Selling/buying a car: fix problems or not?

RallyJon · 08-26-2005, 06:36 AM

Say you're considering purchasing a used car and you find a few issues. Do you prefer that the seller fixes everything, or that he discounts the price by what the issues will cost to resolve.

When buying a car, I've always figured that a seller will do the cheapest, most half-assed work to a car just to get it ready to sell. Whereas, if I've just bought a new car, I'm going to spend whatever it takes to do the job right, since I'll have to live with it going forward. Given that, I'll always negotiate down vs asking the seller to fix a problem.

What do you think?

Por_sha911 · Por_sha911's Garage

I agree with you UNLESS there is a question as to the cost of the repair. What if the problem may be a $200 repair or you could get in there and find out that its $5000? Unless you know exactly what's wrong, you could get yourself into a lot more expense than you expected.

porschenut · 08-26-2005, 05:36 PM

What Joe said.

74goldtarga · 08-26-2005, 07:37 PM

I think you negotiate down, much of the time they won't budge much though, when you do the PPI have the mechanic give you the high/low on the repair cost if possible, should give you ammo with the seller. The hard part is walking away from the car you want when the seller won't discount for needed repairs. I don't think I'd trust a seller to have a quality repair done unless I knew him very well and would be running into him/(her?) frequently.

unclebilly · unclebilly's Garage

When you are buying a used car, you are buying what's left of a new car.

If there are issues with the car that you are prepared to deal with, make your offer reflective of the work you need / want to do, if the buyer accepts - you have a deal. IMHO, it isn't up to the seller to fix every nigling thing with the car that he is selling. The seller should represent the car as used and disclose all problems with it he is aware of to potential buyers, if no buyer bite, then he has to either lower his asking price or fix some of the issues.

Driver Ed · Driver Ed's Garage

The best advice I've heard is to make a list of everything you'd need to do to return the car to concours condition and use that list in negotiations. You may never actually fix the car up that much, but it helps to get a reasonable price for the car.

In my experience, the buyer generally fixes things, but you may be able to get the seller to do some things that are easily verified (e.g. replace broken tail-light lens, put correct wheels on car, remove goofy aftermarket junk). If it's potentially big stuff, like "engine fails leakdown test" then I generally walk away rather than attempt to buy the proverbial pig in a poke. The cost of repair is probably why the seller is selling rather than fixing in those cases.

tsuter · 08-27-2005, 04:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Driver Ed
The best advice I've heard is to make a list of everything you'd need to do to return the car to concours condition and use that list in negotiations.

Some "buyers" tried this with a house I was selling in the contract with inspection clauses....contingencies....

Real legal beagels....top negotiators.....so they thought.

So I just kept the listing open on the market while they inspected and stewed and haggled. Then returned their deposit when I closed a better contract and sold it right out from under them.

They already had a contract selling their residence too!!!

Hahaha.. hope they learned something.....

Todd Simpson · 08-28-2005, 04:21 PM

I agree, once the issues are identified I want to fix them to my standards. The exception would be on a newer car where repairs are more starightforward or if the shop was one I knew and trusted.

Bobboloo · Bobboloo's Garage

I like to determine the value of the vehicle as it exists and make an offer accordingly. It's easier than haggling. Sure someone else may come along and offer the asking price but there's nothing you can do about that. Just rest assured another car will come along in as good or better condition for the appropriate price.

Quote:

Some "buyers" tried this with a house I was selling in the contract with inspection clauses....contingencies....

Real legal beagels....top negotiators.....so they thought.

So I just kept the listing open on the market while they inspected and stewed and haggled. Then returned their deposit when I closed a better contract and sold it right out from under them.

They already had a contract selling their residence too!!!

Hahaha.. hope they learned something.....

Wow. I think I learned something.

Driver Ed · Driver Ed's Garage

tsuter, I hope you don't think that's what I'm recommending. The point to making the list is to arrive at a reasonable price, not to bludgeon the seller with it! My last vehicle purchase went like this:

Me: It's in decent shape, but there are some problems with the paint and the rear bumper and the tires are due to be replaced, so I'd be willing to pay $X for it as is.
Seller: How about $X+Y if I fixed the rear bumper?
Me: How about $X if you don't and I pay in full in cash right now?
Seller: OK, it's a deal.

Everybody walks away happy --- that's the result of a successful negotiation in my opinion. The list is just a way of tabulating what a reasonable price might be so that you don't get dazzled by that beautiful red paint and chrome and lose your rationality. It helps in negotiation because the seller may be very used to the car as it is and might not even see the car objectively without a little help. Who among us doesn't love that Porsche in the driveway?