[wludavid]

Personally, I like the "my only offer" method. Too often sellers are really delusional about what their car is worth. Private sellers can't sell a car for as much as dealers can, because of the security that comes with buying from a dealership. I think sellers look at the asking price of cars like them at dealerships near their house and knock off a few percent and go with that. What they don't realize is that the dealer will likely come down 15-20% from their asking price, so a private seller needs to be down in the 25%-under range.

I'm sure people I've tried to buy a car from complained about me lowballing - but I just determined for myself what I thought the car was worth and offered that price. Haggling over a price isn't really negotiating anyway - that implies that the services and products offered are going to change as the prices move around. Car "negotiation" is really just price splitting. So I don't do it.

Then again, he could just be a jerk trying to lowball you. Who knows?