How much should I offer to an private seller for a car?

Question

Someone is selling a car for $1,500 and I was wondering what amount should I offer? I would like to say $1,000 but do you think they will accept this? If not what's a reasonable amount?

The car is a 98 Dodge Neon with 115,000 miles

Answer 1

Check the on line Kelley blue book for the wholesale price. this would be fair, but not to worry about fair for the seller, worry about fair for yourself, as at this price it sounds like an old car that may need some TLC repairs.

Answer 2

Do not buy this vehicle! The Neon is possibly the biggest clunker out there. There is joke about the Neon, "how do you double the value of a Neon? Fill up the gas tank." These cars were as close as you could get to disposable cars. The transmission and/or the engine will go very shortly. The fact that it made it 115000 miles surprises me. The motor tends to blow head gaskets, the 3 speed (yes 3 speeds only) automatics were old tech and still not reliable, and the interiors fell apart on the sales lot. It is simply not a good vehicle.

Get a Toyota or Honda and donate it in 5yrs after the paint is faded and you have 4 different brands of tires on it.

Answer 3

First you need to figure out what the maximum amount is that you would pay or can afford. Let's say, for the sake of discussion, that the max that you would pay is $1,200. In most cases, unless a buyer has stated that their price is "firm", they will generally negotiate up from the price that you offer them...and you will generally negotiate down from the price that they offer. So, if your max price is $1,200, you would want that to be in the middle of the road, halfway between what his price is, and what your first offer is. That way, you can both negotiate and end up at the same price.

So, if the list price is $1,500, and the most you will pay is $1,200...that is a $300 difference. So, subtract another $300 off of your max price and that will be your offer ($900). This way, he can go down by $300 and you can go up by $300 and you will still not end up paying more than your max.

In the case of your wanting to pay $1,000, you would then offer $500...and you would both negotiate in another $500 and you would arrive at $1,000. However, since this is such a huge reduction in the initial price, he may just laugh. That brings up the other rule of thumb...the lower the price of the car, the less money you can take off of the selling price. For example, it would be easy to take $500 off of a $15,000 car, but it wouldn't be as easy to take that same $500 off of a $1,500 car.

Good luck.

Answer 4

What model and year is the car? How many miles on the engine? What's the body and undercarriage like? Hows the transmission shift and the engine sound? How are the fluids? Maintenence records? Is it aut or stick and does it come with a safety?
If you can let ne know I can give you a figure.

Answer 5

offer 1200... ifthey say no offer 1300. if they want 1500 they probably wouldnt take the chance on loosing 500 $.... 115,000 miles isn't much on a 98.

Answer 6

Ask them how low they can go for cash right now, If you must give a price try 50% of the asking price. You can always go up. Tell them it's a nice car but your financial situation is poor and your considering another car. Good luck and I have got them for 1/2 of asking price.

Answer 7

What is the year, make and model? Is it even worth $1000?
We can't say. If it's a good deal and you want to make it even better, offer $1000. If they hold firm, then fork out the the rest.
Good luck.

Answer 8

try the $1000 if they don't accept that than offer $1200

Answer 9

offer them the $l,000. They will either accept it or tell you to go higher. How much more are you willing to spend. Try and see what happens