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Will I get jipped?

3K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  shoopindy 
#1 ·
So I'm considering buying a Mini. Problem is that I have a specific one in mind and it's not available on the lot of my local dealership. No Problem! They'll order it from factory. But I have a trade-in. They gave me a fair trade-in quote but can't guarantee that it will be same by the time my (hypothetical) Mini would arrive in 6-8 weeks. I completely understand that I shouldn't expect same quote if I were to smash up my car in an accident or take a road-trip around the country...but what assurance do I have that it won't be a fraction of the quote after normal wear-and-tear driving after 6-8 weeks?

They assure me that by the time my (hypothetical) car would arrive in 6-8 weeks, my trade-in value wouldn't be less than a fraction of the quote they gave me (500 less than $15k quote) assuming that it is in same relative shape but ultimately this is a business deal and unless I have something in writing...I'm skeptical. (call me a cynic)

I could take the trade-in immediately (for what they quoted me), but then I won't have a car for 6-8 weeks and I don't have a convenient alternative (I have a motorcycle I could ride...but I'm in Indiana and possibility of snow is increasing).

Has anyone been in similar circumstance? What did you do?
 
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#4 ·
Once trade price is set and you have ordered your new MINI, trade value remains the same unless you wreck it or something goes wrong with drive train or electrics. It took 2 months to get mine and trade value was same. You should have insurance, so that will make up for damages. You would turn insurance check into dealer with car or repair and turn in.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for your responses!

CCroker, this sounds reasonable but when it came down to brass tacks, my local dealership wouldn't provide me any written assurance that their trade-in appraisal would be the same 6-8 weeks later. When I pressed them on this, their only response was that I would have to trust them (and yet they wouldn't 'trust' me to buy the car without first putting down a $2000 deposit before they ordered it).

StarFlyr, if it was 2 months earlier (summer time), I probably *would* have just ridden my bike for this period but the weather has gotten to that unpredictable time in Indiana and I just can't be sure that I'll be able to get where I need to be if I absolutely have to. I considered buying a junker but the hassle of trading in, registering, insuring just one car is beyond what I'm willing to do.

Whapp, I had a bad taste in my mouth after trying to negotiate a trade-in with my local dealership (see above; they insisted that I trust them but they refused to trust me). The thought of going back there and buying a car on the lot just did not feel right.

So...I ended up searching other dealerships in the general region and found the closest match (albeit 400 miles away) which I am quite happy with!

Thanks again for your replies!
 
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