According to my local paper Kelley Blue Book has come out with their top 2005 models that will best hold their values and the RX 8 is on the list, along with BMW 5 series, 350Z, MB CLK 320, Porsche Cayenne.

 

No offense, but this has been posted at least three different times on this forum.

Do a search...

 

Sorry, did a search for Kelly Blue Book and came up with nothing recent.

 

Either way that's great news!!! Finally I bought a car that holds it's value well.

- Irish

 

Top Value Holders

 

well, at the CURRENT moment as i type this, a new rx8 can sell for the same as a used RX8, talk about holding your value, forget about the resale value and enjoy the car

 

Rob Tomlin: WOW, someone actually referenced one of my threads... I feell so special... :D

Yeah, kinnda nice to know our cars will hold their value.

 

Yeah, I've seen that. I was scratching my head as to why anyone would pay just as much for an 8 with 9K miles on it as one with 9 miles on it.

 

Unfortunately at the moment, the blue book value of the RX8 is completely irrelevant to the real market value. The fact that rx8s are selling way below invoice is not included on the resale values. If you try trading in your rx8 like I did a month ago, you'll be in for a rude awakening. I'd imagine once the 04 model is gone, we'll get a better idea of what the rx8 is worth. It's very hard to sell a used rx8 for anywhere close to blue book because, the dealers themselves are having trouble selling them new, and it's tkaing monster deals to liquidate them. I can't wait to see what the KBB value is at this same time next year on the 04. That will give us a better idea of what the car is currently worth. For now, dealers are waiting til all their new 04s are gone, so they can jack up the 05, and entice people to buy a preowned 04 for closer to what KBB says. This is definitely not the time to try selling your rx8.

 

Why do you think RX-8 sales have been so slow? Not that I'm complaining, I like having a unique car. :D

I liked the Mini Coopers for a while, but suddenly they were all over the place. You can't go to the bathroom these days (at least not in the San Francisco Bay Area) without tripping over a Mini.

 

Im not sure sales have really been that slow. Im seeing more and more of them. Dealers always say sales are slow when youre trying to trade a car in. Its how they get the best deals. KBB know what theyre talking about. That kinda research is the sole purpose of their existence.

 

Alot of the sales depend on location. Here in MN no one is about to buy a sports car when winter is just around the corner. Yesterday's paper had a 2004 loaded with 9k and asking price was $23,900. Quite a hit for a $33,000 vehicle thats only a year old. I'm sure this car would be worth more in a warmer climate.

 

Obviously you are going to see a lot of them. They did afterall mass produce this car. They were selling extremely slow until they started knocking prices way below invoice to try and clear them out. It's safe to say at their incredible mark downs, this car is selling better. There are still plenty of 04 models left to sell at lots, so we'll be seeing a ton of them before too long. It's not the rx8 itself that is not selling well. It's the fact that Mazda simply produced WAY to many of them, and they far exceeded the demand. As far as trade in value, it really has nothing to do with KBB. If you go to trade in an 04 rx8, the dealer isn't stupid. They know all to well that the car is selling brand new for 1-2k below invoice, and that they will lose money if they give you at or near KBB trade in value. Of course they have ways to manipulate it, by offering you full KBB trade, but then charging you full msrp for another car they would have given you several thousand off on. I know all to well, because I tried it, and that's exactly what happened. Finally they were honest and told me the rx8 is selling for far to low brand new for them to make any money on a used one. I guess they will come across people who do not do their homework, and will pay the same price for a used rx8 with 10k miles on it as a new one costs now. By the time 05 rolls around, the 04 model will be 100% in the used market, so we'll hopefully see more realistic prices.

 

Bottom line is that you will always get screwed when you trade in your car vs. selling it yourself.