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How much should you haggle off the price of a used bike

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Davemc37
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PostPosted: 06:37 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: How much should you haggle off the price of a used bike Reply with quote

I'm planning to look at a couple of used bikes this weekend one from a trader and one privately owned. The traders bike is on for £3595 and the privately owned bike is £3895 having been higher a while back.

The question is how much would you want to negotiate the price down by to feel like you've got a good deal. I know that depends on the condition of the bikes but in general terms in wouldn't feel like a good deal to me unless I was saving over £100, preferably £200 so I can use the savings to buy a great big almax chain or something.

Also should I expect more movement from the private deal where the guy has had a couple of previous buyers who let him down or the trader who generally speaking deals with £7k plus bikes which suggests this is a part exchange he wants rid of.
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Pete.
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PostPosted: 06:58 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Line up your ammo if you have details of the bike find some online ones that are a good bit cheaper and print them off. Then if you know the private guy has been let down already you can really take the piss if you have cash in your pocket.

I expect that the private sale bike is much nicer than the dealer one? It should be given the price difference because the private guy has no mark-up and doesn't need to warranty the bike. If it's not significantly newer/nicer/lower mileage then he's delusional.
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Ste
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PostPosted: 07:03 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Links to the bikes in question please. Smile
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arry
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PostPosted: 07:06 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

What Pete says.

My only caveat on this is if you go and take the piss with an offer on the private one at least do it early on in the process rather than spending three quarters of an hour skirting around the bike and asking for test rides. I'd be ringing saying that you're interested but you won't waste their time and yours if the asking price isn't negotiable. If at that point the guy says no mate, it's immaculate and you won't find a better example and that's why it's priced so it is, then at least you know you're either going to see a belter which you're buying at the asking price if it stacks up, or you're going to see a delusional seller and if you low-ball him he's either not likely to accept it, or he might just come to terms with its true value when you start outlining the faults / blemishes.
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arry
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PostPosted: 07:07 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh and as for the dealer. Feel absolutely free to waste their time; they'd happily waste yours.
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Davemc37
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PostPosted: 07:09 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: What post the links then watch you lot snap up a bargain Reply with quote

Ste wrote:
Links to the bikes in question please. Smile

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Davemc37
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PostPosted: 07:11 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: One is a vstrom 650 the others is a gax650f. Reply with quote

Ste wrote:
Links to the bikes in question please. Smile

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Polarbear
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PostPosted: 07:38 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just to say if you take the piss and annoy a private seller don't get upset when he tells you to fuck off.

I've lost a sale because the buyer pissed me off. There is nothing that gets my goat more than cunt coming and offering me a grand below the asking price with that 'I'm doing you a favour' smirk.
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1198
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PostPosted: 07:42 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

I find a 'you've been offered xxxx, but is that potential buyer standing in front of you with cash and a van (or arrived by train) and would take the bike (car) now?' question normally works well. If the seller knows you've the cash in your pocket (or decent deposit and will return sharpish with the rest) most people waver to an offer lower than they want.
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Polarbear
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PostPosted: 07:59 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

1198 wrote:
I find a 'you've been offered xxxx, but is that potential buyer standing in front of you with cash and a van (or arrived by train) and would take the bike (car) now?' question normally works well. If the seller knows you've the cash in your pocket (or decent deposit and will return sharpish with the rest) most people waver to an offer lower than they want.


Don't arrive by train (or at least let the seller know that) 'I've come 400 miles to look at this' isn't a good opening tactic.

'Oh good, then you've got 400 miles plus train fare to get home again. My price is.............'
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The Shaggy D.A.
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PostPosted: 08:32 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Re: How much should you haggle off the price of a used bike Reply with quote

Davemc37 wrote:
The question is how much would you want to negotiate the price down by to feel like you've got a good deal.


Take a look at sold (not just completed) listings for the model on eBay, build up an average picture of an average bike; mileage, age, price. You've then got a baseline to compare the one you're looking at, and can better gauge what goodies/faults would adjust the value.

I tend to load my asking price around 10-15% higher than the amount I would be happy to take, so the buyer can haggle and feel like they've negotiated well. Then again, there's some who turn up, say "yes, that's a fair price", hand over cash and ride off into the sunset - thank you, Mr "Just bought your YBR Custom" Smile
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Rogerborg
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PostPosted: 09:50 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

The answer is "Somewhere between £0 and £3000".

Links to adverts, 4 reel. They might already be bargains, or fantasy prices for all we know.

Polarbear wrote:
Just to say if you take the piss and annoy a private seller don't get upset when he tells you to fuck off.

Best way to do that to me is to start poking and prodding and tutting about all the things that I very carefully listed in the advert. A buyer missed out on my perfectly decent GPZ500S by bringing his Chippy Mate Who Knows About Bikes, resulting in them being invited to look elsewhere. Hand
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grr666
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PostPosted: 09:53 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

I usually go for 15% on a vehicle and 10% on a property.
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Rogerborg
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PostPosted: 10:37 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Eh, I reckon you'd be lucky to get £15 knocked off a dealer price on a used bike, given that's where they're making all their money.

Adverts, naow.
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Wonko The Sane
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PostPosted: 12:32 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't forget it's about attitude, especially with the private seller.

It's nice, the [worn out component not detailed in the advert] looks like it could do with replacing, would you take £xxx?

Or just, "would you take £xxx" for it?

both give the seller the ability to say "sorry, got to be £xxx" or "I can do £xxx"

"this is fucked, that's broken, I can only offer £xxx" is just going to get the reply "get fucked"
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Last edited by Wonko The Sane on 12:36 - 21 Jul 2017; edited 1 time in total
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 12:33 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

£2.37.
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Johnnythefox
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PostPosted: 13:24 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's taking the piss £2.49 I reckon
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owl
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PostPosted: 13:39 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

my general rule of thumb is don't be a cunt

think of it from the sellers perspective, what would be the least amount of money you would sell it for if you were on the other side of the deal, be honest with yourself and that should be close enough.
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M.C
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PostPosted: 13:41 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Polarbear wrote:
1198 wrote:
I find a 'you've been offered xxxx, but is that potential buyer standing in front of you with cash and a van (or arrived by train) and would take the bike (car) now?' question normally works well. If the seller knows you've the cash in your pocket (or decent deposit and will return sharpish with the rest) most people waver to an offer lower than they want.


Don't arrive by train (or at least let the seller know that) 'I've come 400 miles to look at this' isn't a good opening tactic.

'Oh good, then you've got 400 miles plus train fare to get home again. My price is.............'

Had someone do that, he gave me full asking price as well so I gave him some money back Laughing

I'd expect to get more off with the private seller, how much depends. People normally get fixated on a number then won't budge, then you have to decide how much you care about an extra £50 or whatever (when buying or selling).
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 14:15 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Johnnythefox wrote:
That's taking the piss £2.49 I reckon


Subframe's slack. £2.42, final offer.
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Suntan Sid
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PostPosted: 14:18 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've bought three second hand bikes over the last four years, 2 from private ads and one from a dealer.
My FZ1 was from a dealer, the dealer wasn't going to take a penny less, he was however prepared to throw in a lot of freebies, full service, a fresh MOT even though there was still 6 months left, a years VED, a new battery, a new spare key, chain, padlock, disc lock and new helmet and gloves!

125 traillie was a box of bits, on a buy it now/best offer, so haggling was done beforehand.

The third bike was originally advertised at £1400, I was third in line to see it, I got it for £1250, (which is the price I had in mind), so I can only assume the other 2 buyers put in stupidly low offers.

The moral of the story is, if you've done your research you should have a good idea of what your particular model sells for, silly low bids will get laughed at.

Don't dismiss a dealer out of hand, they need to shift stock, they may not move on price but they seem quite willing to chuck freebies at you, especially if you're not PXing!
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Davemc37
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PostPosted: 14:46 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Quick update from the trader Reply with quote

When I asked if I could have a test drive tomorrow I got the following response from the dealer. Ordinarily this would put me off but there aren't many of these bikes around.

"Unfortunately used bikes aren't taxed,also our stock bikes aren't covered for test rides,the bike rides as it should and will be supplied with a 6 month warranty."
Question Rolling Eyes
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vanderbale
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PostPosted: 15:00 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wouldn't bring up a test drive until I've checked the bike over including all the paperwork, hpi and made an offer that they accept.

A test drive may require a deposit or full amount of cash in their hand so be prepared for that, it's not an unreasonable request and should you crash then consider yourself the new owner - good luck Thumbs Up
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grr666
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PostPosted: 15:04 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Davemc37 wrote:

"Unfortunately used bikes aren't taxed,also our stock bikes aren't covered for test rides,the bike rides as it should and will be supplied with a 6 month warranty."
Question Rolling Eyes


That's what trade plates are for. What they are really saying is -

'Apart from wiping it over so it looks nice in the window, we've done absolutely fuck all to this bike since we gave
the last owner peanuts for it. To prep it and give it a once over just so you can test ride it will take up time and money
which we aren't willing to expend on what might be another fucking test pilot, also if it's not sound (because we havent
checked it out) and you suffer an injury due to a mechanical failure then we can expect a damn good sueing
."

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Davemc37
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PostPosted: 15:48 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

vanderbale wrote:
I wouldn't bring up a test drive until I've checked the bike over including all the paperwork, hpi and made an offer that they accept.

A test drive may require a deposit or full amount of cash in their hand so be prepared for that, it's not an unreasonable request and should you crash then consider yourself the new owner - good luck Thumbs Up


They are not offering a test drive at all with either a deposit or full cash sum for them to hold in case I crashed. You simply have to buy the bike so I couldn't give them the full asking price as a deposit, take it for a test drive then return it and get my cash back it I wasn't happy with it.

Seems a bit odd to me and as someone else said couldn't they just hold my cash in case of damages and use trade plates? This is a place with 30 odd bikes for sale in a showroom.
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