new smart is here - what about my orphan?

[Orphan-Beggar]

Any fine print on warranty cancellation/refund?
Emphasize cruise control on craig/ebay
Advertise (for sale sign) in the most affluent areas (bars, restaurants, lunch hour, rush hour)

Bon Chance

[angel]

Had good luck on craigslist about a year ago now selling a Lotus. Can't hurt to try. It's free. Just be careful about accepting payment. The scammer emails were pretty quick to spot as they usually had a cashiers check for more than the amount. Sold locally and everything went well.

[wrumbarger]

I know (at least in the DC area) that CARMAX ALWAYS will give you more than the dealer?

There is also webuycars.org but I think that is DC only?

Ebay is another idea? Put a reserve of MORE than you actually want, and see what the best offer is? If you don't want to hassel with out of staters or transport, make it "local pickup ONLY"?

[Derek Bell]

Originally Posted by wrumbarger

I know (at least in the DC area) that CARMAX ALWAYS will give you more than the dealer?

There is also webuycars.org but I think that is DC only?

Ebay is another idea? Put a reserve of MORE than you actually want, and see what the best offer is? If you don't want to hassel with out of staters or transport, make it "local pickup ONLY"?

When the smart arrived, the wife's Porsche Boxster had to go. Took it to Carmax and they made me a very fair offer. Put it on Craigslist and sold it for $1,500 more than Carmax offered, in cash.

My thinking is that the whole thing was a wash. Carmax would have taken the car on the spot and cut me a check. I made the extra $1,500 but had to market, answer phones, show the car, and deal with any personality, sales and transfer issues. (Fortunately there were very few: I got lucky.)

I'm hearing that Carmax got stuck with a bunch of SUVs and other gas guzzlers in the recent fuel bubble. They may like to have a smart out front and center on the lot. It doesn't cost anything for an estimate / offer.

[Suze]

no Carmax in Oregon.


I'll do a CL ad and see what happens.

oh! Anybody want to write the ad for me?

[rawlus®]

if you put nearly 20K into the orphan, why not keep it and just let the reserved one go?
what's so special about the reserved one that you're even considering taking it?

[DKrobath]

Try Ebay it's a safer place than Craigs list. I purchased my Smart there. Yes I payed a bit more but there were no orphans available and I just can't wait for something I want now! So I adopted and Blue/silver passion with comfort about 2 months ago and am having a blast driving it around NOW not next year. This is america, the land of excess, people want things now and you smarty should be easily adopted by someone like me who has no patience. Dave

[Suze]

Originally Posted by rawlus®

if you put nearly 20K into the orphan, why not keep it and just let the reserved one go?
what's so special about the reserved one that you're even considering taking it?

It's a cabrio. A convertible is on my life list.

[Suze]

Originally Posted by DKrobath

Try Ebay it's a safer place than Craigs list. I purchased my Smart there. Yes I payed a bit more but there were no orphans available and I just can't wait for something I want now! So I adopted and Blue/silver passion with comfort about 2 months ago and am having a blast driving it around NOW not next year. This is america, the land of excess, people want things now and you smarty should be easily adopted by someone like me who has no patience. Dave

That's good in theory, but the local dealer has 10 brand new orphans that are not selling. It's not the same market it was a few months ago or maybe still is in some places.

I wouldn't mind keeping my orphan. It's a great car even tho it's not a convertible. And I have another reservation for a cabrio that should come in about a year. (#1757). I figure by next fall, my 2008 will have about 24K miles, still be in great shape, still have all the options and it' resale value won't be such an unknown.

How come KBB.com doesn't have smart on it's used car list?

[rawlus®]

in a perfect world, accepting an orphan would be contingent upon canceling a reservation.