Car Negotiation Tips

[T100]

Hopefully I’ve posted this in the right place.

Anyway, I am looking at buying my first car (hopefully a VT ) and this will be my first big investment into an asset. So I want to try and get for the cheapest price possible.
I need some tips on how to haggle the seller. You guys have cars and have the experience of buying cars, so I was just wondering if you could give me any tips on what to do and what to say in order to get the car at the cheapest price possible.


Cheers

[slo_firo]

look for minor defects and play on them, make them seem worse than they are

never offer money in front of the person, go away , wait a few hours and call them, the longer you make them wait the more keen they are to sell

hahah ive got some mean bargins by doing this, 2 years ago bought a cefiro for $800 it was advertised for $1500, i sold it last week for $3500 - altho i did alot of work to it

[T100]

look for minor defects and play on them, make them seem worse than they are

Do you think I could do the same for rego? Because the car I'm looking at, its rego expires in December.

[xlr8_87]

Do you think I could do the same for rego? Because the car I'm looking at, its rego expires in December.

sure can! remind them that rego is going to cost you about $500

[slappa.]

check tyres aswell, see if they are near replacing, um and if he has no service history of the car, mention that 2!

[The Stig]

I got some free tanks of petrol by playing up how much extra it was going to cost me to run the car over my old car...

Supercharged V6 vs my old 4 cylinder... ended up with like 3 months free petrol

[crazyspoon05]

Stuff like full tank of fuel, cash off for rego if it's near expiry and tyres if they are nearing the end of their useful life should be your starting points

I got a huge discount off one of my cars because the guy admitted he was desperate to sell as he was going overseas a week later, I offered him a cash sum which was well under his asking price and told him my offer was only good for that day...

[MikesVT]

Go to sites like RACV and Carsales/carpoint... Have a look at the particular car you are going in to buy. Circle some stuff... Let the seller know that you KNOW how much the cars are really going for... Let them know that if you dont buy the car off them you are more than happy to go and buy off someone else... Show them that you've done a bit of research into it.

For everything good they say about it point out something negative (eg. "and it has a powerful V8", you say "Hmmm, I bet that goes through a bit of petrol")

Dont seem too excited, play it cool... Make sure the seller knows whos in control (you!)

All that being said... Dont go too far with it, if you know its a good price just try and haggle down, don't be too aggressive.

Also... At the end of it, ask for a full tank of petrol to be thrown in, I did, even get the guy to write it in the contract) $70 bucks better in your pocket than there's!. Do that when you cant haggle them down any further and your happy with the price.

Good luck to ya mate!! It's a nerve racking and fun experience buying your first car!

[Cav]

Buying your first car?

You're going to get ripped off.

It's part of life's lessons.

[Charg'd]

basically as someone said above, pick out faults in the car & make a big deal about them,argue the price as much as you can, ummmm...... dont take any shit

[NVE_069]

i didnt think buyn a car is an investment these days.? lol yeh but check the normall stuff an do the best u can if u think u pick it up for say, umm it was 10000 n u got it for 8500 9000ish n u think thats a good deal then its only u who can really say anything but do ur best as long as ur happy with the out come thats all that matters.

[jay019]

Let us know how you went