$5;500, saying that you think it’s worth more than that but with the holidays, and such that’s all that is in the budget atm, without sacrificing other higher priorities. Then give him the 6 when he comes down.

---

************************
#WeAreTheForge #BlackGunsMatter

"Look, will you guys at leats accept that you are a bunch of dumb asses and just trust me on this one? Please?" BarryP 7/30/2012

If you walked up with 50 x $100 bills (with 10 more in your pocket) the week before Christmas I think you may make some headway.

---

I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

I agree with this guy.

If you offer an immediate solution to their problem (cash) they’ll always accept less than they otherwise would. Humans are impulsive and lazy. Take advantage.

---

----------------------------------------------------------------

My training

I've sold a few used vehicles. Nothing pisses me off more then someone wasting my time with a low-ball like that. I've told off more then a few people for claiming to be serious about making a deal then showing up with a ridiculous offer, or marginally less then the agreed upon amount hoping I'd say yes at the last minute.

One guy showed up with a few hundred less then agreed upon over email thinking I'd cave. I told him to go to the bank and come back and we can settle up. He did, and when he came back I told him someone else called with a better offer, vehicle no longer for sale. I did that just to waste his time.

OP, if you're going to low ball, agree to it beforehand. Tell seller "I can be there in 30 minutes with 5,000 cash" or something to that effect.

---

Long Chile was a silly place.

OP: don't listen to this guy. You should never advertise that you're going to lowball, they'll always say no. That's the whole point. People are lazy and want immediate solutions.

I suggest you discuss that you want to check it out. Don't agree to anything. Show up, if it looks good try lowballing. If that doesn't work then offer more (if you feel like it's worth it).

People who don't like dealing with the general public shouldn't be selling to the general public. If somebody's time is worth more than having people check their products out, then they shouldn't sell their products or should say "Don't show up unless you're willing to pay X". If somebody complains about people wasting their time they're usually entitled, crankypants old folks who think their products are worth 99% of what they paid new for them 10 years ago. You're wasting your time with these guys and they probably took crap care of their belongings. They're like dogpoop in the sidewalk...step over it and don't think of it again.

Otherwise it's a free market and offers should always be appreciated.

---

----------------------------------------------------------------

My training

That's a $3,500 car, at best, on trade at a dealership (absent any over-allowance that gets buried in the new deal), and I don't car what KBB.com says about a private party sale (KBB works with dealers to send them referrals, by the way). Those cars often go for about $2,500 to $3,000 at the private, dealer-only, auction block.

I like Mr. JPO's plan, if you haven't already agreed over the phone to the seller's initial asking price. He's said he wants to move it as soon as possible. Don't play games. Go see it, make a show of going over the Carfax or Auto Chek report, and subtly run your hand over any defects you see, maybe make a small, non-threatening comment about tire wear or squishy brakes (if either exists) or the like and then offer $5,500 and STFU until he speaks. In auto buying and selling, he who speaks first, loses. If you really like the car and it's what the seller says it is, then go another $250 or $500. He's not going to actually be offended, though he may say the initial offer is lowball. It isn't, though.

I've taken thousands of cars in on trade, and helped buy many more at the auctions, and I have a financial interest in a 'B' lot (non-franchise used car lot), so don't be what we call a "lay down" (you lay down and spread your legs for the seller ;-). This guy's going to make a ton of money on the car regardless of whether it's $5,500 or $6,500.

---

"Politics is just show business for ugly people."

I have had good luck with this approach. Tell them they might be able to get their price for the car, but your research implies it is worth a lot less and you would be willing to pay that now or later, if you don't buy something else. Tell them to view your offer as a safety net, not an insult. But, don't wait too long since you are actively looking and you are headed over to look at another vehicle right now. If they can take your offer, they will do it right then or shortly afterward.

Greg

---

If you are a Canuck that engages in gratuitous bashing of the US, you are probably on my Iggy List. So, save your self a bunch of typing a response unless you also feel the need to gratuitously bash me. If so, have fun.
"Don't underestimate Joe's ability to f___ things up" - Barack Obama, 2020

As BK said, I seldom use book values when buying/selling. I look at craigslist listings in multiple cities to see what other are listing their similar vehicles/boats for.

If their listing is still up after 2 weeks. then that tells you that the car isn't worth what they are asking - or even close. Someone else has made them offers on that car by now. If you like it, offer them an amount below the average listed amount. Few people pay the actual listed price unless it is a great deal


I also disagree with respect to offering a lower price once you've looked at it. It is one thing if you offer the amount over the phone and agree to it and then offer a different price once you get there. I don't think that $5000 is a lowball price for this car. Now, if you offered $2000, that would be insulting and I'd tell you to go pound sand - but not $5000.

But first, check other craigslist cities to make sure their price is in line with others that are being listed.

You need to watch Pawn Stars or American Pickers and note how they barter back and forth. I'd give a low ball offer, wait for the counter offer and then play the game from there. But I would suspect he/she wants to get rid of the car with X-mas coming up which should work in your favor.

That's a great way to deal with people. I prefer dealing with people honestly. You say people will say no, but that's not always true. You don't know what they're willing to accept. The car has been for sale for 2 weeks. If someone emails him with a serious offer that can happen quickly, and his inbox is otherwise empty of offers, he's got a great chance.


I make my living selling my services to the public. I have nothing against dealing with people. I just think it should be done honestly and respectfully. You sound like someone who would make a great used car salesman.


That is generally what I do (negotiate price beforehand). It weeds out most of the dirt bags, but some still work their way through.


Or, they just know what their product is worth. Or, they don't appreciate being played for a sucker, which, apparently you assume most people are.


Serious offers should be appreciated. Low ball hail mary's are free to be dealt with as one pleases. Generally ignored, sometimes toyed with.

---

Long Chile was a silly place.

If the car was worth $6,500 retail it would have already sold for that, although with Christmas right around the corner some people are obviously putting their money to other gift-buying uses.

Also, if it was a good deal, a used car buyer from a wholesaler or retail car store would have tried to scoop it. Many dealers employ used car buyers who scan C.L. and AutoTrader and other sites for possible deals.

My guess is, this guy wasn't happy with the trade offer or buy offer he got from a dealer. (Most franchise stores with used car departments will outright buy a car off someone if they can make some coin off it... a couple years ago I bought an '06 Corvette ZO6 with 56,000 miles off a guy who walked into the store. Paid $27,000 and we sold it for $37,000. That's a 10-pounder in the used car world. The salesperson made a $2,400 commission off it, too. )

His trade offer was probably around $3,000 to $3,250. The dealer always tries to make at least $2,000-$2,500 off a trade, if possible, and typically begins marking a car on his lot down after about 2 weeks, depending on what he has in it.

Here's the other lesson for you folks: Never, ever become emotionally wedded to any car, even if your little girl -- who you're buying the car for -- is standing next to you, saying "But, daddy...pleeeze?" There are tons of other used cars out there and chances are really good you'll find something just like right down the road.

---

"Politics is just show business for ugly people."

It's not so much the offer I have a problem with, it's the game and assumptions people make in dealing.

Hell, offer him 4,000. But if you're going to offer significantly below asking, or significantly below what the car is actually worth (which I can't really speak to in this case), I just think it's better to be upfront about it before heading over there.

I don't know. Maybe it's just me, but if someone is going to wave a bit of money in my face and expect me to make a stupid impulse decision because of that, well, that conversation isn't going to go too well.

---

Long Chile was a silly place.

I would send them an offer of $3,500 and tell them that you can be there in an hour.

 
I tend to use NADA when buying or selling cars. KBB doesn't seem to be as accurate, and NADA is usually right in line with the used car dealers around here. I have asked several and they all said they use NADA to price their stuff.

NADA on that car assuming it is a GLS and not the Limited is as follows.

Rough Trade In - $4,500

Average Trade In - $5,500

Clean Trade In - $6,150

Clean Retail - $8,100

With numbers like that he probably got offered $5k for trade in and decided he could make another $1,500 if he sold it himself. Which means in week 1 he was probably willing to let it go for anything over $6k. Now in week 2 or 3 it depends on how patient he is. He might unload it for $5,500 and consider the $500 in his pocket worthwhile. If he is patient he may hold out for $6k.

I always check the craigslist market for the same car first and try to get an idea of the local market for that specific car. If he is in line with the market then I would offer $5,500 and be willing to pay $6,000, which is likely where he wants to end up as well. People always price Craigslist stuff higher than they want because they know people will dick them down. At $6k everyone is happy, as long as that is a decent deal in your market.

Sometimes the book doesn't mean a thing. I sold a 2003 Mazda 6 with 165k miles on it. It booked for $2,500, I sold it for $5,500. I got people coming out of the woodwork telling me I was asking too much. I told them if they wanted one for $2,500, to go ahead and go buy one for that. At the time there were only 4 in my market, mine was the best and the others were at dealers asking $6-7k. Everyone said, "I can't find one for $3k" I said "yup.....".

One expert here: $3,500, another 5,500 - 2 thousand difference like 40% = going to ask what is reality - but answer will be "what market will bear"

That is why I buy and almost bury the car.

Solid advice given already. I agree that you should be able to get that car for less than 6,500. I don't think that 5K is a ridiculous low-ball at all. You say it seems to be in great shape. I assume you've just seen pictures and the ad. If you haven't driven it yet, the price negotiation is premature.

A car that old with that many miles really needs to be driven. Even if you get him down to 5K, that's still a good chunk of change. And it really needs to be driven on the freeway or close to highway speeds. There can be handling or transmission issues that are not evident at lower speeds.