My Customer Just Traded in Her 2025 Chevy Tahoe With Only 98 Miles, It’s the 2nd Worst Trade I’ve Ever Seen

"She hates it, so she traded it in."

Jesse Cannon-Wallace (@benzblogger), a Mercedes-Benz salesperson at MB of Atlanta, NE, has seen her fair share of bad trades—however, the latest 2025 Chevy Tahoe trade-in ranks next to the worst she's ever seen. 

Jesse says in her TikTok clip, "I think this is the second worst trade-in I've ever gotten. Do you see that? This 2025 Chevy Tahoe has only 98 miles on it," she says, pointing to the odometer. 

"And guess what? She hates it, so she traded it in."

Picture a buyer going into the Chevrolet dealer, seeing a bright Red Radiant Tintcoat Chevy Tahoe, and they are enamored with the big SUV. They take a test drive, and the salesperson shows them all the best features and says they can give you a great deal.

You are rushed back into the showroom, where you sign on the dotted line. You are now the proud owner of a 2025 Chevy Tahoe.

As you drive off the Chevrolet dealer's lot and get onto the highway to drive home, you immediately notice it has some blind spots. It's hard to see the car next to you as you make an exit off the freeway.

She feels like she's driving a school bus.

You stop at the grocery store on the way home to get a few items for dinner. As you navigate to park in the lot, you have to back up and then forward multiple times to get the big SUV into the parking place. It barely fits between the two cars on either side.

Opening the door is hard because there's so little room.

Then, when she backs the SUV out to leave, she doesn't see a car driving behind her. She slams on the brakes as she hears the rear traffic alert buzzer blaring in her ear. If it weren't for the loud warning, she would have hit the other car.

With only 10 miles on the odometer, the buyer already feels buyer's remorse. Despite her husband's reassurances that she'll get used to the size, her initial negative impressions persist. She's now apprehensive about driving her new Tahoe. 

She's scared to drive her new Tahoe.

The buyer now fears driving her new Tahoe, a stark contrast to the excitement she felt at the dealership. The thought of backing into another car haunts her, leading to nightmares about her new vehicle.

She announces to her husband, "I'm taking that big red vehicle to the Mercedes-Benz dealer. That's what we traded in, and I want another one."   

Let's pick up the rest of Jesse's story about this buyer.

She says, "However, the Tahoe is a cool SUV with great options, and to top it off, it's even hard to get. They are in short supply. But it was the wrong car for her." 

"She panicked and impulse bought, and now she says it's far too big, not cushy and luxurious enough for her."

"The Tahoe didn't have some of the things she was used to having. So, if you too accidentally bought a fire truck, what Mercedes-Benz would you have traded it in for?"

Are You Ready? she says with anticipation.

"I hear she traded it in for a Mercedes-Benz."

"She bought a 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 4Matic SUV. It's Alpine Grey with a Catalana Beige interior. It's a nice package with all the bells and whistles. It's a much better fit for her lifestyle." 

"It doesn't feel like she's driving a school bus. She'll feel like the cool girl with the Alpine color; she loves it, and it's a great choice." 

How Much Did She Lose By Trading the Tahoe In?

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 4Matic SUV she bought with all the bells and whistles costs about $72,705. She paid about $76,754 for the loaded 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe RST 4WD. They are fairly close in price. 

However, It's never good when you trade for a car that's more expensive than the car you're buying. 

Here's the Problem

The Mercedes-Benz dealer will not pay her the full value of her Chevy Tahoe trade-in, even though it only has 98 miles. It's considered a used vehicle since it's already been titled in her name. They will have to resell it and make a profit.

So, to trade the Tahoe in and buy the 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 4Matic, she'll have to roll in the difference (which could be $4,000 to $5,000 less than what she paid) into the new loan. 

The Mercedes-Benz dealer will make the numbers work for her by giving her a longer-term loan, making it look like she's getting a good deal. However, depending on her down payment, she already has negative equity, and she won't be able to sell it until it's near the end of the loan or lease. 

Here is what new car buyers need to know.

• Dealer's Perspective: Dealers value trade-ins at a wholesale price to make a profit on resale, not at the retail value you might expect. 
• Depreciation: Her Chevy Tahoe lost value when she drove it off the Chevrolet dealer's lot, immediately reducing its trade-in value. 
• Negative Equity: For Instance, if she owes more on her Tahoe than its trade-in value, she'll have negative equity. This means she already owes more than the car is worth, which can be a significant financial burden. 
• Rolling into a New Loan: The Mercedes dealer likely had to roll the remaining balance on her Tahoe loan into her new GLE 350 4Matic loan, so she's essentially paying for two cars. 
• Financial Strain: This impulsive decision has significantly increased her monthly payments and overall cost of financing, potentially leading to a financial burden. 

Kelley Blue Book suggests that if you're downgrading to a cheaper car and don't want to carry negative equity, consider paying off the old loan or exploring other financing options, like a private sale of your vehicle. These alternatives can help you avoid the financial strain of negative equity.

Conclusion:

This Chevy Tahoe buyer is losing lots of money because she didn't do her homework first. It was an impulse buy, so Jesse says the latest 2025 Chevy Tahoe trade-in ranks next to the worst she's ever seen. 

How About You?

Have you had buyer's remorse shortly after you purchased a new vehicle? What did you do to resolve the issue? If so, click the red Add New Comment link below and let us know.

Check out my GMC Yukon story: I Bought My 2022 GMC Yukon Denali New, and 31K Miles In It’s At the Dealer Waiting For a New Engine, Thank Goodness For a Warranty

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Jesse Cannon-Wallace