Boston_golfer
Active member
How low is your low-ball offer? What percentage is your go-to discount on your initial offer? Does the cars price make a different? Let's hear what you car buying gurus have to say...
Buying Used Cars
Not a car buying guru per se, but a few things I have done. This can work if you haven't fallen in love with a specific car.
Look up the prices of similar cars online. If you can find one, even if you have to drive 300 miles, to get it, that's a hard comparison the seller has to consider.
Has the car been sitting a while? If so, seller may want to move it.
Your offer should be below what you are willing to accept. If seller starts above average retail, then you should come in somewhere between private party andr trade value. It should be based on data - here's what similar cars are selling for, here is what Edmund's says is the private party sales price, or average dealer price, or average CPO price . . . . It should give you room to counter without going over your lowest acceptable price.
Here's a hypothetical. If it's a CPO and the average dealer price is $21k, average trade is $17k, and he's offering $22k, I would try to get the car for between $19 and $20k. But I would have to be prepared to walk away.
I would offer something like $18.5k and say it's not exactly what you want but the car appears to be decent. You can't give the impression you're in love with the car or you've lost all leverage.
Seller will give you all kinds of reason why $22k is a steal. Stick to your guns, especially if you have something comparable to show. Seller may counter to something like $21.2k - still above average. I'd counter with $19k - you moved less than he did. He may come down to $21k. Seller wants you to think you got a big discount, but his number is padded on the high end like yours is on the low side. Offer $19.2K - each counter you make is smaller. Tells seller you are nearing your upper limit. One after that should be $19,250. Meanwhile, he is playing the same game with you. Seller may offer stuff like mats, or five oil changes, or such. You can say you are going to buy a car in the next three days, you have other cars top look at, but you will buy this one today at your last offered price. If he has countered, you each think the other one is hooked, and that may be the case. Don't be afraid to walk, but make sure seller has your number and knows you will buy the car at your last offered price.
Look up the prices of similar cars online. If you can find one, even if you have to drive 300 miles, to get it, that's a hard comparison the seller has to consider.
Has the car been sitting a while? If so, seller may want to move it.
Your offer should be below what you are willing to accept. If seller starts above average retail, then you should come in somewhere between private party andr trade value. It should be based on data - here's what similar cars are selling for, here is what Edmund's says is the private party sales price, or average dealer price, or average CPO price . . . . It should give you room to counter without going over your lowest acceptable price.
Here's a hypothetical. If it's a CPO and the average dealer price is $21k, average trade is $17k, and he's offering $22k, I would try to get the car for between $19 and $20k. But I would have to be prepared to walk away.
I would offer something like $18.5k and say it's not exactly what you want but the car appears to be decent. You can't give the impression you're in love with the car or you've lost all leverage.
Seller will give you all kinds of reason why $22k is a steal. Stick to your guns, especially if you have something comparable to show. Seller may counter to something like $21.2k - still above average. I'd counter with $19k - you moved less than he did. He may come down to $21k. Seller wants you to think you got a big discount, but his number is padded on the high end like yours is on the low side. Offer $19.2K - each counter you make is smaller. Tells seller you are nearing your upper limit. One after that should be $19,250. Meanwhile, he is playing the same game with you. Seller may offer stuff like mats, or five oil changes, or such. You can say you are going to buy a car in the next three days, you have other cars top look at, but you will buy this one today at your last offered price. If he has countered, you each think the other one is hooked, and that may be the case. Don't be afraid to walk, but make sure seller has your number and knows you will buy the car at your last offered price.
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Mark_UK
Legal Alien
Buying Used Cars
I try and walk out paying no more than the sticker price with all the fees and taxes I involved. I managed easily on my first car, paid about 50 bucks over the sticker on my second car.
Where the sly b******* get you is if you are paying on finance. They will start asking you how much you can pay a month. Shut that talk straight down and agree on the buying price. As said earlier, if they piss you about, get up and walk away.
#FiberLaunch
I try and walk out paying no more than the sticker price with all the fees and taxes I involved. I managed easily on my first car, paid about 50 bucks over the sticker on my second car.
Where the sly b******* get you is if you are paying on finance. They will start asking you how much you can pay a month. Shut that talk straight down and agree on the buying price. As said earlier, if they piss you about, get up and walk away.
#FiberLaunch
My wife used to work in the car business, breaking down deals from the dealer / financial side of things, so she's well versed on the ins and outs of "the deal". The last two times we've bought a car, we've spent all the time with the salesman, I typically ask most of the questions, we both will drive the vehicle, and then if it's one we want, we'll go in and sit down with him. He brings out his worksheet, and I just turn and look at my wife, and she takes it from there. Get some funny looks from the salesmen as if they expect me to do the "dealing" since I had been the "spokesperson" primarily before, then she pretty much is able to cut through all the crap and just get to the bottom line much faster than I could.
moosejaa
Mr. Inconsistent
I try to get what Edmunds or KBB lists the car for, maybe less. They've gotten much closer to dealer listings lately which makes me wonder though.
The thing that irritates me, and really is a big money maker for the dealer, is the "meeting" with the finance guy where all they do is try to add on BS warranties.
They're relentless and don't like to take no for an answer, worst part about buying a car IMO.
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The thing that irritates me, and really is a big money maker for the dealer, is the "meeting" with the finance guy where all they do is try to add on BS warranties.
They're relentless and don't like to take no for an answer, worst part about buying a car IMO.
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk