Might buy a 2006 Toyota Avalon

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: gman2304
These cars are what they are...with two occupants they weigh over two tons! The Limited drives and handles well for a two ton car...it eats up miles all day long in a cabin thats quiet and a ride that's smooth as butta...all the while getting almost 30 mpg's, highway. If you can get a deal you're comfortable with it will be a great car. Keep us posted, Thanks


That's exactly what a Park Avenue will do as well.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Well, I'm back from the dealer . . . and they wouldn't deal.

I drove the Avalon again, and enjoyed it tremendously, though this time I did notice the drive-by-wire lag from a stop. Putting the transmission in Sport mode compensated for it. They said they could handle all the cosmetic and mechanical issues.

Fine. I offered 11.5K to start, and 4K for the Buick.

They came back with a poor-mouth routine about how they had paid $13,750 for the Avalon and had money invested in it, and could only offer me $2000 for my car. They wouldn't budge from $15,900.

I said, "Let's see another offer."

Then the used car manager came in and wanted another offer from me. I said, "Where's your comeback offer?" He said, "It's right here" (the $15,900, and an average trade-in for my Buick of $3475). I suggested $13.5 and $3500, and he shook his head. So I stood up and said, "Well, I guess we can't do business then," and he said, "I guess so," and I put on my hat and walked out. Finis.

If they'd come back with, say, $14,250 and $3400, I might have gone for it. Maybe. But they didn't even want to deal.

So I guess 'twas not meant to be, at least with that car and that dealer. I'll keep my eyes open -- there's a lot of Avalons out there. In the meantime, the Buick remains the W126 Mercedes of American sedans!

 

[turboaccord1]

I would bet money they didnt pay 13,750 for that car. Havnt met a used car salesman who didn't lie, that is their job. Your trying to buy low they are trying to sell high. also maybe you didn't go at the right time. timing is everything and Knowing how long the car has been on that lot works to your advantage. They will be more willing to move a car that's been tied up for awhile than one they recently acquired. they know someone less educated is willing to pay more than you or not even negotiate a price at all. like you said keep your eyes open, there are plenty more out there.

 

[gman2304]

Good for you, for not buckling under. I think Toyota and they're dealers are hard to deal with. My 95 Nissan truck is in my garage because I had wanted a Tacoma at the time but ended up buying the Nissan....which has been as good a truck as the Toyota would have been. I gave $18,000 for my wifes 06 Avalon in May of 08...but we did buy it from our son who works at the Lexus dealer where we bought it . LOL! As you said they're are others out there. Thanks

 

[dareo]

That body style is now "old" so time is on your side by waiting. They will get cheaper, and cheaper and cheaper. Give it two years for a lot of 2013 "new" avalon lease returns to flood the market and those 05-06 avalons will be toilet paper cheap.

That car with scratches on the bumper like that, no way they paid more than 10k or so. Maybe they paid 13750 trade in credit but made an extra 4 grand on the car they sold the person.

They probably don't want your buick at all. I got offered $500 for my wife's 2003 TDI Jetta GLS 5mt, lol. I told him i could wrap it aroudn a tree at 50 mph and still get two grand out of it for parts alone. If you can sell that yourself after buying something else you will come out way ahead.

 

[gman2304]

The 4th generation Avalon just came out in 2013...just over a year ago. The 4th gen was not a radical change over the 3rd gen and to the casual observer it might be hard to tell the difference, especially from the rear. The 4th gen has a front fascia and grille that looks very close to the Ford Fusion....which I like on the Fusion but not on the Avalon. Almost all cars get cheaper, and cheaper and cheaper as they age. I think it will be several years before the 3rd gen becomes "toilet paper cheap"!

 

[gman2304]

Just for grins and giggles I went to the NADA site and searched a 2006 Avalon touring with 35,000 miles and came up with a clean retail price of $17,525 with the sunroof option. $14,525 for a clean trade in value and $13,450 for an average trade in value. Also did a search for a 2000 xls with leather and sunroof option like I sold after buying the 06 and came up with a clean retail value of$7,875...and I sold mine to a college kid locally 5 years ago for $8,000! It looks like they do hold they're value pretty well.

 

[hypervish]

Originally Posted By: gman2304
Just for grins and giggles I went to the NADA site and searched a 2006 Avalon touring with 35,000 miles and came up with a clean retail price of $17,525 with the sunroof option. $14,525 for a clean trade in value and $13,450 for an average trade in value. Also did a search for a 2000 xls with leather and sunroof option like I sold after buying the 06 and came up with a clean retail value of$7,875...and I sold mine to a college kid locally 5 years ago for $8,000! It looks like they do hold they're value pretty well.


They do hold their value well, it's a high end Toyota.

 

[Benzadmiral]

By the time the '06 Avalons are toilet paper cheap, unfortunately, they will also be quite old. This one was unusual with the low miles. Heck, I could have had the bumper repainted myself by the guy who just did the Buick's bumper, for $500.

Yes, I'd heard that Toyotas are overpriced and their dealers are hard to deal with. I should have been warned when I walked in, that the salesman who'd taken me for a test drive on Thursday suddenly fobbed me off on a younger guy. Who does that, if he thinks he can make a sale? Not rude people, no, but stubborn.

Well, I do know now that I like that Avalon model and its appointments. In the meantime, as a test balloon, I've worked up a sale flyer with pics and details of the Park Avenue, and asked a co-worker to post it at her mechanic. His shop is in an area likely to be inhabited by just the kind of "church-going little old ladies" who might be interested in a glossy Buick. I'm asking $5500. If I get nibbles, who knows?

But since I have only the one car, I'd need a miracle, to have a car I want lined up just as someone wants to buy this one!

 

[gman2304]

As stated, my wifes Avalon had 45,000 miles and was only 2 1/2 years old. She has only driven it 36,000 miles in 5 years so I wasn't too concerned with the miles. She normally keeps her cars 7 or 8 years so when that time comes it will actually be a fairly low mileage car. Low miles aren't as big of a factor as they used to be. I don't buy new anymore and when I do buy a used car I tend to keep them a lot longer than the average person. My last NEW vehicle is my 95 Nissan truck. If you have your heart set on an Avalon don't be afraid to buy one with average miles or more if it has been taken care of. Since you frequent BITOG... you'll know it when you see it.

 

[mrsilv04]

They think that they have a creampuff on their hands, and you didn't WANT it bad enough to pay what they think it is worth. So they can keep it. Nothing makes a salesman's day, like a person who acts like they MUST HAVE a car...

I can't stand dealers who act like they have an attachment to their stock. And that would describe most of the dealers in this area.

I only deal with dealers who want to sell. It doesn't sound like they want to deal on the Avalon. Whatever.

 

[mrsilv04]

Paul-

I was just thinking... might you consider taking a three year loan, to end up with a newer car?

That way, you'll end up with something that will likely be more reliable in the long run.... since it appears that you are the type to make a smart buy, keep it well maintained, and keep it on the road for several years.

When I bought my last pickup, I played this strategy. I bought a like-new pickup that was 2 model years old (that had only been on the road for 18 months), and financed it over 4 years (and still paid it off early).

I had originally planned on buying a truck that was 5 years old, and financing it over 3 years.

I'm still driving that truck today, and it will soon be 10 years old. It was still under factory warranty when I bought it, and I had the dealer fix every issue with it to my satisfaction before the warranty expired.

I happen to have a Sierra that is 4 years older, and I see the squeaks, rattles, and little issues that happen to a model that is 4 years older.... and am glad that I bought the newer model, especially since I've kept it this long.

 

[hattaresguy]

Toyota dealers are brutal they don't negotiate at all, also because I'm in the Northeast everyone loves them. Sticker or go home, unless you go to my local dealer where they add a price adjustment fee! People still pay it!

 

[KitaCam]

I got kitacamry at a toyota dealer...
I countered the 3 prices they had on the car (cars.com, ebay, and the window) with 20% off the lowest...they bumped my counter by 10% and I accepted, being that the final price was the trade in value...fair for us both, I figure.

 

[hypervish]

Depends on the dealer, some will play ball others won't.

I knocked $3,325 off my used Sienna purchase, they wanted to get it off the lot. I didn't show any interest in it though, i pulled the "I'm already here with cash so let's get it done" line.

 

[Tdbo]

That Avalon was certainly an improvement over the one at the Hyundai dealer months ago, but this one too was priced out of the realm of reason for an 8 year old car with a scratched up front bumper.
As far as them claiming that they had that much money in that car, the only way that that could be is if 1)they are adding the discount on the new car they sold into the trade figure or 2) the dealership is run by Laurel and Hardy. Used car prices are nuts though, I work with a guy that just paid $4500 for an 02 Cavalier and they had him thoroughly convinced that it was the deal of the century.
My advice would be to keep the Buick (as I have said before) and bolster your savings by putting a car payment a month into the bank. I would then keep on looking until I found one that someone wanted to deal on or look at a new mid grade car like an Accord/Camry with some incentives on it that could put you in a new car for not much more money.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Paul-

I was just thinking... might you consider taking a three year loan, to end up with a newer car?

That way, you'll end up with something that will likely be more reliable in the long run.... since it appears that you are the type to make a smart buy, keep it well maintained, and keep it on the road for several years. . . .

Thank you, sir! Yes, when I say "pay it off in two years," I meant "take out a 4-year loan where each payment is low enough that doubling it would be no hardship, then pay it off early." You're right; I may have to adjust my "willingness to pay" level up a bit.

This Avalon felt like a much younger car, and suited me quite well in every department. So I know I want to look for one of them, or a Buick LaCrosse. Apparently I'll have to be willing to extract more money from savings for a bigger down payment, I guess. (And for me to do that is like pulling a tooth without anesthetic!)

2011 LaCrosses may be showing up on dealer lots soon, some still under warranty. I've been restricting my search to local places, so that I could get the car checked out; but if the one I'm considering is still under factory warranty, I'd have a lot less to worry about, and could consider buying a car from a dealer outside the metro area.

The Park Avenue remains solid and a delight to drive, so it's not urgent.

 

[KitaCam]

Originally Posted By: hypervish
Depends on the dealer, some will play ball others won't.

I knocked $3,325 off my used Sienna purchase, they wanted to get it off the lot. I didn't show any interest in it though, i pulled the "I'm already here with cash so let's get it done" line.


THIS

There's not much interest in a stick-shift Camry, especially in south Florida...My offer to buy it at Trade in Value was based on the information that the salesman told me...that they had to install a complete new clutch system (mechanical and hydraulic)...at a cost (he claimed) of $2400...I figured that the dealer told the previous owner that they had to subtract THAT figure from the trade in value...and figured that that figure was 2x the dealer's cost and that if the dealer got to sell it for trade in value that it would be making a profit...

Afterwards the salesman told me that the dealer was dying to get it off the lot...so we both profited well from the deal...

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: KitaCam

Afterwards the salesman told me that the dealer was dying to get it off the lot...so we both profited well from the deal...

That's the kind of salesman I like! Dropping a hint or two that an offer of any sort will be considered.

 

[Benzadmiral]

A quick and amusing update:

The dealer, the salesman whom I'd dealt with on Thursday but fobbed me off on someone else, called just now to say that the used car manager would increase their trade-in on the Buick to $3700, and asked if I would like to do business. (No word about decreasing the asking price of the Avalon.)