Question From Michael:  My lease has 1 year left on a 3 year lease on my Lincoln Navigator ‘06. What are the odds of a dealer allowing me to end my lease now if I offer to lease another vehicle?

CarFinanceGuru: Mike, the SUV market is so bad that some manufacturers are selling them below invoice to move out inventory.  This does not bode well for any SUV owner.  There are a couple of options here. 

1) Take a look at www.swapalease.com and www.leasetrader.com and see if your monthly payment is higher than, lower than, or the same as other Navigators.  If you put some money down at the time of your inital lease then chances are good you have a lower payment than the average.  This also means there is a good chance someone will take the vehicle off your hands.  If you payment is equal to or greater than you will most likely need to give a cash incentive to the person taking over your lease to make it more attractive. 

2) What vehicle are you looking to swap the Lincoln for?  Unless it’s another Lincoln model you are trading in the Navigator for the dealerships are going to will dock you heavily.   They will look at your payoff price on the Lincoln Navigator and not offer you anything close. 

That means you are going to take a hit that will be in the thousands of dollars.  They may offer to roll this loss to your new vehicle which creates another problem potentially.  You will not only be hosed on the Navigator but also on the new vehicle. The price you will probably pay on the new vehicle will be higher than if you did not have to trade in the Navigator.  Dealerships know you want out and with some salesman like talk and a look at your “new” vehicle I can see the dollars flying out of your pocket.

3) Ride out the lease an return the vehicle which WILL NOT be worth what the residual value stated at the beginning of your lease.  This might be the best move despite gas prices choking all of us to death.  At lease you can know that your loss (or use of funds) will be 12 X lease payment and gas.  Yes, gas is high but I am willing to bet that scenario 1) and 2) above costs substantially more.

This is a common problem right now facing many consumers.  I’ve talked to a lot of dealerships recently and they have no choice but to pay very low prices on SUVs.  Let me know what option you are going to take and we’ll try to help some more.

Question From Mike:  I got a quote for a 2009 Corolla LE with leather seats. They are willing to offer me 2000 drive off and 226/month + tax for 36 months, 12,000 miles /year. Is this a good deal, or should i try to get the monthly down to 200 including taxes?

CarFinanceGuru: Hi Mike.  When it comes to leasing let’s get some important information:

1) MSRP aka Sticker Price

2) The actual selling price of the vehicle

3) Residual value of the vehicle at the end of the 36 months (the dealer has this number)

4) Money Factor (ask the dealer what the money factor is on the lease) This should be a number beginning with a decimal.

5) Are you putting any money down?

This is our 73rd AutoBrag Deal Of The Day.  What we’ve done is searched through www.autobrag.com and discovered certain vehicles being sold for considerably less than market prices.  Usually, the dealerships are using these “loss leaders” as a way to gain more business.

We found a 2008 Hyundai Sonata SE 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 5A) from Browns Manassas Hyundai

The lowest Internet Price: $15,476.00
MSRP: $22,055.00
ePrice: $15,476.00
Savings: $6,579.00
% OFF MSRP: 29.83 %

Why Is This The AutoBrag Deal Of The Day:

The average wholesale price for a used 2007 Hyundai Sonata SE with 18,858 miles (average) is $12,300.00. If you were to buy this new car at sticker price of $22,055.00, after one year, your depreciation would be roughly 44.23% of the vehicle’s value or $9,755.00 over the 12 months or $812.92 per month. That does not even include the money you lose on sales tax and registration!

If you were to buy this specific 2008 Hyundai Sonata SE for $15,476.00, you would be able to drive it for one year and trade it in or sell it at wholesale market for $12,300.00. That means that you would drive a new car for one year and pay $3,176.00 or $264.67 per month (not including taxes and fees). The depreciation for the period of one year would be 20.52%.

If the car was sold via private party the price would be about 5%-10% higher than wholesale. That means that you probably would sell this car for about $12,915.00 (5% over wholesale) to $13,530.00 (10% over wholesale). That means that you would drive a new car for one year and pay $2,561.00 to $1,946.00 or per month that would be $213.42 to $162.17 (not including taxes and fees).

Using AutoBrag’s Deal Of The Day, the Dealer eats 67.44% of year one’s depreciation based on wholesale market for the same vehicle.

For disclosure purposes WE DO NOT receive compensation from Browns Manassas Hyundai; we are just trying to save car consumers time and money.

Crash Test and Rollover Ratings for the 2008 Hyundai Sonata.

Question From Michael:  What would you recommend to buy in a good used car that gets really good gas milage. That would seat four adults?

CarFinanceGuru: Hi Michael. I’d have to go with a used Honda Accord.  The new model changed body styles in 2008 which means there are deals to be had on the seventh generation Honda Accord (2003-2007) models.  These cars are just absolute work horses and require minimal maintenance.

Wikipedia has the breakdown of all the generations http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Accord and some more useful information.

If you tell me your budget we can pinpoint some exact vehicles by year make and model.

Question From Nick: what is the best deal for a small fuel efficient automatic suv ?New or used ? around $16.000

CarFinanceGuru: Hi Nick.  We found this great article on Hybridsuv.com and it lists all of the small and medium sized SUVs by miles per gallon (MPG).  One of our colleagues here, MuscleCarGuy did a great cost benefit analysis of Hybrid versus non-Hybrid (http://autobragblog.com/index.php/2008/01/31/question-for-autobrag-your-opinion-please-3/)

It is a great read and we agree with his assessment that if you want to help lower pollution then hybrids are the way to go.  If you are looking at this from a “return on investment” stand point then a hybrid might not be such a great idea right now.

Make and Model   Average MPG   Class

Ford Escape Hybrid   32 mpg   Small
Mazda Tribute Hybrid   32 mpg   Small
Mercury Mariner Hybrid   30 mpg   Small
Lexus RX Hybrid   26 mpg   Mid-Sized
Saturn Vue Hybrid   26 mpg   Small
Toyota Highlander Hybrid   26 mpg   Mid-Sized
Toyota Rav4 (4 cyl)   23 mpg   Small
Jeep Compass   22 mpg   Small
Nissan Rogue   22 mpg   Small
Suburu Forester 2.5X   22 mpg   Small
Toyota Rav4 (6 cyl)   22 mpg   Small
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid   21 mpg   Large
GMC Yukon Hybrid   21 mpg   Large
Honda CRV   21 mpg   Small
Honda Element   21 mpg   Small
Jeep Patriot   20 mpg   Small
Suburu Forester Sports   20 mpg   Small
BMW X3   19 mpg   Mid-Sized
Ford Escape (V6)   19 mpg   Small
Land Rover LR2   19 mpg   Small
Lexus RX   19 mpg   Mid-Sized
Mazda Tribute (V6)   19 mpg   Small
Mercury Mariner (V6)   19 mpg   Small
Mitsubishi Outlander   19 mpg   Small
Acura RDX   18 mpg   Mid-Sized
Chevrolet Equinox   18 mpg   Small
Hyundai Santa Fe   18 mpg   Mid-Sized
Hyundai Tucson   18 mpg   Small
Infiniti FX   18 mpg   Mid-Sized
Kia Sportage   18 mpg   Small
Mazda CX-7   18 mpg   Mid-Sized
Pontiac Torrent   18 mpg   Small
Suzuki Grand Vitara   18 mpg   Small
Toyota Highlander (V6)   18 mpg   Mid-Sized
Acura MDX   17 mpg   Mid-Sized
BMW X5   17 mpg   Mid-Sized
Honda Pilot   17 mpg   Mid-Sized
Hyundai Veracruz   17 mpg   Mid-Sized
Kia Sorento   17 mpg   Small
Nissan Xterra   17 mpg   Small
Saturn Vue (V6)   17 mpg   Small
Suzuki XL-7   17 mpg   Small
Toyota FJ Cruiser   17 mpg   Small
Cadillac SRX (V6)   16 mpg   Mid-Sized
Chrysler Pacifica   16 mpg   Mid-Sized
Dodge Nitro   16 mpg   Small
Ford Edge   16 mpg   Mid-Sized
Ford Taurus X   16 mpg   Mid-Sized
GMC Acadia   16 mpg   Large
Jeep Liberty   16 mpg   Small
Lincoln MKX   16 mpg   Mid-Sized
Mazda CX-9   16 mpg   Mid-Sized
Mercedes Benz M Class   16 mpg   Mid-Sized
Mitsubishi Endeavor   16 mpg   Mid-Sized
Saturn Outlook   16 mpg   Mid-Sized
Suburu Tribeca   16 mpg   Mid-Sized
Toyota 4Runner   16 mpg   Mid-Sized
Volvo XC90   16 mpg   Mid-Sized
Audi Q7   15 mpg   Mid-Sized
Buick Enclave   15 mpg   Large
Chevrolet Trailblazer   15 mpg   Mid-Sized
Ford Explorer (V6)   15 mpg   Mid-Sized
GMC Envoy   15 mpg   Mid-Sized
Jeep Grand Cherokee   15 mpg   Mid-Sized
Jeep Wrangler   15 mpg   Small
Lexus GX   15 mpg   Mid-Sized
Mercedes Benz GL Class   15 mpg   Large
Mercury Mountaineer (V6)   15 mpg   Mid-Sized
Nissan Pathfinder   15 mpg   Mid-Sized
Chevrolet Suburban   14 mpg   Large
Chevrolet Tahoe   14 mpg   Large
Ford Explorer (V8)   14 mpg   Mid-Sized
GMC Yukon XL   14 mpg   Large
Hummer H3   14 mpg   Mid-Sized
Mercury Mountaineer (V8)   14 mpg   Mid-Sized
Cadillac Escalade   13 mpg   Large
Chrysler Aspen   13 mpg   Large
Dodge Durango   13 mpg   Large
Ford Expedition   13 mpg   Large
Jeep Commander   13 mpg   Mid-Sized
Land Rover LR3   13 mpg   Mid-Sized
Nissan Armada   13 mpg   Large

If you were to go with a new model I’d have to say the the top three choices would be:

1) Nissan Rogue
2) Toyota Rav 4 (4 cylinder)
3) Honda CRV

If you were to go with a used model my top three would be:

1) Subaru Forester
2) Jeep Compass
3) Jeep Patriot

This may seem all odd that all the new models were not picked as a choice for used.  The reason is because the Subaru and the Jeeps drop in value like rocks once they are used.  You can get a much better deal going with those more unloved cars.  The Top 3 New hold up pretty well versus the Top 3 used.

Take a look at the info I have provided and let me know what SUVs you are really interested in.  I’ll get you pricing info right away.

Question From Jun: We want to sell an 87 Corvette Convertible, with a new roof. How much can we ask for it? No dents or scratches.

MuscleCarGuy: Hi Jun! Welcome back to AutoBragBlog, where we do all the car price researching for you.

What is the mileage on the Corvette?

For a 1987 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible with 85,000 miles (Average), prices range from $7,500 (being in above average condition) to $5,450 (being in average condition) and $3,900 (being in below average condition). Keep in mind that the numbers above are the wholesale prices. A dealership will usually aim to sell it for +12%-14% more than wholesale, so their estimated retail prices could range from $4,400 to $8,600.

Were you planning on trading it in or selling yourself? Selling a car yourself may save you a few extra hundred in comparison to trading in. Take some nice digital shots and post an ad up in Craigslist or AutoTrader. Prepare all the maintenance records so that potential buyers are aware of how well you cared for the Corvette. Let us know if you have any other question.

Question From Themali: I was wondering what would be a good deal on a slightly hail damaged 2009 Corolla AT BASE.

MuscleCarGuy: Hi Themali. Welcome to AutoBragBlog, where we do all the car price researching for you. Is the 2009 Toyota Corolla New or Used? You should take the car to an Auto Body Repair Shop and have them give you an estimate for the repair. Check the prices below for New 2009 Toyota Corolla and deduct the estimate from the Body Shop. That would be the maximum you should pay if the car is new.

For a 2009 Toyota Corolla LE 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl 4A),

The Biggest Percentage Off MSRP Price: $15,190.00
MSRP: $18,404.00
ePrice: $15,190.00
Savings: $3,214.00
% OFF MSRP: 17.46 %

2nd Biggest Percentage Off MSRP Price: $16,242.00
MSRP: $18,404.00
ePrice: $16,242.00
Savings: $2,162.00
% OFF MSRP: 11.75 %

Here’s the 2009 Toyota Corolla Crash Test & Rollover Results. If you want to research more Toyota Corolla prices, poke around on www.autobrag.com. Keep us posted with how everything goes.

Question From Vinci: What is the lowest price i can get for a honda crv 2000 and honda odyssey 2000.

MuscleCarGuy: Hi Vinci! Welcome back to AutoBragBlog, where we do all the car price researching for you.

For a 2000 Honda CR-V 2WD  with 125,625 miles (Average), prices range from $5,500 (being in above average condition) to $4,750 (being in average condition) and $3,900 (being in below average condition). Keep in mind that the numbers above are the wholesale prices. A dealership will usually aim to sell it for +12%-14% more than wholesale, so their estimated retail prices could range from $4,400 to $6,300.

For a 2000 Honda Odyssey LX  with 118,334 miles (Average), prices range from $5,600 (being in above average condition) to $4,650 (being in average condition) and $3,700 (being in below average condition). Keep in mind that the numbers above are the wholesale prices. A dealership will usually aim to sell it for +12%-14% more than wholesale, so their estimated retail prices could range from $4,200 to $6,400. Let us know if you have any other question. Good Luck!!!

Crash Test and Rollover Ratings for the 2000 Honda CR-V.

Crash Test and Rollover Ratings for the 2000 Honda Odyssey.

Question From Sandra: How much should I pay for a V6 Honda Accord Coupe with Nav.

MuscleCarGuy: Hi Sandra. Welcome to AutoBragBlog, where we do all the car price researching for you.

For a 2008 Honda Accord EX-L V-6 2dr Coupe (3.5L 6cyl 5A),

The Biggest Percentage Off MSRP Price: $30,337.00
MSRP: $33,608.00
ePrice: $30,337.00
Savings: $3,271.00
% OFF MSRP: 9.73 %

2nd Biggest Percentage Off MSRP Price: $27,995.00
MSRP: $30,436.00
ePrice: $27,995.00
Savings: $2,441.00
% OFF MSRP: 8.02 %

How do you apply these prices?

Print out all the blue links and take them to your local Honda dealerships. But before you go, we highly recommend you call and make an appointment to see the Internet Sales/Fleet Manager because he/she should know exactly what you’re talking about. Avoid the floor salesmen, head straight to the Internet Sales Manager.

If they don’t believe your prices, ask to use one of their computers so they can see where these figures came from. It’ll be impossible for them to doubt you because you’re pulling up a Honda dealership’s website and checking their inventory. Remember, cars are a commodity so these prices apply everywhere in the U.S. This car in New York should cost the same in California. The taxes vary by state.

Here’s the 2008 Honda Accord Coupe Crash Test & Rollover Results. If you want to research more Honda Accord prices, poke around on www.autobrag.com. Keep us posted with how everything goes.

Question From Ankur: Hi, I am in a fix between buying Camry 2008 or 09. There is no difference at all except final price. Also, what is the best price for Camry’08/09.
How about LE and XLE? They have same engine [If I go for V-6] just the difference of additional feature. Which one has more resale value in 5 years?

MuscleCarGuy: Hi Ankur. Welcome to AutoBragBlog, where we do all the car price researching for you.

For a 2008 Toyota Camry LE V6 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A),

The Biggest Percentage Off MSRP Price: $22,075.00
MSRP: $27,300.00
ePrice: $22,075.00
Savings: $5,225.00
% OFF MSRP: 19.14 %

For a 2008 Toyota Camry XLE V6 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A),

The Biggest Percentage Off MSRP Price: $25,357.00
MSRP: $30,795.00
ePrice: $25,357.00
Savings: $5,438.00
% OFF MSRP: 17.66 %

For a 2009 Toyota Camry LE V6 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A),

The Biggest Percentage Off MSRP Price: $20,990.00
MSRP: $26,066.00
ePrice: $20,990.00
Savings: $5,076.00
% OFF MSRP: 19.47 %

For a 2009 Toyota Camry XLE V6 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A),

The Biggest Percentage Off MSRP Price: $25,990.00
MSRP: $30,736.00
ePrice: $25,990.00
Savings: $4,746.00
% OFF MSRP: 15.44 %

How do you apply these prices?

Print out all the blue links and take them to your local Toyota dealerships. But before you go, we highly recommend you call and make an appointment to see the Internet Sales/Fleet Manager because he/she should know exactly what you’re talking about. Avoid the floor salesmen, head straight to the Internet Sales Manager.

If they don’t believe your prices, ask to use one of their computers so they can see where these figures came from. It’ll be impossible for them to doubt you because you’re pulling up a Toyota dealership’s website and checking their inventory. Remember, cars are a commodity so these prices apply everywhere in the U.S. This car in New York should cost the same in California. The taxes vary by state.

For the resale value in 5 years, we can check how much the used Camry’s are selling for at the wholesale market.

For a 2003 Toyota Camry V6 LE with 70,000 miles, prices range from $10,400 (being in above average condition) to $9,200 (being in average condition) and $8,000 (being in below average condition). Keep in mind that the numbers above are the wholesale prices. A dealership will usually aim to sell it for +12%-14% more than wholesale, so their estimated retail prices could range from $9,000 to $12,900.

For a 2003 Toyota Camry V6 XLE with 70,000 miles, prices range from $12,300 (being in above average condition) to $10,700 (being in average condition) and $9,100 (being in below average condition). Keep in mind that the numbers above are the wholesale prices. A dealership will usually aim to sell it for +12%-14% more than wholesale, so their estimated retail prices could range from $10,200 to $14,000.

Here’s the 2008 Toyota Camry Sedan Crash Test & Rollover Results. If you want to research more Toyota Camry prices, poke around on www.autobrag.com. Keep us posted with how everything goes.