Car Seller Negotiating Tips

Be prepared before the first buyer shows up. Make printouts from several internet car pricing sites showing the MARKET VALUE of your car. Do not print out Trade In values, that's what car dealers offer you. If the buyer complains about every scratch, mark stain, on your car, tell them it's normal wear and tear for a car of that age and mileage, that's why your not asking the price of a new car. Every used car has scratches from road debris. That's all accounted for in the depreciated value.

You'll get tire kickers who come to see your $10,000 car, but they only have $5000. They expect you to sell them the car for $5,000 because they think it's not worth $10,000, even though you know it is because you've researched it. If they give you a sob story that they have no money, tell them it's not a good enough reason for you to drop below fair market value. Ask them why they came if they had much less money than your firm asking price. Now you have them on the defensive. Your car is still worth market value no matter what money the buyer has. This is why it is recommend that in your ads, you mention that the price is firm.

It's the dumbest thing a seller can do, and everyone does it. It makes you look desperate. Say "Firm" or "Non-Negotiable". You'll still get plenty of leads, and never have a problem. Also, be prepared to let people walk. You must be strong. Why should you give up $1000 in market value just because someone you don't even know claims your car is not worth it? Did they do any research? Most people negotiate the price for a used car completely from the hip, with no clue as to its real value, trying anything to chisel down the price.

Ask the buyer where they got their figure from, and what research it was based on and is most cases they will have no answer. They will say, "other people are selling it for less". So ask them "why didn't you buy the other guy's car?" Most people don't know how to price their cars, so most people's selling price is wrong to begin with, they can't use that as a guide. You are using the car pricing sites with used car blue book values so you have done proper research and know what your car is worth.

Point out that you have the vehicle history report and the maintenance records, and that other sellers don't have that. Now they know you are organized, confident about the value of your car, and they should take the deal, or risk going to another seller who did not upkeep the maintenance on their car. Even worse, the other seller may have rolled back the odometer. Tell them they are letting the best deal they have found so far, slip right through their fingers. Create the sense of urgency for them. They need to buy this car right now, or they'll lose the deal of their life forever! Remind them your ad just started and you have many more people after them to look at it. Now the buyer will have a sense of urgency.

The key here is proper planning. Don't list your car until you've researched it's value, created your maintenance records notebook, and figured out how you'll respond to every one of their statements. Have a friend act as a buyer and practice negotiating. You'll learn a lot that way.