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What's your Prime worth now?

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by SeattleBebop1, Jan 4, 2022.

  1. SeattleBebop1

    SeattleBebop1 Active Member

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    So I've always heard "a car loses value the minute you drive it off the lot." That adage is meant to caution buyers that a car is a depreciating asset. Being somewhat frugal, I've only gone for used cars, partially for that reason.

    I laughed when I saw that the exact dealer* for my 2017 Prime (60K, purchased in Nov. 2020), is now charging $28K for a similar model. I paid $16,500. Carvana is similarly charging $28K for a car with similar mileage. My car has, against all conventional wisdom, gone UP in value. COVID really has turned everything on its nose, hasn't it? (*I do not endorse this dealer.)


    https://www.nissanofclovis.com/wholesale-used/Toyota/2018-Toyota-Prius+Prime-serving-clovis-80e387230a0e09a863f4594be06155d2.htm

    Used 2018 Toyota Prius Prime | Carvana

    Picture of my Prime in the recent Seattle Snowmaggeddon: yes, she's lifted and has all-season tires. No, I did not drive it down the icy sled-worthy hills.
     

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  2. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    It's not just PP. Any used car's value has gone up in the last 6 months or so due to supply and demand issues. Used car sales is a red hot seller's market. I sold my 2020 PP purchased in 2020 new and sold 10 mo later at the beginning of 2021 for ~$4000 profit. If I had kept the car and kept driving it, even with added miles and time, it would have added ~$3000 profit (total $7000) if sold now. The 2021 PP I purchased new in July 2021 can be sold to Carvana for about $6000 profit now.
     
  3. Marine Ray

    Marine Ray Senior Member

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    The average price of a used vehicle in the United States in November, according to Edmunds.com, was $29,011 — a dizzying 39% more than just 12 months earlier. And for the first time that anyone can recall, more than half of America’s households have less income than is considered necessary to buy the average-priced used vehicle.

    $29,000 for an average used car? Would-be buyers are aghast | AP News
     
  4. triggerhappy007

    triggerhappy007 Active Member

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    Anyone know what a Toyota Scion is? Author didn't do their homework?
     
  5. ColoradoBoo

    ColoradoBoo Senior Member

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    Yep the market is nuts right now....it's a great time to just maintain any vehicle you have and NOT be in the market for a used OR new vehicle unless you have no choice.
    It's based on a number of reasons....computer chips and parts shortages and the demand for cars is very high because many folks delayed their purchase for one or two years and also many people are returning to work and need transportation.
    But, like anything else, what goes up must come down....so my worry is folks will be buying at these inflated prices and in a couple of years, when things return to normal, they'll try to sell or trade in their vehicle and realize they are underwater....owe much more than the vehicle is actually worth.
    I the meantime, folks, check with your automobile insurance and pay the extra few bucks a month to get the gap insurance. This will pay the current market (or near to it) for replacing your vehicle if it gets totaled and you need to replace it. It would stink to only have regular insurance and the "book" worth is $20,000 but then you find the "market" value of your car to replace is closer to $30,000!
    My USAA has something called a "purchase assistance" option I can buy that pays 20% more than the book value and it's around $15 a month for our newer cars.....well worth it these days.
     
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  6. Db17

    Db17 Member

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    Did our cars go up or did our dollars just go down? ;)
     
  7. SeattleBebop1

    SeattleBebop1 Active Member

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    Yeah, that's crazy your value went up that much, but you are talking about new cars with I assume relatively low mileage. I was shocked that my older car with "high" mileage value also went up. I also didn't think a Prius is a "sexy" car like an SUV or a truck (that may be needed for work).... it's a compact car. But the market tide is raising all boats....
     
  8. SeattleBebop1

    SeattleBebop1 Active Member

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  9. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Scion is a discontinued marque of Toyota that debuted in 2003. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scion_(automobile)
    Albeit the Scion brand has been discontinued by Toyota back in 2016, our local Toyota dealer still uses the logo printed on their website and their stationaries/business cards.
     
  10. triggerhappy007

    triggerhappy007 Active Member

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  11. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Well, the relatively newish used car you purchased in Nov. 2020 probably increased the value more than a new car purchased in the same time frame. Large depreciation on any new car has been already taken care of on your used car.
     
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  12. SeattleBebop1

    SeattleBebop1 Active Member

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    Hmm. Maybe I should look into this. There's big difference between my car being worth $17K and being worth $30K.
     
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  13. Washingtonian

    Washingtonian Senior Member

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    Interesting that the author mentioned the "toyota scion" having a "whopping 160K miles on it". There was a time when I thought that was exceptionally high mileage. Now I see ads for "Low Mileage" cars with about the same number of miles on them. What changed?
     
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  14. Marine Ray

    Marine Ray Senior Member

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    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  15. Marine Ray

    Marine Ray Senior Member

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    You're right. Should read Scion TC or something like that.
    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  16. dig4dirt

    dig4dirt MoonGlow

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    Yeah def ask your ins co.
    I actually got "new replacement" (i think that is what my ins calls it) coverage on my Prime. First auto to do so.
    I cannot remember but I think it is $100+/-yr for me.
     
  17. SeattleBebop1

    SeattleBebop1 Active Member

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    Hmm. Here's the thing. Typically the insurance company says "well, the value of your car is depreciated, so we'll give you that price" unless you have the new replacement insurance. That works under the pre-COVID model that cars always depreciate in value.

    But if I could easily demonstrate that even a car like mine with 60K+ miles and a 2017 model costs $28K everywhere under the current market rates or on Kelley Blue Book, shouldn't I get that price whether or not I have the replacement insurance? (I hope to heck this remains a rhetorical question, with my mods installed, I absolutely do not want a new car.)
     
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  18. Ovation

    Ovation Active Member

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    Would be nice but I wouldn’t count on it.
     
  19. douglasjre

    douglasjre Senior Member

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  20. triggerhappy007

    triggerhappy007 Active Member

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    This has worked in the past. Don't ever take their first offer if you can show them the replacement value is higher.
     
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