Yesterday my wife and I bought a used car--American, 2006, 41,000 miles, luxury model, immaculate interior, very good body; the dealer bought the car at auction about a month ago after it was sold following the end of a two-year leasing arrangement. Sticker price at the dealer was $19,900. Their "internet special" (ie. the deal offered to anybody in the world with a computer and a modem) was $17,800. After some negotiating, we agreed to buy the car for $17,120. We had offered about $400 less than that, but the manager rejected the offer telling us that he "couldn't lose money on a car" that he had "just got in." When we finally agreed on a price, the sales rep told us that, in the end, having to kick in half the value of a second key ($85) his commission on the deal would be $1.
Can anybody estimate what they likely paid for the car at auction if they had it advertised on-line at $17,800?