OT: New interesting car battery problem (part two)

[trader_4]

So, after helping my buddy find a new battery at a good price and getting it put in, here's what happened.

Recap. He has a 2010 Honda CRV, 225K highway miles on it. Only problem is it was throwing a cat converter not at proper efficiency code for the last couple years, while driving around town. On the highway, it clears and the check engine light goes out. So, he was worried about getting it through inspection, which is due. He had used my code reader to clear the code, the drove it around so that all the emission monitors were set, except the fuel evaporation system one, which takes longest to set. NJ will pass a late model car with one not set. So, I told him to either wait a day or so until that one sets, or just take it in now. He was worried about failing inspection, getting a red sticker, etc. I told him that worst case, he can just get a new cat converter.

So, what did he do instead? Day after putting the new battery in, he went to Honda to get the airbags replaced under recall. While there, he bought a new Honda FIT, whatever that is. This is the dealer that he's bought 4 cars from, he goes through them fast. What do you think they gave him for a 2010 CRV that other than the above, had nothing wrong with it other than needing a good interior cleaning? No body damage, no rust, dings, perfect exterior, tires OK. They gave him $1500 for trade-in. I can't believe it. I was helping him to keep the car, get it through inspection. I told him that even if it needs a new cat converter, they are ~$300 and maybe $500 installed.

Opinions?

[philo]

So typical and that's why I rarely bother to help my friends anymore unless I know for sure they are not a flake.

Guy says his printer is not working so I go over there and see he had 50 or more print jobs stuck in queue. I am not that familiar with Mac but after a while got things all sorted out and demonstrated to him that all was now OK.

It did not even register to him that it was fixed...next time I saw him he said he bought a new printer.

[Ed Pawlowski]

The new car smell was just too enticing I guess. The coast of a new cat is probably a couple of months payment on a new one. The trade in sounds about right for a 10 year old car with a sticker on a new one under $15k.

I'd not want to try and fit into a FIT though.

[Neill Massello]

That sounds like a pretty good trade-in to me. When I was shopping for a used car at dealers (years ago), I observed that the prices generally seemed to follow straight-line depreciation based on a useful life of

100k miles. Condition didn't make a lot of difference. That useful life denominator has probably gone up some from 100k since then, but I doubt that many cars with more than 200k are going to have much market value unless they're classics or antiques.

[Meanie]

I think your buddy is a fool.

The lowest trade in value of the lowest model CR-V is roughly $4500 with the mileage it has. He probably could have sold it private and received more. Money must not be that important to him if he bought on a whim.

[hubops]

This site says ~ $ 4.000. Canadian wholesale. Convert to USA dollars and subtract something for the check-engine and cat. conv. issues ...

Most dealerships would send this car directly to the auction - - they were offering what they thought they would get ? John T.

[micky]

I didnt' see that coming. I thought you'd say he bought a new cat.

Is that all! Good to know.

38 years ago a friend asked me what kind of tv to buy. I said I didn't know TVs but get one with electronic tuning, not mechanical. Those were just coming out then.

For years I thought they ignored my advice, but now I'm wondering: There was a knob to turn to change channles and there were detents, but the knob turned really easily, much easier than any other tv with mechanical tuning. Was it still mechanical or might it have been electronic?

[clare]

For the size of them they are VERY roomy. I'm 6'2" and 230lb and fit in my friend's FIT with NO problems at all.

[clare]

The real value of that CRV if it was in the condition you say is well north of $4500 - meaning a "fair trade-in" is better than $2500 minimum. Around here the dealer would allow 2500 to 2800 and pass it on to a local used car dealer who would sell it for around $5000

ANY honda around here has a pretty good resale value.

[bob_villa]

Where have you been for 3 months...we've missed your obscure and unrelated comments?

[bob_villa]

...it's closer to 4 months...in Florida or a coma (what's the difference)?

[trader_4]

IDK where you looked, but according to Kelly BB, I agree he got screwed big time. KBB has it at $3700 to $5000 for trade-in, ~$5600 for a private sale, if it's in good condition, which I think his easily met.

Even in fair condition, which would mean that it needs mechanical work, some body work, has some rust, etc, it would be $3200 to $4400 for trade, $5,000 for private sale. The only thing wrong with his was it probably needs a cat converter and the interior needs a good shampooing.

I don't think he bought on a whim really. He's always been risk adverse and he was just so worried about the check engine light and getting it through inspection. It's kind of funny really. He thinks he got one over on the dealer, by taking the car in during one of the periods when the engine light for the cat converter is not on. Meanwhile the reality is the dealer screwed him instead.

[trader_4]

RE, value of trade-in, see my reply to Meanie. By Kelly BB, it was really worth $3700 - $5000, in good condition. Even if you take off $500 for a cat converter, it would be $3200 - $4500.

[micky]

Close to 40 years ago, I was part-time repairing things for money. I advertised in the girl's dorm of the nearby college, so money wasn't the only anticipated benefit. One girl calls about her sewing machine. I go get it and she tells me how badly her 12" tv is working. She's in a steel frame building. I tell her she needs a better antenna and to get some wire and toss it out the window.

Well, I can't fix the sewing machine -- that's a whole other world -- so I return it and she's bought another 12" tv and she's telling me it's terrible. Just like the previous one. I repeat my advice. I don't expect anything for failing to fix the machine but she gives me the old tv, which worked fine at my apartment, where I was connected to a roof antenna. Or maybe it was just that my window had a better view of the WTC, where the antennas were.

[philo]

On 10/15/2016 09:29 PM, micky wrote: dow.

speaking of girls...

I was chatting with some friends & talking to a woman named Debbie when her friend Jim walked up to me and said , "You want to know how dumb Debbie is?"

"She called late at night and told me her stereo wasn't working and insisted I come over...so I had to drive across town only to find she did not even have her speakers plugged it. I was pissed and after I got it working had to drive clear back home again!"

I was quite puzzled because I knew not only does she have an extremely high IQ she is also quite technically inclined.

Before I said anything she leaned over to me and whispered, " I was trying to seduce that idiot."

[Moe DeLoughan]

Nope. He got ripped off. Dealer trade in value is $3K-$5K, depending on condition and mileage. Could be even higher depending on location/local demand. Around here used car prices are ridiculously high, and trade-in values are high, too.

Moral of the story: negotiate the trade separate from the new car purchase. Take it to another dealer to trade if necessary.

[trader_4]

IF it was my car I would have either:

A - Just get it through inspection again and keep it. If I couldn't then:

B - Replace the cat converter for ~$500 and keep it

C - Replace the cat converter, pay couple hundred to have it thoroughly detailed, inside shampooed, then sell it retail myself.

[Neill Massello]

OK. I'm just surprised that a passenger vehicle would retain that much value after 225k miles.

[clare]

You have to remenber it's "not your grand-dad's " car. 100,000 miles on todays cars is just barely broken in., and with a new car costing in the $20,000 range, what used to be a $500 used car is now a $5000 used car.

[trader_4]

I'm a bit surprised the prices are that high too, but I knew right away that $1500 for the car in question was extremely low. A lot depends on what you want to do with the car with 225K miles. If you need it for work, commute 100 miles a day, or otherwise expect to put a lot of mileage on it, it's probably not the right car. But if you want an SUV as a second car, are just going to use it around town, for trips to HD, etc, and maybe some ski trips, it could be a good deal.

Now whether I'd pay $5K retail for it, IDK. But for sure if I had it, all that it needed was *maybe* a new cat converter, I sure wouldn't have sold it for $1500.