Eighty percent of car buyers are using the Internet to research cars and used car prices. For vehicle research, the Internet’s great! For vehicle prices, the Internet sucks! It sucks because the prices do not reflect reality for the buyer or the seller. Web sites that place values on vehicles have created more confusion than ever.

“My car’s worth $25,800.” “I looked up used car prices on the web and my vehicle’s worth twenty grand.” I hear quotes like these everyday. I wish, for the customer’s sake, that the values are real. By “real” I mean a viable number according to market value.

As hard as it is to accept, even for me as a dealer, what we think a car is worth, and what it’s actually worth according to “market value” is often drastically different.

To find a vehicle’s value the context must first be discussed. What’s context?

Context includes, but is not limited to:

1) Vehicle condition: mileage, maintenance, 1-owner…etc 2) Desirability: new model, special editions, just plain cool… 3) Seasonality: plow trucks, convertibles, 4-wheel drive…etc 4) The Economy: factory incentives, gas prices, hybrids, SUVs 5) Location: Beverly Hills versus the Bronx

Now, each of the above context variables could easily have several sub categories. For example…

Vehicle condition is extremely relative. One person may think there vehicle is perfect, someone else states it needs $1000 worth of work.

Desirability is also relative. A bunch of very cool bells and whistles may not add any value, or it may add $1000’s.

Seasonality is relative. A convertible in the summer has more value than one during a Chicago winter. A plow truck in June will have significantly less value than in November in the northeast.

Economic recessions, exorbitant gas prices, combined with manufacturer incentives can shift new and used car prices all over the map.

Location has a major effect on used car prices. A convertible in California is worth more than one located in Canada.

To summarize, context funnels down to market value. Web sites such as Edmunds, NADA, and Kelley have drastically missed this mark, creating a host misinformation. To be fair, these are great research sites, but they can not be the final say on price.

Stating that a vehicle is worth a certain amount of money based on a web site’s data does not take the above factors into account. It’s a value based on misinformation.

These web sites have created an aura of trust when in actuality, the values are mythical. The market is the real indicator of vehicle worth—for better or worse.

What should one do? Buyers and sellers would be wise to follow the market. Check out autotrader.com, cars.com, and/or *ebaymotors.com and watch what vehicles are being advertised and sold for. While these sites are not the final word either, they’re much more accurate than web sites leaning heavily on opinion and averages.

Note: eBay used car pricing is generally wholesale. In other words, it would not be accurate to compare a wholesale-priced eBay car (which may need a significant amount of reconditioning) to a retail-priced vehicle in showroom and/or perfect working condition.

In the end, and this come straight from industry expert, Barry Roth, “Take the highest price and the lowest price you find on the Internet and throw them out. The remaining numbers in the middle is where one should wade. But don’t forget value. Price is one thing—value is the real key to a great car”

For more on used car values visit www.medwayimports.com/

Are you currently looking for that certain something to kick your truck’s look and performance up a notch? Are you frustrated with the lack of options or selection that your local dealers provide? There is a world of products out there just waiting for you – we’re talking everything from exterior to interior, lights to suspension, and anything in between. In this article, we’ll show you where to find custom truck accessories that will give your truck the look and performance it deserves.

When looking for custom truck accessories, it is important that you first rely on reputable sources. If Joe Schmo down the street tells you about a great place to find designer grills, you probably should walk in the other direction. However, if you have friends or co-workers who you trust give you some tips, it may bear checking out. Word of mouth tends to be a very strong marketing tool, and acquaintances will be hesitant to provide you with a bum tip.

Another great resource is to look in your local print journals. Magazines such as AutoTrader and AutoMart are usually available for a very small fee in most convenience stores. These publications can put you in touch with the businesses you may have never found otherwise. One word of caution however: you should check out any new business before blindly doing business with them. Make phone calls and check references to ensure that you are doing business with an honest dealer.

Aside from local resources, the internet is filled with amazing dealers who offer custom accessories for any ride. Businesses such as JC Whitney and StylinConcepts (just to name a few) offer an incredible selection of sweet gear for all makes and models. Better yet, these businesses offer free shipping on all orders and have prices that trump most chain dealers. You would be doing yourself a huge disservice if you neglected to check out any of the custom dealers currently online. It is recommended that you do research on any internet company as well before purchasing. There a few essentials that you must look for. First, make sure that you can speak to a customer service representative who can answer any and all of your questions. Second, make sure the site uses some type of encryption service to protect payment information. This will ensure that you are dealing with a solid company who cares about its client base.

One last advantage to the internet can be found in the literally hundreds of message boards and communities. By signing up for a message board, you will be put in touch with people just like you, and you will be able to get valuable insight into the absolute best and worst places to find your custom truck accessories. This will further help you separate the high quality businesses from the low class dealers.

Now that you know where to find custom truck accessories, what are you waiting for? Your ride isn’t getting any younger, right? So get out there and get shopping for the items you need most to turn your truck into a complete monster.