QuestionQUESTION: Thanks for your answer to my truck question Jeff. We did a little looking today and when I saw how small the beds of the trucks were, I was shocked. No way can I fit two dog kennels in there and a bunch of other stuff! I love my Honda CRV, but it is just too small. It is perfect for around the town, but we already have to put a carrier on the top and/or pull a trailer for overnight excursions. We use an open trailer my father loans us, so no security. Is the Pilot much bigger than my car? We have started making the dogs share their space in the back and maybe if we had a rig with more room back there we could squeeze more into that area. We have done some research on the Durango and Explorer, but while they are cheaper, the MPG isn't a selling point for certain.
Another thing is that we are unsure as to what we want to do with our truck. Sell it or trade it in? We aren't in a rush on this, but I wonder if the trade in value would be enough that we wouldn't want to hassle with trying to sell it ourselves.
Thanks for any assistance you can give.
~Christina
ANSWER: Last question first: sell the current Nissan pickup yourself. When it comes to trade-ins, dealers are looking for a vehicle they can resell on their lot. A 10 year-old truck with 170,000 miles is a wholesale item for them, one they have to take to auction and get pennies on the dollar for. You're much better off negotiating a "clean deal" price (no trade-in) on the new vehicle, then selling the Nissan on your own. Dealers are very good at making you THINK you're getting a good trade-in value, when all they're doing is inflating the price of the vehicle you're buying from them. If you see no posted prices on their used vehicles, and/or one of the first questions from the salesman is, "what are you trading in?," beware. This is the "set-up" for getting you to pay more than you should, all the while thinking you got a great deal. The ONLY time you'd trade in a vehicle like yours is if your situation prevents you from selling it on your own (you and your husband both work two jobs and don't have the time, no place to display the truck for sale, etc...)
The Pilot is definitely larger than the CR-V; whether or not it's big enough, only you can decide. If you spend EACH AND EVERY weekend taking the kids and dogs somewhere, then you might want to consider something even larger, like a Tahoe or Expedition. But consider your lifestyle- if these trips occur once or month, or even less frequently, then I still think a small (but enclosed and lockable) utility trailer for your personal belongings, towed behind a mid-size SUV, might be the best way to go. That way, the dogs and the kids are comfortable inside, you've got plenty of room for luggage and gear, and you aren't stuck driving something the size of Rhode Island!
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QUESTION: Thanks Jeff, we will start the research on selling the truck. I have looked at the specs for the 2004 Pilot and Highlander and find it odd that the length is only about a foot more than our 2000 CRV and yet they both have a much higher storage and passenger capacity. We haven't been inside either of these vehicles yet, so that may make it more clear. Any thoughts as to which of these is the better vehicle? We haven't settled on a year, but I don't think I want to go older than 2003. I am concerned that we might sacrifice some quality for a lower price. I am also not sure about buying from a private party. I feel like we just won't know what we are getting if you go to a private seller. Any recommendations on that?
Thanks Jeff!
~Christina
AnswerNot only are they longer than your CR-V, but they're wider and taller- that's what makes the difference in the size of the interior. They're both good vehicles, so I'd let your personal preference in the way they drive and handle be your guide in making the final decision.
More important than year or mileage is condition. For instance, was the previous owner a smoker? If you're not, then that can be a problem, as there's no way to completely remove cigarette-smoke odor from a vehicle. And yes, you do have to be careful when buying from a private party. If they have a late-model, low-mileage, perfect-condition vehicle for sale, then you have to ask the question: why didn't they trade it in? Either they want WAAAY too much money for it, or it has a serious problem that the dealers are discovering. Time to get the vehicle identification number (VIN) and use it to get a CarFax report. You may pay more when buying from a dealer, but you'll get a warranty and the reassurance that you have someone to go after if problems arise after the purchase. When buying from an individual, it truly is "buyer beware."
