Great, Juuuust Greaaat

[Clark]

So I was going back to look at this nice 1999 firebird this coming saturday after I finished up with exams at college and all. Wouldn't you know I got in an accident with my trade-in yesterday? Some shmuck changes lanes within my "2 second safe following zone" and then locks his wheels up and I rear end him.

Long story short, his damage is $713, mine is probably double. Im meeting with a claims adjuster on Monday to assess the damage and get it repaired. My damage is all cosmetic. Bumper needs replacing, hood needs a dent banged out and a headlight needs replacing. Probably all the material under the bumper that is part of the "crumple zone" needs replacing too.


Question is: How much is the dealership going to want to hack off the price of my car now that it's sustained damage? It's a 2005 Chevy Cobalt and they said they were going to give me $4500 as a starting point for the tradein.

Anyone ever have an experience like this before?

[sweetbmxrider]

that is terrible! i have no idea about what the dealer will do now. i don't know how they can find out about the accident if you trade it in asap and the work is near perfection. best of luck though.

[Frosty]

Trade it in right after repairs before it shows up on carfax.

[Clark]

Originally Posted by Frosty

Trade it in right after repairs before it shows up on carfax.

I was thinking that. Any idea how long a report takes to get to carfax? Boy will they be piiiissed when they find that one out, lol.

[SupermanX24]

Originally Posted by Clark

Some shmuck changes lanes within my "2 second safe following zone" and then locks his wheels up and I rear end him.

This is Jersey. You're too far behind. You gotta be close enough to the car in front of you as to not allow anyone to cut in front of you, yet far enough where you're not tailgaiting.

[Clark]

Originally Posted by SupermanX24

This is Jersey. You're too far behind. You gotta be close enough to the car in front of you as to not allow anyone to cut in front of you, yet far enough where you're not tailgaiting.

Please, this is Jersey. You know that if you aren't illegally tailgaiting, some jerkoff will STILL shimmy his way in there anyhow.

[TAdan]

Well just be happy it didnt happen in the Firebird.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by Clark

I was thinking that. Any idea how long a report takes to get to carfax? Boy will they be piiiissed when they find that one out, lol.

Not sure really, that's a good question. Email them and ask lol

[DevilDougWS6]

yeah have a friend go in there and ask them a "theoretical" question with your situation exactly. see what they say

they will drop some dollars off of that car for sure after its been in any type of accident. its a dealer, they need any kind of excuse to get some extra $$$$

[WayFast84]

Nothing. All the times we've traded in vehicles. The salesmen gets someone else to go LOOK at the car, They see the condition, Get the miles and made us an offer.. If the work is quality. They wont know until the car is in their hands. But then again this was a chevy dealer that is now out of business...

$4500 seems kind of low for a 05 cobalt. How many miles are on that car?

[Jersyboyy]

My mom bought a used 08 cobalt 2 weeks ago with 15k on it for 10 grand.

Those damn dealers are still trying to make money, 4500 depending on miles they will probally end up selling it for 6+.

Fix it take it to them tell them you wont trade it in unless they give you 5000 and then buy the new car, let them figure out the carfax later...their probally going out of business any way so fook em!

[Clark]

They said they use 4500 as a base. I was going to tell them I wanted $5000 for my car and take 2000$ off the firebird. You are right, I wont say anything until they figure it out and then I'll be like "it was really no big deal, all cosmetic".

[jims69camaro]

wait... you're trading in an '05 cobalt on a '99 firebird and you have to pay them? they should be paying you.

[Jersyboyy]

So I was going back to look at this nice 1999 firebird this coming saturday after I finished up with exams at college and all.

Hes buying a 99 trading in the 05

[Clark]

Originally Posted by jims69camaro

wait... you're trading in an '05 cobalt on a '99 firebird and you have to pay them? they should be paying you.

Only if it were an SS. Cobalts are a dime a dozen. Do a search for Cobalts under $10,000 in the 50 mile radius and Firebirds with an LS1 and decent mileage under $10,000 in the 50 mile radius. You'll probably get a ratio of about 25:1 (even less if you are looking for a 6spd).

The Cobalt has 44,000 miles on it. Firebird has 65,000. Usually Firebirds with that mileage go for $11,000 to $12,000 sticker around here. They have theirs listed for $9,990, but I want to talk them to $8,000 for the firebird and $5,000 for the Cobalt (besides the Cobalt is only a base model. Cloth seats and crank windows, no cruise control, and manual seats. If it were an LS or LT I'd get plenty more for it.)

If I sold the Cobalt straight up, I MIGHT break even, but with the economy in the shape it's in, nobody has $8,000 to shell out for a car in one shot. And even so, there's many more of them out there with less mileage than the one I have going for $7,000 or so. (Even I got mine with 19,000 miles for $8,000).

If I could find a private seller, I could get a great price on a Firebird, but I need to finance. I only have around $2k right now for a down payment. I wanted to save up $4k but this one seems like too good a deal to let go. Either way, I'll be paying the same amount per month, maybe even $20 less with the Firebird, so it works out either way for me.

[Mike]

if you say trans am, or formula the confusion wont happen, you keep saying firebird making people think your gonna pay a bunch of money for the v6 car

[Clark]

Originally Posted by cbrrmike

if you say trans am, or formula the confusion wont happen, you keep saying firebird making people think your gonna pay a bunch of money for the v6 car

Oops, Forumla. I didn't even realize.