Jam: gotta disagree with ya on one point: the trade-in value is LOWER, because a dealer will have to A, make money (i.e., mark-up from what he paid, about 25-33%); and B, will have to clean and inspect the car, probably even put some money into it. Also, most dealers won't take a car with all of that car's problems in the first place. Or if they do, you can bet that they'll make it up, somehow, on the new-car side of the purchase process, so the seller of a trade-in who is buying a new car invariably gets the shaft, barring very unusual circumstances: dealers don't stay in business by losing money. That said, I have bought 'private sale' thru Auto Trader magazine, using their on-line site for local pricing guidelines; I have been happy, so far, doing that, and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone interested in a used Volvo, keeping "Caveat Emptor" foremost in mind. No flame, just a different opinion.--PD.