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Trade in on a 2010 Prius lease?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by soytea, Oct 11, 2010.

  1. soytea

    soytea New Member

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    So I bought a 2010 Mini Cooper S back in March. Yes, it's a funny little car and it gets pretty good mileage but I think I jumped the gun. The only reason I got the Mini was because the honda dealership smashed up my previous car, 2010 Honda Insight when I brought it in for scheduled maintenance. They bought the car back and I ended up with something a little different, the mini. After thinking about it for awhile, I realized the Mini just wasn't the right choice. Yes it's fun but it is indeed small.

    I'm thinking about trading it on 2010 Prius lease. Does anyone know how this will work since I'm sure I owe more on my Mini than what the trade-in value will be. I'm thinking I might owe an extra $3-4k on it than what I might get. Does the monthly lease value go up? Does the dealer pay off my car right there and I just get hit with a higher payment?

    I'm just wondering if anyone out there has ever been in this same situation.

    Thanks for reading!:)
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i think there is an early payment penalty on a lease. whatever, they will give you a payoff amount. you will have to pay that and begin a new lease on the prius.i'm not sure you can roll one lease into another.
     
  3. stream

    stream Senior Member

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    From your post it sounds like you purchased (and financed) the mini. Assuming that, if you trade in the car, you'll need to pay off the remainder of your loan. Since it sounds like you're upside down (owe more than trade in value), the negative equity on the loan will have to be accounted for, either by you paying it, or sometimes you can roll it into the lease (which would naturally increase your monthly payment).
     
  4. Judgeless

    Judgeless Senior Member

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    Buying a new car every three years is never a good thing.
     
  5. Skoorbmax

    Skoorbmax Senior Member

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    What about every 6 months?

    OP has made an egregious financial mistake and is going to be taken to the cleaners on this, now having driven the Mini for 6 months, enough time to remove all doubt that it's used and yet hardly denting the principal of the loan.

    Stream is right, though, he can either pay the difference in cash or roll it into the lease--MAYBE. If it's too grave an amount Toyota won't allow that much of a roll in which case he'd need to come up with the difference.
     
  6. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    Personally? I think you should suck it up and drive the Mini for a few years. You are going to get killed on this deal.
     
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  7. Teakwood

    Teakwood Member

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    :bounce: :juggle:
    :nono:
     
  8. stevemcelroy

    stevemcelroy Active Member

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    OP - You are going to take a bath if you do indeed trade your car in. To get a ballpark just go to any of the websites that give used car values - places like Edmunds, kbb.com, etc. That will give you a ballpark of what your Mini will fetch at trade or in a private sale - I have always found these values to be high so you might want to lower the values a touch. Just compare those to the balance on your loan and you will get an idea of just how underwater you are.
     
  9. priustexasbob

    priustexasbob Member

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    do you have any TRUSTED family members that you could "sell" the mini to and just have them take over payments? that would be about the only way you could go without taking a beating on the trade in value. I would be the dealer would give you less than what the websites say you would get.
     
  10. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    Yep. Absolutely agree on the above. I can't comment on leases and such since I don't do that.

    If you really want the Prius, I suggest renting one for a few days to be really sure that you want it it and any quirks it has don't bother you that much. You don't want to be back in the same situation again, taking a bath w/buyer's regret in 6 months or a year.

    Once you think it's an ok car for you, consider buying a used 2010 Prius or even a previous gen (that has been either thoroughly inspected by a mechanic indepdent of the seller or is Toyota certified). It will still have most of its warranty and someone else will have taken the big depreciation hit.
     
  11. Skoorbmax

    Skoorbmax Senior Member

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    This seems like a good idea but they'll have to register the car and they won't be the note holder nor immediately related through marriage. I don't know if that's a problem with DMV but it may be.

    If it was a lease he could use an online lease trading website. Segue: I recommend visiting these sites for lulz. Some people get into the most amazingly terrible leases.
     
  12. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    In MD I believe that would work. When my wife bought her first car her Dad was the lienholder (not sure why they weren't both on the lien, but that was before my time) and the car was registered just in her name. I'm sure all states are different.

    I know don't they? My God lol
     
  13. Jabber

    Jabber Chicagoland Prius Guy

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    As others have mentioned, you are going to take a LARGE hit on the resale value right now. You are going to be trading in at the beginning of fall/winter in a snowy climate. Expect your payment to be about 27-30 a month higher than a regular lease... per $1,000 you are upside down!

    Best bet is to stick with the car as long as you can or try to sell it privately in the spring.
     
  14. Skoorbmax

    Skoorbmax Senior Member

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    There is one on leasetrader now, a 2006 Prius with 9 months left and $508/month. Sign me up!
     
  15. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    Probably 47 miles left on it too LOL