10 – Offer

Negotiate

offer on used car

I always try to be ready to make an offer and conduct a purchase, before I even go to look at a car.  Planning and preparedness are essential for achieving your purchase goals and objectives.

There are several common scenarios to choose from.

Scenario Score and likability Offer Actions and Outcomes
1 Low None Move on to another vehicle
2 Low Make low offer · If seller declines, move on.
· If seller accepts, you save money and can spend however you like.
3 Med-high Make “reasonable” offer · Seller declines and you move on.
· Seller declines and you negotiate.
· Seller accepts and you purchase.

Do not despair if you don’t strike a deal.  Instead, consider it a learning opportunity for improving your car-buying skills.  As you grow, you will learn which questions to ask sooner, and which ones don’t really matter so much.

When making an offer, be sure that you are prepared to go immediately to Step 11 – Transact.