Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] The value of brand names

[Jonathan King <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

On 2/4/06, Mark Rages <EMAIL:PROTECTED> wrote:
> My brother pointed this out to me:
>
> Edmunds value for a private party 1996 Toyota Corolla, 100k miles, in
> "clean" condition:  $2958
>
> Edmunds value for a private party 1996 Geo Prism (Prizm), 100k miles,
> in "clean" condition:  $1665
>
> (They are the same car, built on the same assembly line.)

They were different prices when new, as well.  For that matter,
history repeats itself; the Toyota Matrix and the Pontiac Vibe are
also identical twins (plus or minus a few optional items one has over
the other).  A year and a half ago when we were looking for cars,
Matrices were as much as $2-3K more than Vibes.  At one level, this
makes no sense; in both cases, it is the very same car.  At another
level, it tells you a lot about the respect that Toyota has earned
over the years compared to GM, and therefore why Toyota is going to
become the largest auto company on the planet this year while GM is
preparing to file for bankruptcy.  To be blunt about it, if somebody
offered you your pick of the Vibe or Matrix tomorrow, with identical
equipment, you would be silly to pick the Vibe, since even if you know
they are the same car, that might really not be clear at time of
resale, and you'd have left money on the table.  Chevy is facing the
same problem withe the Malibu line; they are way better cars than the
average GM model produced recently, but nobody can believe it, since
they are produced by GM.

> I wonder how many used-car dealers have changed the nameplate on Geos?
> For $1300, it would be worth the trouble.

I think it would be a lot more trouble than you'd think, and it would
be fraud, of course, since everybody knows the Corolla is worth $1300
more than the Prizm. :-)

jking

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