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How much to ask for my Jeep

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iqrdzz

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The 3.8L and pre-update interior drags it down quite a bit. If you get $25k I’d be surprised.
I didn't know that, but I sure do now! I guess my purchase timing was bad ten years ago. Oh well. Thanks!
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iqrdzz

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Hi Barry,

Allow me to tell you what I’ve experienced over the past thirty years. I’ve purchased at least one new car every year and one new HD motorcycle every other year for the past thirty years.
I’ve sold several/numerous vehicles and traded in several vehicles over those years.
I’ve modded most of my cars and all of my HD motorcycles.
I’ve lost big bucks, with every purchase/sale I’ve ever made.
Dealers and most private parties could care less about mods. At best, you’ll recoup no more than 10-15% on your mods with either cars/trucks/Jeep’s or motorcycles.
Buyers want to personalize their own vehicles.
At the end of the day, your car is only worth what someone is willing to pay you. Take your emotions out of the game.
Sell at a reasonable price & then only then will it sell.
Some states give you a tax break on trade-ins; you only pay tax on the price difference. Consider this as well. It’s a jungle out there, lol...
Consider removing mods and selling on this forum and/or CL.
GL/Cheers,
B
Great information, albeit not what I wanted to hear. I didn't really realize it came across emotionally, but if that's your perception then that's all that matters. I'll definitely simplify the ad. As I mentioned in a reply to another person, better to under-promise and over-deliver. I won't be doing any mods on the 392, but what could I possibly want to do? It seems like it has it all. Obviously, you've been down this road a lot. I can't believe you do this every couple of years knowing you're going to lose that much money on it. But then, if that's your hobby then it makes sense. What I'd really like to do is keep it as my "play toy" for off-roading (I can't see taking the 392 off road for quite some time); however, my wife doesn't want a third car sitting around the house. We'll see - maybe I'll talk her into it. Thanks for taking the time to offer such a thoughtful reply. Enjoy your day! Barry
 

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Great information, albeit not what I wanted to hear. I didn't really realize it came across emotionally, but if that's your perception then that's all that matters. I'll definitely simplify the ad. As I mentioned in a reply to another person, better to under-promise and over-deliver. I won't be doing any mods on the 392, but what could I possibly want to do? It seems like it has it all. Obviously, you've been down this road a lot. I can't believe you do this every couple of years knowing you're going to lose that much money on it. But then, if that's your hobby then it makes sense. What I'd really like to do is keep it as my "play toy" for off-roading (I can't see taking the 392 off road for quite some time); however, my wife doesn't want a third car sitting around the house. We'll see - maybe I'll talk her into it. Thanks for taking the time to offer such a thoughtful reply. Enjoy your day! Barry
I believe what @BenDiem meant is to avoid getting emotionally attached with what you are selling to the point that it clouds your objectivity.

There’s nothing wrong with writing a passionate ad that gets buyers excited.
 

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For me, the more mods a vehicle has the less I am interested in buying it.
100% I Would never buy a modified Wrangler! Why? Because at the very least, even if it was not taken off-road and beat up ... then the stock parts had additional wear and tear plus that means someone was messing with the jeep when they were installed. Having built up jeeps in the past, I know I wouldn't want someone like me working on a vehicle I was buying lol Especially one that most folks will likely need to take a loan out on.

Question, I didn't see what size tires you were running with the 3inch lift or what gearing the jeep has?

IMO, Stock jeeps demand a higher price and have a wider group of potential buyers.

Like others have said, your jeep is worth what someone is willing to pay for it, IMO which is just that an opinion ... and being that you have time before you take delivery of the 392. I would list it at where you feel comfortable, $25-$30K AND then see if you get any hits, then see what the dealership will give you for a trade in.
 

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I've been given similarly discouraging advice in the past. It's certainly true much of the time. The general rule about aftermarket additions being nearly worthless is correct. On the other hand, there are plenty of guys like me who know what those mods cost and will give you better value for them, especially if the work was professionally done and documented, the Jeep was well cared for, and it looks balanced and well done. The people who take the worst beating have done over-the-top mods that look extreme and render the Jeep less drivable. That sharply reduces the number of people who will find it appealing. The other challenge is the ability to get financing, as many people don't pay cash anymore, and most banks will only loan a percentage of KBB.

I sold my 2006 TJ last year for close to three times the ridiculously low KBB number. The TJ had a long list of mods, including a 3" lift, Ford 8.8 rear axel, 456 gears, ARB lockers., ARB bumpers, and a quality (American) Warn winch. On the other hand, it only had 33" tires on it, it wasn't beaten up, I'd recently replaced the interior with a Bedrug carpeting kit, and it drove as smooth as butter. The guy who looked at it saw the value immediately and was happy to pay for it. He got a very capable, new looking TJ for a fraction of what the mods on my current JL cost.

Value is in the eyes of the beholder. If you're not in a hurry to sell, I'd try advertising it in the upper 20s, especially if it's a pretty Jeep and you have receipts showing the work was done by a well respected shop. Take a picture or two of the Jeep's belly to confirm it's a virgin too. Plenty of people modify their jeeps and then never make it to abusive off-road with them. I've had my 2019 JL for close to two years, and I've buried a ton of money into it. I have a $2000 Artec full-belly skid plate sitting in my shop awaiting installation too, but I work all the time and I've spent much of my free time building the jeep, so it has less than 5,000 miles on it, none of which were slamming into rocks. If I croak after installing the belly pan next weekend, it will never have seen it's intended use, and my wife will bein the same spot you're in -- but she'll know better than to sell the JL for low KBB. Somebody will see the value of the parts I've installed. :like: If not, there's always time to drop the price until it sells for the lowball number. Somebody is always willing to pay that.
 

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For me, the more mods a vehicle has the less I am interested in buying it.
Unless they are *exactly* the mods I plan to make; which is probably unrealistic; and then it is $0.25 on the dollar.
 

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For what it's worth, with me personally, name dropping some of the mods, but not all of them, would keep me away. As a potential customer, I'm going to assume that the ones not branded are just cheap Walmart or Harbor Freight parts.

Also, I think another way of looking at "remove the emotion" part of it means to price it for what the market demands are, not based off of what you paid for it. The other part of the equation is how quickly do you want to move it? You could price it high and hold onto it until someone bites, but how long will that take? Maybe the first call, maybe a few years? Or you could price it low and move it quickly.
 

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There's a butt for every seat, a buyer for every vehicle. And so your JK will eventually sell, @iqrdzz; the challenge is finding the sweet spot of price and accompanying ad copy. What are similar JKs selling for in your geographic area?

One respectful suggestion: "Factory-new condition" means the stock Wrangler is sitting in the Toledo factory lot, waiting for train or truck transport to the dealer. It doesn't mean 45K on the odometer, or even 5K. Consider using "very good condition", "adult owned and maintained", etc.

Having wheeled & dealed a bit myself, the prior comments regarding accessories being worth at best 10 cents on the dollar, absolutely reconciles with my own experience. I tend to remove the add-ons to the extent practicable, and sell them (and anything new & uninstalled) on enthusiast forums like this one. My average return is 50 cents on the dollar, which is fine by me.
 

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There's a butt for every seat, a buyer for every vehicle. And so your JK will eventually sell, @iqrdzz; the challenge is finding the sweet spot of price and accompanying ad copy. What are similar JKs selling for in your geographic area?

One respectful suggestion: "Factory-new condition" means the stock Wrangler is sitting in the Toledo factory lot, waiting for train or truck transport to the dealer. It doesn't mean 45K on the odometer, or even 5K. Consider using "very good condition", "adult owned and maintained", etc.

Having wheeled & dealed a bit myself, the prior comments regarding accessories being worth at best 10 cents on the dollar, absolutely reconciles with my own experience. I tend to remove the add-ons to the extent practicable, and sell them (and anything new & uninstalled) on enthusiast forums like this one. My average return is 50 cents on the dollar, which is fine by me.
I agree with many of the comments on mods and their impact on value. I have not had a car or truck out of warranty since 1988. I buy new every 2 to 3 years and all of my trucks have mods to them. They have very little impact on value when I sell/trade for new. The biggest factor in value for me has been my relationship with the dealer. I have been with the same dealership, although it has changed hands 3 times, since 1988. They want my repeat business and are willing to pay top dollar for my trades. They know I treat my vehicles well and in most instances my trades are sold before they hit the lot. I usually "shop around" when its time to buy just to keep the dealer honest but no matter what I come back with the dealer is willing to match or do better. The mods become a talking point but I know they have very little to do with the final deal. My 2021 Willys will probably be the exception to my no out of warranty vehicles rule. I have already made significant mods and have no plans of going to something new in the future.
 
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iqrdzz

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There's a butt for every seat, a buyer for every vehicle. And so your JK will eventually sell, @iqrdzz; the challenge is finding the sweet spot of price and accompanying ad copy. What are similar JKs selling for in your geographic area?

One respectful suggestion: "Factory-new condition" means the stock Wrangler is sitting in the Toledo factory lot, waiting for train or truck transport to the dealer. It doesn't mean 45K on the odometer, or even 5K. Consider using "very good condition", "adult owned and maintained", etc.

Having wheeled & dealed a bit myself, the prior comments regarding accessories being worth at best 10 cents on the dollar, absolutely reconciles with my own experience. I tend to remove the add-ons to the extent practicable, and sell them (and anything new & uninstalled) on enthusiast forums like this one. My average return is 50 cents on the dollar, which is fine by me.
Good info, and I thank you for it. I'll remove the things that would go unnoticed removed, but not things like bumpers, etc. I don't have the original stuff, and I just don't have the time. The right butt for that seat should be pretty pleased. I'll do my research, but I'll price it to sell because I just don't have the tolerance for a long process. No wonder I usually drive vehicles until they rust out from under me! Thanks again!
 
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iqrdzz

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I've been given similarly discouraging advice in the past. It's certainly true much of the time. The general rule about aftermarket additions being nearly worthless is correct. On the other hand, there are plenty of guys like me who know what those mods cost and will give you better value for them, especially if the work was professionally done and documented, the Jeep was well cared for, and it looks balanced and well done. The people who take the worst beating have done over-the-top mods that look extreme and render the Jeep less drivable. That sharply reduces the number of people who will find it appealing. The other challenge is the ability to get financing, as many people don't pay cash anymore, and most banks will only loan a percentage of KBB.

I sold my 2006 TJ last year for close to three times the ridiculously low KBB number. The TJ had a long list of mods, including a 3" lift, Ford 8.8 rear axel, 456 gears, ARB lockers., ARB bumpers, and a quality (American) Warn winch. On the other hand, it only had 33" tires on it, it wasn't beaten up, I'd recently replaced the interior with a Bedrug carpeting kit, and it drove as smooth as butter. The guy who looked at it saw the value immediately and was happy to pay for it. He got a very capable, new looking TJ for a fraction of what the mods on my current JL cost.

Value is in the eyes of the beholder. If you're not in a hurry to sell, I'd try advertising it in the upper 20s, especially if it's a pretty Jeep and you have receipts showing the work was done by a well respected shop. Take a picture or two of the Jeep's belly to confirm it's a virgin too. Plenty of people modify their jeeps and then never make it to abusive off-road with them. I've had my 2019 JL for close to two years, and I've buried a ton of money into it. I have a $2000 Artec full-belly skid plate sitting in my shop awaiting installation too, but I work all the time and I've spent much of my free time building the jeep, so it has less than 5,000 miles on it, none of which were slamming into rocks. If I croak after installing the belly pan next weekend, it will never have seen it's intended use, and my wife will bein the same spot you're in -- but she'll know better than to sell the JL for low KBB. Somebody will see the value of the parts I've installed. :like: If not, there's always time to drop the price until it sells for the lowball number. Somebody is always willing to pay that.
Thanks! It is nice to hear some encouraging news. All of my mod work was done at a place called Fortec 4x4 in Roswell, GA. It's an excellent shop, and I have all of the work documents (I keep everything - every oil change receipt, etc.). I don't have the time or knowledge to put crap parts on my Jeep. I have a bad habit of paying too much to get stuff done right, but I feel like that's better than getting a "deal" and having it done wrong. I really have not taken my Jeep off road. I think it makes sense to price upper 20's, list it appropriately and see what happens. Even taking the emotion out of it (and I find it hard to get emotional about an inanimate object) I would hope being in the greater Atlanta area would provide enough bodies to find an interested party. I'm not looking to get top dollar - I just don't want to give it away. We'll see what happens. Thanks! Barry
 

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People " Buy with their eyes", a sharp, well optioned JK will get a decent price. You can always come down, Wranglers are " hot" , don't give it away. See what comparable JKs are actually selling for, yours sounds exceptionally clean, low mileage. Good luck !
 
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iqrdzz

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People " Buy with their eyes", a sharp, well optioned JK will get a decent price. You can always come down, Wranglers are " hot" , don't give it away. See what comparable JKs are actually selling for, yours sounds exceptionally clean, low mileage. Good luck !
Thanks! I do need to check comparables (something I've never done).
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