Trade In

[tripleb]

i'm not thinking of trading my GS in, but I was bored and checking out the local bike dealership's site and noticed they take trades.  What do you think I could get for a 1990 GS with 18k miles, a small dent in the tank and some rust?  Would I get more from selling it outright to someone on craigslist?

[mach1]

You will most likley get more from a private buyer. The dealer will give around or lower than KBB value which wont be that much.

[scottpA_GS]

As a trade... you could expect nothing for that old of a bike... Maybe $500 - 800  if the dealer thinks he can sell your 90 GS for any kind of profit ...

No matter what you do, most of your $ on a trade is being tacked back on your sale price.... You can try and slip one by the dealer..  get a OTD price first.. negotiate the price a bit..., then tell em you have a trade.

Keep them on the line a bit till they give you their best deal

[CndnMax]

^^^ exactly they take money off sticker price and tell you its your trade in value, you almost always get screwed with trade in.

[bobthebiker]

trade in isnt worth it IMO.  you'll almost NEVER get what its really worth, and you usually get screwed.  sell it outright, or keep it and make it a trackbike. 

[Chuck]

A dealer offered me $1000 on trade for my Subaru Outback.  (KBB value: $5500)  They're absolutely insane, and so is anyone who goes along with them and actually trades something in.

I never buy from a dealer either.  I let someone else get shafted and buy it from them for book value.

[RobTheTyrant]

From an employee of a motorcycle dealership... NADA clean value, $505.  Avg retail, $740.  Not a profitable venture on the dealers behalf.  I'd give you 250-400 this time of year.  Probably closer to the lower for a not very popular bike at the close of the season here(NY).

[Chuck]

Oh yeah, for a 1990 with rust and a dent?  I think $500 would be a good private party price.

[Kurlon]

I got $600 for a 1980 Honda CM200T... caged to the dealer, told them I was looking for a new machine, and let the salesman lead me around a bit.  I steered the conversation towards used, they brought out a 1 year old Bandit 600.  Talked a bit, I test rode it, came back and said I liked it, and would have to think on it.  While we were there I spotted a 1985 Honda V65S, $1000... I said nothing.

Couple days later I showed up on the CM200T, and started the haggling process.  They offered $600 in trade, didn't really move on the asking price on the Bandit.  I hemmed and hawed while walking around, made my way over to the Sabre... was 'surprised' to find it and asked the price.  I then asked if they'd honor the $600 trade offer against the Sabre, which they did... SCORE!

[tripleb]

Thanks, that's good to know.  I did get the feeling when I spoke to a salesman at that same shop that it was kinda shady.