Grr: Scam poor mouth car buyer - tire kicker - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JB3 · #46 05-25-2013, 11:38 AM

if someones persistent about trying to make an offer on a car im not intending to sell, I usually tell them sorry, it has sentimental value, not for sale. That ends the conversation usually. Or I tell them to go find one, they are usually pretty reasonably priced, but this one is mine. This happened all the time with an old 60s buick I had. Sometimes those conversations bring fruit though, ended up selling that buick to a guy who gave me his card a year earlier saying call him if I ever wanted to sell.

I did get into one of these low ball fights over a 50K mint 91 miata I had once though, Kelly blue book valued the car at 900 bucks, eventually sold it for 2800 bucks to a miata guy.

Had several people come by, one offered me 500, and strangest of all was I had at least 3 email/text exchanges with aggressive kids saying I would never sell for that price and they would do me a favor buying it for the usual xbox trade and endless payment schedule deal idea.

Brian Carlton · #47 05-25-2013, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JB3

I did get into one of these low ball fights over a 50K mint 91 miata I had once though, Kelly blue book valued the car at 900 bucks, eventually sold it for 2800 bucks to a miata guy.

You can't get into a lowball fight if you offer up the first price and the price is high. If the buyer gives you a price that is 50% of your asking............you just smile and walk away. He already knows why.

Start high...........come down slowly while talking the vehicle up as much as possible.

JB3 · #48 05-25-2013, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

You can't get into a lowball fight if you offer up the first price and the price is high. If the buyer gives you a price that is 50% of your asking............you just smile and walk away. He already knows why.

Start high...........come down slowly while talking the vehicle up as much as possible.

I had priced it at 3500 expecting to negotiate to the high end of the 2k range based on the sales of similar cars Id seen in my research. This guy came and looked at the car, drove it around, found nothing to complain about, and then said "what makes you think its worth this much?"

"because every other car just like it sold for that much at least with that mileage and condition" was the answer, and he seemed to think I would come down to under a thousand if he complained long enough. Wasn't necessarily a negative interview though. Eventually he left and we shook hands. I told him to go buy a 150k to 200k miata for that price with iffy paint but otherwise good.

Brian Carlton · #49 05-25-2013, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JB3

"what makes you think its worth this much?"

"because every other car just like it sold for that much at least with that mileage and condition" was the answer,

Wrong answer. Defensive.

His response was a softball right down the middle of the plate. It gives you the perfect opening to talk up the car for the next 30 minutes. If done right, he has absolutely no realistic retort unless he wasn't listening to any of it (happens).

You "sell" him the car. This has a completely different meaning than being "the seller" of the car.

Many of the members on here are "sellers" but few of them can "sell". For the record, I am also in the latter category.

JB3 · #50 05-25-2013, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

Wrong answer. Defensive.

His response was a softball right down the middle of the plate. It gives you the perfect opening to talk up the car for the next 30 minutes. If done right, he has absolutely no realistic retort unless he wasn't listening to any of it (happens).

You "sell" him the car. This has a completely different meaning than being "the seller" of the car.

Many of the members on here are "sellers" but few of them can "sell". For the record, I am also in the latter category.

Personally I am a terrible seller, especially of cars I have owned and loved, so you are right on the money. Many times ive lowered the price of something based on my read of the character of a buyer and whether or not I thought it would be a good home for the car.

Fortunately, the sale of cars is a side effect of my personal habit of owning old cars, if I were to try to make a living on it, id be living inside a box without 3 months.

whunter · #51 05-25-2013, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 97 SL320

A .. . Umm . . You are asking for and deserve any abuse you get from someone given the train of posts listed below. My comments below.

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

Post 1

I have been out driving this car many times, and frequently have random people ask how much would I sell it for.

SOLD: 1980 Mercedes W123 240D – China blue
Usually I say $3.5K, they either walk away or start poor mouthing and knit picking, trying to claim it is only worth $1000.00 USD.
This happened three times TODAY!!!
These idiots where demanding I sell instantly at their price, after becoming verbally abusive toward me!!!
********************************
Honestly; Their opinion is irrelevant to me, and I can't see why they feel I should care.
**********************************
This may seem harsh.
My rule of thumb for vehicle sales:
* If I don't want to sell, quote a price at least three times my replacement cost.

So a random person asks you if the car is for sale, you reply with an outrageous price. This leaves the random person to do what? Of course they are going to pick it apart. If you don't want to sell, don't tell the person that you are willing to sell the car!

Cars priced 3X over realistic value on Craigslist have their own thread on this site. . .

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

Post 15

Hmm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In each case:
Their concept of negotiating was to DEMAND that I accept less than 1/3 of asking price, while becoming verbally abusive toward me.
Perhaps I am too sensitive, but the key points (for me) are:
#1. This car is my daily driver (near perfect) = not interested in selling below my asking price.
#2. Cursing/abusive language causes me to walk away.

Point 1 from post 15 brings the previous 3X price back to market value.
Point 2 is valid no matter the situation, but if one values their item 3X market, expect some pushback.

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

Post 39

I am not selling the 240D, unless they meet my FLAT price !!!

This is my DAILY DRIVER, I have zero interest - motivation for negotiation or compromise..

At the moment I am BUSY, and unwilling to waste precious time negotiating or building a replacement car.

So, at the moment you are unwilling to sell the car but you tell people that the car is for sale. Why not tell the person that you don't want to sell because you would just have to turn around and buy something else?

In other words, don't tell someone that the car is for sale , don't give a 3X price, don't be surprised when someone pushes back if you ignore the former.

What outrageous price???

Have you read through the thread documenting this car?

Fresh rebuilt engine, perfect interior with new springs and padding, etc.

The current market value on this 1980 four speed manual (condition) as is = $3.5K.
After a few more items are dealt with, the asking price will be $5-7K...

Perhaps I should become preemptively rude = do you see a for sale sign you idiot??

.

Brian Carlton · #52 05-25-2013, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

Perhaps I should become preemptively rude
.

I believe that would be impossible for you.............

97 SL320 · #53 05-25-2013, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

What outrageous price???

Have you read through the thread documenting this car?

Fresh rebuilt engine, perfect interior with new springs and padding, etc.

The current market value on this 1980 four speed manual (condition) as is = $3.5K.
After a few more items are dealt with, the asking price will be $5-7K...

Do I don't know the history of the 1980 car in question, I'm only using the info in your posts.

Using your own words from post 1

" This may seem harsh.
My rule of thumb for vehicle sales:
* If I don't want to sell, quote a price at least three times my replacement cost. "

You admit to giving a "buyer" pricing 3X replacement cost, how is that not outragous? ( Replacement cost being market value. )

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

Perhaps I should become preemptively rude = do you see a for sale sign you idiot??

.

I didn't say I saw a "For Sale " sign, but when you give a person a price that signifies that the car is for sale. ". . Usually I say $3.5K, . . . "

Making a personal attack on a forum member can get your post deleted.

97 SL320 · #54 05-25-2013, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by satyr

. . . But one time, . . ..

. . . at band camp. . . .

Quote:

Originally Posted by satyr

I was fueling up the 190d at a pump in the suburbs of chicago and an an "interesting" character, reeking of cologne and with big clunky jewelry on, approached me and asked "how much you want for that mercedes?" I looked down at the car, and looked back and said "Sorry, it's not for sale." He seemed put-out. "What do you mean? Everything has a price." I responded with "Not this one. Not right now." He even got a little huffy "What, you don't think I'm good for it or something? I got money, and I can pay cash." I told him "Sorry, this one's not for sale. You might check online or ebay and see what turns up." He walked off mumbling something about "Stupid blah blah blah." I thought it was hilarious.

A Conservative would call this person a drug dealer, a Liberal would call them a disenfranchised urban youth looking to turn his life around. Either way I try to steer clear of these people. ( Or say I just stole the car. . . )

Quote:

Originally Posted by satyr

BUT the point to this post is to tell the story about a guy in San Antonio. . . .

. . . .So, we go meet the guy, and he shows up with a 3-ring binder and a book that says "how to make money dealing cars" or something like that- not kidding. He looks it over, takes notes. He checks the ac, he checks the heat, he tries the wipers, and all the light bulbs, he crawls around under it, he has us pop the trunk- he rolls around in there. He stares blankly at the purring motor and flips the pages in his book. . . .

Te hee, see also, " How to flip houses, read all about our flippin formula"

" How to pickup hot chicks in your area, they are waiting for you. " ( on the phone at $ 9.95 a min)

Quote:

Originally Posted by satyr

Tire kicker: "You SAY that you put new tires on it, but these have some wear."

I can just see his eyes narrow like he is some sleazy lawyer trying to get OJ off.

Quote:

Originally Posted by satyr

The next day, we met with the college girl who absolutley loved the car, .. . . . ... As we drove off the girl was literally hugging the Civic and taking pictures of it with her phone.

Sounds like a car commercial . . .

Quote:

Originally Posted by satyr

As we pulled up in our driveway at home, my girlfriend's cell phone rang, it was notebook boy, who said he was calling to offer $1000. She told him we had sold it to someone for $1750, he asked why we ddn't call him. He then offered $1850 for the car. We told him the car was sold. He offered $1875. We told him the car was sold and she was hanging up. He kept talking and she hung up on him.

A half hour after I bought my house at auction a person that lived across the street ( in a rental ) whom was at the actual action, offered to " . . take it off my hands for what I paid for it." ? ? ? ? they upped the offer by $ 500 then $ 1,000.

eatont9999 · #55 05-26-2013, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

In each case:
Their concept of negotiating was to DEMAND that I accept less than 1/3 of asking price, while becoming verbally abusive toward me.

Perhaps I am too sensitive, but the key points (for me) are:

#1. This car is my daily driver (near perfect) = not interested in selling below my asking price.

#2. Cursing/abusive language causes me to walk away.

.

If a buyer started cursing at me, they would be walking away. I don't put up with that. You don't come to me and disrespect me because you want to walk away with something for nothing. All that is scare tactics. They think they can intimidate you and force you into a deal by trying to be dominant.

On the flip-side, there are sellers out there trying to monopolize on an unsuspecting buyer. I have seen many cases where the seller is asking a ridiculous price for an unmaintained vehicle and will be confrontational when the seller states obvious problems that take away from the value of the car. I'm sure that is not the case here, but for the sake of devil's advocate.

eatont9999 · #56 05-26-2013, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 97 SL320

I didn't say I saw a "For Sale " sign, but when you give a person a price that signifies that the car is for sale. ". . Usually I say $3.5K, . . . "

Making a personal attack on a forum member can get your post deleted.

The way I read it was that he intends to be more aggressive towards prospective buyers; not attacking any forum members. Maybe some quotes or a better situational explanation is missing.

I highly doubt Roy would call any member of the forum an "idiot."

Stretch · #57 05-26-2013, 02:44 AM

Well there seems to be an amazing amount of stress involved in selling stuff!

I just had this woman come round to buy some more baby stuff - she couldn't put down her smart phone...

...it made negotiations very difficult. It would have been quicker to befriend her on facebook and communicate that way...

satyr · #58 05-26-2013, 03:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stretch

she couldn't put down her smart phone...

...it made negotiations very difficult. It would have been quicker to befriend her on facebook and communicate that way...

Here in the US we call that sex. I thought we were talking about selling cars?

Stretch · #59 05-26-2013, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by satyr

Here in the US we call that sex. I thought we were talking about selling cars?

What? Do you mean the Woody Allen orgasmatron is a smart phone app?

whunter · #60 05-26-2013, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 97 SL320

Do I don't know the history of the 1980 car in question, I'm only using the info in your posts.

Using your own words from post 1

" This may seem harsh.
My rule of thumb for vehicle sales:
* If I don't want to sell, quote a price at least three times my replacement cost. "

You admit to giving a "buyer" pricing 3X replacement cost, how is that not outrageous? ( Replacement cost being market value. )

I didn't say I saw a "For Sale " sign, but when you give a person a price that signifies that the car is for sale. ". . Usually I say $3.5K, . . . "

Making a personal attack on a forum member can get your post deleted.

Here is the link to the car, also in post#1 and $3.5K is reasonable for the current condition.
SOLD: 1980 Mercedes W123 240D – China blue
3x the current value would be $10.5K...

Quote:

Perhaps I should become preemptively rude = do you see a for sale sign you idiot??

That is serious QUESTION of how I should respond to these unwanted random tire kickers, in no way personal to you...

.