how do you tell someone you wanna pay them 1/5 of their asking price?

[rhino1]

i posted a few days ago that i was looking at a 73 bronco body on a 77 frame. i went to look at it today and found that most of the body was junk, fixable, but junk. i didnt crawl under it because i wasnt in the mood. the guy wants 2500 for it. how do you tell someone you think its only worth 500 without offending them? from surface rust to cut and wavy fenders to rust holes. looks like someone had started replacing the flooring in it with flat sheets of metal. also had a fairly newer looking roll bar.

 

[SaddleUp]

Just tell them their asking price is way more than you are willing to pay and tell them why. (Often times they will talk the price down on their own when you point out the problems with it) If they ask you how much you would pay tell them you don't want to hurt their feelings. Then if they keep pushing (Unless they are really set on the price they will out of curiousity) then tell them what you would pay. If they refuse then give them your information and ask them to get back to you if they change their mind and walk away. I doubt that they will go for it if they are asking that much though. The only way to know is to make the offer though. If they are asking $2500 then the best I would hope for is $1500. If they are really desperate then you might get them down to $1000.

 

[rhino1]

its been for sale for a while. never thought much about it until i saw it the other day and it just clicked. i have been looking through the sales forum here and saw people selling better rigs for less. the only thing this on has going for it, maybe, is the motor. and a fiberglass hood.

 

[benmudn]

You can have your buddy offer the seller $100 for the bronco. Then your offer for $500 won’t sound so bad.

Good luck, I hope your buddy makes it out alive. ;D

 

[bob_lafrentz]

Saddleup has a very good point I think. About two years ago I went and looked at a bronco and the guy wanted $4k. He was very honest with me and told me exactly what had been done and the fact that he thought the engine was going out on it. Well, guess what....

We took it for a test drive and blew the motor!!! Threw a rod right through the oilpan. Thank goodness he was driving. Anyways, after the motor was blown he would only go down $500. I had to walk, but gave him my info. About a year later, he called me and said it was still for sale. All it had done was sit the whole time.

I had already bought my Bronco at that point at really wasn't interested, but I'm pretty sure I could have gotten it much cheaper.

Anyways, good luck.

 

[Nuke]

With a 77 frame I'm guessing it has disks, power brakes, and power steering. If that is solid, I don't think $2500 is too off base. A Dana 44 with disks goes for $400-$500 on a good deal. Lets say power brakes and power steering is worth $250, and you are already at $1000 just for those three components.

That being said, fixing body work is a challege if that is not your cup of tea (like in my case). And just the parts can run you over $1000. How bad was the body? The biggest concern I would have would be the door posts, rockers, and inner fenders unless there are some holes you can put your fist through.

Another consideration is what part of the country you are in.

All that being said, don't do what I did and get yourself into more work then you planned. Like most, you will probably do that anyway . By your number of posts, I am assuming this is your first EB. Good luck. I think most people who have bought EBs in recently will tell you they found a lot more problems with there purchase afterwards. Don't rush into anything you are uncorfortable with.

 

[broncnaz]

Just tell him he's asking to much give him a offer and your name sounds he'll either come down or he wont but offering 1/5 of his asking I'd say he wont come down let him sit on it for a while longer.

 

[rhino1]

i understand all about buying something and finding a whole lot more wrong than you thought. bought a 79 cj7 a little over a year ago, cracked frame, lots of rust, blah blah. i am a body man and i also know how to paint. so that isnt the real problem either. i would say 99 % of the sheet metal on bronco needed replacing. someone has cut the fenders and rear quarters. they are wavy because there is no lip there anymore. one rocker was covered with diamond plated steel, the other was rusted, both jams, door post, had some holes. there was a big, long hole over the rear left tire. windsheild was cracked, windsheild frame was rusted. hood was good, it was fiberglass. the tailgate is shot, needs a new one. i dunno lots to consider

 

[tml]

Maybe this bronco just isn't the one for you. It sounds to me like you're trying to justify buying it when you know you should wait for the right one to come along. Sometimes you gotta let'em go. Been there. It's hard to let go...
By your description I'd offer him 500$ and walk away. For 2500$ you could do alot better I think. Good luck.

 

[Jeepster]

Write you name and phone # on a piece of paper with your offer. Hand it to him and respecfully tell him if he dosent sell it or otherwise recieve any better offers, if he would concider your offer in the future. This gives him the chance to fish for buyers a little longer and also gives you a chance to mull it around alittle.(hopefully you wont obsess on it, A dangerous move cause you'll end up paying too much for junk!). After handing him the paper, wish him luck (respecfully) and tell him you hope that you'll hear from him cause you would like to do business with him. Follow up in a couple of weeks just in case he loses your info and let him know your still insterested.
$500 sounds ok seeing the body is toasted. I wouldn't go any higher.

 

[wildbill]

;D ;D ;D When I was buying in Ca. I would just make a offer of what I would pay. You dont now how meney times I was told were to go. Also how meney of them called me back to come get the thing. I also found that haveing cash nothing else works very well. So I would just tell him what you can pay for it and go from there just dont jurk people around and all will work out good luck. %) %) %) Bill %)

 

[rhino1]

thanks guys. i am oing to talk to him and tell him, nicely, what i have researched over the net and what i know from experience. i have been looking up all the parts i know need replacing, and adding it all up, there is no way i am over paying then having to shell out cash to fix it. again, thanks everyone for your input!!

 

[tejayandtina]

I agree with Saddleup. I think when someone thinks you are trying to "get over" on them, the defense goes right up. If you respectfully explain why you are making the offer you are, and don't do it in an adversarial manner, things tend to go better. I also think you shouldn't get your heart set on this one, because if the seller ends up being a jerk, you'll probably pay more than you should. Good Luck!

 

[Tom Dummer]

If you can pull off being sincere, doit. Some people come into the haggling too cocky and it pisses off the other party, there will be no sale at any price with that attitude.
Case in point: Buying a car for my wife, we drove 2 or 3 Dodge Neons when a 96 Cherokee caught her eye. She went into the haggle and the salesman started to try and sell me on it. I had to tell him to "shut up and listen to her since she knew more about the Jeep than he did".

 

[rhino1]

dont you love it when you know more about the car you are looking at than the person trying to sell it? how messed up is it that people dont know what they are selling.

i dont have my hopes up just for this one. was thinking that if i could get it cheap, because of the amount of work needed, body wise. it is a little much for just buying it to use for hunting, mudding, etc.