Just wondering. What do you think is acceptable for a dealer to make, or expect to make, when they take a trade in car in perfect condition?

About 2 grand.

Just wondering. What do you think is acceptable for a dealer to make, or expect to make, when they take a trade in car in perfect condition?

As much as possible.

Remember there are a lot of costs after the car has been sold to the dealership, rarely do they make over 2k after everything is said and done.

my dealer is only making 1k off my old Cooper :D

my dealer is only making 1k off my old Cooper :D


well my dealer added on £2250 onto my trade in

I think as much as possible.
It's a business after all! If you don't think the price they offer you in part exchange is fair, reject it! Sell it privately! You may not get as much for your pride and joy as the dealer will but then he'll be offering warranty, after-sales service etc etc

the mark up isnt profit.......... as much as possible is the right answer, it is a business.

out of the mark up, there has to be a margin for negotiation, prep work, service, warranty, refurb, valet, VAT and so on. A dealer with a £1000 mark up will make very little REAL profit. Thats why they try to add stuff on afterwards thats where much of the real profit lies;)

And if you think a dealer has made an unacceptable amount on a vehicle you traded in with him, there's only one reason for that, you accepted to little for it when you traded it!

The reconditioning costs are pretty high. Every dealer will have to put the car through a comprehensive used car inspection, service the car if it's due a service, MOT it, get it valeted, do any paintwork/trim repair, often replace the tyres (and we all know they are expensive), refurb the alloys and the list goes on. Then there is the warranty cost. Then there's other associated costs (HPI costs, advertising etc.)
Once the car gets sold, there is the sales person to pay and VAT to pay on the rest of the profit.....

my dealer is only making 1k off my old Cooper :D

If the dealership only added £1000 on the part exchange price, this most likely means they overallowed on the car and wrote it back in the books. By the time a mini goes through the workshop, there's usually little left from £1k, then there is the VAT and other stuff.