AutoTrader Canada Instant Cash Offer: Oppo Review

"CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever" (carsoffortlangley)
08/26/2020 at 12:04 • Filed to: None

OK, now the Kia is officially gone. While I had signed on an accepted offer last week, they had to wait on the lien info from my bank. Last night, I signed the documents to transfer ownership and got my cheque.

This is really the only player in the game on a national level right now in terms of selling/buying 100% online. Canada’s automotive market has yet to be “disrupted” (vomits) by Carmax, Carvanna or whatever other players there are in the US.

I am low key stressed about what the insane pricing on used cars will mean in the future for people and the economy.... There is no way my car is worth more retail now than when it was new on the lot...but here we are.

It looks like the day I inputted my car into the system was a good one. I accepted an offer of $9800. The next day I tried again and got $9600 and the day I took it in, the dealer showed me on his phone that the software they used recommenced an offer of $8875

What is really crazy is that the recommended “retail price” from the Dealersocket software was $12,175. $600 more than I paid brand new.

The Dealer Process

Surrey Mitsubishi, the dealer who appears to be the ONLY drop off centre in Metro Vancouver for this process, was.... meh. I don’t think I will ever set foot in a Mitsubishi dealership ever again.

BUT, the guy I was dealt with was super transparent and eager to share how this all worked. Autotrader pays a base fee to the dealership for every car they process. Say, $500.

The salesman also showed me the software they use, both on his phone and on his PC. In the PC version, I saw all my past transactions with dealers via autotrader listed. Kinda interesting, kinda invasive. The software is Dealersocket CRM and is like some sort of sales lead management software I guess.

The inspection was about 5 minutes, consisting of 1 walk around and a 100m drive from one spot in the parking lot to another. (I drove, the guy couldn’t drive stick).

I guess the dealer gets an option to keep the car on the lot and pay out the car but the sales manager said “There is no way, this thing will not sell because of the manual and no AC”.

Both the sales guy I was dealing with and the manager thought the price I was getting was insane, but it wasn’t their money so they were more than happy to get the deal done and get their fee.

Overall, I’d estimate the total time to complete the inspections/documentation at an hour and a half. Compare that with selling privatley where I’d have to field tons of calls/questions/idiots/test drives and lower ballers..... and probably sell for less.

TLDR: Autotrader Instant Cash offer: Great

DISCUSSION (31)

bob and john > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 12:10

yea, my dealer uses dealer socket as well.

honestly? its just contact information and tracking discussions .

E90M3 > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 12:12

I’m amazed you got that much for your car. Regardless, nicely done. As far as used car prices go, it doesn’t bode well for everyone. There are a lot of places where you have to have a car.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > bob and john
08/26/2020 at 12:13

I did see all of my Autotrader leads loaded in there. (quite a few, as I am a prolific shopper/ghoster.”

CarsofFortLangley - Bane of the salesman.

fintail > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 12:19

I’ve never dealt with such pricing issues, as I drive German cars. Lease payments are less than depreciation. It’ll be interesting to see how that model survives - I like to say the cloned drone CUVs/SUVs with their high margins are subsidizing me.

Glad you took this deal, next up, a car with AC! As summers probably won’t be cooler anytime soon.

No worries on used car pricing, we’re on the cusp of boundless prosperity for all, some rich connected men told me so.

facw > bob and john
08/26/2020 at 12:19

And pretty much every large business is using some sort of CRM to track customers, the only question is how much data they can pull in. And then you see things like this: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/26/style/powerfront-software-ecommerce-cartoons.html

Bandit > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 12:21

I was offered $15k by Autotrader US for my 2019 Canyon which doesn’t reflect market conditions at all! Comparable used trucks of the same year and options are selling for $30+.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 12:24

Honestly, I’m amazed a car with a manual and no AC even sold at MSRP to begin with, not to mention that supposedly it will sell for more than that after 20,000 km (that’s pretty low mileage though). I’m glad you got that price though.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
08/26/2020 at 12:25

It sold to me for about 35% less than MSRP. MSRP was nearly $18,000(!) on my car

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 12:28

$13,000 USD? That’s pretty high for a no AC stripper model.

You really couldn’t sell a car without AC here. With AC and a manual maybe I’d pay that.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
08/26/2020 at 12:28

To be honest, you can’t really sell one here either. At least, not in Vancouver.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 12:29

Dealer inventory is currently at a historic low. Honda dealer in the valley has about 75 new cars in stock, probably 1/2 of normal. VW here is even worse. Used cars are still present but getting close to new car prices and incentives are non existent. I think once the factories and supply chain gets going again inventories will recuperate and retail prices will dive hard with the economic slow down, probably this winter or next spring.

They say timing is everything and I think your timing was 100% on.

HoustonRunner > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 12:30

Quick question, can you get an offer one day, and resubmit or something if you see it goes up?

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 12:31

You won’t find many modern cars without AC worth more than $500 here. I know two people whose climate control system has a very expensive fault init so they just sweat it out. If you don’t mind windows down driving then it’s a good way to get a really cheap car though.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > HoustonRunner
08/26/2020 at 12:31

Yes/no. If you resubmit with your own info, it will actually merge the offers and cancel out the previous one for the new one. I use the same particulars (make, mode, trim, location) and use a fake name/contact info.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/26/2020 at 12:34

I agree on the above. I currently have a new JL scheduled for late winter/early spring.

I estimate that COVID/Politics/economy will basically mean 0% financing across the board and low demand.

Spasoje > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 12:35

You got me curious, so I just tried this on the Express van I’m selling.

My asking price: $18,900

Wholesale that a local Honda dealer offered me: $14,000

ICO: $10,025

Fuck no lol

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Spasoje
08/26/2020 at 12:37

A dealer offered me $6K on trade for the Forte recently. lol, I have no idea how any of this works, but I have a cheque for $1000 and no more Forte so I am happy

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 12:40

I probably would have bought a car in the 15-20k range this year if it wasn’t for COVID shit show. Now my kids won’t need their own car for another year so I’ll wait until next year too. I can’t drive the Datsun in the winter and my old pickup is not reliable enough to do repetitive drives up to the ski resort all week long. Kind of thinking about the new Mazda 3 with AWD.

Spasoje > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 12:40

Take it and run! (which you did )

Glad it worked out, man. Onto bigger and better things!

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/26/2020 at 12:43

Would you consider a golf wagon? We love ours.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 12:46

Man I am now looking forward to 2050 when I see a manual, no-AC Forte at a show and everyone is oo-ing and aah-ing at it. That'll be my true proof that nostalgia is real. That a car rendered so emotionless today would be, by the very same reasons, something nostalgic down the line.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 12:46

Yes, but there are no longer being sold new. I’d probably buy a new car on a loan.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
08/26/2020 at 12:48

can’t wait to lovingly point at a gleaming 2018 Forte and tell my grandkids “I used to have one of those”

lol

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/26/2020 at 12:49

the Mazda is probably the way to go then. I loved it when I drove it

Taylor Martin > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 13:32

I bought my Acura from a Mitsubishi dealer in the middle of nowhere. The salesmen were sleazebags, with their shirts unbuttoned and chest hairs sticking out while on a constant smoke break, but pretty transparent too, and not pushing me to buy the car immediately (which is nice, considering it’s a dealers job to sell you the car immediately).

The showroom itself was 3 cars big, and it included the offices and break room. Super tiny, super quaint, and they had the same car on display twice. I forget what it was, a newer sedan, and likely the nicest in the Mitsubishi lineup .

Mitsubishi dealers are like the Waffle Houses of the dealership world...

DasWauto > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 14:30

After your first post about this process I put my WRX through the number cruncher and got an offer that was at least $1000 lower than all but one offer I’ve had on it as a trade- in, which widens the gap the $3k+ after factoring in the tax savings selling would lose me.

I also got messaged by several dealers afterwards, instead on just the one I was told would follow up before submitting the info so this is not a process I will be trying again.

I’m glad it worked well for you though. Good deal to get rid of a car you didn’t want or need anymore.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 15:57

“Sorry we can’t budge on on used car prices”

LOL from me every time. You know lots are making bank on used cars.

CB > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 16:54

Whaaaaaa?

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > CB
08/26/2020 at 17:01

Scheduled as in my target acquisition timeframe, not that I’ve placed an order for one lol

CB > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
08/26/2020 at 17:02

Ahhhh gotcha. I was gonna say, that’s a very flippant reveal.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/26/2020 at 19:30

Where I live lightly- used cars (like under 4 years old) have been selling for near new prices for at least 7 years. Depreciation is under $1k per year for most cars, with some makes well under $500. This is in contrast to SoCal where I lived before I moved up here, where used cars became dirt cheap quickly (5 years and it was a cheap beater) and buying new was a luxury...