Ohio Chatter

Finally beat the Car Dealership

Serious Business
birddog23 Senior Member
1,173 posts 8 reps Joined Aug 2010
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 10:08 AM

We have a vehicle that was leased and our 3 years just ended. 

(If I could do it over, I probably wouldn't have leased - but we were in a pinch and needed a reliable car in a pinch.)

Anyways, I was listening to a podcast a month or so ago and they had mentioned that people should really consider buying out their lease if their lease-end was near. The used car market has become crazy, much like the housing market. 

Dealerships, private parties, etc. were paying crazy high amounts for quality used cars - especially with lower mileage. It intrigued me a bit so I did some basic research on KBB and figured I could make $1-2k by buying out our lease and then re-selling it.

We went to the dealership to buy out our lease and I mentioned to our salesmen our plans and he mentioned how great of an idea that was. He then asked let me talk to my manager and see if we can make you an offer.

Long story short, he did the whole manager talk and came back and told us that his manager said we were better off just turning the vehicle back in and cutting our losses. We had already made up our mind that we were going to buy out the vehicle and take our chances selling it privately.

I got home and went on Carvana to see what maybe they would offer us for the vehicle....and it was over the KBB value. Carvana just came and did the inspection and picked up our vehicle and left us with a check on the spot.

All said and done after taxes we made $3,500 by buying out our lease and re-selling it. Finally pulled a quick one the car dealership!


justincredible Honorable Admin
37,969 posts 250 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 10:16 AM

Nice. Are you replacing it with anything?
birddog23 Senior Member
1,173 posts 8 reps Joined Aug 2010
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 10:24 AM
posted by justincredible

Nice. Are you replacing it with anything?

We actually purchased a used Acadia back in April. We had another kid so we needed a vehicle with more space and 3rd row option. We've had 3 vehicles for the last 4 months, and just didn't drive the leased vehicle as much to ensure it stayed under mileage.  So now we will just be back to 2 vehicles. 
justincredible Honorable Admin
37,969 posts 250 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 10:32 AM

My 2018 Outback has a private property sale value around $26k and I'm very tempted to sell it.
j_crazy 7 gram rocks. how i roll.
8,623 posts 30 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 10:45 AM

Nice. I was offered $38k for my truck last October when i was getting an oil change since the dealership was so low on inventory. I was tempted since at that time, it was 4 years old and i only paid 44k for it new. only thing that stopped me was the dealership telling me that there was at least a 14 month wait to get another truck.
kizer permanente Senior Member
1,309 posts 18 reps Joined Aug 2017
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 11:09 AM

how can you privately sell a lease when the dealership owns it?
Fletch Member
0 posts 3 reps Joined Nov 2020
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 11:19 AM

This is why I buy all cars fully loaded.  You make money on them at trade in or the dealers buy you out of them and put you in another loaded car without raping you.


Lesson is, dont buy crappy cars.
birddog23 Senior Member
1,173 posts 8 reps Joined Aug 2010
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 11:21 AM
posted by kizer permanente

how can you privately sell a lease when the dealership owns it?

We bought it out. Thus, we owned it then.
Automatik Senior Member
15,737 posts 99 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 11:28 AM
posted by Fletch

This is why I buy all cars fully loaded.  You make money on them at trade in or the dealers buy you out of them and put you in another loaded car without raping you.


Lesson is, dont buy crappy cars.

What fully loaded cars are you currently driving?
kizer permanente Senior Member
1,309 posts 18 reps Joined Aug 2017
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 11:38 AM
posted by birddog23

We bought it out. Thus, we owned it then.


ah ok... sorry I misunderstood. Usually dealers want so much to buy it out that its not worth it. 
birddog23 Senior Member
1,173 posts 8 reps Joined Aug 2010
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 11:59 AM
posted by kizer permanente

ah ok... sorry I misunderstood. Usually dealers want so much to buy it out that its not worth it. 

Correct. I’d say that’s typically the case 98% of the time. That’s why I am taking this litttle victory lap lol
BR1986FB Senior Member
27,923 posts 126 reps Joined Feb 2010
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 1:41 PM

Our daughter in law, who used to work at a Kia dealership did this with her leased Telluride. Made 10k off the trade in with Carvana.
brutus161 The Navy Guy
1,688 posts 25 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 1:57 PM

My 9-year-old Jeep is currently worth about $4k less than I bought it new, and I could probably get even more. Not a bad investment.
Automatik Senior Member
15,737 posts 99 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 2:44 PM

Car industry in general is just bonkers. 

I bought new 4runner in May. Used ones, same year/model with ~10k mile are now going for 3k more than I paid.
BR1986FB Senior Member
27,923 posts 126 reps Joined Feb 2010
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 4:49 PM

Got another one...girlfriend's recently deceased aunt had a white 2015 Ford Focus (she believes) that had 5k mileage. Carvana's offer? 20k. Just got this offer today.
Laley23 GOAT
33,369 posts 133 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 5:01 PM
posted by BR1986FB

Got another one...girlfriend's recently deceased aunt had a white 2015 Ford Focus (she believes) that had 5k mileage. Carvana's offer? 20k. Just got this offer today.

KBB rates my (48,000) 2012 Ford Focus at about $10k, so that doesn't surprise me.
Ironman92 Administrator
56,729 posts 168 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 7:02 PM
posted by brutus161

My 9-year-old Jeep is currently worth about $4k less than I bought it new, and I could probably get even more. Not a bad investment.

It would sell for more here in Jackson. It’s crazy.
sportchampps Senior Member
7,527 posts 36 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 9:52 PM

Around January I was thinking about trading in my car was offered 14.5k last month the dealership offered me 19.5k. Same care with about 5k more miles lol. 


I’m going to wait until February when it’s paid off and trade it in for something new hopefully there’s a lil more stock of new cars available then. I love the way the new Bronco Sport and Bronco look. I might also look more into an EV or Hybrid.
Automatik Senior Member
15,737 posts 99 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 10:20 PM

The Sports are junk and lots of issues with the regular Bronco. If you ever get serious about a Bronco wait until 2023/24 models. 

I researched and shopped the hell out of the new Bronco when I was looking to buy. 
friendfromlowry Senior Member
7,778 posts 87 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, Aug 26, 2021 11:02 PM

Birddog - what was the name of that podcast? I’d like to listen. We’re in the exact same situation. Our three year lease is up in November and we really like the SUV and would be interested in keeping it. 
sportchampps Senior Member
7,527 posts 36 reps Joined Nov 2009
Fri, Aug 27, 2021 4:04 AM
posted by Automatik

The Sports are junk and lots of issues with the regular Bronco. If you ever get serious about a Bronco wait until 2023/24 models. 

I researched and shopped the hell out of the new Bronco when I was looking to buy. 

I would never buy a first year model or redesign of a car but I would be pretty confident that next years models should have most issues fixed. What didn’t you like about the Sport I test drove a Outer Banks model and liked it.

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