Always find it interesting to hear how some guys handle negotiating the price on their dentside purchases. Do you lowball? Are you the guy that pays what's asked? Do you make an offer and walk away, or do you stay and haggle to you get it for a price you like?

Just a topic to kill some time.

 

Have what I want to pay in one pocket with cash. Then the rest of what I am willing to pay. If its less than they're going to sell it for walk away. I try to never pay sticker price for anything.

 

Never pay full price!!!! Have a number in your head, and do not exceed it. Make sure your first offer is refused, then work up from there, constantly prompting counter offers. Each guy has a number in their head, it's all about finding it. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out.

 

I bought two dents. First one, I made an standing two week offer and pointed out that his ad was on CL for about a month. Since he lived in a small town, it was unlikely that he would get a local deal done. He called about ten days later. That is my dent I have today. Second one I wanted for spare parts. I figured what I would have paid for the parts I needed. Their asking price was low enough that I didn't haggle at all. Just left a deposit and picked up the truck the next day.

 

I watch CL so closely daily that I usually will see if someone is advertising there. I have an idea of what I would pay for every truck I look at, and I start there. I never say the first offer... Ever. I ask what their bottom price is. My momma always told me the first one to say a number in a negotiation, loses. So I try that approach. Usually works for me. Paid $1200 for my 78' that was advertised at $2000, $800 for my 73' advertised at $2500 and $700 for the 77' advertised at $1200.

 

I have bought two and paid full asking price for both. Reason? They were both well underpriced.

Both trucks were far enough away from me that I knew I wouldn't get there first, so I called the owners up and established a friendly raport with them. I asked if they were getting a lot of calls/emails, and when they said yes I told them it was probably because they were underpriced. They asked the value and I gave them an estimate. Both appreciated the honesty and let me be the first one to come see their trucks. Not really negotiating. but I was happy with the results.

 

My '78 was traded into the dealership I was working at at the time. I did the used vehicle inspection. I knew exactly what was wrong with it. I asked what they wanted for it, then came back with a list of parts prices from NAPA for what it would cost me just to fix the completely worn out front suspension/steering. I was able to cut $1500 off what they told me because my list was over $2500. The dealership still made a little money on the deal, less than $200 over what they gave for it in trade. I walked out with the keys for $2000 and spent $1100-1200 to fix the front end by getting most of my parts from Rockauto.

The '79 I paid asking price, but only after trying to get it for less. This one has cost me more in the year I have owned it than the '78 has in 4 years. It was supposed to be a quick fix and flip. Now I'm looking for a cab and a donor bed floor. I wasn't able to look at it as close as the first one because it was in a field and loaded with trash. Always look closely. Learned my lesson.

 

I tried the set amount in my pocket plan. When I got to the guys house, I found out that he was starting his first year in college and had no other choice to sale his pride and joy. Seeing the condition of the house he was raised in, I could tell he didn't come from a wealthy family. I decided to help out a young guy out, gave him the asking $2000. After I drove it home (40 miles) I think I paid a good price. Considering I looked at 3 other dents that day that were at the same price but much, much worse condition. One had a body that was in a major hail storm and had no engine but he still wanted $2500. Another one, for $2000, broke down on the test drive.

 

Depends..... I paid the asking price for my 73 4x4... it had brand new 35-inch Goodyears still wearing the protective blue coating over the white letters. I figure I bought a set of tires and got a free truck and, according to the receipts, with a fresh four-wheel brake job. The college kid guy who sold it to me couldn't keep up with the crappy mileage at $4.20 per gallon so mommy bought him a 2011 Toyota Fit.

The 70 Bump was priced the same as the price offered by the regional air district to scrap it... $750.

It took me a month to negotiate the Ferrari. In the end, I got it for 10 percent less than the asking price.... took forever to get there.

 

When I am selling and someone asks me this, I say, "I cannot sell it AND buy it, make an offer." Quite frankly, I think that question is insulting. I already made the first move by putting a price on it. The next move is yours, not mine.

When buying, if I am negotiating at all (as noted, some stuff is so cheap you just pay what they want and get out of there), I make my offer and add that it will be in cash and I will take it RIGHT NOW if you agree to the price. So I say something like, "If you will take $2500 cash for it, I will take it right now."

 

I agree, if it has a price in the listing, they have made the first move. My 74 i paid asking price, $200 and drove it home. My 77 SC I gave asking price but made the guy throw in a new battery, $600. My 76 Dump truck I made an offer and the guy jumped on it. Now I wish I had made a lower offer as I paid $1000 for it and have had nothing but problems. I do the cash in one pocket I want to pay, and extra cash in other pocket I will pay. I have walked away from vehicles many a time because it was more than I wanted to pay.

 

[QUOTE] I never say the first offer... Ever. I ask what their bottom price is.[QUOTE]


I walk away from these people if I am the seller, I am not negotiating with myself if you want to buy, you see my asking price, you make me an offer.

 

Can walk away if they want. They are trying to sell it, not me.

 

For me it depends, I have walked away from several because they thought they had fully restored rust buckets. The 79 I have now I saw for sale 6 months before I bought it. He wanted $2500 and by the time I called he just wanted it gone and was talking about the scrap yard. $400 later, it was all mine!

 

When buying or selling I always like to set the number that we start negotiating from...

Any add placed always has OBO at the end. When asked the "Whats your lowest price" question I always reply with a number HIGHER than my add price. This is usually met with a "But your add says $XXXX" And then I say is that your best offer? Because I have a few calls already and dont want you to miss out if you really want it...

When buying I will of course ask what the guy wants but if they are the misinformed folks who think stating the first number is a loosing deal then I lowball by a factor of 2... Offer half of what you are willing to pay and work up from there. This works more often than not if you are respectful. I will usually comment that the car/truck/part/house is a bit better than what I am looking for putting it a bit higher than budget. "I know your 1979 F350 4x4 is worth more than 1200 bucks but thats all I have to spend on a truck to haul stuff to the dump in..." Leave a number and walk away.

The idea is to be in control... You decide what you want to pay and you decide what it takes to sell.