trading down - is it possible?

[mattman]

Anyone know dealers who are willing to take a more expensive car as P/x and give some cash back?

I have a 55 plate Passat TDI sport which I reckon is worth about £6500 and due to a change of job I'm looking at changing it for a 2000/2001 BMW 5 series touring or grand cherokee around the 3-3500 grand value.

I know i should try and sell privately for the best price/haggling position, but part of my can't be arsed - getting lazy in my old age!

Anyone done this and does it work?

[homerjay]

most dealers would do this i reckon.

you'll get fked though

[DavidHM]

Straight swap Sir?

[HellDiver]

I did something similar. Traded down from a 2008 Lancer to a 2005 Mondeo, the dealer paid off the finance on the Lancer, and I only had to pay him the small difference plus the price of the Mondeo (the Lancer was in negative equity).

[Papa Hotel]

Been there, done it, got fked.

Your car and what you want are close in value so it'll seem like a big kick in the teeth, a more-or-less straight swap when they lube you up and screw you hard on the value of the Passatt. My cars were miles apart in value and I still felt the pain but it didn't feel like a straight swap, I did get a decent wedge back.