On haggling

[Ballenxj]

Kevin, I too know what bartering is, but the original asking price was $1700, not $1300. Now to offer $700 for a $1700 van is insulting to the seller. (unless the van is a real pig) <br />I can understand an offer of say $1500, $1400, maybe even as low as $1200. To me, this is bartering. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" /> <br />-Bruce

 

[Kevin H]

But going into a negotiation the buyer has no idea what the seller's motive is. &nbsp;The price could be greatly inflated, as it apparently is in this situation. &nbsp;I can't agree with a blanket supposition that a bid that low is out of line for an item with an inflated asking price.<br /><br />I don't understand the concept that this is an insult? &nbsp;How is someone insulted by a number? &nbsp; Wouldn't an insult come from how the number is presented?<br /><br />-- &nbsp;Kevin

 

[Ballenxj]

Yes Kevin, How the number is presented is important too. My point is that the seller has a perceived value on said van, and You have a whole different idea of what the van is worth. <br />If for instance you tell the seller you can't afford to spend that much money and start walking away. Now if the seller calls you back and asks how much you are willing to spend, that would be a whole different story. <br />Me personally, if the seller was willing to accept that low amount for the van, I would wonder what else is wrong with it. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/eek.gif" /><br />-Bruce

 

[Lostinspace]

Ok I've listened to the back and forth. Try this on for size.

I'm looking for a van, aren't we all? So I'm on Craigslist and I see a Dodge Falcon. 1985, pics look nice enough. I email the guy, no phone. We finally agree for me to come see it. He listed it at $2500. Book is down around $1000 or so if it's nice shape and sited with a dealer.

Well I get to the house and first thing I notice is there is blue tape over the right passenger side top windows of the topper. Hmmmm that wasn't in the picture. So as I get out of my truck to meet the guy the first thing he says "I just got out of jail". So I start wondering what the angle is. The rest of the vehicle is no where near as nice as the pics indicated. I finally figue out that he just used the same pics of when he bought it, that's happened to me before by the way.

So I mentioned that the retail dealer book value is around a thousand bucks. He says that he figured that a potential buyer would try to negotiate him down. I noticed the tires which were cracked pretty bad. So I gave him a quick lesson on dated tires. Seven years and even if there is tread the tires are a rolling time bomb. In fact the spare had just had tread separation in town. So I let him know that was probably why. And I indicated to always check the DOT date code on tires.

Oh there was severe mold smell in the van.

So I didn't even make a counter offer. Just told him that it was more than I wanted to tackle.

I looked at a bus one time when I was thinking of doing a diesel conversion. Same thing, misrepresentation. He used the pictures from the previous seller.

Which just goes to show you it's definitely a "Buyer Beware" world out there. So do your homework before going to look at a vehicle. Hope this helps in the sales wars.

Wade

 

[josephusminimus]

Kevin:&nbsp; I don't think many buyers do this, but I've found walking around, looking for body rot, examining the tires, muttering and making cryptic notes to myself on a pad without ever naming a figure helps in situations of that sort.&nbsp; Occasionally frowning and shaking my head telling the seller the price seems awfully high for what's in front of me.<br /><br />Usually after sufficient times passes the seller will say, "You haven't talked money."&nbsp; I grumble, look some more and say again, "I think you're asking more than it's worth to me."<br /><br />Won't be a lot longer before the seller is asking, begging, demanding you name a figure.&nbsp; And at that point any figure you name is okay insofar as the "insult" factor.<br /><br />Not to concede that it's possible to insult anyone who's not wearing his feelings on his sleeve by naming a any&nbsp;figure at any time.&nbsp; <br /><br />But a lot of people wear their feelings on their sleeves and are so insecure in their own identities to be insulted by almost anything some anonymous stranger might think of something they own, the color of the curtains or the style of their glasses frames.

 

[Kevin H]

Interesting situation, Wade. &nbsp;Clearly, the seller was misrepresenting the van.<br /><br />You hit the nail on this one - Buyer Beware.<br /><br />Also, kudos on the tire date codes. &nbsp;That's something I don't recall being discussed here. &nbsp;Perhaps you could post a thread on date codes. &nbsp;How to find them, how to read them etc.<br /><br />-- &nbsp;Kevin

 

[missmillpl]

<span style="font-size: x-small;">That situation happens more often than you would think. Sounds like maybe your guy needed to pay some bond money back and was looking to find a sucker. Yet we who love to barter and haggle will still continue to do so and go on to the next cool find all the while sending a little luv to the treasure fairy asking that the next one will be the one. The feeling you get for achieving the goal of the sweetest find, that is what we do it for. Not to mention the hunt is often a fun little adventure.<br />Do any of you out there ever go to sheriff sales that can sometimes be a great place for vans and other treasures (I always do a really good search of any item acquired). We have them 2 times a year around here.<br />Hey I just figured out how to make my font small again after I'm done writing sorry for not trying this sooner.</span>