Should we sell our truck at a loss just to go to DISNEY??

[Beauty]

Okay, first off its not a BIG LOSS and we still aren't sure that we could even get the asking price for it.

Whole story,

I have a 1997 Explorer in PERFECT condition. Its leather with all the bells and whistles including a 6 disc CD player. It has 88,000 miles. Well we were asking $5500 dollars in hopes of getting $5000.

My DH talked to a friend who owns a used car lot this weekend and he offered him $4200 cash for it. Of course he would sell it for more because he can finance.

So DH said he would think about it.......we've been advertising it for over a month now and have gotten no bites. The economy down here is awful and people are BROKE.

So.....last night we are talking and DH says, when do our APs expire? I said I believe Sept. 10th or so. He said do you want to just sell the Explorer to Jack (the used car man) and fly to Disney the 27-4th? Ummmm YES.......of course that was my first answer.

So then we start thinking about it, it would be awesome to spend time together just the two of us. Our DS is in school and would stay here with my mom. John still has 2 weeks of vacation left this year......so?????

So should we take the 1000 dollar loss on the truck and go to Disney??? What would you do???

 

[mommytotwo]

I think you can get the price of what you are asking for. Put up a for sale sign on your vehicle, put a ad in the paper, and put your car in areas where it is visible for people to know that it is for sale.

 

[snoopy]

Do you have a carmax down there? They usually give a fair price for used cars. I'd check there before I sold a car at a loss, particularly for something as fleeting as a vacation. If you needed the money to pay bills that you are paying interests on, then maybe I could understand the rush to sell it.

Sorry, Beth. I know ya wanna go to WDW again, but I gotta be honest.

 

[Beauty]

We don't have a Carmax, I've heard they do offer a fair price. Its almost worth driving to Memphis to see though.

We have had it advertised for well over a month and not even one bite.

We have had it sitting in the Wal-Mart parking lot with For Sale signs all over it, we have put it in the Tradewinds (A sale paper that covers our entire area) and we have had it along with a picture in our local paper.

I guess you would kind of have to understand the situation that the state of Mississippi is in right now, or at least my area. There are NO JOBS here, there have been 3 factory closings, its just really really awful.

Another point, the folks across the street are selling the exact same truck except a year newer, a 1998 model and they are asking $6000, its been on the "market" now for 5 months and he told my DH he had only gotten one phone call.

 

[Bob Slydell]

Sure, go for it. Hey, a car's just a hunk of metal -- a vacation is memories that last a lifetime.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

and - if those AP's are expiring soon you'd end up spending just as much replacing them if you wait too long.

 

[FroggyinArk]

beth, the 4200 sounds like a fair offer, we payed 4000 for a suburban in great shape, higher miles but still solid, we gave 9000 for the blazer, the market here is bad,, there are several ppl over this side the area going out of business that have been in for years,, we are hoping work starts picking up soon or we will be in the same boat.

 

[Beauty]

I know Froggy, its pathetic here. The only factorys still open are Gypsum and Uncle Bens.........well U.S. Ax is still open but is closing at the end of the year.

Its really really bad...........my mom works for Citigroup (Citifinancial) and they are required to make XXXX number of loans per month and they can't even reach their quota. They are scared that they will be closed because there is simply no business.

 

[disneyworld!]

you wanted techinally 5000 for it correct? and he will go 4200- maybe ask him for 4500 if he does not go for that, take the 4200- it is what an 800 dollar difference? for all the time put into waiting and try to sell, I rather go with a sure deal!

 

[Beauty]

I am kind of thinking the same way. Of course the thought of having a week and a half with my husband ALONE ALONE ALONE ALONE........did I mention ALONE???? at Disney is just super!!!!!

 

[Hillbeans]

Well, the saver in me says no, that selling a car for a loss for a vacation is not a good idea (financially speaking).

With that being said, not everything in life should be dictated by financial means so you should do what you think is best.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Sell, sell, sell....

We had our '97 Explorer for sale for 3 years . Finally traded it in for a loss.

 

[Beauty]

Another thing I'm looking at is that this was always going to be ""play"" money for us. We have lived the past 5 or so years with the outlook that if we can't pay cash for it we don't need it.

The only 2 bills we have with the exception of insurance and utilities are our mortgage and one CC that I pay off monthly. We have a new Trailblazer with 600 miles thats paid for.

If this was money that I needed to pay something off I would consider waiting to get the full price or if it was money meant for one specific thing but we have always considered it to be money we were going to spend.

We were thinking of getting a 4 wheeler or a dirt bike for our son (but that thought scares me!!!!!) We had thought of redoing a bathroom or doing some yard work????

I don't know.......I do realize that its cost us about 120 this past month to put it in circulars and run it in the paper with no interest being shown. Its almost more trouble than its worth.

 

[Kallison]

Originally posted by Bob Slydell
Sure, go for it. Hey, a car's just a hunk of metal -- a vacation is memories that last a lifetime.

Ditto

 

[snoopy]

Well, if its costing you that much to advertise, then yes, it might be worth it to just take the $4200.

If you have any cc's that you pay interest on, I'd pay that off first, and use what is leftover for play money; but since that doesn't appear to be the case, maybe you are best just throwing caution to the wind! I'm not sure its something I could do myself, we have a very strict vacation budget that we put aside a certain number of dollars each paycheck for, and if we go over, that is it. But it sounds like you sort of had this money earrmarked anyway.

Let us know what you decide, Beth!

 

[disneyworld!]

that being said.............GO FOR IT! lifes way to short!")

 

[Cindy B]

Put in on Ebay motors.

That sounds like a fair price.. heck, if you were selling it a month ago, and were closer I would buy it!

 

[DMickey28]

I say if you don't owe on it, and you don't NEED the money for selling it and it's "play" money, do what you want with it!!! GO!

 

[orvilleair]

I think the used car market is down, because the auto manufacturers are offering low interest financing for new cars. Plus, I don't know if people are still worried about the safety of an "old style" Explorer after hearing the media accounts of tires blowing etc... Did you check other ads in Tradewinds to see if your truck is priced competitively? Good point on the cost of advertising, and you're probably paying a little insurance on the Exporer too.

With that being said, I haven't had anyone call me on a used car I have for sale either. I would take the $4200 for peace of mind.

 

[Beauty]

Scott you brought up a point I didn't even think of........the Explorer still IS on our insurance. All of our vehicles are together so I'm not sure what the exact dollar amount is just for the Explorer but I'm sure its upwards of at least 60-75 per month when broken down.