So, What's the Matter with Low-Ballers

[ICEMAN6166]

i got several slicks and other vehicles by being a low-baller.
i just called on the phone without even going to see and made an offer telling them if they did not find any takers i would be happy to give them X dollars and remove it when i came to pay and get the title.
mind you not all were running but still parts is parts.

[slick4x4]

Your preaching to the choir , at this guy
If they can get $2500 ... I'm happy for them...
But if you can't sell it.... My offer of $750 stands....

[LM14]

I still lowball them and tell them it's a standing offer for xx days or hours. I've gotten some great deals doing that, also got yelled at, hung up on, cussed out and threatened. It's all good, make that lowball offer, what can they do but hang up or yell at you. Just because they tell you they won't listen to them doesn't mean they won't.

SPark

[foodstick]

the answer to the post title is "Crossing high fences"

[Macon ACE]

the answer to the post title is "Crossing high fences"

LOL!

[bobenhotep]

usually they don't mind a low baller if you have cash in hand. Green rectangular bucks usually have that effect.

Dan

[therealjoeshmoe]

i just went to look at a horse trailer for my daughter last night, they were asking $2,000 ... I whipped out $1800 in hundred dollar bills and well daughter has a horse trailer now.. i never pay full price...

[charliemccraney]

The truth is, if it sells for a "low-ball" offer, it wasn't low-ball because they couldn't get any more for it. That's what it is worth.
Perceived value and actual value are often two different things. Stubbornness and ignorance can exist on either side. The seller might want too much and won't listen to reasonable offers. The buyer may be a true low-baller and offer far less than it is worth and also won't listen to reason . It's important to know what you want (buyer) or what you have (seller).

[Nathan390]

My slick was a craigslist low ball offer.

I always low ball in person, In my opinion its even ruder to call up and low ball with out looking at it first, maybe its poorly photographed or described.

My slick was listed at $4000. One picture not much of a description. I liked it but said no way its not worth that.
Waited two weeks or so and when the seller lowered the price to $3000 I called him up. I went and looked at it, pointed out a bunch of good stuff, and also pointed out a few bad things.

Then my wife actually low balled him.. I thought that was funny.. he countered and it was where we were ok with it so we bought it.

The dude probably could have gotten three if he had taken the time to buff the paint. I spent a half a day hand buffing with McGuire's ultimate compound and it shined up nicely. It went from caterpillar yellow to school bus yellow. I removed a lot of dead paint.

[Oregoon]

Guy who I bought my long-gone '66 Suburban from was asking $2500. It barely ran, the wiring was a fire waiting to happen, the brakes hardly worked (I adjusted them on the spot), there was half a yard of pea-gravel in the rear, and he wanted to keep the original license plates.

After I drove it, I explained everything wrong with the truck and showed him $900 in cash. He balked, so I walked. He called me 5 minutes after I left and I offered him $800. He flipped out. I hung up and went to for a beer. I hadn't even ordered when he called back and offered me the truck for $900 and said he'd to throw in the plates.

I told him to shovel it out, vacuum it, and get the title. Then, I waited two hours and gave him $800.

I'm not trying to make friends. I'm looking for a fair deal. And a relatively straight pile of GM parts that hardly runs is worth $500-$1000 here in Oregon. If it'd been a longbed 1/2 ton, I'd have held firm at $500.

Thankfully, I bought my Slick off a friend, since I'd have paid exactly $500 for it, which he already knew--it being a relatively straight longbed 1/2 ton pile of Ford parts...

[ICEMAN6166]

I'm not trying to make friends. I'm looking for a fair deal

i have to agree with that all the way.
in fact over the past 10 years or so most everyone seems to think their vehicle is made of "rare" gold.
mostly im not impressed with the majority of stuff i see for sale.

on the other side as a seller i cant say lowballers bother me either. i can use the word no.

[6166 Junkyard Dog]

Brian what has made it tough is all the reality shows on TV,, Oh yes there is still few vehicles worth it,, But some I have seen, well crushing is too good,, most of the time if I am going after a truck and say he wants 2000 and I look at it to be good,,, then I say yes no argument I don't even try ,, see since I see more than most,, I have in the past happen to me where others before me try that garbage on low balling and get the door slammed in my face,, I have actually had 2 yards run me out of the place in NM for reason of low ballers coming through the their door and owners tired of it,,, bought one in Las Vegas last trip advertised for 2300,,, All I did was opened the door and said I take it and plus on that truck had no carpet so there was nice pretty floorboards ,, I have bought so many trucks that most times I don't even look at the other side, or tell Kathy I am buying the truck before I even get out most time I might even be 20' away, the worse one I have seen is Gas Monkey Garage ,, If you only knew what I know on what really goes on behind the closed doors,, but it's fun to watch but shows like that is what is driving price of all vehicles way up,,,

[DJ Bill]

......... the worse one I have seen is Gas Monkey Garage ,, If you only knew what I know on what really goes on behind the closed doors,, but it's fun to watch but shows like that is what is driving price of all vehicles way up,,,

Man you can't leave us hanging like that...do tell!

I've sold quite a few jeeps in my time (actually jeep shaped rust projects) and lowballers just irk me as a seller. I do get over it , however. I don't mind a reasonable offer but the guys who offer you less than scrap value for something with decent parts on it are too greedy for me.

Then again, I am guilty of the same tactic, usually when the seller is already near scrap price. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. I have learned it usually isn't worth offering anything to the guys who think their truck is gold and who tell you this repeatedly with tales of ones they saw on Ebay or TV that sold for megabucks.... Usually when I encounter one of these deluded souls I just tell them I don't want to insult them with my offer as I just couldn't buy that truck for what they are asking, and walk away.

[Nathan390]

1.) Dude watches too much TV. Knew where a car was and thought he could build them better than Gas monkey (got over his head)or is hoping Gas monkey will call him and over pay for it, (had to buy tires to get it home)like they do a lot on TV. Counts Kustoms out of Lost wages seems to always pay way more than I would.
2.) same as the first guy, but has been low balled a few times and is starting to realize it's not worth what he's asking.
3.) Trying to recoupe the Money he over spent on purchase plus his shipping. He doesn't know what he has. I can almost guarantee you that trans isn't all syncro'd. 1 gear wouldn't be below R if it was syncro'd. Cool project at maybe half the price and that's if he finds a sucker like he was.
4.) This one isn't too far off the mark. It has title I bet he fin ds a buyer at $1000. If it was all there not missing the grill or glass and interior parts I could see $1500.

[ICEMAN6166]

i definitely would lowball this

http://westslope.craigslist.org/pts/4573227430.html

[Nathan390]

What's the deal with the passenger side exhaust manifold on that craigslist ad? Looks like something bolts to it.. turbo?

[Oregoon]

I've been lowballed numerous times, and I offer a cheerful "no thanks." If they persist, I explain that while I appreciate their continued interest, I'm loooking for something a whole lot closer to my asking price.

Sucks when they flag you though. But, I can repost as easily as they can flag.

Luckily, that rarely happens because I tend to value my stuff appropriately.

[Casey 65]

I started to cry and wet my pants

Wow, a multi tasker... (sorry Doc, I couldn't help myself )