Ever heard of a dealership paying private-party value for a car, even without a trade-in? Yeah, me either… until it happened.

I finally scored my dream car—a mid-engine Euro sports coupe—and it was time to part ways with my great daily. My 2017 Subaru WRX STi Limited was the best-optioned version except for the rare S209 and Type RA. With just over 70k miles, a few rock chips, and a ding or two, it was still in great shape. Clean title in hand, unmodified, and well-maintained.

I figured a private sale was the way to go. Kelly Blue Book and Edmunds put private-party value around $19,600, with trade-in closer to $17,900. So I listed it at $19,900 and waited.

Then came a message from Austin Pilling at Southtowne Mitsubishi in Sandy, Utah. I told him I wasn’t looking to trade—just sell. Surprisingly, he said they’d likely offer $19,000 to $21,000 if the Carfax was clean. Skeptical, I braced for the classic bait-and-switch.

When Austin followed up the next day, he had a potential buyer and said they were still good for something near asking price. I pushed back—nobody wants to drive hours to get lowballed when the dealership inspects the car. He assured me that they wouldn’t jerk me around. Plus, their website boldly claimed “$2K More for Your Trade.”

After reviewing the listing, photos, and Carfax, Austin came back with a $20,500 offer. I was still skeptical, but curious enough to make the trip.

When I arrived, the car checked out mostly as advertised. Their techs flagged about $1,000 in service needs (coolant, brake fluid, oil change, intake cleaning,..), so they dropped the offer by $500. After a little back-and-forth—some of that work wasn’t urgent—we landed at $20,200.

That’s slightly over my asking price and more than $2,000 above trade-in estimates. Deal done.

I held on to the car until their check was ready, then the transfer was smooth and professional.

So while your mileage may vary—my STi was probably higher-demand than most cars—I had a great experience working with Austin Pilling and selling to Southtowne Mitsubishi. I’m not sure their offer is still in effect, but they really did pay me $2000 above trade-in value for my car, and made the process reasonably painless. I’m thoroughly impressed.

© RBairett, 2025