• crusa187@lemmy.ml
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    5 days ago

    It usually doesn’t work quite like the example above. Using that example…the dealership will only give you $4k for your old car, even though it’s worth $10k. They then turn around and sell it for anywhere from $8-12k, netting themselves a tidy profit on the vehicle now for the second time.

    The convenience makes this worthwhile for most car buyers, even if they could get another few thousand if they did everything themselves and paid full taxes. Dealership of course loves it and laughs all the way to the bank.

    • futatorius@lemm.ee
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      4 days ago

      Or they give you more on the trade-in and claw it back by offering you shit terms from their captive finance company.

      Some carmakers don’t make a profit manufacturing and selling cars, they only make it on finance.

      • brbposting@sh.itjust.works
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        4 days ago

        Interesting, wonder how the economics work for the different players. Also, tangentially:

        A decade or two ago, a lady working in dealer finance lamented how internet bank rate comparisons had really rained on their parade

        “I want this rate”, she explained customers would say, pointing at a printout or their phone and expecting a match.

        Imagine how fat those margins would’ve been when they knew a customer hadn’t yet called around researching rates!

      • crusa187@lemmy.ml
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        4 days ago

        Good point, this is fairly common as well. I’d recommend avoiding financing entirely if at all possible because of this, simply not worth it for a car unless it’s the only way you can get one that’s in decent shape.

        If you have to finance, often times you can get a much better rate from your local credit union instead. Use that to make the purchase, instead of the dealer’s financier.

    • atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works
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      4 days ago

      It’s what Game Stop (and a myriad of other “buy, sell, trade” stores) does with used games and consoles but with cars. eBay exists but most people don’t want to go to that much trouble.