"What's The Least You Will Take?"

Joined
Dec 5, 2003
Messages
3,718
Location
New England, USA
I don't like selling cars to the public, much rather agree on a price with a friend/family member or acquaintance with the same taste and appreciation for what I play with. I don't have the patience for 'retail'.

Have one of my cars for sale, on consignment actually, but I had it on a marque forum for a bit before consigning. Received a PM through the forum that said "What is the least you will take?", which is probably the silliest question to ask in this context. I held my virtual tongue and answered to the effect of "I don't have one, the market and I will determine that, feel free to make an offer to.....".

Struggled to think why one would lead off with that?
 
"Five Thousand more than you're willing to pay." Seriously, I've negotiated from both buyer's and seller's perspective; but I've got a short fuse when dealing with someone who's not seen the merchandise but has the chutzpah to think they can negotiate price from a blind point of view. I have actually said to people, face to face, "I can't hear what you're saying, get your wallet out."
 
Maybe come up with a lower reasonable number and tell them you are not sure but already turned down that amount.
Ya never know, the dude might be your buyer.

In negotions, you cannot have thin skin; it gets you nowhere. And remember, you cannot negotiate if oyu can't walk away from the deal.
Good luck.
 
I deal with that a lot. But I try to be at least somewhat professional, as getting down to their level of intelligence doesn't do me any good.
My usual answer is "What's your highest offer?".
If they keep lowballing, I just say
"Reasonable offers will be considered, but low-balling is frowned upon and will be ignored."
Usually they either get lost or change their tune. Both of these options work in my favor.
 
I'm a lousy seller. I went to sell a camper, not in great shape, and priced to match. I priced it at like $1,200, expecting to get talked down. The guy showed up, at the time he said he would, checked it out, had a nice conversation. He agreed to buy it at advertised cost. I told him I had expected to be talked down, and only took $1k from him. Which is what I wanted, and had hoped to not have to deal with being low-balled. He seemed happy to get the camper, I was happy to see it go.

There's a reason why I didn't go into sales...

That said, I can't imagine asking anyone that. I mean... there's a reason why they put a price onto something. If they wanted to haggle, then, the game has to be played. C'mon. Either pay the asking price, or pull out a ridiculous number and see if the seller wants to play. Throw some insults back and forth. To throw down "what's the lowest you'll take" is a bit like "I'm not really interested, so make me be interested". Only if a seller is desperate should they give a response.
 
Some people don't have the confidence to negotiate, but want to have at least asked for a discount so they don't feel like they left something on the table for lack of trying. On one occasion when selling a used car, I had listed it for what I thought was the fair "no haggle" price. The very nice lady who was helping her teenage daughter buy the car asked me sheepishly if I could do any better on the price. I politely explained that I felt it was priced fairly, and that I hadn't padded the asking price to allow for discounting. She accepted that, said something like "I just had to ask", and we wrapped up the sale amicably. I don't see that exchange as being terribly different from the one in the OP, although I can appreciate it might be better received by the seller if the potential buyer had invested a bit more time understanding and/or viewing the vehicle.
 
Ignore those messages and block the person asking the question.
Just respond "More than you have," then block them.
"Five Thousand more than you're willing to pay."
With those remarks, you will rarely sell anything. If you won't take any less than the price your posed, put FIRM, next to the price. Won't prevent all the low ball offers, but will cut them down. If you're willing to take less, tell them the bottom line price, and if they still offer something lower, tell them they already asked what was the lowest price you will take and that you answered that in the previous message. Unless this is some rare and valuable car, you can't be too choosy who you sell to.
 
It’s not like they’re negotiating for your daughter’s hand in marriage. Why get all stuffy and offended? At least they’re showing interest in what you’re selling.
 
The few times I've sold a car private party (always had been on Craigslist), I've never had to negotiate, every time each person seemed happy to pay asking price. I came away from each deal thinking I might have left some money on the table, but in reality, I just wanted the vehicle gone and ended up getting what I thought they were worth / what I'd be willing to pay for them. I don't treat private party sales as a money maker endeavor, just want to give someone a fair price and get a vehicle moved.

I'm about to enter into that arena again, too many cars and need to get rid of one or two....
 
It’s not like they’re negotiating for your daughter’s hand in marriage. Why get all stuffy and offended? At least they’re showing interest in what you’re selling.
Irritated and maybe amused more than offended, and this is a premium ultra low mileage niche car that, unfortunately, is a bit of a magnet for clowns as well as enthusiasts. My quick read is that they are probably not worth the effort and I had already told them it was on consignment and to go through them.
 
With those remarks, you will rarely sell anything. If you won't take any less than the price your posed, put FIRM, next to the price. Won't prevent all the low ball offers, but will cut them down. If you're willing to take less, tell them the bottom line price, and if they still offer something lower, tell them they already asked what was the lowest price you will take and that you answered that in the previous message. Unless this is some rare and valuable car, you can't be too choosy who you sell to.

Price it fairly. Someone will come along and pay the asking price with zero drama. The hagglers will always give you the biggest headache.
 
The very first time I sold a car I fell for that, and kick myself to this day. I got the same question when I sold my daughters Beetle, and I told him $500 more than what it really was and he bought it. Win win.
 
With those remarks, you will rarely sell anything. If you won't take any less than the price your posed, put FIRM, next to the price. Won't prevent all the low ball offers, but will cut them down. If you're willing to take less, tell them the bottom line price, and if they still offer something lower, tell them they already asked what was the lowest price you will take and that you answered that in the previous message. Unless this is some rare and valuable car, you can't be too choosy who you sell to.

Says you.
I have sold 11 cars privately.
I have never sold for less than $200. off my asking price.
That's by design, I build the $200. into the price.
However, the cars that I have sold have always been clean, well maintained ( the majority one owner) with full service records.
If they are trash, I'll trade them.
That also includes a 12 year old Ford Taurus with 275K on it. Sold that in 48 hours, for full asking (full retail book at the time.)
Sure, I've had them try.
Last vehicle that I sold privately was our 2006 Odyssey van with 80K on it In August of 2020. Clean as a pin. there had never been a kid in it.
I had $6500. on it. My phone was ringing off the hook. Had a guy look at it and sarcastically said "I'll have $5000. here tomorrow."
My response: "That would be a waste of your time."
I no sooner said that than a Subaru Forester pulled up, a guy jumped out of it, and said to me "I looked at the van last night, and I'm willing to offer full asking price."
I looked over at Low Ball Boy, who had his wife glaring at him.
He corrected his offer to full asking.
I put the van out at 6PM on a Friday evening, and had it sold by 2PM Sunday afternoon.
However, I don't hold fire sales. I'll wait until I get my price.
I always do. Longest that it has ever taken me was a week.
 
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