Lone Ranger

Blue Book does not seem to support your claim:








The above assumes similarly equipped vehicles, 18,000 miles for Malibu, 12,000 miles for HHR, both rated excellent condition.

MOTRV8D

God only 19mpg in an HHR? No wonder he's getting rid of it, I would too.
That seems to be unheard of.
I get 15-17 in my 5.7L Z28 so that's not too much better than me!
And I drive with a lead foot at that!

nfboy

Remember blue book doesn't necessarily equal what a dealer will give you on trade and often trade will vary based on what you are trading it on.....

Lone Ranger

True, plus it also makes a difference where you are trading, i.e. better trade value offer generally if you stay within brand I mean trade a dodge in at a dodge dealership, ford at ford, etc. A chevy dealer likely offer you less for a dodge than a dodge dealer would, and vice versa.

Silent Thunder

Went to the worlds biggest auction company for dealers. Manhiem Auto Auctions and over the last 2 weeks HHR LT's with low to 10,000 miles are going at auction for 13K-15K. so I would think the 14K number is realistic for a trade allowance. Depends where you trade it. A Chevy dealer can resell it easier than a Porsche dealer. You get my point. Now a new 22K vehicle for 14K is about right with it so new. A year from now would likely be 11K. So see the second year the drop is not as bad. The worst is driving it off the lot. Every vehicle takes the biggest drop the day you take it home. If you trade every 6 months to a year the best way to do it is to buy 1-2 year old cars. Then someone else has taken the hit. If he bought a used HHR for $15K and a year late traded for 11K that's not bad. Heck the high end may not loose as big of percentage but a Mercedes that looses only 20% is about $16-$25K anyway you cut it.

Peoples1234

I agree with what you have said, or at least some it.

I was offered 14,500 (ACV) at the dealership I bought the car at, but every where else, and I shopped for almost two months and at least five other dealerships, offered me a max of 11,500 (ACV). In my book, depreciating $7000 off sticker in less than one year is pitiful (33 % of it's original MSRP value). If you take the dealerships I shopped it lost nearly 50% of it's value, that is atrocious. BTW Carmax offered me 13,000. I guess there is a different market for HHR's here.

Peoples1234

Blue Book is really off on some vehicles, including the Ram and the HHR.

Uma

In Cali, Blue book is blue book brother!! You get no more no less, that is the way it rolls! I had a 2003 malibu, lowered, exhaust, rims, stereo, tinted out, no dings, absolutely perfect...show car for a Malibu, LOL. High blue book was it, they will allow nothing. You take it all off..it is the same! BTW, all six dealerships I went to were to same. I Love my HHR, so I am partial. I mean no disrespect but take your Ram for a trade in..in 11 months and see what you get. My guess...crap!!

Lone Ranger

This is true that bluebook can be off in some regional markets. I ran the above for my zipcode because I didn't know yours. When I traded for my HHR, I agreed to pay MSRP for the HHR but only IF they allowed NADA clean retail for my trade (retail-to-retail). They at first scoffed at the offer, but I had checked the build date on my HHR and it was apparent they had it for six months on the lot. I walked away when they wouldn't agree. Next day salesman called with "new numbers" that still weren't where I wanted. Basically I played hard to get and they ended up agreeing to my deal. It took several days.

I used NADA retail figures because NADA shoots highest on values, and they as a dealer have a hard time refuting the figures because, well, they're dealers and it is the National Auto DEALERS Assoc book value.

RaceOn

Let me get this straight, you come to the HHR site and tell everyone here that your are getting rid of your HHR and replacing it with a Dodge Ram P/U. You state that you only got 19 MPG with the HHR. Then you tell everyone that the value of their HHR is crap. OK?

Well if you are trading a HHR for a P/U truck I would say that you seriously underestimated your vehicle needs.
If you only got 19 MPG over the whole time you owned the HHR I would have to think you should have brought it back to the dealer for a check up. Or was the real reason that you beat the hell out of the HHR.
You complain that you got screwed on the trade in value, yet you base this claim on the sticker price, not what you paid, or any incentives.
You claim that you made eight payments on the HHR, yet you shopped it around to get rid of it for two months. Sounds like you were trying to get rid of it after only six months.
You claim you replace your cars every 11 months, yet this is the first time you have been screwed on the trade in value?
You never really stated what HHR you had, the mileage or the condition of the vehicle when you traded. For all we know it was an ex-rental fleet car with unusually high mileage.
Unless you paid cash, outright, for each vehicle you purchased, you would always be upside down within the first few years of the transaction. Either you are a glutton for punishment or you like to throw money away.

I don't know, sounds to me like a severe case of buyer's remorse. Just because you bought a car that you did not like, is no reason to try and denigrate those that actually like their cars. My suggestion is to go find a Dodge Ram site and trade stories with those people. I'm sure all those people are madly in love with their trucks. And, I promise I won't go over there and p**s in your Wheaties! OK?

Just my 2 cent$.

Pat