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Wholesale Used Car Prices PLUMMET | Episode 959

Wholesale Used Car Prices PLUMMET | Episode 959

CarEdge Live Nov 06, 2025 33 min
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About this episode

Wholesale used car prices are experiencing a significant decline, marking the first 1% drop week-over-week since early 2022. This episode dives into the implications of this trend for car buyers, highlighting how newer used cars are depreciating faster than older models. The hosts discuss the impact on trade-in values and the overall market dynamics, including CarMax's recent CEO firing, signaling potential instability in the used car retail sector. Listeners gain insights into negotiating strategies and the shifting landscape of new versus used vehicle purchases.

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Company

CarMax

"So when we talk about a used car market update, CarMax is the largest retailer of used cars in the United States of America and they just fired their CEO."

CarMax is a big store that sells used cars. They have a lot of cars to choose from and don't negotiate prices, making it easier to buy a car.

Concept

used car market

"that a, used car sales are probably slowing to a certain degree, wholesale values are falling because the sales are slowing and we should see better pricing moving forward for people looking for pre-owned cars."

The used car market is where people buy and sell cars that have been owned before. Prices can change based on how many cars are being sold and how much people are willing to pay.

Car

Honda Civics

"2023 Honda Civics nationwide average price, it's selling for 24,300 bucks."

The Honda Civic is a small car that many people like because it's dependable and gets good gas mileage. The 2023 version has a fresh look and comes with new tech features.

Car

Nissan Versas

"Let's pull it up on the screen. Used Nissan Versa's for sale nationwide. There are 8,685 of them for sale nationwide."

The Nissan Versa is a small and affordable car that gets good gas mileage. It's a great option for people who want a reliable vehicle without spending a lot of money.

Term

price points

"Holy cow, look at the price points on some of these. You want a 2021 Nissan Versa under 10 grand."

Price points are the different prices that cars are listed for. They help you see how much you might need to spend to buy a car.

Term

under 10 grand

"You want a 2021 Nissan Versa under 10 grand. There's something, that'll be something wrong with that."

'Under 10 grand' means the price is less than $10,000. It's a way to say that something is affordable.

Term

under 15 grand

"2025 under 15 grand. Look at that, yeah."

'Under 15 grand' means the price is less than $15,000. It's a way to describe cars that are still affordable.

Car

Nissan 2020 Nissan

"Let's click on it. 2020 Nissan Versa. What I am interested in here,"

The Nissan 200SX is a small sports car from the 1990s that is fun to drive. It's not very common now, but some car fans really like it for its speed and handling.

Term

pricing

"...some of the greatest frauds in automotive pricing occur in the New York metro area..."

Pricing is how much a car costs. It can change based on how popular the car is, how much it costs the dealer to get it, and what other dealers are charging.

Term

dealer

"...you can see that the dealer has reduced the price $4,000..."

A dealer is a person or company that sells cars. They can sell new cars from manufacturers or used cars that people have traded in or sold.

Term

gross profit

"...average gross profit on most pre-owned cars is somewhere around $1,750 to $2,000, that there is not a $4,000 spread built into that car."

Gross profit is how much money a dealership makes after buying a car and selling it. It's important because it shows how much profit they earn from each vehicle sold.

Term

pre-owned cars

"...the average gross profit on most pre-owned cars is somewhere around $1,750 to $2,000..."

Pre-owned cars are cars that someone else has owned before you. They usually cost less than new cars and can be a good option if you're looking for a deal.

Term

reconditioning fee

"...if you went to the dealership to buy it, that there would suddenly be a $1,995 reconditioning fee. My point in bringing it up is not necessarily to indict the practices."

A reconditioning fee is money that dealerships might add to the price of a used car to pay for fixing it up and making it look nice before selling it. Buyers should be aware of this fee when shopping for a car.

Term

wholesale declines

"...it's actually a positive sign relative to what we're seeing. We're seeing significant wholesale declines in values for subcompact cars."

Wholesale declines mean that the prices for cars sold in large amounts to dealerships are going down. This can happen if fewer people want to buy those types of cars.

Term

out-the-door price

"You always have to do what we've taught you for years now, which is get the up-and-door prices and where you see things like that."

The out-the-door price is how much you will pay in total when buying a car. It includes everything like taxes and fees, so there are no surprises later.

Term

wholesale market

"That I wanna show one more thing from the Blackbook data and then we're gonna switch gears, which would be their analysis of what's going on the wholesale market."

The wholesale market is where cars are sold in large quantities, usually between car dealers. It's different from buying a car directly from a dealership as a customer.

Term

conversion rates

"Wholesale values continue to soften this week with the overall conversion rates steady at 58%."

Conversion rates show how many cars are sold compared to how many are available. A steady rate means that cars are selling at a consistent pace.

Term

trade-in value

"...the trade in value is impacted first. Yes, the retail asking prices are impacted much later."

Trade-in value is how much a dealership will pay you for your car when you give it to them to buy a new one. It can change based on how popular your car is and how well it looks.

Term

retail asking prices

"...the retail asking prices are impacted much later. Typically, there's a four to six week lag."

Retail asking prices are what dealers say they want for a car when they sell it. These prices can change based on how many cars they have and how much people want to buy them.

Concept

inventory lag

"...there's a four to six week lag. Don't know why that is."

Inventory lag is the time it takes for changes in car prices to show up in the number of cars available for sale. It means that when demand changes, it might take a few weeks for prices to change too.

Concept

used car manager

"...what the used car manager, whatever dealership I was working at, would have considered to be a reasonable amount for that vehicle."

The used car manager is the person at a car dealership who decides how much to pay for used cars and how much to sell them for. They help manage the used car section of the dealership.

Car

Ford F150

"You want an F-150? Go buy a 2024 one. The dealer still has them."

The Ford F-150 is a popular truck that can be used for many things, like hauling stuff or driving on the road. The 2024 version has new features and options to choose from.

Car

Toyota Rav4

"The dealer still has them. Put on a Toyota on a RAV4, no can do. So unfortunately, we don't have a gr..."

The Toyota RAV4 is a small SUV that is great for families and people who need extra space. It's known for being reliable and good on gas, which makes it a popular choice for many drivers.

Car

Toyota Tacoma

"based on how quickly Toyota's sell. Tacoma. OK. Then we're having a different discussion."

The Toyota Tacoma is a smaller pickup truck that's tough and good for off-road driving. Many people like it because it's reliable and holds its value well, which means it can be a smart choice if you're looking for a truck.

Term

2023 prices

"...the Bronco, Kia Celtos, Toyota Corolla Cross, the Porsche Boxster, Toyota Tacoma all have relatively little difference between their 2023 prices..."

'2023 prices' means how much cars cost if they were bought new in the year 2023. It's useful to know when comparing with newer models.

Car

Porsche Boxster

"...co, Kia Celtos, Toyota Corolla Cross, the Porsche Boxster, Toyota Tacoma all have relatively little differ..."
Car

Ford Bronco

"on average, new 27,400. The Bronco, Kia Celtos, Toyota Corolla Cross, the Porsche Bo..."
Car

Toyota Corolla Cross

"...Kia Celtos, Toyota Corolla Cross, the Porsche Boxster, Toyota Tacoma all have relatively little difference..."

The Toyota Corolla Cross is a small SUV that is easy to drive and has plenty of space for passengers and cargo. It's a good choice for families or anyone needing extra room.

Term

brand new 2025

"...between their 2023 prices and a brand new 2025. Now, many of these models are also into their 2026 now."

'Brand new 2025' means cars that will be available for sale as new models in the year 2025. People often look for these to get the latest updates and improvements.

Concept

new vs used cars

"So these are four reasons why new versus used. And today is dynamic."

When people talk about new versus used cars, they are comparing the benefits of buying a brand-new car with all the latest features to buying a second-hand car that might be cheaper. Each choice has its pros and cons.

Term

warranty

"If that Civic is two years old and has 30,000 miles on it, it was sold with a three year, 36,000 mile warranty."

A warranty is like a guarantee from the car maker that they will fix things if they break within a certain time or distance. For the Civic, it had a warranty for three years or 36,000 miles when it was new.

Term

subvented

"And in some cases on new cars, you get subvented at manufacturer programs, 0.9 percent."

Subvented means that the car company helps lower the interest rate when you finance a car. This makes it cheaper for you to borrow money to buy the car.

Term

retail site

"We track that because it's an indicator of what's going to happen on the retail site. That is visually, yeah, eventually that is good news for used car shoppers."

The retail site is where you can buy cars directly from dealerships or private sellers, rather than at auctions where dealers sell to each other.

Term

Blackbook data

"even though we know the 23s just from the Blackbook data are depreciating more rapidly than the 2013s."

Blackbook data gives information about how much used cars are worth. It helps people know if they're paying a fair price when buying or selling a car.

Term

lease options

"All the under $250 a month lease options out there right now. There's tons of under $250 a month lease options."

Lease options are choices you have when renting a car for a certain period. You pay a monthly fee, but you don't own the car when the lease ends.

Car

Gm Sierra

"...is is nationwide. There are currently 55,000 GMC Sierra 1500s for sale. And just look at this, 167 days,..."
Car

Gmc Sierra

".... This is nationwide. There are currently 55,000 GMC Sierra 1500s for sale. And just look at this, 167 days,..."

The GMC Sierra 2500HD is a big truck that can carry heavy things and tow trailers. It's built for tough jobs and is popular with people who need a strong vehicle for work or outdoor activities.

Term

factory incentives

"before any applying factory incentives on top of that."

Factory incentives are special deals from the car maker that help lower the price of the car. They make it cheaper for you to buy.

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