Have you ever wondered how car dealerships decide whether to keep a used car on their lot or send it straight to auction? Bill Korum, a car salesman at a Nissan Car Dealership, offered his insight while examining a recently traded-in ’09 Toyota Corolla.
In a video posted on April 12 by TikTok account @puyallupnissan, Korum began by saying, “People always ask why we don’t keep the older Toyotas for our used lot, and there’s several reasons why, and this is a perfect example.”
While filming the vehicle, Korum quickly pointed out the clear signs of wear and tear: a bumper in need of a repaint, a streak of damage on the driver’s side where the paint had also been scraped off, and a “discolored” trunk exterior.
“It has five owners on the CARFAX. Surprisingly, no accidents, even though there’s some obvious ones on the car,” he remarked.
However, it’s not just the external appearance that raised red flags for Korum. He invited viewers to “take a look inside,” revealing stained seats and a mysteriously absent compartment behind the handbrake.
So why not invest in refurbishing this Toyota? “An older Toyota just isn’t worth all reconditioning cost,” he said.
“I mean, at the end of the day, how much can an ’09 Corolla, even in mint condition, get you when you have, with everything I just showed you, $4,000 worth of damage and reconditioning? So that’s why we don’t,” Korum concluded.
@puyallupnissan #2009corolla #toyotacorolla #corollale #reconditioning ♬ original sound – Puyallup Nissan
The on-screen caption in the video indicates that the car was auctioned off.
Since its posting, the video has accumulated over 31,700 views and 122 comments.
One commenter wrote, “Maybe if you don’t overprice it it’ll fly out.”
“That Corolla is a perfect first car for a teenager,” a second added.
A third remarked, “I’ll take it. Toyota is barely broken in at 100k,” pointing out Toyota’s reputation for longevity and durability.
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The Daily Dot has reached out to Bill Korum’s Puyallup Nissan dealership via the contact form on its website for comment.
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