Selling My Car

[rexbeccarox]

I've been going through some major financial dire straits recently, and I decided to sell my beloved car (seriously: I thought we'd be together until the dying end, but my scooter gets such great gas mileage, and I can't afford to keep the car). Yesterday, I got her all up-to-date with her emissions (smog) test and I took her to get detailed. Three guys working at the car wash wanted to buy her, but they lowballed me like crazy, offering a lot less than she's worth and citing problems I know she doesn't have, so I smartly declined all of their offers.

Today, I listed her on Craigslist, and I've gotten nine offers around my asking price, and I'm wondering where to go from here. I feel like I listed her too low, and it's easy to weed out those who don't want to pay what she's worth. I'm asking $3800 obo, and I've had people offer as little as $2700 (obviously, no) and as much as $3700.

What should I do from here? I'm not a good liar, but if I told someone I'd gotten an offer for $3900, would that be bad or unethical? I'm in uncharted territory right now... no clue how to move forward- I suck at negotiations. Any ideas?

[BrokenQuill92]

Would you be willing to sell for 1500? We're so poor!!!!

[SteelCurtain]

Lying is never good in these situations.

If you feel like you can sell it for more, then list it for more. Decline the offers you are now getting, and re-list it for more than you'll accept.

That's always the best method. If you feel like you'll accept $3800, then list it for $4k, and accept no less than 3800.

As for the guy who is offering $3700, keep bargaining. "Splitting the difference" is always a powerful tool. Would you accept $3750?

[Salacious B. Crumb]

I've honestly been wondering what you've been up to, when you were talking about a career field you were going to attack a while back. I was going to send you a PM about it within the next few days.. I'm sorry to hear about your financial troubles, that's got to be brutal

People do that all the time when selling cars, they say they have other offers for $x, and that basically means that they don't want to go below a certain price point. I'd just list it $4,000 OBRO. If you have someone interested that wants to make you an offer, and it's a little below your bottom dollar, just be straight up with them, and say I'm not going below $x, and see what they say. No need to lie about having other offers. Some people will tell you, "Ok, sell it to them then", then you just missed out on a potential negotiation, because you lied.

[Longhorn]

My parents just sold one car and they're in the process of selling another. They were offered something like half the money it was actually worth (didn't buy it obviously). I guess with this stuff you have to keep bargaining to reach a compromise but make sure you're getting enough on your end.

So I'd go with what Steel is saying, re list it for a higher price and don't accept offers below what you'd like. You'll get better offers this way.

I don't think it's a good idea to lie about having other offers. It's unnecessary and could actually turn off a buyer that you could otherwise negotiate with.

Good luck Becca! Fingers crossed

[Whateverist]

No experience selling cars but it sounds like you're on the right track. Steel's advice seems right.

[Aractus]

WTF is an "emissions test"?

[rexbeccarox]

Cool. THanks, guys (esp. Steel). I feel a little more confident going forward.

[rexbeccarox]

WTF is an "emissions test"?

This:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California...ck_Program

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Unethical, perhaps.

Remember, in the wise words of Lionel Hutz, "There's the truth, and the truth."