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What's a 2005 Jeep Liberty Worth?


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I was wondering if anyone could give me a conservative estimate of what a running, driving, and rusted out 2005 Jeep Liberty is worth parted out? I've been told not even to expect "Wholesale" price because it's uninspectable, that's here in Vermont though, so I don't have a clue what it could be worth in an area where the value is not in a driver, but parts car. Good engine, transmission, transfer case, etc...

The "Salvage Yards" are paying scrap prices for vehicles no matter the condition these days, and $150.00 isn't going to get it when the engine alone is worth more than that.Prices in the local CL are all over the place. $1000.00 for an undrivable 201,000 mile car?? Others for $400.00 to $600.00 complete. There's no rhyme or reason. Maybe you can provide some examples from your area.

One question remains. What is a Wholesale price? There isn't a real answer anymore. Most people look to an auction report that the public can't see prior to dealing with a dealer. How can you devine the value of your car and the seller's car if all the "Book Prices" are useless? Here in Vermont the Southern car is king.

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BadDriver4x4...Parting out is a Craigslist or eBay kind of situation, and if you want to avoid shipping charges and the hassle of crating up parts and taking them to a freight company, you might try your local area Craigslist instead.  If you're parting the vehicle out, the book values for a complete car are meaningless like you share. 

Book values have become distorted by the use of online services like Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com).  The typical pricing fits three categories:  1) full "Retail Price" on a dealership lot for a vehicle in complete and sale-ready shape, which should include all safety-related work and an engine/emissions system that passes smog, new/near new tires, cosmetically sound, etc., 2) the "Wholesale Price" or trade-in value, which is essentially what a dealer will allow as a trade-in value for a vehicle, applying due consideration for its current condition, and 3) the "Private Party" sale price, which assumes that the private party seller and buyer know something about how close the vehicle is to road-worthy, "dealership" status.

Retail assumes that the vehicle can be placed "on the line" at a car store and that the vehicle meets financing standards as collateral.  A CARFAX is popular these days as a deciding factor about the vehicle's history and any gross concerns—like major collision work. 

Dealer trade-in or wholesale value is nebulous because there is often a paper allowance to cinch a deal and financing;  on-paper allowance does not necessarily reflect the vehicle's real value to the dealer.  The "actual cash value" or "ACV" that the dealer places on a vehicle, in its current condition, is what the vehicle is actually worth to the dealer.  ACV is not revealed, and the trade-in vehicle's ACV determines the sale price of a new or used vehicle when there is a trade-in involved.

Of course, dealers want to maximize profit.  In fairness to dealers, consumers are often unrealistic about the ACV of their vehicle and the need for reconditioning, restoration, safety, tires, cosmetics, upholstery and emissions inspection.  Higher mileage vehicles are essentially a risk for any new car dealership.  New car dealers invariably wholesale the vehicle out to an auction, a high-mileage used vehicle dealer, or they "curb" the vehicle to an employee. 

The acceptable mileage for new car trade-ins will vary.  75-90K miles was high at one time.  A new car dealer would wholesale out a vehicle with that kind of mileage...During the Great Recession, that mileage figure rose considerably.  Many new car dealerships were forced to accept and sell vehicles with 90K-120K miles on them.  Another driving force for reselling higher mileage vehicles is the ridiculously long financing terms like 72 months or more for new vehicles.  At 72 months, the paid off vehicle would have 108K miles or more, and the dealership must negotiate that higher mileage trade-in vehicle into the sale .

As for what your Jeep Liberty parts are worth, I poked around the internet and would guess that the removed (combined) engine and transmission, in decent shape, with confirmed compression or passing a cylinder leakdown test, might be worth $750-$1000, depending upon mileage and verifiable condition.   The rear axle and IFS front axle assembly with shafts would have some value, maybe $200-$250 apiece.  Glass, doors and seats could have some value, the hood and grille, too, if not rusted.  Contact local recycling yards as a "buyer/shopper".  Ask for quotes on how much they get for these components.

Again, the aim is to sell this stuff in your neighborhood and not get involved with freight and shipping hassles...The remaining body can go to salvage where it apparently belongs.  Sorry you're in this position.

Moses

 

 

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Thanks for your help Moses. I find that it is impossible to determine the price of anything as a seller because everyone likes to take the lowest price paid for anything and apply it to newer or decent items. Now, I will take a low price that was paid, look at the item on it's own merits and try to negotiate a reasonable price. Only a few times have I looked at something so abysmal that it should have gone to the trash bin, but those are rare and the one time I have seen those items I told the owner and then let him offer to sell them for parts. Since the items were old, modified CBs I didn't feel bad when he offered them for a 10th of the original asking price. I can always use parts to fix other radios. Even then I can lose because the board may have been cooked by a bad power connection. It all depends on how much you're willing to risk. Sometimes you even pay more if you can afford to.

The other day my daughter was told by a car dealer that an As-Is car didn't have a negotiable price. The car wasn't represented as a Wholesale to the Public, which has become popular because they usually can't pass inspection. Of course that means you're buying a "Junk car" for a higher than "wholesale" price without the possibility of further lowering the price. Something the dealer would never allow if you present them with "book" price. I was told the "book" didn't allow for the un-inspectable car.

Does this mean something I'm not reading?

Quote

Rough Trade-In - Rough Trade-in values reflect a vehicle in rough condition. Meaning a vehicle with significant mechanical defects requiring repairs in order to restore reasonable running condition. Paint, body and wheel surfaces have considerable damage to their finish, which may include dull or faded (oxidized) paint, small to medium size dents, frame damage, rust or obvious signs of previous repairs. Interior reflects above average wear with inoperable equipment, damaged or missing trim and heavily soiled /permanent imperfections on the headliner, carpet, and upholstery. Vehicle may have a branded title and un-true mileage. Vehicle will need substantial reconditioning and repair to be made ready for resale. Some existing issues may be difficult to restore. Because individual vehicle condition varies greatly, users of NADAguides.com may need to make independent adjustments for actual vehicle condition. 
 

NADA Online

But the NADA price for my Jeep LIberty is currently $2800.00 in this category.

I'll end up taking $500.00 locally because, as you said, parting out just isn't reasonable or possible. That is especially the case in a town that won't allow you to have a car in parting out condition on your property under penalty of fines. (It's all their property right?? That's why we pay an annual rental fee to the town.) That's a discussion for another forum.

 

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Back to the rule of thumb that a dealer expects a restorable vehicle with a clear cost to make it sale ready.  If the vehicle's restoration costs exceed a given amount, the vehicle would be considered "worthless".  Worthless would roughly mean that the vehicle's full retail value minus the restoration cost in labor and parts adds up to zero or a mere fraction of the sale price.  As an example, if your Liberty requires $5000 to make it "front line ready", and if the vehicle is worth $4999 on the front line in sale-ready condition, it would be worthless to the dealer.  The dealer expects a set profit value for any transaction.

In considering any trade-in, one factor that can never be overcome is high mileage.  Another is a CARFAX report that indicates the vehicle was severely wrecked and repaired at some point.  Still another would be an actual salvage title.  These stigmas are solid roadblocks to a trade. 

There are instances where the vehicle is in rough shape but the dealership creatively allows a "paper" value as a trade-in.  The price of the new vehicle is either jacked up or has enough profit margin to permit a still profitable sale despite the over-allowance for the trade-in.  The dealer takes the rough vehicle off the buyer's hands by allowing an on-paper, inflated trade-in value.  Likely the rough trade will be wholesaled, sold internally to a willing employee or, in the worst case scenario, actually scrapped or sold to a recycling yard.

Intact to a private party that needs your car's powertrain, axles and other useful pieces, somewhere between $500-$800 would seem reasonable.  That's assuming the engine, transmission, axles and steering/suspension have some life left in them.  201K miles is getting up there, but a properly maintained modern engine and transmission could see another 50K miles.  At worst, the core values for these parts should total close to $500.

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