Dealers don't want Magnums

[darlin]

Been having a lot of issues with my 05 SXT. Spent lots of $$ so far to fix them. Issues are still there of which we're going to try to fix. But we have considered trading it for something else. We've been to 3 dealers so far who, when you say you have a Magnum to trade their faces drop to the floor. They start grimacing.

We've been told that Magnums aren't good sellers in the Northeast. I can't believe dealers don't want the car that has been voted the one most sought after!

Nobody has the SXT's on their lot, you'd think they'd want one that's loaded to the max. We've only been offered pay off which is about $2,000 less than blue book. I think car dealers are scam artists.

This is the deal we most recently got. A 2006 used Jeep Grand Cherokee, (no price listed in the window by the dealer), pay off our car (bal owed $14000), $2000.00 down, $390.00+ per month for 6 years!! So I say, no, can't do that. Next offer, 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee, $500.00 down, $389.00 a month for 6 years.

Ummmmm....what part of "I can't afford that do you not understand??"

Do dealers add the pay off of your car to the price of the car you are looking at and figure monthly payments from that? Dumb question.....I know....cars have always been paid off when I've traded before. Like car you're looking at is priced at $20,000, pay off of our car i $14,000, dealer pays off our car, therefore I'm now making paymens on $34,000??

Best thing is to fix it, I know. We've got a manageable payment and probably once the clunk is history all will be good.

[wheelife]

Do dealers add the pay off of your car to the price of the car you are looking at and figure monthly payments from that?

Basically yes. A couple things that might make it easier, look for a car/truck that has a higher residual vale, seriously consider a lease, or look for a car they want to give away, aka, 06 durango or 05-06 Mag R/T.

[Hemi31]

If the car you are looking at is 20k and the car you want to trade in has 14k owed and they pay it off you will be making paymentts on 20k since you are basically starting from 0.$389 is about right depending on the interest rate.
As far as Magnums not selling in the NE...That is a fact.Thats why I traded my R/T and bought my SRT in Georgia.The deal was $6k more on the trade and $4k less on the purchase price than in NY.

[darlin]

Basically yes. A couple things that might make it easier, look for a car/truck that has a higher residual vale, seriously consider a lease, or look for a car they want to give away, aka, 06 durango or 05-06 Mag R/T.

They kept trying to sell us a Durango! Funny you mention that. Not interested in one at all. Leasing is out for us, we put about 20,000 a year on our cars. I still love the Magnum Likely we'll keep it, minus the clunking noise!

[402 Motoring]

Magnums not selling well in the Northest would jive. I hardly see any Magnums around the Central Jersey area. 99% of my local customers have Chargers and SRT8 300's. The Magnum (s) I do see are all base models or SXT's. I had a black Mag pull up to the shop the other day and got real excited since it didn't have any mods done to it, but my hopes were quickly dashed when I found out it was Enterprise rent a car just pickup up a customer.

[wheelife]

They kept trying to sell us a Durango! Funny you mention that. Not interested in one at all. Leasing is out for us, we put about 20,000 a year on our cars. I still love the Magnum Likely we'll keep it, minus the clunking noise!

The mileage wont matter in a lease, you can raise the allowable limit on the lease, (not tel them how much mileage your going to do, not recommended)if you buy it you will still have to deal with the lower value of a high mileage car at trade in time.

[darlin]

If the car you are looking at is 20k and the car you want to trade in has 14k owed and they pay it off you will be making paymentts on 20k since you are basically starting from 0.$389 is about right depending on the interest rate.
As far as Magnums not selling in the NE...That is a fact.Thats why I traded my R/T and bought my SRT in Georgia.The deal was $6k more on the trade and $4k less on the purchase price than in NY.

Wow, Georgia! In the long run it's definitely cheaper to get ours fixed, no doubt. After reading these sites I see that a lot of owners of Magnums are from states that don't experience the dreaded white stuff!!

[JamminWagon]

I have found the same in Nebraska and Wyoming. First problem is thanks to the Heavy "Hemi" publicity, anything that is not a Hemi is not worth much of anything. It's like that for all the cars. If it's not a Mustang GT not gonna get much, in the olden days-if it wasnt a Z28 same thing. When I bought the SXT I thought to myself that hmmm with gas prices I would be able to hav a car with a decent resale.

I just went to www.KBB.com and got the trade in values of 05 RT vs SXT

Using base prices for comparison purposes

R/T trade-in of $21,550 ($29,870 base price) is $8,320 depreciating 28%
SXT tradein of $15,800 ($25,995 base price) is $10,195 depreciating 39%

Enough said.

[Maggie]

[QUOTE=Avon Custom Wheels;560419 I had a black Mag pull up to the shop the other day and got real excited since it didn't have any mods done to it, but my hopes were quickly dashed when I found out it was Enterprise rent a car just pickup up a customer.[/QUOTE]

Alrght already! I'll stop by with my Steel Blue SRT.

Chris

[NAS T MAG]

Maybe dealers should look at this.
Dodge Magnum earns "MOST WANTED" award

[Maggie]

Here is my suggestion:

rather than have the dealer throw all sorts of numbers and payments, break it into three transactions:

First off, price of replacement vehicle.
Next, their trade in offer.
Finally, financing of any monies due.

In this way, you know where you stand for the pricing of everything. The dealer is trying to get you into a payment, whether it is one you can afford or not. It means they cannot wash the figures to show good on one and bad on another, and leaves you in control of the buying process.

[formerice]

Get that clunk fixed. For what you have to pay off you are going to get screwed, plus you'll end up with a nice car that is not common as a Grand Cherokee. You got a helluva lot of car.

[apollo]

That is why you always have to consider going out of your area for a deal. I bought my Magnum 350 miles away from where I live. I will sell and buy my next car the same way. 5-6 hour drive could be worth 5-6K. Now I don't know about you, but I don't make $1000, $500, or even $250 an hour...

[firepower]

I'd say to make the repairs and drive the Magnum. You're going to lose a lot of money on the trade, and you still might have to make repairs on any car you buy.

[RedRiderR/T]

Ok... Here's my experience...

Got my "05 SXT AWD in May of 2005, traded it for an 06 Loaded R/T RWD in September 2006. The sticker on the 05 was about 27k and the 06 was about 38k.

I put about 31k in miles on the 05 and got $16,500 for it on the trade (2k over KBB trade in value)

My dealer loaned it out while waiting for the title to show up, and sold it when it did, to a different party that was using it. So it sold within 2 weeks of me giving her up. I don't think that's too bad of a turn-around.

I don't know what they got for her... that may be a factor, but it won't be the first time that a car that I traded was demo'd before I even left the showroom.