Thanks for the reply.=20
>2. Which is more relevant, Kelley's or Edmunds?
Matt, out of all your questions the only one I can answer from =
experience
is #2:
Kelley's pricing guides seemed to be more accurate a reflection of =
prices
for Vanagons in the PNW.
Hmm. Edmunds is slightly higher in both wholesale and retail values for =
the Golf III that I'm considering trading in. Kelley's website doesn't =
have a listing for the EV. Another used car value site was within 10% of =
Edmunds on both vehicles. Joel suggested that I consult the NADA book, =
which is coincidentally what the CU uses. According to NADA, the low =
value on this EV would be $13575, and the high would be $17250. On the =
Golf, the NADA numbers are $7975 and $10425.=20
As far as negotiating goes: the usual advice is to get the best bargain
that you can for the vehicle you're buying, only after that should you
attempt to deal on the trade-in. The goal is to try to eliminate the
padding that the dealer is building into the sales price - often they =
will
give you a higher price for your tradein only to add it to the purchase
price of the one you're buying.
I was thinking of taking the unusual approach of not discussing "price", =
but offering $X plus the Golf. Since most pricing guides put the =
difference between the Golf and the EV at 4800~5300, (NADA is a bit =
higher at 5600~6825), I'm thinking of starting at Golf plus $4000, and =
letting them decide if they can live with it. I don't think I want to go =
beyond G + $5000. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks again,
Matt Dekker
mdekker@eskimo.com