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

whunter · #1 05-22-2013, 09:36 PM

I try to avoid wasting time on these people.

Often they walk up poor mouthing and knit picking the vehicle.

Here is an example:

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.

* Show me the money and the car is yours, regardless of who or what you are (space alien with tentacles).

* The title is MINE = I set the value, not the tire kicker viewing it.

* Reasonable negotiation is my decision, at my discretion.

* Annoy/harass me enough and I will drive it to death or break/cut it up for scrap rather than sell it whole, I have done this several times through the last 35+ years and made better profit.

Be Your Own Scrappie - breaking a car for spares
http://www.downthelane.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=17079

* Always sell it as is (regardless of how perfect) = no warranty.

* What the new owner does with or to the vehicle after the sale is their responsibility - liability.

* If they want a FACTORY NEW car, don't waste time = send them to a dealer, and walk away.

.

dude99 · #2 05-22-2013, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Reasonable negotiation is my decision, at my discretion

I particularly like this one

cooljjay · #3 05-22-2013, 10:20 PM

Damn that sucks! I would love to buy a car from you, sheesh when I become rich I am going to drive up there for a summer so you can restore my car! Tell these people the following you have here, that should be enough...

qwerty · #4 05-22-2013, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

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.

There is a rule in negotiating which says "The first person to name a price loses."

Don't be a loser.

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

Reasonable negotiation is my decision, at my discretion.

What are your three most effective negotiating tactics?

vstech · #5 05-22-2013, 10:34 PM

heh... this actually happened to me yesterday... I'm filling tires at my pumpandfill and this thick accent guy walks up exuberantly and says he wants one or both of my MB's I'm working on, I inform him they are not for sale, but if he wants one, let me know, and I'll get him one or more.

he says he wants me to find him 10 or so for 300 each, so he can cut them up, and ship them to his garage overseas and sell them there for a profit...

he gives me this line AFTER I gave him my card...

oh, his name was Mohammed by the way... I know you were all guessing ted or something...

Diesel911 · #6 05-22-2013, 10:58 PM

I drive a rust bucket.
No one has ever ask Me how much I would sell it for.
I guess Rust is not all bad.

Diesel911 · #7 05-22-2013, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

heh... this actually happened to me yesterday... I'm filling tires at my pumpandfill and this thick accent guy walks up exuberantly and says he wants one or both of my MB's I'm working on, I inform him they are not for sale, but if he wants one, let me know, and I'll get him one or more.

he says he wants me to find him 10 or so for 300 each, so he can cut them up, and ship them to his garage overseas and sell them there for a profit...

he gives me this line AFTER I gave him my card...

oh, his name was Mohammed by the way... I know you were all guessing ted or something...

I read the same on the ozbenz forum. They fill a container with the Cars cut into quaters and send them to the Middle East or parts unknown.

Zacharias · #8 05-23-2013, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

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!!!

Yeah anyone who looks for a pre-w124 Mercedes is pretty much like that around here.

When I got my 300d, a couple of years ago, it had only 88k on it. I left it parked at my buddy's shop for a few days and he had three guys come in off the street, panting over it.

I told him to tell them all $6k. If they made more noise, raise it to $6,600. (He actually did that with one.)

Now let's be clear, you can't get much worthwhile in any used car for less than $3,500 around here, more like $5k is entry level for a decent, reliable ride.

Telling me that a nice example of what is generally thought to be the most durable sedan ever built, possibly the best all around honest car ever built (period), is only worth a grand is downright insulting.

Or, as the 1990s Volvo ad said: "Some people know the price of everything, but the value of nothing."

whunter · #9 05-23-2013, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwerty

There is a rule in negotiating which says "The first person to name a price loses."

Don't be a loser.

What are your three most effective negotiating tactics?

Typically, the price listed is my minimum and a mountain is easier to move.
If I wanted to negotiate, the advertisement would say obo.

Sorry, negotiating tactics are personal, and mine don't work for others.

.

MBeige · #10 05-23-2013, 02:12 AM

Some people's expectations are simply not in alignment with yours as a seller.

Skid Row Joe · #11 05-23-2013, 02:21 AM

When it comes down to cash time, I can usually discount down up to the limit I set in my mind ahead of time to make the deal more enticing for the buyer. Everybody wants a deal, (including me) so, give 'em one with a reasonable discount off asking. However, finding a reasonable buyer with ready cash, is rare at times.

strelnik · #12 05-23-2013, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zacharias

Yeah anyone who looks for a pre-w124 Mercedes is pretty much like that around here.

When I got my 300d, a couple of years ago, it had only 88k on it. I left it parked at my buddy's shop for a few days and he had three guys come in off the street, panting over it.

I told him to tell them all $6k. If they made more noise, raise it to $6,600. (He actually did that with one.)

Now let's be clear, you can't get much worthwhile in any used car for less than $3,500 around here, more like $5k is entry level for a decent, reliable ride.

Telling me that a nice example of what is generally thought to be the most durable sedan ever built, possibly the best all around honest car ever built (period), is only worth a grand is downright insulting.

Or, as the 1990s Volvo ad said: "Some people know the price of everything, but the value of nothing."

I have an Air Force cube van with a HMMWV engine in it. The Arabs ask me all the time where they can get a van like that, I tell them nowhere, I made the body myself.

Then I tell them I'll make them one for 50K. They go.

qwerty · #13 05-23-2013, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

Sorry, negotiating tactics are personal, and mine don't work for others.

As long as your negotiations don't involve "others," you should have nothing to worry about.

layback40 · #14 05-23-2013, 10:25 AM

When all is said & done, the deal is not done until the cash is in your hand. I hate tire kickers. If they dont have a fat wallet, send them on their way.

whunter · #15 05-23-2013, 11:48 AM

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.

.

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