A savvy Toyota salesman recently asked TikTok a deceptively simple question: Is a brand-new, slightly discounted truck worth $4,000 more than a low-mileage, used model of the exact same trim? At first glance, the value judgment presented in the clip from salesman Corey Lance (@that.toyota.guy) seems like a no-brainer, since used vehicles are supposed to be the cheaper option. But in the example he lays out, the math gets messy once financing rates come into play. "You can buy a new one for $40,000... but you get a promotional rate at 4.9% up to 72 months on the new one, compared to the market rate on a used one," he said in the clip that’s been viewed more than 2,000 times. "Probably going to be like 6% or 7%, you know, market value. My point is that you're going to usually hit a higher rate on a used one than you would on a new one." Talking Deals And Decisions Lance works as a product specialist, Toyota's preferred term for salesperson, at Riverside Toyota in Rome, Georgia. The Tacoma he used in the video wasn't meant to single out that particular model, he told Motor1 over the phone. It was simply the closest pair of comparable vehicles on the lot when the idea occurred to him. "It wasn’t even about Tacoma specifically," he said. "I just happened to be standing there with a new one and a used one that were basically identical." Situations like the one he described in the video come up regularly in conversations with customers, he said, especially when interest rates begin to reshape the math of a purchase. Not long before posting the clip, he said he had just walked a buyer through a nearly identical decision involving a sedan. "I literally just sat here and sold someone a Camry for the same reason," he said. "They were going to get around a 6% rate on the used one compared to 4.99% on the new one. The price difference was only about $1,500." From Lance's perspective, the logic is straightforward when the negotiation's starting point shifts. "If we’re going to negotiate down from the used price, why not start negotiating from the invoice price on a brand-new vehicle?" he said. He said transparency about financing is a key part of how he approaches those discussions with potential buyers: "We show you the rate up front, and it is what it is." The Debate Rages On The video itself wasn't posted as a carefully planned promotion. Lance said that, like much of his content, it grew out of the kinds of everyday conversations that happened on the sales floor. "I try to post at least once a day," he said. "Sometimes I have to think about ideas, but a lot of times it’s just something that happened with customers that day." It appears he's taking the right approach, since the scenario struck a nerve once it reached TikTok. Viewers quickly began debating whether the numbers actually favored the new truck or whether either option was worth the price listed. The reaction in the comments section quickly revealed how differently buyers approach the same decision. Some viewers rejected the entire premise, arguing that both trucks were priced too high to begin with. "Not buying either one of them! Stupid overpriced!!" one of them wrote. Others focused less on the price difference and more on negotiating strategy, suggesting the advertised deal might only be the starting point. "New one and you can do better than $40,900," another viewer wrote. Several commenters leaned toward the pre-owned option, particularly if it came with additional protections. "If the used one is certified I would take it. Warranty is usually longer," one cautious observer wrote. Others discuss their own recent purchases as evidence that strong deals can still be found if buyers are patient. "I got $7,000 off MSRP, and mine only had 4,000 miles on it," wrote one viewer, without discussing further details of their deal of the century. One of the more pointed exchanges involved Lance's suggestion that the truck could be purchased at invoice pricing. A commenter who identified himself as a retired salesperson argued that such offers often come with additional fees added later in the process. "You’re not going to sell it at invoice," the commenter wrote. "You're going to hit them with the market adjustment plus dealer add-ons." Lance responded directly beneath that accusation, insisting that those extras weren't part of the equation at his dealership. "Don’t do market adjustments or dealer add ons. And yeah. We are selling at invoice," he said. The back-and-forth illustrates how personal the new-versus-used calculation has become for many buyers. For some, the lower purchase price of a used vehicle remains the deciding factor. For others, warranty coverage, financing incentives, and the appeal of a vehicle with no prior mileage can tilt the scales the other way. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team
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