Tips for haggling

scotsbob

colino wrote: »

While its interesting to hear a few haggling thoughts, if you offered me 2/3 of what I was asking, you would need that blanket to keep you warm before you got any further contact with me.

The OP asked for tips on buying and I offered one that has worked for me.

You have offered no tips at all only slagged off one of mine that has worked for me.

Post up your ideas so we can slag you off.

scotsbob

thegirlintheattic wrote: »

I'm not sure I'd have the (metaphorical) balls to only offer 2/3.

Let us say car is for sale at £7500. What would you have the balls to offer? You will end up paying somewhere between the 2 prices. How wide/narrow is the gap?

By offering 2/3 I am widening the gap at the beginning and therefore have more negotiating power.

My present car was advertised at £7500. I offered £5000, seller told me I was crazy/time waster blah blah blah.
BUT then went on to see he expected to be knocked down but not by that much. Tht told me he was valuing it at £7000 but offering at £7500 to knock off £500.

I knew he would take £6500 for a quick cash sale. I eventually got it for £6400.

If my first offer had been £7000, or even £6500 I would never have got it for £6400.

Shock the seller with a low offer, widen the negotiating gap and give yourself room to get a good deal.

thelawnet

When I bought my last car I thought it was cheap but frankly it wasn't because of the tyres. Also it hadn't been serviced particularly thoroughly.

What I'd do is go in with a list of service items, minor and major, and the dealer's own costs for these (assuming they are franchised). And also measure the tyre tread, if it's more than half worn say you are going to need new tyres, again get the cost of these (premium brand ones!).

So say 'look this car needs the timing belt done, that's £600, four new tyres, that's £800, so call it £1500, knock that off the price and you've got a deal'.

Zekko

scotsbob wrote: »

Let us say car is for sale at £7500. What would you have the balls to offer? You will end up paying somewhere between the 2 prices. How wide/narrow is the gap?

By offering 2/3 I am widening the gap at the beginning and therefore have more negotiating power.

My present car was advertised at £7500. I offered £5000, seller told me I was crazy/time waster blah blah blah.
BUT then went on to see he expected to be knocked down but not by that much. Tht told me he was valuing it at £7000 but offering at £7500 to knock off £500.

I knew he would take £6500 for a quick cash sale. I eventually got it for £6400.

If my first offer had been £7000, or even £6500 I would never have got it for £6400.

Shock the seller with a low offer, widen the negotiating gap and give yourself room to get a good deal.

Exactly. I couldn't have put it better myself.

s_b

Zekko wrote: »

Exactly. I couldn't have put it better myself.

a clue for you both

Seen a very nice, low mileage car so going to dealer tomorrow

first sentence from girl in attic

now does this not tell you anything about the car?

words like
desirable
rare
hard to find like this
only one available in this colour spec
find another

etc

sorry but the markets changed since scrappage,theres certainly a lot of cars for sale out there but the peaches are not falling out of the trees anymore

getmore4less

thegirlintheattic wrote: »

It's cheapest one within traveling distance from my house and the dealer has four very similar ones for the same price, though I have my eye on the one with optional extras.

Check countrywide what's the car?

if they 5 similar how long have they had them?

thegirlintheattic

Went down today managed to get £300 off plus £450 worth of care package type stuff free. The £300 pound off took it to the price I was happy paying for a car with only 1,000 odd miles on it and under a year old. Prehaps not as money saving as some on here but I was happy.

Picking it up Thursday Thanks for all your tips, they've helped. Now hopefully I won't have to post every few months for help fixing my car.