We bought a used Honda CR-V about one month ago, and were highly satisfied, so we returned to the dealer to buy a used Civic for our daughter. On this purchase we traded in 2 cars. Both trade-ins were valued using Kelley Blue Book. Both the dealer and we ran quotes, the quotes were very close in value, and we agreed that the cars were in "fair condition". However, the dealer insisted that the Kelley value for a car in any given condition should be REDUCED by the amount that they would spend to improve that condition. This is not true - the Kelley value PRICES IN the reduction in value reflected by the need to make repairs. This transparent fallacy was argued by the dealer vehemently and at great length. The upshot of such a move would be to pay me for a car in very poor condition (by substracting the repair cost from the fair condition value). If I put that money in myself, I would (obviously) be brining in a car in "very good" condition, at a commensurately higher value, to trade. The dealer went on to argue that, because Kelley could not see my specific vehicle, the Kelley value could not be used. This is another patent fallacy - if this were true, there would be no point in using Kelley at all. The dealer's position is belied by the fact they themselves bragged to me that they use a dealer's version of Kelley. If it's no good, why did they pay "thousands of dollars" (he said) for it? The dealer proved impervious to logic, and ultimately put me in front of a bullying general sales manager ("Tim"), whose notion of a conversation was to interrupt and talk angrily over everything I tried to say. I don't believe I succeeded in completing a sentence in that conversation. On returning home, I contacted Kelley directly myself to confirm the correct use of Kelley, both in an online submission of a query and in direct conversation with Kelley. Kelley responded to confirm my understanding: the dealer grossly misrepresented the use and meaning of the Kelley BlueBook values, and dishonestly represented that the Fair Condition value should be reduced by the amount in would cost to repair the car. At my request Kelley is responding to confirm by email so that I may place this gross misrepresentation before the Better Business Bureau and in pursuing remedies under the Washington Consumer Protection Act and with the Washington Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, which I will do. It is not so much the amount of money at stake, as that I strongly dislike being lied to and cheated. Any used car buyer considering Hinshaw's Honda should be aware of these tactics and of your options for recourse. Do not accept this gross misrepresentation in the use of Kelley BlueBook values.
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