How to bargain when buying a car?

Chittybangbang1

im looking at a 2007 Focus with 33000miles, the asking price is about €12500 but i can just about manage €10800 cash at the most. Obviously less if I can! So how should I handle the bargaining? What would be a reasonable starting offer? Should I push for tax, new tyres, etc?

L-M

Carzone annoys me, so i'm not going to check prices lol.

But for a car that was 20+ new, €12,500 sounds cheap. If it's through a dealer it should have tyre's changed as required, serviced etc. Just ask for rock bottom straight deal price cash to take away.

Don't go putting the car down, it's annoying. Get a tank of fuel as well.

daveharnett

Limerick-man wrote: »

Don't go putting the car down, it's annoying. Get a tank of fuel as well.

Would you say that's true of private sales too?

L-M

daveharnett wrote: »

Would you say that's true of private sales too?

It all depends. Imagine selling a car to some one who just starts insulting it. It's not going to make you want to sell.

projectmayhem

Chittybangbang1 wrote: »

im looking at a 2007 Focus with 33000miles, the asking price is about €12500 but i can just about manage €10800 cash at the most. Obviously less if I can! So how should I handle the bargaining? What would be a reasonable starting offer? Should I push for tax, new tyres, etc?

If it's a private seller you'll find it difficult to knock that much money off, but in the current "climate" (I know a car sales dealer who's place hasn't sold 1 car in about 2 months...) it might be worth waiting a week or two. If the guy doesn't sell, then you can take it that his asking price isn't tickling peoples fancy

Chittybangbang1

its a dealer so id say i could have the upper hand. il have to keep an eye on it but then i don't want to miss out on it. the deal would be for cash so im hoping they bite my hand off. iv missed out on another good deal by waiting too long. il just have to pretend i dont want it that much!

Eoin

Chittybangbang1 wrote: »

il just have to pretend i dont want it that much!

I wouldn't waste my time with someone who came across as not really wanting the car. I would say if the dealer knows you're dead keen but on a budget, that you'll get a good price.

L-M

eoin_s wrote: »

I wouldn't waste my time with someone who came across as not really wanting the car.

Lol, in there before me. Can be fairly frustrating.

maidhc

1) Don't set your heart on any particular car
2) Tell someone you like the car but you only have €x.

Chittybangbang1

Good point, thanks for that. I do really want it so no use playing games.

L-M

Chittybangbang1 wrote: »

Good point, thanks for that. I do really want it so no use playing games.

Go in with your money, i'm sure they'll be more than happy to accomodate you. And if they don't, you know where to go.

-Chris-

maidhc wrote: »

1) Don't set your heart on any particular car
2) Tell someone you like the car but you only have €x.

I agree with this. Don't bother with the gamesmanship, the salesperson's seen it all before - go in, state it like it is, either you'll get to buy the car or you won't.

ninty9er

If they refuse to budge you have nothing to lose by asking:

"would you prefer me to give you €10,800 for it today, or give your liquidator €7.5k in a few months time?"

L-M

ninty9er wrote: »

If they refuse to budge you have nothing to lose by asking:

"would you prefer me to give you €10,800 for it today, or give your liquidator €7.5k in a few months time?"

Did that work on the Camry :P

Owen

ninty9er wrote: »

If they refuse to budge you have nothing to lose by asking:

"would you prefer me to give you €10,800 for it today, or give your liquidator €7.5k in a few months time?"

Cause that'll work.

charlesD

daveharnett wrote: »

Would you say that's true of private sales too?

I agree with Limerick-man that it really does make you less inclined to sell the car. In my experience, the buyer often brings up non-issues or blatant untruths in these discussions in an attempt to bring the price down.

For instance, I recently was selling a work van and when it came time to talk price, he pointed out a tear in the seat, saying he would have to replace the entire seat and the tires, claiming that he would have to replace them.

The seat was ripped, but it is a work van, so it really doesn't matter all that much and in any case it was obvious that he wouldn't really have replaced the seat. A seat cover would have been adequate. The tires were virtually brand new.

I would have dropped the price several hundred dollars if he had just asked or even given me his bottom line, but instead I told him the price was firm due to the way he approached me.

rigal

Go in and offer slightly less than what you really expect to pay, say €10.5k, and tell him you can make a cash payment today if you can both agree on a price.

They'll want to do the business as you're not waiting on finance and you have no trade-in.. Remember cash is king!!;)!!

Owen

rigal wrote: »

tell him you can make a cash payment today if you can both agree on a price. They'll want to do the business as you're not waiting on finance and you have no trade-in.. Remember cash is king!!;)!!

Cash doesn't matter a boll*cks these days unless you're dealing with some joe soap out of a portacabin who doesn't declare everything he does to the revenue. In many cases, a car company will actually prefer if you finance.

The main strength of your bargaining is that you're a straight purchaser - no trade in. That's the best type of sale there is, and don't be afraid to remind the seller of that OP.

rigal

ned78 wrote: »

Cash doesn't matter a boll*cks these days unless you're dealing with some joe soap out of a portacabin who doesn't declare everything he does to the revenue. In many cases, a car company will actually prefer if you finance.

I'd disagree with you there ned78..

Alot of people are doing things @rseways these days and trying to buy cars before they have the funds required. Spoke to a guy in the trade last week, he had sold/taken deposits on just two cars the week before and both sales fell apart because the buyers couldn't get finance. If you have cash/draft/laser card and say you can do the deal there and then they're more likely to move on price.

I sold my car last week in Dublin and bought a replacement in the UK last Friday. The first thing I said to the salesman when I enquired about the UK Car by phone was that I'd been looking for this particular car for weeks now and that I was keen to make a deal that morning. The second thing and the clincher, was that I'd pay a significant deposit over the phone that morning. After three phone calls and a few conversations between him and his MD I managed to get the car for exactly what I was prepared to pay for it, c.15% below advertised price .

Eoin

I thought a "cash buyer" really just meant that there was no trade in, and that the money was good to go - be it by cheque / draft / whatever. Not actually €10K in 50s; I would say that most people would prefer not to have that kind of cash on them.

L-M

eoin_s wrote: »

I thought a "cash buyer" really just meant that there was no trade in, and that the money was good to go - be it by cheque / draft / whatever.

That's what i'd consider a cash buyer to be. Very very few people come in with wads of cash.

copacetic

rigal wrote: »

I'd disagree with you there ned78..

Alot of people are doing things @rseways these days and trying to buy cars before they have the funds required. Spoke to a guy in the trade last week, he had sold/taken deposits on just two cars the week before and both sales fell apart because the buyers couldn't get finance. If you have cash/draft/laser card and say you can do the deal there and then they're more likely to move on price.

I sold my car last week in Dublin and bought a replacement in the UK last Friday. The first thing I said to the salesman when I enquired about the UK Car by phone was that I'd been looking for this particular car for weeks now and that I was keen to make a deal that morning. The second thing and the clincher, was that I'd pay a significant deposit over the phone that morning. After three phone calls and a few conversations between him and his MD I managed to get the car for exactly what I was prepared to pay for it, c.15% below advertised price .

interesting, what did you get and how much?

to the OP, advice above is good, but I've never seen a dealer come out with their rock bottom price when asked. They usually leave themselves a few hundred more to move in your price range.

cliche time 'in current market' some dealers are starting to realise they need to shift cars in a hurry, others appear to be holding out for miracles. You don't know what your one is like until you get there. Seems a reasonable price for the car though, so they may not go to your price yet. You may have to leave it another few weeks.

Remember every week you wait 'in current market' is going to make your car cheaper. In fact, 3 more weeks or so is probably a better time to buy, or early next year when the 09s are around.

rigal

copacetic wrote: »

interesting, what did you get and how much?

2004 Saab 9-3 Aero, 31k miles, paid £6,150, it's navy with cream leather which was proving hard to get so happy days.

Owen

rigal wrote: »

I'd disagree with you there ned78..

Disagree all you want mate!

ninty9er

ned78 wrote: »

Disagree all you want mate!

Doesn't BMW have it's own finance package Ned;)

Not the same of all dealers.

the_syco

Limerick-man wrote: »

That's what i'd consider a cash buyer to be. Very very few people come in with wads of cash.

Who'd want to laser pen all of them, and the knackers would probably count on you not doing so.

x in the city

Guys, helllooooooo

If the OP walked into that place with 10.5k or whatever in cash, I would almost certainly bet my testicles that he would drive that car away.

Its not like cars are flying out of the showrooms eh....

-Chris-

Not true at all. If dealer priced the car so they'd eventually sell it at €11,500, they're unlikely to sell for €10,500 (yet) - it may be a bridge too far.

It depends hugely on the dealer's situation.

I'd say the OP should give it a go - strong, decisive and polite - and see what happens.

Go in bristling with arrogance or saying "Sure, dealers are on their knees at the moment. You'll take my low-ball offer and you'll like it", you're likely to get a fairly frosty reception.

Believe it or not, we've actually had a few people say that to us - "you're on your knees, I want a much better deal than this". The conversation basically stops there.
You're buying a car from me, you don't get my dignity & pride thrown in to the deal...

Owen

ninty9er wrote: »

Doesn't BMW have it's own finance package Ned;)

Last time I checked, nearly every garage had finance packages. In case you're not 100% up on the news Ninty9er, I don't sell cars anymore, so less of the 'sure you're a salesman', etc.

Cash is in no way king in a negotiation in any franchised Dealership. Cash is king if you're the sort who doesn't put it through the books. If I owned a garage, and a guy walked onto the forecourt with a bank draft, and another guy waved cash in front of me, I'd see them the same way. If a guy came with a wad of cash, and another guy came saying he had been approved by his bank, same thing again. Plus, once cash gets above a certain amount, you need to declare it to the powers of darkness anyway, so it creates more hassles than it solves.

I do agree that for the eager salesperson, that having cash waved in front of them might make them salivate a bit, but I don't think it would affect a deal that much. The margin on a salesperson's deal in a franchised garage isn't going to magically grow because the legal tender being offered changes.

In any case, I think the lessons learned on this thread are not to insult the salesperson in any negotiation. Yes negotiate like hell, get the good deal and feel proud about it - but it's a tough time for anyone doing that job at the moment - tough in the 'I might be unemployed' tomorrow kind of way. Yes, there were people out there who creamed it, and deserve what they get, but there are also an awful lot of honest genuine people out there with families to support, and mortgages to pay. Reminding them that the liquidator may be here in a few months isn't really a nice thing to do.

If I come across a bit assholey on this post, I'm sorry, but I think that it's a very tough time for ordinary people in the Motor Trade. And bad manners from anyone is inexcusable in a situation like that. It's possible to drive a hard deal, and be curteous.

AudiChris wrote: »

You're buying a car from me, you don't get my dignity & pride thrown in to the deal...

Amen!

Ferris

OP remind the seller that the car is going to be a year older in 6 weeks and it will drop in value as a result.

I agree with the posts about being respectful and courteous to the seller - defo a case of play the ball not the man. It costs nothing to be nice in this case.

-Chris-

ned78 wrote: »

Reminding them that the liquidator may be here in a few months isn't really a nice thing to do.

One other thing I thought about in this whole thing is - if you expect a garage to actually be able to give you a massive discount because you really believe the wolves are at the door, then you're not placing much value in aftersales service or come-back if anything goes wrong.

If you're buying from a dealer in that kind of predicament you may as well be buying private or from an auction...