Am looking at used cayennes and particularly 2005's for my lady friend. prefer the turbos but certainly wouldn't pass up a great S model, and more than likely this is what she needs anyway! The turbos would be my touch! I am already a 911TT owner so not new to the stage of devaluation.

My priorities are mileage, mechanical condition, body condition, interior condition, and color as are most anyones. i really am looking for less than 40K miles and particularly less than 30K miles. as a general rule I'm gonna lump mechanical condition into mileage but i know there are exceptions. obviously there are few examples (less than 5 I can find) of these available. I am aware of common problems like coil packs, TC seal leaks, drive shaft seal leaks, and coolant pipe issues as the major common issues to look for. In my opinion having already had these problems and having had them fixed is a plus.

After being fairly objective and researching KBB, Edmunds, and NADA I am finding a good disconnect between the asking prices and these values. I have used moderate equipped vehicles for the research and used 30K miles as my number. all of which are in "excellent condition", which is quite an accomplishment and would include all service records, flawless exterior, new tires, perfect interior and really just near flawless. its really just a new car with 30K miles!! also most aftermarket parts in my opinion are not a value added comfort and really to some extent devalue the car for resale although we are all proud of them. After averaging the prices i have found for Cayenne turbos the retails:$36900, Private:$33000, trade in: $31750 for this year and mileage. Cayenne S retail:$29,500, Private:$26,900, Trade in: $25000.

With this said, I am looking for bottom dollar as sellers are looking for top dollar! But this is a buyers market! So i would never and hope you would never pay full retail or private party price in a market like this. but the asking prices for these cars are really not near these values and I doubt most examples are truly in pristine "excellent" condition. but what really scares me is the prices for some of the 60,70,80K mile cars!! they are the ones that actually fit these price ranges. if i total this car the next day my insurance is only gonna pay these estimated average values.

I know sellers are upset with the values of these cars and i hate to low ball but is it offensive for me to be offering just over trade in value on these? I'm the kind of guy who is only gonna buy private party because thats where the best buy is to start. in some cases i guess i could do the private party price but its gotta be for the best example on the market with full service records. While i have a turbo in mind i think offering the guy $33000 is gonna really turn him off! Really i feel like the average between PP value and trade in is my top dollar, or roughly $32000 in this example.

Alright guys....chew me up....spit me out!!

 

I'm not sure exactly what you're asking.

Is it offensive to offer less? Not to a dealer, but you could **** off a private party so they wouldn't want to deal with you. A 35k mile turbo, 2005-2006 I would look at as midway between trade-in and retail. Plus if it has any warranty (CPO) that adds value. And since almost every Cayenne was ordered with different accessories/options, those will have an effect on the price. As will records of fixes for the common problems - add 1/2 the cost of doing them to the price of the truck and you're close to the value.

I do agree that "improvements" never add value.. although I might pay a tiny bit more if someone went through the headache/PITA of installing an iPod-Bluetooth interface (it makes the truck SO much nicer to drive..)

 

Well...I'm just saying there is a significant price disconnect between asking prices and blue book values. It seems nearly every cayenne for sale is 5-$8000 dollars off of what insurable values are. It just seems some owners are not in tune with their cars market value. While blue books have their place, supply and demand is really going to dictate prices. With that said, after talking with the owner of the TT I was looking at I think it is a premium example and I will lean more toward the full PP value. I expect he is looking at this anyway...LOL!!

On a side note I talked to a dealer that wanted nearly $37000 for their 29000 mile cayenne S, and it very basic with no upgrades other than NAV, no records, 65% tires and he never told me brand, and "verified" no problems by Mercedes dealer. I don't know why dealers think their used cars are worth more than ours! Truth be told, they don't know a damn thing about them!

 

I applaud you on all your research and it's good to have a clear understanding of the market before you even start looking at vehicles. I like edmunds in particular, especially when it comes to buying a new car...

Anyhow, the one part of your market analysis that I think is missing is "what are people actually paying for an 05, 30K mile, typically optioned, pristine Cayenne these days - in your area?". If you're buying it in Beverly Hills it's likely going to cost more than if you're buying it in the suburbs of Iowa. This information is obviously a bit tougher to get but I think it's key to understanding what kind of deal you're getting. And finally, if you find something that is exactly what you're looking for, ask yourself if you're willing to pay a bit more for it. While it's always a good idea to make sure you're not getting ripped off, I also don't think it's wise to let that perfect vehicle go just because you think you should get it for $1K less. Sometime you have to give a little to get exactly what you want...

 

Agreed! I think I have no problem offering full private party on this particular one, but not more. This TT is a well equipped car and is not located in an outrageous market. It doesnt have all service records for routine maintenance but any major work was allegidly done by Porsche. This owner hasnt had it terribly long. My biggest hurdle now is convincing mama she needs it!!

I found edmunds to be the lowest numbers and NADA to be the highest with KBB in the middle. Certainly not a novel approach when getting estimated values as I hope anyone would consult these sources.

 

Best of luck & let us know how you make out!

 

There is a reason for that.

When you go to trade a car in - the salesman will pull out Edmunds (or Gales) and pretend it's the bible of car prices. I've had the same saleman then pull out NADA when he was telling me how great a deal I was getting on the used car I was considering buying. Lowball/Highball (AKA Buy Cheap Sell High!)

Quick way to see what's selling for what - Ebay. Anything is worth what someone will pay for it. Go to Ebay - make a search up for Cayennes of the year/miles/model you're looking for - then click on "Completed Auctions" - you'll see any that sold, and any that didn't for about the past few months, with location, photos, Carfax, etc.

You may pay a bit more face to face with someone then on an Ebay auction, and you'll certainly pay more with a dealer - but it will give you a good perspective on what sells where for how much.

 

^ Great advice - never thought of that...

I'm tucking this away in my notes for the next time I'm looking as well...

 

Yeh that sounds like a car salesman! Not aurprised. I will keep ya posted and thanks for opinions.