Re: Help me keep the Audi faith...

[lxl <lxl@dnai.com>]

AudiJeep@aol.com wrote:
> 
> I have seriously considered ditching the Audi. In the last 2 weeks I've test
> driven a '95 Nissan Maxima SE, a '93 Volvo 850 turbo and a '93 Lexus ES300.
> Liked the Maxima the best (was a 5 speed). Nissan dealer offered me $7500 for
> my car. I was obviously offended and stormed out of the dealer. My car does
> have some mechanical problems (could you tell from all of my posts?), but
> nothing the dealer could have found in the quick walk-around they did. The
> exterior and interior of the car are in pristine condition. Book on my car
> with the mileage in my area is well over $11,000. I cannot afford to trade
> the car in with the poor offers on trade I am receiving.
> 
> Craig
> '92 100S (64k)

Craig,

Never Ever trade-in your car. I was on a credit union car sale event
today
(I was the only who was to sell the car, not to buy). I offered my car
('95 Chevy Lumina LS, 3.4L, full power) to a S.O.B. car dealer. He
wanted
to buy it well under Blue Book trade-in, not speaking about Edmund's or
other (better) guides, than the Kelly. My car is in exc. condition.
As of magic, I got a buyer of my Lumina in the next five minutes ($100
under
Edmund's "National Average").

Just look for such events, like C.U. used car sales events, go there,
offer
a reasonable price and honesty - and you will get the fair money for
your
car. Use Edmund's and stick much to the national average. It won't hurt
if
you fix what is worth to fix.

Selling the car overseas is an other possible option.

George

P.S.: - Nissan Maxima has one of the worst crash test in its class. We
had
        several fatal accidents in last year with Maximas in the
Southern
        S.F. Bay area. It is one of the fatality leaders, too.
      - ES300 is not much better, than Camry. The '93 doesn't score
really
        good with the crash test. A '97 Camry or Avalon (new) IMHO is a
far
        better choice, than a '93 Lexus.
      - 93 Volvo 850 turbo is IMHO the best choice of what you tested -
but
        I don't like the controls on the old (non-'98) Volvo-s and all
they
        are a bit too boxy for me. (it is why I bought A6 QW)

        If you have enough to spend, get a '97 A6 (great deals offered
in the
        Bay Area recently) or '98 Volvo. If you scratch your head, look
at
        '97 Camry or Avalon or - maybe - '97 A4 (yes, there are some in
the
        Bay Area). Bay Area is a good place to get Caddy Catera alias
Opel
        Omega MV6 for invoice - some dealers offered me it, taking the
3%
        holdback.
        If you decided to go on money saving this time, 93 Volvo 850 is
OK.