What’s the Value of my Lifted Jeep

June 25th, 2021 by

What’s the Value of my Lifted Jeep?

A guide to getting the most out of your hard-earned upgrades

Good news! You made the right choice and invested in a Jeep Wrangler which is among the top resale value of any domestic make or model. Several Jeep Wrangler models are valued at 76% of the original sticker price 2 years later and with 20,000 miles racked up. 

So what is it that makes a Jeep Wrangler hold its value compared to other makes? 

 

  1. They are highly customizable more so than any other comparable make 
  2. Most vehicles have a comparable model and the Wrangler stands in its own class. ( Ex. Camry vs Accord vs Malibu vs Taurus vs 7 other similar vehicles)
  3. Both Convertible and four-wheel drive. The Wrangler was always a convertible SUV, and it’s the only convertible SUV that not only maintained popularity through the decades but also maintained its convertible nature. Four-wheel drive is a part of every Wrangler’s DNA. You cannot buy a new Wrangler without four-wheel drive. What other vehicle can claim this? 
  4. It looks cool! People from all walks of life can all find something to love about the Jeep Wrangler. If you are a serious off-road enthusiast, it’s hard to beat the Wrangler’s capability for its price point.
  5. The Jeep Wave! During World War II, Jeeps were commonly seen driving on the front lines to transport supplies, sensitive mail, and carry the wounded to safety. The Wave started as a way to differentiate ally and enemy or as a simple greeting from one fellow soldier to another and the tradition has carried on. Jeep wave is a protocol of honor bestowed among drivers with superior class, tastes, intelligence, and discomfort to own a jeep of any model.

So how do you value your Jeep? There are 3 ways!

  1. Retail Value is when you have a fully reconditioned, serviced, and detailed vehicle that the buyer should not expect to invest in any repairs immediately. 
  2. Private Party is when you may have known issues with the vehicle that you will want to disclose and are willing to discount the selling price to compensate. 
  3. Wholesale Value is commonly what a dealer would pay and invest the necessary reconditioning, advertise, help a customer get a loan, take a trade-in, have the proper state licenses to do so, and make a reasonable profit above all of these costs. 

If you’re like most of our Cross Jeep customers you don’t have the time or patience to sell your own car. There are several guides we use to help establish the value. 

  1. Book values: Kelly Blue Book, NADA can be good resources
  2. History reports: Carfax or Autocheck. A good history report and available service records will add value to your vehicle.  Accidents or multiple owners can raise concerns for potential buyers and lower the resale value.
  3. Actual market. We use a tool that scans and aggregates the live market value  for all one to one comparable vehicles in the market. This helps us establish what it will sell for today versus the future. 
  4. Demand. Based on market data if a vehicle is high in demand it will sell faster. This is the biggest factor. If you have the only one for sale there will be people all over the U.S looking. If there are 100 for sale in 50 miles you may have to discount to attract potential buyers

Upgrades such as lift kits, bigger tires, custom wheels, aftermarket bumpers, winches, extra lighting should play a part in the final value. 

At Cross Jeep we understand this dynamic where other dealers will just value your jeep as an ordinary mall crawler. Some upgrades are better and hold a higher value such as AEV (American Expedition Vehicles), ARB, Warn, BF Goodrich, to name a few. Where the value really increases is with high-quality parts and receipts of installation by a professional shop. These upgrades can hold as much as 100% of the original value! 

Ensure you hold on to all your documents including the original window stickers, upgrade receipts, warranty info, and both keys. 

To get a baseline value start here: https://www.crossjeepchrysler.com/we-buy-jeeps/

Call 502-459-9900 and one of our 5 appraisal specialists can help you handle it over the phone. Feel free to also text your vin and pics to 717-937-1741. 

Posted in Jeep Wrangler