Car dealership and trade-in with altered suspension

[Liquid Life]

So check this out. My son wants to trade in his 2006 Nissan Titan (lowered) towards a car. We stop by a dealership and they look over our trade and offer us 11K. NADA and KBB is like 14k to 18k (without any of his upgrades). After an hour of haggling the highest we got them was 14K. This guy claimed that because the suspension has been altered that he couldnt sell it on his lot an offer a warranty on the frame. He said if the suspension has been altered it causes frame damage (lowering or lifting). He also said that when the dealership lifts a truck it cost them 10k (lift only) so they can offer a warranty on the frame. Every truck truck that I have ever owned has been lifted or lowered and I have never heard such a thing. Is this guy full of BS?

 

[AzGeo]

Sounds about right ! They don't want the LIABILITY of a modified vehicle.

 

[Cole Trickle]

Its correct....

I traded in a lowered 03 Silverado and the dealer called me 3 days later asking about the notch kit. Seems they missed it during the trade in inspection and the used sales manager wasn't happy.

They never asked me about it and I had no idea it would have effected the price.:cool

 

[rivermobster]

So check this out. My son wants to trade in his 2006 Nissan Titan (lowered) towards a car. We stop by a dealership and they look over our trade and offer us 11K. NADA and KBB is like 14k to 18k (without any of his upgrades). After an hour of haggling the highest we got them was 14K. This guy claimed that because the suspension has been altered that he couldnt sell it on his lot an offer a warranty on the frame. He said if the suspension has been altered it causes frame damage (lowering or lifting). He also said that when the dealership lifts a truck it cost them 10k (lift only) so they can offer a warranty on the frame. Every truck truck that I have ever owned has been lifted or lowered and I have never heard such a thing. Is this guy full of BS?

You will NEVER get book value on a trade in. (unless they sell you the new car at window). Sell it private party if you want what you think it is worth. Good luck!

 

[HavasuHank]

Its correct....

I traded in a lowered 03 Silverado and the dealer called me 3 days later asking about the notch kit. Seems they missed it during the trade in inspection and the used sales manager wasn't happy.

They never asked me about it and I had no idea it would have effected the price.:cool

yeah but what happened when they called? the deal was already done. they missed it, their fault right?

 

[SBMech]

You will NEVER get book value on a trade in. (unless they sell you the new car at window). Sell it private party if you want what you think it is worth. Good luck!

This. As said above the only way you'll even get close to a decent offer is if you are buying a brand new vehicle. Sell it on CL or Truck Trader to get full value.

 

[HavasuHank]

So check this out. My son wants to trade in his 2006 Nissan Titan (lowered) towards a car. We stop by a dealership and they look over our trade and offer us 11K. NADA and KBB is like 14k to 18k (without any of his upgrades). After an hour of haggling the highest we got them was 14K. This guy claimed that because the suspension has been altered that he couldnt sell it on his lot an offer a warranty on the frame. He said if the suspension has been altered it causes frame damage (lowering or lifting). He also said that when the dealership lifts a truck it cost them 10k (lift only) so they can offer a warranty on the frame. Every truck truck that I have ever owned has been lifted or lowered and I have never heard such a thing. Is this guy full of BS?

i went through the same thing a few years back.

i spent so much on getting a truck lifted to the heavens. everything was done correctly. the truck was killer, i miss it sometimes. i wanted to get rid of it and took it carmax. they wouldn't even give me blue book value on it. i told them to pound sand ... eventually got rid of the truck for almost wanted i listed it for.

 

[Cole Trickle]

yeah but what happened when they called? the deal was already done. they missed it, their fault right?

Done deal sorry dealership

 

[HavasuHank]

Done deal sorry dealership

skull

 

[OutCole'd]

Very true, stock cars are worth more than modified to a dealer, much easier to sell.

 

[PVHCA]

They will take the car on trade but they will wholesale it to a used car dealer, just not worth the aggrevation.

Like RVRMOB said, they'll give you as much as you want for your trade, but be prepared for an ass raping on the other end.

 

[ChevelleSB406]

Spent 8 years of a career dealing with this. Its true, most dealerships do not want to mess with modified vehicles at all. Liability issues are correct. On the rare occasion we kept a lifted truck at the chevy dealership, we had to have all kinds of disclaimers signed when we in turn sold it. At the Cadillac store, any lowered escalade we wouldn't keep because we could not certify it, which in turn gave it the 6yr 100k warranty and the low interest rates. We would wholesale modified vehicles to JStar because they would give some value to modifications rather than negative value. If the car is free an clear I advise selling it private party, if there is still a lien on it, it makes it more difficult, but still possible. Carmax would provide the convenience plus a little bit better price than the dealership.

 

[ka0tyk]

another reason to keep ALL of your stock stuff so when you go to sell it, you can put it back to stock and appeal to all people, not just kids that want a lowrider. everyone i know lets the shops keep the stock stuff and they get screwed in the end. especially exhaust stuff, try buying a stock midpipe with cats. :grumble: not to mention you can sell the mods rather than just giving em away to the next buyer/trade in.

 

[pronstar]

Some people, usually on vehicle-specific forums, will pay a small premium for quality mods.

 

[ka0tyk]

Spent 8 years of a career dealing with this. Its true, most dealerships do not want to mess with modified vehicles at all. Liability issues are correct. On the rare occasion we kept a lifted truck at the chevy dealership, we had to have all kinds of disclaimers signed when we in turn sold it. At the Cadillac store, any lowered escalade we wouldn't keep because we could not certify it, which in turn gave it the 6yr 100k warranty and the low interest rates. We would wholesale modified vehicles to JStar because they would give some value to modifications rather than negative value. If the car is free an clear I advise selling it private party, if there is still a lien on it, it makes it more difficult, but still possible. Carmax would provide the convenience plus a little bit better price than the dealership.

hell when i bought my new car the other day i had to sign a huge form saying i didnt want them to mount the front license plate and that it was illegal.

 

[Liquid Life]

I knew walking in it wasnt going to be good. I had a worst case number and they werent close. When they started on this frame thing it just got at me the wrong way. Needles to say I told them to pound sand too. So, I know I cant go back. Just for argument, what if I put the stock springs and hangers back on, then take it back to this dude. What are we talking now? 1k more or few more?

 

[ChevelleSB406]

hell when i bought my new car the other day i had to sign a huge form saying i didnt want them to mount the front license plate and that it was illegal.

Yep, I used to stop them drilling the bumpers on Caddy's i ordered for customers because we all know how much it ruins the look. I did this without disclaimers until someone got ticketed for no front plate and they blamed me and the dealership for it and threatened to sue for the value of ticket plus time, aggravation, blah blah blah. So yeah, disclaimers after that unfortunately :grumble:

 

[rivermobster]

I knew walking in it wasnt going to be good. I had a worst case number and they werent close. When they started on this frame thing it just got at me the wrong way. Needles to say I told them to pound sand too. So, I know I cant go back. Just for argument, what if I put the stock springs and hangers back on, then take it back to this dude. What are we talking now? 1k more or few more?

Impossible for anyone here to say. Call the guy and ask him. He's the only one that can give you that answer.

 

[rivermobster]

Some people, usually on vehicle-specific forums, will pay a small premium for quality mods.

Good call. :thumbsup

 

[ka0tyk]

I knew walking in it wasnt going to be good. I had a worst case number and they werent close. When they started on this frame thing it just got at me the wrong way. Needles to say I told them to pound sand too. So, I know I cant go back. Just for argument, what if I put the stock springs and hangers back on, then take it back to this dude. What are we talking now? 1k more or few more?

i think once numbers are ran, credit checked and he knows that you're serious THEN you can start to talk about real figures. if he has to come up $1k on a trade in to get a new car sold, he might be more willing than a weekend tire kicker drive in... just have all your numbers ready to go. print out the kbb private party and trade in prices, have the numbers for a private sell on craigslist, etc. get all your ducks in a row and go in with game faces on and they might be more willing to wiggle around to move a car.

in my situation we had a 2009 mini cooper that we were trying to private sell. we were having a difficult time with VERY little interest (theres like 18350138501 of em on craistlist...) we went in looking at a 2012 used car, but the dealer looked at incentives, etc for a NEW car and ended up being able to come up $1500 on our trade in, dropped the price on the new car, and got us into a 2013 for the same price as a 2012 used car. you never know...

 

[charlyox]

Done deal sorry dealership

It sounds like the dealership has "buyers remorse".