Craigslist retail prices for used cars by owner

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Since warranty was brought up:

Forget the 30 day 50/50 warranty from a used car dealer. Back in the 90's when I was a mechanic at a Honda dealership, the older high mileage vehicles they sold came with a 30 day 50/50 warranty. We wouldn't work on non Honda vehicles. The 50/50 warranty work was always sent to a specific garage in a ghetto part of town, Cleavland Ave in Columbus, OH. That specific garage was cheap to begin with but fubbed the numbers in our favor. I remember hearing of a customer spending $800 getting a new head gasket and the head resurfaced on a Nissan Sentra 20 years ago.
 
Nice unmolested XJ for 3 grand: https://winchester.craigslist.org/cto/6039298947.html

'07 MT Jetta with less than 90k miles for $5,400: https://winchester.craigslist.org/cto/6039222289.html

Something newer, a two year old Corolla with 30k miles for $11.9k: https://winchester.craigslist.org/cto/6011992418.html Could probably buy it for $11k.

2006 SRT8 with 160k miles for $8900: https://winchester.craigslist.org/cto/6010791862.html If you ask SteveSRT8 on this forum, these cars are highly durable and don't break, but I have no idea if this is a good value. I will say that you spent $7k on an 8 year old truck with 200k miles, so you're not a stranger to buying high mileage cars. This SRT8 was a very spendy car when it was new.

The used vehicle market is as wide as the horizon. You'll find bad deals, and you'll find good deals, if you see something you like. Hard to know what you like...only you can decide that.
 
I love Craigslist and all classifieds in general.
Are some prices inflated? Yes.
If you look long enough can you get a sick deal? Yes.
I'm all about the sweet deal.
Take your time .

You cant expect to look one time and find exactly what you want at a price you like.

"Beggars can't be choosers"
 
Here's an '05 Suburban for $7,250. https://frederick.craigslist.org/cto/6001662666.html Looks like a Z-71.

Looks like he started at $7,950 and has lowered it to $7,250. Private party "Good" is $5,415. "Very Good" is $6,012. Call him up with that info, offer $5,500, and see what he says.

This '04 looks pretty mint for $6,900. https://westmd.craigslist.org/cto/6039033757.html Might could buy it for $6k.

Here's an '03 on your price. https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/cto/6037694566.html Maybe could buy it for $4,500 and keep a thousand in reserve for various bits that you might want to fix.

They're out there. Some prices are higher than others. Just gotta call and feel 'em out, I guess.
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Nice unmolested XJ for 3 grand: https://winchester.craigslist.org/cto/6039298947.html

'07 MT Jetta with less than 90k miles for $5,400: https://winchester.craigslist.org/cto/6039222289.html

Something newer, a two year old Corolla with 30k miles for $11.9k: https://winchester.craigslist.org/cto/6011992418.html Could probably buy it for $11k.

2006 SRT8 with 160k miles for $8900: https://winchester.craigslist.org/cto/6010791862.html If you ask SteveSRT8 on this forum, these cars are highly durable and don't break, but I have no idea if this is a good value. I will say that you spent $7k on an 8 year old truck with 200k miles, so you're not a stranger to buying high mileage cars. This SRT8 was a very spendy car when it was new.

The used vehicle market is as wide as the horizon. You'll find bad deals, and you'll find good deals, if you see something you like. Hard to know what you like...only you can decide that.


these are good deals. Or at least reasonable deals. I could live with any of them.

With the exception of the 2006 SRT8 - it's a niche car. If you got to have one. It's market fluctuates. Dodge Magnum wagon is another example, it had no competition until it got discontinued and it's in the same boat as 2006 SRT8.

I like full size station wagons, there is almost nothing out there domestic. That explains why magnum brings the prices it does.

collectible car market is picky. It may go up even.
 
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Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Here's an '05 Suburban for $7,250. https://frederick.craigslist.org/cto/6001662666.html Looks like a Z-71.

Looks like he started at $7,950 and has lowered it to $7,250. Private party "Good" is $5,415. "Very Good" is $6,012. Call him up with that info, offer $5,500, and see what he says.



Thank you. thank you for doing the research. I should ping him.
 
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If it's clean and priced right, it will sell fast. You need to keep a constant eye on new posts, and be ready to drop everything and go look at it right away.
 
Originally Posted By: pacem
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Here's an '05 Suburban for $7,250. https://frederick.craigslist.org/cto/6001662666.html Looks like a Z-71.

Looks like he started at $7,950 and has lowered it to $7,250. Private party "Good" is $5,415. "Very Good" is $6,012. Call him up with that info, offer $5,500, and see what he says.



Thank you. thank you for doing the research. I should ping him.


I edited my post with two other Suburbans.

Be sure to check the "include nearby areas" on the left side of your Craigslist window...that'll search other nearby markets.
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
If it's clean and priced right, it will sell fast. You need to keep a constant eye on new posts, and be ready to drop everything and go look at it right away.


good point
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
If it's clean and priced right, it will sell fast. You need to keep a constant eye on new posts, and be ready to drop everything and go look at it right away.


Absolutely right. Cars sell super fast if they are priced low or good. I would say within first 24 hrs and super good ones in first 3-4 hrs.
 
I've generally had a great experience buying and selling on Craigslist, but have ran into a few hard heads.

https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/6006962164.html

Case in point, and I would have bought this vehicle that day IF.....IF the guy would have been more reasonable on the price. I've been looking for a perfect condition, older, used Toyota Rav 4. I found the absolute best candidate: 2002 with 50K miles, all maintinance, perfect paint etc. That year is highly desirable for older Rav4s because of the engine (timing chain, no head bolt/gasket issues etc.).

The guy is still asking 7600 firm! This is after 2 months. KBB, Edmunds highest private party retail is $5164 with options the car doesn't even have. I offered the guy $5500. It's in that good of condition. Nope, he was insulted, we exchanged words, I told him to do something with himself, he told me to get the bleep out of here etc.
 
Posted price means nothing, market price is where its at. High posted price is prob a dealer curbstoner. The price is to keep tire kickers away.
If you know the current market value - offer it. Unless specialized 500-750 bucks above blue wholesale MAX.

Grannies mint 86 camry AWD wagon with 39K miles is another thing altogether
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: pacem

these are good deals. Or at least reasonable deals. I could live with any of them.

With the exception of the 2006 SRT8 - it's a niche car. If you got to have one. It's market fluctuates. Dodge Magnum wagon is another example, it had no competition until it got discontinued and it's in the same boat as 2006 SRT8.

I like full size station wagons, there is almost nothing out there domestic. That explains why magnum brings the prices it does.

collectible car market is picky. It may go up even.


Funny, the Dodge Magnum showed up in a CNN story a few years back as a kind of forgotten car that young drivers were picking up cheap...guess it ended up becoming trendy and is now commanding better prices. I thought the Venza was very comparable, although without a true screamer option like the SRT8...I probably would have bought one without even looking at the RAV4 if it had been out when I was shopping around 2005ish because I had a wagon, not an SUV, in mind. I think the RAV was really a better match for me, though.
I had trouble getting Toyota to actually make me a RAV4 V6 with all the options (saleslady finally clued me in privately that they were waiting me out assuming that I would just buy the Lexus RX350 at some point) and I kept test driving the Magnum 5.7l as an alternative...didn't want to shell out for the SRT8. I liked the power but was wary of the mileage, finally asked to take one on a long lunchtime test drive to seal the deal to just buy the thing. I got back from my highway loop around the city feeling exhausted...the car refused to go straight and I was constantly correcting. I'd guess that particular car just had some issue, but I finally dropped the Magnum off my list and kept waiting for the "RAV6".
 
Craigslist does not charge a fee for listing cars for sale, therefore sellers who don't need to sell their cars quickly have little incentive to price their cars cheaply. If it doesn't sell at their high price, they simply renew the listing and keep it going until their 'sucker' comes along.

There's also a lot of [censored] lowballers on Craigslist, so pricing the car high is the natural countermeasure.
 
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
I've generally had a great experience buying and selling on Craigslist, but have ran into a few hard heads.

https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/6006962164.html

Case in point, and I would have bought this vehicle that day IF.....IF the guy would have been more reasonable on the price. I've been looking for a perfect condition, older, used Toyota Rav 4. I found the absolute best candidate: 2002 with 50K miles, all maintinance, perfect paint etc. That year is highly desirable for older Rav4s because of the engine (timing chain, no head bolt/gasket issues etc.).

The guy is still asking 7600 firm! This is after 2 months. KBB, Edmunds highest private party retail is $5164 with options the car doesn't even have. I offered the guy $5500. It's in that good of condition. Nope, he was insulted, we exchanged words, I told him to do something with himself, he told me to get the bleep out of here etc.


Obviously, that seller is an idiot. I'd be concerned about how someone like that really "maintained" said vehicle.

KBB private party local prices are where I'd go to start a deal. As a seller, you ask slightly more knowing you will come down a bit, as a buyer you offer less knowing you may have to come up a bit.

As a seller, the majority of the folks who called/text me and say they are interested never showed up. People do goofy things is all I can say.
 
My friend in Orange County LA just got a black, 2000 GS400, 155,000 miles off of CL for $2500. So Cal car from new. Looks very nice with maintenance up to date. Seller started off at $4K and all they got were tons of phone calls trying to pay 1/2 to 2/3 of asking. No one ever showed up. My buddy shows up with $2500 in hand and buys the car. He has 2 others just like it so he knows a high mileage Lexus. The owner said the number of calls was ridiculous and insulting. Still, only one person every showed up to make a deal. That car new was $52K. He says that while CL is a cesspool of noise and buyers trying to rip cars, it's a great system for people willing to actually show up. The seller of this car is still getting his phone ringing off the hook trying to buy it for $2500-$3000, a week after it sold....lol.
 
I have bought 3 cars and sold 3 on Craigslist and have had very good experiences. My selling price was in-line with private party book values in KBB and the cars sold within a week of listing. two of the cars sold were older Lexus vehicles and one was an MDX.

For buying, there are a lot of scammers and fake posts out there. As a general rule if the price seems ridiculously low it is probably a fake ad. Each one of the cars I bought on craigslist were from the original owner. The pics tell you a lot about the vehicle you are buying, I avoid pics of cars in front of trailers or parked on grass or in front of an industrial warehouse. The pics of cars that I am interested in taken in what look like someones driveway or in front of a house are the ones that get my attention.
 
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