Where to Start Price Negotiations on a Used Car
March 3, 2011 by Maurina
By the time you’re ready to start negotiating the price on your next used car, you should already have the highest price you’re willing to pay fixed in your head. If this price is realistic, there’s no reason you shouldn’t walk away from the negotiations with your next vehicle.
But what if the salesperson is being stubborn? What can you say to get him to finally come down to your offer? The great thing about negotiating a deal on a used car is the vehicle should offer some points to help you drive price down. While new cars are basically all the same, used vehicles all have their own personality; and pointing out that personality can help you get the deal you’re looking for on your next car.
Cosmetic Issues
Cosmetic issues are perfect for negotiations because they don’t affect the drivability of a car but are readily apparent. Exterior cosmetic issues include dents, scratches, rust, paint chips and glass cracks. Interior cosmetic issues could include upholstery and carpet stains, smoke or mold odor, burn holes and missing plastic parts. While some people feel bad about pointing out small cosmetic issues, it is important to realize that these issues could be your most valuable bargaining chip.
Mechanical Damage
Mechanical damage is more serious than cosmetic issues, so you should be aware of anything that you’ll have to fix down the road. Once your mechanic inspects the vehicle, get a list of everything that may need to be fixed and get estimates on all of these repairs. You should even try to find how soon parts like tires, brakes and belts will need to be replaced so you can factor these prices into your negotiations. If you can present the seller with real numbers, you’re much more likely to get price concessions.
History Concerns
This is where a vehicle report really earns its money. These reports can turn up history concerns like multiple owners, odometer rollbacks, title concerns and accidents. While anything on a history report should cause serious second thoughts on purchasing the car, they can also be valuable for reducing the asking price. Sites like Carfax even estimate how much the information in the report reduces the value of a car.
Features
Does the car you’re looking at have all the features you want? If, for example, you want power windows and a used car doesn’t provide this feature, don’t be shy about expressing your displeasure. Also, if a feature doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to, feel free to use this as a negotiation tool, even if you weren’t planning on using the feature in the first place. Features are among the biggest selling points that sellers use, so why shouldn’t you also be able to use them for negotiation?
Use all the tools at your disposal while negotiating the price of your next car. If you don’t, you could be leaving hundreds or even thousands of dollars on the table.
Category: How To, Used Cars Online
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One Response to “Where to Start Price Negotiations on a Used Car”
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