Bargaining with a salesman

Israel_Dagg

Imaging a scenario.

A car is on sale for 25k.

You only have 23k to buy.

The salesman brings it down to 24k.

Is it reasonable to walk away or is it rude to walk away if the salesman is giving a decent enough offer.

Just hypothetical.

SRFC

I would be shocked if they said no to 23k cash in this day and age with it being a buyers market.

colm_mcm

It depends on the car and how its priced in the first place.
Different dealers allow different margins, the car may already making them a loss at €24k.
You need to get a feel for what the car is actually worth by comparing with what else you can get for €23k

No harm in offering €23k, show that you're serious and will actually take the car
leave it with him, maybe call back in a few days once he's thought about it.

djimi

Of course its not rude. If €23k is all you have and the dealer cant/wont come down that far then the negotiation breaks down. Nothing wrong with that.

George Dalton

Hypothetical situations are all very well but as posted above it depends on the individual car and individual situation.

Usually a car with a €25k sticker price would have enough margin built in for €23k to be in the ballpark of what the car could be bought for in a straight deal.

However, if the car is €25k where similar cars are advertised for €23k then €23k is probably too much money, conversely if there are loads advertised for €28k then the car is already cheap at €25k so €23k is in "insult" territory.

Another important factor is how desirable the car is. A poster above claims it is a buyers market out there in the secondhand car business. That is only the case for cars which for one reason or another don't appeal to the mainstream market, which these days means most petrol cars and diesel cars with higher emissions than average. A dealer who is well stocked with decent post 2008 diesel cars will have no shortage of customers and doesn't have to waste time dealing with dreamers coming in acting the hard man offering trade prices for his stock.

Israel_Dagg

Just hypothetical, haven't bought a car yet but just wondering would it be rude to enter into negotiations and then walk away if the man was giving a good deal and you may be seen to try and skim him altogether!

Tails142

It's business to him, don't see where rude comes into it.

colm_mcm

Israel_Dagg wrote: »

Just hypothetical, haven't bought a car yet but just wondering would it be rude to enter into negotiations and then walk away if the man was giving a good deal and you may be seen to try and skim him altogether!

That time would be better spent researching the car you want, watching prices on donedeal, dealer forecourts, in the uk etc. having a few yardsticks to work off.
No harm in testing the water, but negotiating, getting what you want, then walking away is pretty poor IMO.
Depends on how you do it. Don't go getting them to hold cars etc.

Golfer50

When buying a car your only concern should be how cheaply you can get it! You don't insult a car salesmen by offering everything you have in your pocket. Assuming the car hasn't been heavily discounted already as has been said above, I would offer 22k and let him think about it.
By the way,
How do you know you've paid too much for a car?
A. When the salesman extends his hand and says "Ok, you drive a hard bargain and I'm making nothing out of this but it's a deal"

dgt

Asking prices are just that, they're for bargaining

Saab Ed

SRFC wrote: »

I would be shocked if they said no to 23k cash in this day and age with it being a buyers market.

Common misconception at the moment. It is far from a buyers market in the used end of things. Infact the very opposite is the truth. There is no stock of used cars out there. Valuations on part exchanges and used car asking prices are actually on the rise.

SRFC

Saab Ed wrote: »

Common misconception at the moment. It is far from a buyers market in the used end of things. Infact the very opposite is the truth. There is no stock of used cars out there. Valuations on part exchanges and used car asking prices are actually on the rise.

Plenty of Bargains out there mainly due to people not affording the tax on cars due to the decrease in disposible income in the country 7 series bmw's going for less than 4k which were probably 80k brand new,everyone wants small diesel cars which are going for strong money.



Dont know much about new car market state as I havent been looking at new cars but I presume there is not as many people out there in the position to buy new reg cars compared to a few years ago which will surely bring the sticker price down in garages which are usually mad high for paddy spec.