Andy Bigalow has been trying to sell his 2004 Nissan Armada for almost a month now. The Duluth resident lost his sales job when his company downsized and he is doing his own cost-cutting, trying to lose the monthly bank note. But just one prospective buyer has called.

Joy Giambrone of Vinings had her 2006 Hummer H3 listed for five months. She bought the vehicle for $29,000 a year ago. The recent book value was $23,000. She sold it this month for $19,100 and still has some payments.

John Spink/AJC (ENLARGE)

Bryan Brunson got a tax write-off when he bought his 2004 Nissan Armada, but he says the cost of gas has prompted him to sell the 14 mpg vehicle.

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"Imagine how happy I am," she said with a bit of melancholy. "I'm washing my hands and taking it as a lesson learned."

A check of want ads recently found varied reasons for folks selling large SUVs: unemployment, an empty nest, large monthly car notes and, of course, killer gasoline prices.

They do have one thing in common — they're driving uphill, trying to sell automotive behemoths as gas hits $4 a gallon.

Dealer lots are swelling with unsold SUVs, causing some to no longer take them as trade-ins and others to tender offers so low that the vehicle owners feel insulted.

"The value of your trade-in has clearly declined," said Marc Cannon, a vice president at the massive AutoNation. "It might be $2,000 or $3,000 less than what you anticipated."

Book values seem to slide weekly in inverse proportion to gas prices. Wholesale prices listed by Kelley Blue Book show a 2005 Ford expedition has lost nearly a quarter of its value since September and a 2005 Armada is down 19 percent.

"It's pretty radical," Jack Nerad, Kelley's executive market analyst, said of the drops. There haven't been such price declines since 1980, "when we had fuel shocks."

Ford this week announced it is cutting back production on new trucks and SUVs this year by as much as 40 percent.

That harsh environment leaves SUV owners with tough choices. Do they take a beating on a trade-in? Do they hang on and hope gas prices retreat, making SUVs a bit more attractive? Or maybe peddle the vehicle themselves, getting "private seller" ads and going mano-a-mano in a tough buyer's market.

National figures from AutoTrader show there are more used SUVs for sale and they are sitting unsold longer. In April, there were 483,310 used SUVs for sale, up 24 percent from a year ago.

Giambrone, the former Hummer owner, reduced her asking price four times, coming down $4,000 in five months.

She was offered $16,400 last month and almost took it "because I was scared," she said. "I'm glad I didn't take it."

Bryan Bruson, an Atlanta lawyer, has had an ad for a 2004 Armada running for two months and has gotten lowballed to the tune of $5,000 below his $20,000 asking price.

He bought his SUV to get a federal tax credit that was afforded to small companies buying vehicles weighing more than 6,000 pounds. He figured he saved $8,000 in taxes.

"But I gave it all back in gas," he said. He is considering getting a sedan like a Nissan Maxima, which gets a combined 21 miles per gallon city and highway, according to government figures, compared with 14 mpg for his Armada.

"I'm definitely looking at getting better gas mileage," he said.

Brunson figures he must come down in price to move the Armada. He figures he can get $17,000.

Just about all those who are selling their SUVs say they will miss the luxury of roominess, added cargo space and a comfortable ride.

Chris Goethe, the father of four from Kennesaw, said he's selling his 2004 Chevrolet Suburban — his fourth SUV — because his son is heading off to college and he no longer needs the added capacity.

His is for sale for $17,677, but "everything is negotiable." Goethe said those buying SUVs are getting a bargain, which can work out in their favor, even with the price of gas.

"I hear people talking about the price of gas," he said. "But if you run the numbers, the costs are miniscule. You're talking about a few hundred dollars a year. You don't make major car purchasing decisions on $500 a year."

Besides, Goethe said, some people have little choice. "If you have three or four kids, you can't get something small and squeeze in," he said.

Joe Wiesenfelder, a senior editor for Cars.com, agreed it is a good time to buy — for a select few who need them.

"People who really need those vehicles will buy them and get a good deal," he said. "People are reevaluating what they really need. The problem is people no longer believe gas prices will go back down and stay down."

Said Bigalow, who is selling an Armada: "Who would have thought $3 a gallon would be a bargain?"