Frustration PLUS

[Chassol]

Finally our smart is here, but now we have the problem of not being able to get a reasonable trade-in on our Subaru Tribeca, as SUVs have now become like a curse, even though it gets an honest 21-23 miles city/highway driving.

A friend of mine went to an auto auction last week and of the 22 trucks and SUVs that went through not one of them was bid on.

If our smart had been here a few months back we'd have sold it by now. As it is we are roughly $4k over current trade-in, even more if the dealer wholesales it, that we can't pull enough to cover it (I cannot believe the free fall trade-ins have taken in just the last few months. I believe as we push $5-$6 gas by the end of this year it will get nothing but worst - much worst). The CU will finance the smart 100%, but not pick up the (now) upside down amount. We just bought our house two years ago and put almost everything into that, so we can't cover the shortfall. And you, of course know what happened to home values since then.

We have not given up the fight yet and have until early June to purchase (30 days) the smart.

Talk about frustration and mixed emotions. Rough savings in gas is about $1361 at current price per gallon, and we all know where that is headed.

It's more than a two edged sword as difference in monthly car payment would be about $3.6k a year and say $1.4k in (current) gas prices. So $5.0k savings in a year to cover the now $4k shortfall.

Forgive me for venting here, but the timing sucks to say the least. We'll make our decision by early June to either bite the bullet and get the smart or let it become and orphan.

Frustration PLUS!!!!! - Thanks for letting me vent.............

[angel]

I barely got enough to cover what I owed on my Five Hundred in the trade in. But I had a for sale sign on my car for weeks. I would get some nibbles but no one wanted to pay a fair amount. In the end I was just thankful that my amount owed was not upside down. Sorry to hear about your experience. Good luck selling it!

[xcrew229x]

Gas is going nowhere but up, as you stated. These cars are the curse for OPEC. Go fo it.........

[mmmeat]

Originally Posted by Chassol

A friend of mine went to an auto auction last week and of the 22 trucks and SUVs that went through not one of them was bid on.

Well, if it's any consolation, my Commander - that I got at a significant discount (I could have purchased a Smart and had cash left over!) - is still worth about $10K less than I owe on it.

Your pal,
Meat.

[Fredvon4]

I predict long before Obama, McCain, or Ms Clinton can cause a artificial reduction in fuel prices and consequently have ammo to unfairly tax so called windfall profits the oil companies will all eat a loss and lower the gas price to thwart the inept governments irrational behavior....

none of this helps Chassol...but I highly doubt we see $5.00 gas in this political season.... My guess is $4.75 and fall back in the fall to $4.35 to shut all of us up

[JPaul]

That is also what was on the news tonight! Not verbatim as far as the prices you're quoting, but as a general trend...

[Smartdavis]

Every time we have a general election the bottom falls out of everything. The media seems to love going negative. Then for some reason things get better after the votes are counted. My bet is that the economy will improve after November, but an even safer bet is that gas is still going to keep slowly rising. There is only so much oil left on the planet. So buy Smart!

[blackbeagle]

Originally Posted by Smartdavis

Every time we have a general election the bottom falls out of everything. The media seems to love going negative. Then for some reason things get better after the votes are counted. My bet is that the economy will improve after November, but an even safer bet is that gas is still going to keep slowly rising. There is only so much oil left on the planet. So buy Smart!

You guys might think that things might get better in November. That might be the case but only IF we don't go to war with Iran. I'm reading a lot on many alternative websites and from very reliable sources that says we WILL be bombing Iran in the coming months. All of the signs are there. The pieces are in place.

I'm quite sure sometime this summer, you will hear this on CNN, "This is Wolf Blitzer and this is a special report from CNN. Early this morning, US naval aircraft began aerial bombardments of strategic targets in Iran......."

What do you think that will do to oil production? Gas prices?

I don't think most people realize what is about to come......just brace yourself.

[smartfloridadad]

in the state of florida there are some dealers not wanting to take SUV's in as a trade,I don't blame them ,why sit on a car/truck that may take weeks/months to sell

[mdfortwoguy]

What about a Carmax location? Granted, you are going to get nailed for it being an SUV, but they still should take it, and you might be surprised by the offer.