5 ways to be a better buyer

“The best deal is the one you walk away from” If that’s true then the second best deal is the one that leaves both parties happy – stands to reason right?

We’re in the business of helping our clients get the best deal they can on their new car but occasionally we get into the business of selling cars too.

Recently we found ourselves in a position where we had a car on our books that appeared to be in serious demand. Once the ad went live – the phone rang often and carried on doing so. Occasionally the stars do align and you can end up being sat on something that every man and his dog wants to buy.

This is not how selling a car is meant to work, it’s meant to be hard graft and 99 times out of a hundred it’s a buyer’s market. Well, this is the one time when the script didn’t play out like that.

Spoiler alert we withdrew the car from the market after a couple of weeks because we didn’t have to sell it and being honest, we just couldn’t deal with the hassle.

Here’s some advice to buyers based on our experience, we thought was worth sharing because at the end of the day sellers want to sell and buyers want to buy and purchasers will get a better result if they think about the following:

·         You don’t need to be the seller’s best mate but be polite and positive, get them on side from the outset. Ask all the questions that you need answering and if there are things you really like about the car don’t be afraid to tell them. It’s their pride and joy. Softening up the seller helps later if you fancy chancing your arm with a cheeky bid! If you’ve been brusque and surly, you’re far more likely to get a big fat “no” when you try it on… Besides, if you’re polite and pleasant, you’ll appear more reliable and trustworthy, really important in what can be seen by many private sellers as a risky transaction.

·         Don’t be afraid to be direct – if you’ve got a maximum budget well below the asking price, play that offer card early, you never know the seller might be happy with it, if not they’ll tell you. At least you’ll know and you’re not wasting anyone’s time.

·         Communication is a two-way street: If the buyer sends you additional info, acknowledge it. If you’re making arrangements to meet keep talking. We had one really keen potential buyer “go dark” for days, despite a little prod. Nothing and then at 11:30pm the night before the day agreed, we got a 2 word WhatsApp – “10 tomorrow”. That’s not going to win many friends is it? We suddenly found that we were busy the following morning…

·         Look at the situation honestly – if you’ve found a car you like because of its spec, mileage, condition and most importantly price, the chances are other potential buyers might have had the same thought. Don’t tell the seller something that you know isn’t true – If they’re not “asking too much for it” don’t tell them that they are! If you want to spend less for good reasons, (it needs new tyres or wheels refurbishing) explain why you are offering what you are. If those observations are realistic you’re far more likely to have a meeting of minds.

·         Never tell the seller that you’ve got a margin to make! One for traders; private buyers aren’t stupid, they know how business works but honestly they don’t care. Sell your lower offer on the basis of ease or less hassle but don’t remind them that you’re there to make money out of them and their car.