Used car selling question

[NewJeffCT]

We're probably going to buy a new or newer car fairly soon and have been looking for something a bit bigger than what we have now - but, we have a nine year old Toyota Corolla that has over 160,000 miles on it. It's been well maintained and we've never had any mechanical issues, but would need new tires and an alignment very soon if we kept it (not to mention a new battery and an A/C recharge)

Is it normally better to sell the car as is - not replace the tires, battery and recharge the A/C? Or, spend a few hundred dollars up front for tires, etc, and advertise it with new tires and battery?

Thanks

[elleng]

1. I don't know, 'officially,' but I'd guess AS IS with car, re-do with house.

Buyers would know reputation of car (MY toyo corolla wagon is '93, 'only' 116000 miles) and you need not invest in it at this point. jmo

[NewJeffCT]

4. Probably the best plan

leave it up to the person that buys it to replace it.

[Kali]

2. dang I would do the work on it and keep it

that sucker is probably good for at least another 5 years

(but then I am driving a 20 year old van with more miles than that:rofl: )

what do you want for it?;-)

[NewJeffCT]

3. from kbb.com and edmunds.com

the trade-in value of the car would be around $2,500, while the private party sale value would be around $4,000 in "good" condition. It is the "S" model Corolla. If I could get more on the trade-in, I would do that, as you only pay sales tax on the "net" value of the purchase. So, I would save the trade in cost, plus the lower sales tax (say, trade in for $3,000, I would save an extra 6%, or $180)

[rucky]

5. I think people who buy a high mileage car expect to do a little work on it.

If I were buying, I'd rather get my own tires. A new battery doesn't matter much, but the A/C recharge may be worth doing first, though. One of the first things people notice is the A/C.

BTW, my father in law has a car lot, and sells high-mileage Hondas and Toyotas all day - they're the most competitive cars at the auto auctions because they can run and run.

[NewJeffCT]

6. Thanks

what's also nice about the Corolla I have is that it has a timing chain. I brought it in for the regular 60K maintenance way back when, and then asked the guy there if I could get an estimate for a timing belt/water pump replacement... so, he looked it up in his computer and said that I didn't need to do it because it has a timing chain.