Why are there so many used Mavericks with low miles?

I’ve been noticing a lot of used Mavericks for sale with barely any miles on them. Some 2024 models have less than 5,000 miles. What’s the deal? Are people just flipping them, or is there another reason? Thinking about picking one up if the dealer isn’t marking it up too much. At least you still get the remaining warranty.

A lot of people bought them at MSRP, drove them for a bit, then sold them for a profit since demand was high and inventory was low.

Leith said:
A lot of people bought them at MSRP, drove them for a bit, then sold them for a profit since demand was high and inventory was low.

Every time I go to the dealer, they ask if I want to sell mine. But replacing it would cost too much, so I don’t see the point.

@Harlow
Dealerships do that all the time with newer models. Once the market stabilizes, they’ll stop.

Leith said:
A lot of people bought them at MSRP, drove them for a bit, then sold them for a profit since demand was high and inventory was low.

The day I picked mine up, I could’ve sold it to CarMax for $4K more than I paid.

But then I wouldn’t have my truck!

@Aeron
Why would CarMax pay you more than you just bought it for? Wouldn’t they just go to the dealership themselves?

Harlow said:
@Aeron
Why would CarMax pay you more than you just bought it for? Wouldn’t they just go to the dealership themselves?

Because at the time, you couldn’t just walk in and buy one. This was early 2022 when car inventory was still a mess. I got mine with barely any markup because I ordered it.

Not sure if this is still happening, but some dealers were listing new trucks as ‘used’ with just a few miles on them so they could get around markup restrictions.

Luca said:
Not sure if this is still happening, but some dealers were listing new trucks as ‘used’ with just a few miles on them so they could get around markup restrictions.

Yeah, those markup rules don’t seem to stop anyone.

@Vail
It’s more about reputation. Some dealers want to say they sell at MSRP, but that doesn’t apply to used cars.

Luca said:
@Vail
It’s more about reputation. Some dealers want to say they sell at MSRP, but that doesn’t apply to used cars.

Most dealers don’t seem to care about their reputation when it comes to pricing.

@Vail
Especially when laws protect their territory. No competition means they can do whatever they want. If you want a different dealer, you have to drive to another town.

Leslie said:
@Vail
Especially when laws protect their territory. No competition means they can do whatever they want. If you want a different dealer, you have to drive to another town.

There are two Ford dealers near me, just 12 minutes apart.

Luca said:
Not sure if this is still happening, but some dealers were listing new trucks as ‘used’ with just a few miles on them so they could get around markup restrictions.

It’s not just about markups. Ford rates dealers on their new car sales based on customer surveys. If someone complains about a markup, even a little, it hurts the dealer’s rating. Selling a new truck as ‘used’ avoids that problem.

@Uma
Is that why my dealer kept bugging me to fill out a survey? They told me if I wasn’t giving all 5s, I should call them first. So I just ignored it. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Floyd said:
@Uma
Is that why my dealer kept bugging me to fill out a survey? They told me if I wasn’t giving all 5s, I should call them first. So I just ignored it. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Yep, that’s exactly why. Even a single 4/5 on one question can mess with their ratings. Dealers need perfect scores to get priority for new models or open another location. Salespeople even lose commission if a customer gives a less-than-perfect score.

@Uma
That’s such a bad system. My salesperson was fine, but the dealership was kinda gross, and the finance department was super slow. No reason for the sales guy to take the hit.

Buy for $23,500, drive 8K miles, sell for $26K, order another one. Basically a free truck for 8 months. Then the dealer lists it for $31K hoping someone pays way over MSRP.

A few reasons:

  • People thought a small truck would work for them but realized it didn’t.
  • People got caught up in the hype but didn’t actually like it.
  • Some bought them just to resell when prices were high.
  • Some expected a $24K truck to be as comfy as a $45K truck and were disappointed.

I got offers of $45K for my Lariat with 500 miles (June 2022). I paid $33K plus tax. Almost pulled the trigger, but replacing it would’ve been too expensive.

Now, with 13K miles, KBB says trade-in is $29K, and private sale is $32K. A similar Colorado costs $46.5K+tax. Sure, it’s more ‘truck-like,’ but I bought the Maverick for a reason. It’s a daily driver with great features for under $35K. What else compares for the price?