Experiences with haggling as a buyer?
 

I've bought used cars before, exclusively from private sellers but never a car like a Vette. Have you generally been able to get a Vette for less than the asking price? Ever gotten someone to come down even when they state "Price is firm/non-negotiable"?

If so what worked to your advantage?

Ever gotten what you consider to be a great buy on a used C3 or other Vette from a dealer?

I got mine for a little less, from a ford dealer.

I brought up various little things (vinyl vs leather interior (advertised as leather) paint being a little worse for wear (mine has small stress cracks, bubbling in a couple spots, etc.) and just other little things (car was running rich when I got it and required a tune).

Bringing up stuff like that can help, just never note anything positive you see on the car directly to the seller.

Hey brassplyer,
I negotiated a better price on my 72, but not by tearing apart the condition of the car. It is 46 years old, both the original owner and myself knew that there were more than a few things that would need attention. My approach, which is totally sincere, is that I would care for the car as the original owner had for all of these years. Yes, they did not keep the car a Pebble Beach Concourse show car, but they stayed on top of it to maintain it as a reliable driver that they enjoyed for many years. When I took the keys, I promised to do the same same. I will probably go above and beyond that and bring it reasonably back to how the owner received it when new. Just a somewhat original weekend car.

I think real Corvette people know what they have. Don't insult them by pointing out every shortcoming the car has. They will appreciate your willingness to preserve the car that they love. Used car dealers and Ebay shysters will want you to believe that what they possess is gold, no matter what shape it is in. Avoid these types and deal with Corvette people. You will more often than not get a fair shake. Just my 2¢.

Always make an offer if you're interested.... you can always up your offer but you can never go back down.

I have never paid asking price on any car I've ever purchased. My current 1970 Corrvette was purchased for 10% less then the asking price.

I've bought several cars and boats by making an offer, which was originally declined. I always leave a card and tell them if they change their mind to call me. It's amazing how many people will call you back a couple days later and except your offer after they have had time to think about it.

After nearly 4 decades of buying and selling corvettes and other specialty vehicles your question does get my mind engaged.
I hate like poison wheeling and dealing, i bet i have missed out on thibgs i wanted because i dont dicker, give me your price, i will jump or run, here is my price you jump or run.

It doesnt matter if a person is a vette guru or total novice when they have a corvette to sale they might be realistic or they might be delusional on their pricing and they might be very open minded and kind to work with or they might be an ego driven dbag who is right about evenything and everyone else in their mind is a idiot.
All these variables can vary person to person so a savvy buyer has to figure out and work with the type seller at hand.

One thing i find pretty assinine yet see it and hear about it a fair amount is a person is selling a non stock car, perhaps light modifacations or to make my point doesnt matter the degree its modded why would a person desiring bone stock contact such a seller and start right in bashing and trashing the car trying to use the fact its not what they want to get a seller to come down,
What makes it worse most times these buyers are insulting,
A seller might have a solid 10k car listed for 12-14k yet these "trash the car buyers" will offer 5 or 6k saying no one will pay more its modded or it needs this or that.
Just dont nit pick or at least keep it to a very low volume.

My answer is go find the car you actually want
My point there was if you desire a stock 69 convertible bb 4 speed dont hit the guy with a flared 75 coupe beating his car up.
If time, or budget or supply causes a buyer to have to settle that isnt the sellers fault.

When i bought my 69 i wanted stick but convertible was a must so budget forced me to buy automatic to later convert to stick,
The seller didnt hear me whine and moan the car was auto.

"Firm" on price, some seller very well might be and others still might flex but if a seller feels the need to put "firm" in his ad im not gonna make myself fell like a bottom feeding cheesedick by asking if they will take less, unless the car is 100% what i want and the price is super close to what i would pay. Then i might go cheesedick and ask kindly if firm really is firm.

Never tell a seller what their car is worth, your opinion doesnt matter, that figure is only what you want to pay.
Decide what their car is worth to you make that offer and see what happens.

Decide what you really are looking for go find it its a buyers market talk to the seller and see if it can happen to make both parties happy.

Just food for thought.
Cheers
B

No. I've purchased three and all have been private sales.

I guess I am a hard ass. Had a 1970 two top 454 4-speed that had just been restored with a frame off and new paint. it had two small issued 1.rear bumper alignment 2. leaking steering. I set detailed pictures and disclosed what was needed to fix both and we agree on the deal. He drives 6 hours with a trailer to get the car and after a full inspection and test driving the car. his wife starts to get out the trailer straps, and them he tells me that he wants another grand off the car for the two problems. "Well wait right here" is my reply. I start the car put it in the garage, shut the door, set the alarm system and go back to work.

Cash and trailer is good.

I got a good education on how to buy stuff from selling stuff. I HATE the negotiation haggle but my Dad explained it to me this way...you need to have a little wiggle room built into the asking price so the buyer can save face. If you refuse to come off even a little bit, the prospective buyer is backed into a corner. Buyer can get frustrated away from the table and walk. A little more asking price on the front end and come off some to make the close. You never have to sell it if you do not want to.

Even if a seller says "firm", he probably just hates the negotiation. Try not to drag it out too much if you know you will not offer his price.

When I found the car that I had been looking 18 months for, it was 4000 miles away. Before buying a plane ticket, I asked the seller not to sell it to another interested party from LA. He said because I was the first to call, that he would hold it until I got there...but the price was non-negotiable. I guess that makes me a lousy negotiator...but I got the right car. After 14 years, what I paid for it doesn't even matter.

:iagree:

Different but same basic end when i sold my wifes honda,
And that buyer thought he was cute being a cheesedick,
I shut and locked door in his face.
I dont play well with cheesedick ego driven overbearing types.

Wiggle room?
Not me, i state my price and if a buyer needs some ego driven game of getting my item for less thats a "him problem".
This worked with the last several things i sold,
Fiero, mako clip, riding mower, trans, etc.

I will say i research what i have and try to price it at or below what appears to be "going rate"

I just added a item to another one of my hobbies,
The seller actually asked if i was gonna nit pick and offer less, i said nope, your price is fair and i want it, he tossed in free extras.

I have bought and sold many cars over the past 50+ years but I don't consider myself to be any kind of expert. I personally try to refrain from pointing out flaws having found that many sellers are emotionally attached to what they are selling. Showing up with cash and a trailer usually has a powerful effect on the buyer. Most times I ask the buyer what is their lowest price but will offer lower if they still are not reasonable. I always leave my name and number if we don't complete the sale. I also try to be friendly and positive.

Lol.

Another way of saying "Alas my good sir, I'm afraid I am unwilling to accept your offer and regrettably this negotiation must now come to an end. A good day to you and your fair lady."

Your way saved time.

:lol:

Yes, I have but here where the circumstances.

the car is a 1971 LS 5 454/365 automatic. It was here for sale on the forum. While an original car, the engine, trans and rear were all "born with" the car had 1 respray in it life.
most of the documentation was missing, or incomplete, but some of the bills were available.

car has 113,000 miles on it, and the seller was both the 2nd and the 4th owner. I had it looked out by someone I found here on the forum, that was 1 hour away. He looked it over, drove it, and sent me almost 200 pictures of the inspection.

so, I knew what I was buying. It also helped that the inspector knew that the seller had turned down an offer that morning for 4,000 less than the asking price.
armed with the information, I made an offer of all cash, dead in the middle, 2,000 less. he balked and we agreed on a price $1,750. less and I have been happy ever since.

you need to do your homework, know what you are buying, and not insult the seller. I find if you are honest, but not a hard ass you can move mountains, and everyone wins!

Good luck with your quest.

Your question about good deal from dealer. It's all relative.

Recently bought a 67 from a Chevrolet dealer for 49k and flipped it for 54k.

That said, target on a dealer car would be a excellent quality car from a dealer that doesn't know what he has. Just because you are a "dealer" doesn't mean you know anything.

Everything is a negotiation...decide what the car is worth to you and offer that number. If it is worth asking to you than pay it with just a little haggle for fun, if you think it is too high have a deposit ready and make your offer. As was noted, pointing out the flaws puts up a wall for some so that can be bad form but just making the offer on the spot is respectful and if they counter you are off to the races.

Just my $.02 of course from years of making bad deals....LOL

My '69 was owned by the same guy for 25 years who sold it due to financial hardship to a 'flipper' - someone who has no intention other than to spit polish it and pass it along. It wasn't running when he got it and a lot of stuff was in boxes so he had some work to do, not all that much really, but enough for him. He took a chance on that car. Thing is, the man is retired (and an old hotrodder) and does this as a hobby along with his wife. He had no emotional attachment to the car. We went back & forth over the price and arrived at a number that was a little higher than I wanted but could live with. Having looked at a dozen or so C3s for a few months I knew I had found what I wanted, my wife loved it and he saw it. We were at a disadvantage.I eventually saw what he really paid for it on some paperwork and knew he made a killing. He also offered up all sorts of stuff - a real American Picker. I didn't bite but knew this man loved haggling and was damned good at it. The car ran and drove fine but was 80 miles from home and he offered to trailer (enclosed) it over to my house, which he did. He had a heavy equipment business, now run by his sons, so transporting a 'vette was cake to him. Hindsight being clear that was a smart way to go. Fuel issues. Might've made it home, might not. Might have burned to a sticky puddle on the roadside.

So it arrived and we sat at the kitchen table with stacks of cash. He asked if I had anything I wanted to sell or trade and I immediately trotted out a couple of things which were utterly valueless to me but had a big 'wow' factor.. Let's just say it worked - I knew what I had and that cash went back & forth a bit before it settled. He went away happy and the wife & I were ecstatic.

I've bought & sold several vehicles in private sales over the years and have had great results, but this was actually fun and this is part of my car's story. Probably not the best deal ever, but hell I got a nice 'vette out of it

haggle? on a Corvette? NO WAY, don`t you know Corvettes are special and deserve to be bought for asking price plus the entry fee into the Corvette ownership club?

Be polite and respectful or otherwise you'll get STFU.