Is it just me, or are our cars going too cheap?

I tried to sell my 04 with 38k miles and was asking what I thought was a reasonable $9k. Didn't get a bid on Ebay. I see XF's going for $6k with 100k miles and that seems cheap to me.

Are we having problems keeping the prices reasonable, or are they worth less than I assume?

 

The book value is between 5 - 7
But even on auto trader they are 8 +
We have a chrysler emblem on a mercedes and mercedes depecriation.
Hard to sell over book value.

 

Really sad on how low the book value is on our cars, we all love our cars, except the people than control kbb.

 

Considering how well made our cars are, they are going too cheap.

 

Usually takes 25-30 years for a car to appreciate and Crossies have a triple whammy:
Too new - '04s just hitting 12 years old, bottom of the curve
Too many - over 70,000 built - appear to be about a dozen locally.
Two uninteresting - built from obsolete Mercedes parts

Have to get back to the 70s before real appreciation is seem particularly for "American Muscle".

Consider some other two seaters: 89-91 Chrysler TC, 1987-93 Cad Allante, '02-'05 Thunderbird

Has happened before so is predictable. The really super nice SRT roadsters with very low milage are starting to command a premium but not the others.

Then again I bought my coupe because I wanted one to drive, not appreciate. Was relatively high milage for an '07 when I bought it but getting less high every year. Besides the kind of mods I needed to make do not add value, just comfort and safety.

Have a pretty good idea what my next car will be (not replacing the Crossie, fills another slot) but probably an '07-'08 Cad XLR. Have decided I'm not buying any more soft tops but like having a 'vert.

 

I agree completely.
And with more and more being scraped out, be interesting if there was a place that shows how many cars of a make model and year insurance companies have put a totaled on.

 

I don't know, an 04 Crossfire that are comparable to a Mercedes SLK 3.2 seem to be in the same ball park, Price wise.

 

I as going to ask, what are SLK and AMG SLK with 3.2 going for, and those are all drop tops, and not cloth.

 

These cars are getting old, if you buy a car and expect to get more for it than you paid you must be smoking something.
These cars are hitting rock bottom and will be judged on condition and mileage. Customize it to your taste and you will probably be lowering the price even more.

 

With only one or two exceptions the cars I have owned, loved, cared for over the years were worth more when I sold them than when I bought them and worth even more today (excluding a couple of DD only). I take ownership as a responsibility to future generations. It drives my passengers nuts.

I agree completely about any modifications though. Especially when they are cosmetic on a car as beautiful and thought out as a Crossfire.

With snow storms raging and the stock market sucking dollars out of the system as it visits lows not seen in a while I suggest it would be better to await some warmth and a stock market turnaround before selling. These fine cars were never intended for the masses, be patient.

 

Not even close to rock bottom, wishful thinking.

 

Look up prices of a $80,000 Mercedes that is 15-20 years old, basically giving them away, same with any "luxury" car, and most "sports" cars. The problem is, cars are too good now. A 15 year old car is not worth much because over %50 of them are still excellent drivers, and there is %10 the demand for them. all the 7-10 year old cars are excellent condition, and are not much more money.

 

True, but I think the big problem with cars like ours is similar to the Mercedes or BMW cars that cost too much to repair. Most times, you cannot get out of a Benz dealer service dept for less than a grand. Shade tree guys are competing with that higher price structure, so even they are pricey. It ends up saving one very little if you are spending big money on an old car.


I have owned several nice Benzes over time, and when a small part like a heater control costs over $800.00 it sorta dawns on you after a while that you might as well buy a new one with payments.


Now, amplify that cost curve on our low volume little beauties which have no living parents, are easily totaled despite extra high insurance rates because . "they are so expensive to fix." And you get low retail value.


Or as some of us would admit,,,, Great but wonderfully cheap cars

 

You have to remember that KBB prices are based on what dealers have sold cars for. Private sales of low mileage well cared for cars are not part of the equation. My last car had a KBB price of $2500 but I sold it in 4 days for $3800 because it had been taken care of. The only XFs that will ever be valuable are the SRT garage queens. SO enjoy your car & drive it like you stole it.

 

I sincerely doubt your second to last sentence is accurate. Low mileage, garage queen roadsters will always be popular. Particular stock machines. Folks love convertibles!

 

True, but just saying it is harder selling a car for $9,000 when the listed value is $5,600, over the 10 year old mark adds more difficulty.
I say if you want to buy it for the enjoyment of driving it good for you, if you want to buy it to look at it also good for you.
Everyone is there own person and knows what they want and how they want to spend there own $$.
Whatever you like good for you.

High ??????
My full coverage is about the same price as my wife's dodge caliber.
When I bought mine I compared insurance rates between crossfire, mustang v6 &v8, Mazda rx-8, jeep wrangler and a couple others and the crossfire was cheaper then all of them.

 

My Wonderful, 07, 28000 mile Red SE that was in factory showroom condition when I bought it last year set me back under $10000.

WHAT is there to complain about here? I have owned three of these cars BECAUSE they are a good buy. And I sold one and all I can say is, they are worth more to us than they are on the market. So, don't sell yours. (Read my sigline....)

 

I have owned three '04 Crossfires over the past 9 years.
Never had more than 38k miles on any of them and they were all in showroom condition when I purchased and when I sold.

Current one I purchased 18 months ago for $9,500 which I thought was a fair price. Put $1,000 into new tires.

No bids when I tried to sell it for $9,000.

Luckily I love my Crossfire and won't shed any tears if I can't sell it for a decent price.

 

Just a couple days ago I got a offer from a dealership to buy back my 04. They where offering $4,200. It was at 130,xxx when they last saw it.

 

enjoy your car have fun with it customize it make it your own and don't worry about what your going to sell it for.
Life is very short .........