whatsoever. Eventually, I hit the used car circuit at local dealerships. I drove to seven different dealerships and went with the one with the best offer.

If you really need to get rid of it, you can go to CARMAX. They'll make you an offer and will buy your car after an inspection, but expect to be really disappointed. With over 60K miles, your car falls into a different pricing structure for their offers. You'll be able to do better elsewhere.

It was a really depressing experience. With new car rates so low and everyone making deals, no one is buying used cars. I had a limited production (<6000) Cobra and there was still minimal interest.

I found you can also take what Kelly's Blue Book recommends for private party sale and expect to get about 2/3 of that.

 

When I was looking for a used car I checked out the online version of AutoTrader. I suspect a lot of people do the same.

You are correct though, it is a bad time (winter in Chicago) to be selling a car. (Unless it's a 4WD.) You would have better luck in the Spring. Also consider that all the new car financing and incentives going on are KILLING used car sales. People who need to finance a car (and $15k is a lot of money.) would have a choice between your car at 9% interest or a new car with a warrantee with 0% financing. (Not from Honda of course, but even they are offering finance deals.)

To answer the basic question of how do you sell it? The only real choices are: Wait longer or lower your price.

Sorry.

BTW -- Check out the Midwest forum for some local flavor. You can click on the Chicago Badge in my signature or clubs on the top navigation bar.

Enjoy your car.

 

You mean that you were able to get a dealer to by it from you, or did you trade it in?

 

$15k @ 62K miles is a little bit too much... should lower the price the you will get calls..

 

$14,500 reasonable?