Impossible. The buyout of 99% of leases is higher than trade in by about 3-4k in this case. The buyout is a "market" value and is overinflated to keep the lease payments (depreciation) lower. I want to see you "trade" in for more than you owe.... unless you have been making huge car payments over the last 18 months. Come back when you get a quote from your dealer.

A 0-2 year old car will still depreciate almost as much as a 2-4 year old car, percentage wise. That is if you paid during cashback incentive and not MSRP (or invoice.) You don't save unless you buy a 5+ year old car but that is out of warranty, bad paint, issues, etc. Why pay $20k for a 4 year old G with 50k miles (and change sparkplugs, wipers, air filter, tires, brakes, detail the paint/headlamps, detail the interior, change the acc. belts, etc that will drive the cost up another couple grand just to bring it back to new condition) when you can pay $30K off the bat and get a brand new one with warranty and no maintenance?

The new car is $10k more but will also last 4 years longer. Buying used is for chumps who want to get into an "Infiniti" or "BMW" but can't afford a new one. That's why they always complain their car has issues and that said car sucks, because the last owner molested it and took it to the track. Not all cars depreciate like a G37 sedan in automatic. The 1M is still selling for $70k used! A car with a $55k MSRP in 2012.

Infiniti made a good move dropping the MSRP of 370 and G37. Before the drop TRUE CAR says the G37 was selling for $28k, now it's back up to $30k 6 months later. By dropping the MSRP they had a huge increase in demand, most people are not like me and can't negotiate. They wait for a sale and pay what the dealer says. In this case the car is selling higher than when they had a $37k sticker and sat on the lot forever, so people lowballed them and got the car for $28k. Now they're selling for $30k left and right.

 

^ the first two years after a new vehicle purchase typically see the greatest depreciation in terms of total cost of ownership. this is not news to anyone - it is a well established phenomenon for the vast majority of vehicles on the road.

a 2-4 year old vehicle will depreciate with a flatter slope (lower rate) than years 0-2 - it is not a linear function. even if the depreciation rate was the same throughout ownership (i.e. 30% depreciation from year 0-2, and from 2-4, etc), each successive year the rate is applied against a smaller principal.

(new cars are also subject to one-time freight & PDI and various other fees and levies that a used car buyer avoids. as well, total tax payments are less on used vehicles since the purchase amount is less - and who likes paying taxes...)

so the cost of depreciation diminishes as the vehicle ages. now, it is not all roses and candy for a used-car buyer. less total depreciation on used vehicles is offset to a certain degree with the increase in maintenance costs. however, a savvy buyer who knows what to look for can still come out a long way ahead versus a new car buyer.

i can certainly speak for myself in this regard. i have bought 2 G's used. i bought an '04 6MT sedan in '06, and an '09 6MT sedan in '10. both were purchased at ~60% of the new-car cost. so the previous owner ate 40% total depreciation in the first 1.5-2 years. since then, the depreciation rates dropped dramatically. i sold the '04 after 4 years with an average of 11% annual depreciation. and after 3 years my '09 is showing an average of 6% loss due to depreciation according to local black book evaluations. i can live with both of these realities.

the above assumes private sales, which is all i would do. trade-ins kill the end value of used cars. in '10 the dealer offered me $10k for my '04 G. i sold it in one day for $16,500 when it was 6 years old.

i was very selective with who/where i bought the cars from. i have only had the usual preventative maintenance costs and i've done brakes and tires on each G.

to each his own, for sure. everyone has their own theories and comfort level with risk. i am more than comfortable with my G ownership history.

 

Makes me happy I leased this car.... $300 a month on a 47k car that is going to be worth way less than its buyout when it comes time to turn in.

Buying CPO again after this car, and it won't be an Infiniti.

 

I always try to buy a year old model cause some dealers want to get them off the lot to showcase their new models. This is true with most manufacturers. I have gotten great deals on my last 2 Infiniti cars by contacting dealers out of state. I did not mind driving over 500 miles to purchase a 350Z at a $10k discount prior to purchasing my G37. Being patient and looking for a great deal takes time but is certainly worth the effort. Another mistake buyers make is going to the dealership and falling in love with the car. The second mistake is even mentioning a trade-in before new car price is stated. A third mistake is not know what the dealer's cost is. Getting your own financing should also be considered because the dealer will not discount the vehicle if there is low financing. Doing your homework is required to get a good/great deal.

 

I contacted Warren Henry and the idiot is actually trying to sell me a car for sticker...

I told him I want $8k off he just ignores my emails.

I know people are getting $8-10k off G37s.. why would I pay anything higher than that for a 7year old car?