Cheeky offers......

[buccal]

With all the current doom and gloom in the news, petrol prices, and continued slide in used car (esp V8 AMG) values, i was wondering how low can you go when making a cheeky offer? (Ideally without getting a slap!)

what do you reckon 5%, 10%?, 15%+ on a sticker price?

 

[BTB 500]

Because diesel is now so much more expensive you might see prices going up for petrol-engined cars!

 

[imadoofus]

If you don't get a slap, then the offer wasn't cheeky!

But as Bill said; everything is in such turmoil at the moment, that it's really hard to pin down values. It probably depends more upon the seller's circumstances than upon the market value just now. Therefore, go in low; you never know.

He knows where he wants to end up, and so do you; so in some ways, it doesn't really matter where you start from - you'll always get to a mutally acceptable figure anyway.

If he is going to get offended at your low offer, then let him. You're the buyer and that puts you in the stronger position.

PJ

 

[C240Sport97]

just turn the other cheek

the longer the car has been on sale, the larger the % off

(Ideally without getting a slap!)

 

[Setanta]

Having been in the seller position recently, I would say that low offers are acceptable as they give a starting position, however, stupidly low offers just tick off the seller.

For example, I was getting offers of £1000 *cue laughing* To me, that was the sign of a chancer who taking a punt that I would actually accept and had no real interest in buying and, most likely, would be a right pain in the proverbial when (if) they came to look.

It all depends on the car and the circumstances. Of course, sellers can live in cuckoo land (I refer to Exhibit A, the prices of C140 series coupes in Mercedes Enthusiast and Classic Cars and refer to Exhibit B, autotrader, where some of the C140's have been for sale for over 6 months and in that time, have dropped 40% or more in price).

I have found, either buying or selling, that I explain why I reach that price (or listen to someone tell me), then we usually have a deal. For example:

£7000 sale price - 1997 CL420 with 120,000miles
Review car
Offer £4000 taking into account
a) market is shot to bits for them - hence asking price is too high
b) needs new tires, shocks, brakes
c) gaps in service history
d) wheel arch rust

(just a quick example)

It's when you get muppets calling "mate, it's only worth £1000, that's all I can pay" that you just hang up.

So, it all depends I suppose is the short answer