Your questions answered: Should I sell my new Toyota LandCruiser for the latest Jeep?

It’s no secret that used car prices have headed into the stratosphere, with some near-new cars selling for more than their original asking price and others undergoing minimal depreciation.

It’s that short-lived craziness (yes, the car world will return to normal at some point) that is at the heart of many of this week’s questions.

One reader wants to know whether to make some money on their newly-arrived Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, while another is tossing up whether to look at a second-hand Ford Mustang instead of waiting in a long queue for the new one.

Then there’s the four-year-old Mazda with only 448km on the odo…

Question:

Answer: Neither of the cars you’re talking about will take seven people and their luggage. Even large SUVs like the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Toyota LandCruiser have relatively modest boot capacities once all three rows of seats are in use. They’ll be fine if you’re taking some small overnight bags, but not for a big trip or an airport drop-off with seven people.

As for which car to stick with, you’re in a lucky situation. There’s certainly some financial sense to offloading the LandCruiser now because, as you’ve worked out, you can currently likely sell it for more than you paid for it (keep in mind this is a short-term situation while supply is tight and only applies to cars in hot demand).

The latest Grand Cherokee is a big step up and sharper on the road than the LandCruiser. But it’s not as competent in rough terrain as the LandCruiser, which will tackle challenging roads that little bit easier – especially for a 4WD novice. Even the Jeep’s tyres aren’t as well suited to off-road work, mainly because they’re 21 inches in diameter with a relatively low profile for the Summit Reserve model you’ve ordered. Finding a replacement tyre if you do get a puncture will be tricky outside capital cities.

The LandCruiser has a bigger fuel tank and uses less fuel (diesel), so should be able to get you about 900km between refills. The Grand Cherokee needs petrol and will take you about 700km between fills. Toyota also has a well-earned reputation for reliability as well as the best service network in the country. So if something does go wrong you’ll be a better chance of getting it attended to quicker.

All of which comes down to how far from home you want to explore and how adventurous you want to get. If your idea of off-roading is a gravel track a few hours from a major city then the Jeep will be fine – and it’ll reward you with better on-road manners. But if you want to go further afield and try some more challenging trails then the LandCruiser is a safer bet.

Question:

Answer: No, unfortunately not. Mass vehicle production is a finely honed process that relies on repetition and continuity. Adding a new colour would require engineering work (to match colours between various components, including plastic and metal, and test the paint for durability) as well as adjustments to the production process, all of which are costly. That sort of thing can be done, but it’s reserved for the top end of town; think Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Bentley, Aston Martin, et al.

If you want to change the colour we wouldn’t be bothering with getting it repainted because it’ll be a huge cost and possibly impact your resale value when it comes time to sell. A wrap is a much better solution. It’s basically a giant sticker covering every piece of metal. Prices typically start at a few thousand dollars and when you go to sell the car you can simply peel it off to reveal the original paint underneath.

Question:

Answer: If you are in no hurry, then we’d suggest waiting it out for the new Ford Mustang. There’s no doubt Ford will put plenty of effort into what is an important hero model for the brand. While you’re waiting you could grab a second-hand version of the current car. Choose carefully and you could get a near-new model with all the fun factor of a new one. If it’s only a short-term ownership before you take delivery of a new Mustang you could even try something different. A Subaru BRZ, for example? Or a Kia Stinger? Even a Tesla Model 3…

Question:

Answer: While much of the focus has been on the electric car market, there’s also plenty of action with plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The Ford Escape and Mitsubishi Outlander are two of the more convincing, the latter driving all four wheels whereas the Ford only drives its fronts.

Similarly, the MG HS PHEV – recently renamed as the HS +EV – is only front-wheel drive and, like so many, has undergone a recent price rise. Peugeot also has its 3008 Plug-in Hybrid, although it’s not cheap.

Newcomer Cupra – a division of the Volkswagen Group – is also unleashing a few interesting-looking PHEVs this month, including the Cupra Formentor VZe. And Volkswagen is also readying the Tiguan GTE, although it won’t be here until next year.

Another option is the Kia Sportage PHEV, although there are question marks over whether it will make it to Australia. In launching the smaller Niro, Kia Australia decided not to bring the PHEV version here, arguing there is little interest in the tech in Australia. All of which suggests the Sportage PHEV is a long shot.

And, as you point out, the Mazda CX-60 is also arriving shortly in PHEV form. Given the premium focus of the CX-60 – it’s aiming to push Mazda further upmarket – and the cost and complexity of a PHEV drivetrain, it’s likely to be pricey, possibly pushing north of $70K.

That’s the issue with many PHEVs: the price. If you’re looking for an EV alternative with the backup of petrol then you’ll be dragging around a lot of petrol engine and gearbox that rarely gets used. You’ll also have a lot less performance while that petrol engine remains dormant. And we’re yet to drive a PHEV that is as efficient as a regular hybrid once the battery pack has been drained.

So… don’t rule out an EV as an eco-friendly option that will almost certainly be more engaging and enjoyable to live with.

Question:

Answer: You’re looking at one of the best mid-size SUVs on the market, but it’s also one with some big waiting lists due to supply chain challenges. And it’s the hybrid that has the longest queues. Before abandoning the hunt for a Toyota RAV4, make sure you check with other Toyota dealerships. Each dealer gets a certain allocation and some may be fielding more queries than others, in turn leading to longer (or shorter) wait lists.

Otherwise, it’s worth considering the Subaru Forester and Mazda CX-5, each of which is great buying in that SUV space. The Kia Sportage – carsales’ Best Mid-Size SUV for 2022 – and Hyundai Tucson are also worth a look, although you may strike similar issues with waiting lists.

Question:

Answer: Wow, that’s certainly a very low-kilometre car! There are three things that determine the value of a used car: how far it’s travelled, how old it is and what condition it is in. With two of those things – the distance travelled and the condition – you’re basically talking about a new car.

But the car is still four years old, which will impact its value. It helps that prices of new Mazda3 models have increased in recent years – as with many of its rivals – and that stock of many cars is short. But small cars are also less popular than they were and, as mentioned, cars depreciate with age.

As a general rule you’ll get less money selling a car to a dealer than selling it privately, but obviously there is convenience attached to selling a car to a dealer. According to RedBook, a 2018 Mazda3 SP25 GT has a trade-in value between $20,800 and $23,400 and a private sale value between $24,200 and $26,800. But that is for a car with between 60,000 and 100,000km on the odometer.

Given you’ve travelled less than 500km – about one tank of fuel! – you should be able to get more. We delved deeper into the RedBook valuations calculator and adjusted the distance travelled to 20,000km (the lowest the calculations account for) for a car in excellent condition and it suggested a good wholesale (trade-in) price would be $28,410 and a good retail (private sale) price would be $31,440. With that in mind, you should try to push a dealer to pay you close to $29,000, but even $28,000 would still be a solid price.

And don’t be afraid to shop around with dealers either. If you’re buying a new car then you can try to find the best changeover price between new and old. Dealers typically make more money from a used car over a new one, so they’ll be keen for good inventory.

Also, without stating the obvious, you could always list it on carsales and ask for what you want.

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