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How much to offer for a second-hand car (percentage wise)?

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  • 14-03-2011 9:40pm
    #1
    joker77
    Registered Users Posts: 4,111 ✭✭✭


    Just wondering is there any guidelines, in dealing with second hand car dealers.

    Say a car is advertised at 4,500 - would an offer of 3k be cheeky?

    For 5,800 - what about an offer of 4k?

    I know it's a bit of an open-ended question, I'm just looking to see what the thoughts are on how much to offer. I would have though generally 75% of the price would be a starting point, would it be lower?


Comments

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    #2
    Cionád
    Registered Users Posts: 2,000 ✭✭✭Cionád


    Really depends on the car, if it's the cheapest make/model/spec online, I wouldn't bother offering 20% less than asking price.


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    #3
    bazz26
    Registered Users Posts: 51,150 ✭✭✭✭bazz26


    There is no written formula to haggling on the price of a car. Depends on the make, model, how popular the car is, what are similar models selling for and how urgent dealer wants to shift it.


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    #4
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,353 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    There's no hard and fast rule, apart from the fact there is always some fat built-in for haggling. How much you really have to figure out for yourself, some cars that they want to get rid of may already have an attractive price and there isn't much to play with.

    It also depends on the individual salesman, there are dozens of posts on this forum about people who get very shirty when a punter walks in and offers what they think is an insultingly low price, you have to figure it out for yourself. You need to suss out the car and the guy selling it before deciding where to start negotiations.

    You don't have to launch straight into making an offer by the way, ask a few questions about the car, see what the guy's attitude is, then figure out where to start.

    The rule is that there is no rule.


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    #5
    Owen
    Registered Users Posts: 12,683 ✭✭✭✭Owen


    If the car is genuinely the cheapest online, I wouldn't be making offers of 80% or anything. If a guy's gone to the effort of making his the lowest price, I would honestly say offers of 90% and above are more likely to be realistic and accepted.


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    #6
    joker77
    Registered Users Posts: 4,111 ✭✭✭joker77


    Cheers - yea I suppose it's common sense really when dealing with the person.

    I told a guy dealer today his car was overpriced, didn't take it too well...


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    #7
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,353 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    You also need to remember that you are probably interested in that car because (1) it's a popular model (2) it's in good condition and (3) the price looks interesting.

    All of which means that there probably isn't much reason for the dealer to do much discounting! That's how he sees it anyway.


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    #8
    joker77
    Registered Users Posts: 4,111 ✭✭✭joker77


    PaintDoctor wrote: »
    If the car is genuinely the cheapest online, I wouldn't be making offers of 80% or anything. If a guy's gone to the effort of making his the lowest price, I would honestly say offers of 90% and above are more likely to be realistic and accepted.
    Yea it's hard to know though with the cars I'm looking at - wildly varying prices

    I took another look at your Rover - have to say, it looks a peach. Best of luck selling it, that's one car that looks worth the money.

    There are cars going for in and around 5,800 that don't look near as good. I put in a cheeky bid of 4k on one, just to test the water


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    #9
    joker77
    Registered Users Posts: 4,111 ✭✭✭joker77


    coylemj wrote: »
    You also need to remember that you are probably interested in that car because (1) it's a popular model (2) it's in good condition and (3) the price looks interesting.

    All of which means that there probably isn't much reason for the dealer to do much discounting! That's how he sees it anyway.
    No I'm looking for an estate, they're not too popular - I would say that people who wanted more space generally over the last few years went for jeeps


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    #10
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 23,339 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    It not only depends on the dealer but on the car, I bought a car off a lad for the sister years ago, it was a 5 or 6 year old Ka, he knocked off a decent few quid as we had no trade in. Last year he had a 17 year old 520i tourer for €900, he wouldn't give me anything off it. Six months ago he had a 2001 MG ZS for €1950 and again would give me nothing off it, he then said would I be into the 2002 ZT (€2950 on the screen and just NCTd), yep says I but I don't want to spend that, €700 off no bother.

    That's all with the same dealer, so there really is no hard and fast rules, depends on the car and what it owes them etc :)


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    #11
    Owen
    Registered Users Posts: 12,683 ✭✭✭✭Owen


    joker77 wrote: »
    I took another look at your Rover - have to say, it looks a peach. Best of luck selling it, that's one car that looks worth the money.

    I'm flexible!

    Generally, what I would do in your situation is look at what it would cost to import one from the UK including everything like ferries, time off work, flights, fuel. Then I'd look at Carzone for the cheapest example like for like. Then donedeal, then adverts. After you've done all the research, find the car you were originally looking at and compare the price. If he's way off the mark, tell him, and explain nicely where your valuation is coming from.

    If the guy's reasonable, and you've torn his price apart nicely and politely, you'll most likely agree something. The worst case scenario is that he gets miffed and tells you to shove it somewhere, or you get miffed and buy somewhere else. But at least you tried!


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    #12
    johnos1984
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,096 ✭✭✭johnos1984


    Here is a good guide*

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056207481


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    #13
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 23,339 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    That was good crack :pac:


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    #14
    RobAMerc
    Registered Users Posts: 5,862 ✭✭✭RobAMerc


    joker77 wrote: »
    Just wondering is there any guidelines, in dealing with second hand car dealers.

    Say a car is advertised at 4,500 - would an offer of 3k be cheeky?

    For 5,800 - what about an offer of 4k?

    I know it's a bit of an open-ended question, I'm just looking to see what the thoughts are on how much to offer. I would have though generally 75% of the price would be a starting point, would it be lower?


    I think you are wasting yours and the vendors time offering that little. If they had any intention of letting it go for that much they would advertise it at that rate in order to get rid.
    btw - If you only have 3k to spend why are you looking at cars being advertised at 4.5k ? Would you go to Harvey Normans offering 400 for a 600 euro telly ?

    have a read of the above it's enlightening!


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    #15
    Owen
    Registered Users Posts: 12,683 ✭✭✭✭Owen


    I bid Harvey Normans 75% of asking recently and actually got them to make a sale. I thought I'd be laughed at/escorted out, but man, they must be feeling the pinch too.


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    #16
    RobAMerc
    Registered Users Posts: 5,862 ✭✭✭RobAMerc


    PaintDoctor wrote: »
    I bid Harvey Normans 75% of asking recently and actually got them to make a sale. I thought I'd be laughed at/escorted out, but man, they must be feeling the pinch too.


    fair enough - but you have no intention of accepting 3k and a pot belly hamster for your 75 do you ? - according to this forum that's all its worth because that's what I offered for it !


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    #17
    johnos1984
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,096 ✭✭✭johnos1984


    RobAMerc wrote: »
    fair enough - but you have no intention of accepting 3k and a pot belly hamster for your 75 do you ? - according to this forum that's all its worth because that's what I offered for it !
    Your desperate to be rid of this hamster. Does it come with a cage?


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    #18
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 23,339 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    RobAMerc wrote: »
    fair enough - but you have no intention of accepting 3k and a pot belly hamster for your 75 do you ? - according to this forum that's all its worth because that's what I offered for it !

    €4000+ I reckoned :)
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=71104326#post71104326
    and a bargain at that ;)

    johnos1984 wrote: »
    Your desperate to be rid of this hamster. Does it come with a cage?

    Hopefully it's not a gerbil :eek:
    (Richard Gere thing with the gerbil)


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    #19
    johnos1984
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,096 ✭✭✭johnos1984


    RoverJames wrote: »
    €4000+ I reckoned :)
    Hopefully it's not a gerbil :eek:
    (Richard Gere thing with the gerbil)
    In that case I'll want to see a receipt from the valet to prove its been wetvac'd


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    #20
    joker77
    Registered Users Posts: 4,111 ✭✭✭joker77


    RobAMerc wrote: »
    I think you are wasting yours and the vendors time offering that little. If they had any intention of letting it go for that much they would advertise it at that rate in order to get rid.
    btw - If you only have 3k to spend why are you looking at cars being advertised at 4.5k ? Would you go to Harvey Normans offering 400 for a 600 euro telly ?

    have a read of the above it's enlightening!
    I have 4k to spend, maybe just over at a real stretch, but was hoping to get something for 3k.

    So with that in mind, I'm looking at stuff between 2.5 and 5.5.


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    #21
    RobAMerc
    Registered Users Posts: 5,862 ✭✭✭RobAMerc


    johnos1984 wrote: »
    Your desperate to be rid of this hamster. Does it come with a cage?
    RoverJames wrote: »
    €4000+ I reckoned :)
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=71104326#post71104326
    and a bargain at that ;)




    Hopefully it's not a gerbil :eek:
    (Richard Gere thing with the gerbil)
    johnos1984 wrote: »
    In that case I'll want to see a receipt from the valet to prove its been wetvac'd

    you realise this is the motoring forum and not AH don't you ?
    do either of you have the slightest interest in the topic or even in cars?


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    #22
    johnos1984
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,096 ✭✭✭johnos1984


    RobAMerc wrote: »
    you realise this is the motoring forum and not AH don't you ?
    do either of you have the slightest interest in the topic or even in cars?

    We both do yes but I thought we could converse after your touching conversation with James last night where you were offering relationship advice.

    James did you find a girlfriend today?

    FINGERS CROSSED FOR YOU :p

    EDIT: My original link here was to warn the OP about how upset and loony a seller could become if you made an offer below their unknown expectations

    And to be fair RobaMerc you started talking bollocks here when you mentioned your pot bellied pet


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    #23
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 23,339 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    RobAMerc wrote: »
    do either of you have the slightest interest in the topic or even in cars?

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=71168510#post71168510

    I'd have a fair to medium interest in cars :)


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    #24
    Tigger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,707 ✭✭✭✭Tigger


    PaintDoctor wrote: »
    I'm flexible!

    Generally, what I would do in your situation is look at what it would cost to import one from the UK including everything like ferries, time off work, flights, fuel. Then I'd look at Carzone for the cheapest example like for like. Then donedeal, then adverts. After you've done all the research, find the car you were originally looking at and compare the price. If he's way off the mark, tell him, and explain nicely where your valuation is coming from.

    If the guy's reasonable, and you've torn his price apart nicely and politely, you'll most likely agree something. The worst case scenario is that he gets miffed and tells you to shove it somewhere, or you get miffed and buy somewhere else. But at least you tried!

    http://www.gumtree.com/london/49/73864149.html

    this is the close spec to yours but its two years younger and 6,000 more miles
    days wages +all that stuff = 450
    cost to buy= €4,000

    vrt is impossaibl;e to calculate these days but tghe calculator gave €916

    stat code 47488545

    so thats the same money for 2 years younger


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    #25
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 23,339 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Tigger wrote: »
    http://www.gumtree.com/london/49/73864149.html

    this is the close spec to yours but its two years younger and 6,000 more miles
    days wages +all that stuff = 450
    cost to buy= €4,000

    vrt is impossaibl;e to calculate these days but tghe calculator gave €916

    stat code 47488545

    so thats the same money for 2 years younger

    How does £3500 + €450 for a days wages etc equate to €4000 :confused:

    Not to mention the flight over, ferry back etc and the days wages would be over €450 anyway.


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    #26
    Tigger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,707 ✭✭✭✭Tigger


    RoverJames wrote: »
    How does £3500 + €450 for a days wages etc equate to €4000 :confused:

    no the car costs €4,000 to buy
    then add 450 and 916
    gives a price landed of €5,366


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    #27
    Tigger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,707 ✭✭✭✭Tigger


    im interested in paint docs car and i was just showing where i am in my research
    as per his post which i agree with


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    #28
    -Chris-
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,035 ✭✭✭✭-Chris-



    @johnos1984, RobaMerc & RoverJames - can you drop the handbags please?


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    #29
    Owen
    Registered Users Posts: 12,683 ✭✭✭✭Owen


    Tigger wrote: »
    http://www.gumtree.com/london/49/73864149.html

    this is the close spec to yours but its two years younger and 6,000 more miles
    days wages +all that stuff = 450
    cost to buy= €4,000

    vrt is impossaibl;e to calculate these days but tghe calculator gave €916

    stat code 47488545

    so thats the same money for 2 years younger

    I'd really prefer not to get into this here, it's more for adverts, but that car doesn't have the same spec to begin with. I'm anal about spec, and I know what I have.

    I would be honestly worried what's wrong with that car TBH, they make better money than that in the UK. Even the crappiest 01/02 Tourer's on Pistonheads for almost 3k. Your calculations don't factor in all the extras having VRT applicable to them either.


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    #30
    Tigger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,707 ✭✭✭✭Tigger


    PaintDoctor wrote: »
    Your calculations don't factor in all the extras having VRT applicable to them either.



    i agree
    Tigger wrote: »
    vrt is impossaible to calculate these days


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