Quote Originally Posted by mborodi View Post
I can tell you during tax return season as a general rule, car dealers pay higher prices at auction.. and we sell out fast on used cars.. when tax return money runs out.. the prices drop back down to "normal" range for dealers.
What's the reason for that phenomenon? Does tax season provides an extra supply of consumer money, making them more "flush" and ready to send out the old and buy the new?

As for the average value, you're probably right. The reason, I just explained in a recent thread. People simply don't spend the time and money to maintain a vehicle in showroom condition. They avoid most routine maintenance (even oil-changes in some cases) and they rarely spend the higher prices for drive-train maintenance. I don't think they chase after squeaks and leaks either. They typically let a car's condition "erode" into a state where the average buyer needs to let the existing state continue or spend a small-fortune to get it back to a show-room-like trophy.

Cars are definitely meant to be driven -- and most people do just that.