How much do you ask below asking price? (Used car, private)?

How much do you ask below someone's asking price for a car? Say it's in good condition, mechanic had it checked out, and it's good. But private seller is having trouble selling because it's a 2-seater convertible and no one is looking for one of those in this economy?





The car I'm looking at is 87,000 miles, leather interior, Bose sound system, heated seats Miata. KBB value is $8000 good condition, they're selling $7500. Is asking around $5800 and insult? What number do you think I should start at? Thanks.|||There's nothing wrong with offering $5,800. If they say no then ask what's the lowest you'll sell it for today. I'm ready to buy now. I recently sold a car asking $10,000 for an $11,000 blue book car. I get quite a few offers below $7,000. I just told them no. There's no way I'll sell it that cheap. I sold it for $9,000 to someone who initially offered $7,000. They called me back and raised their offer after looking at a few others.



Remember book values are just averages. They will sell to whomever offers the most by the time they must dispose of it. Leave your number and tell them to call you if they decide to take less.|||Just to reiterate on what the first answerer said, 5800 is kind of a low ball move. Don't take that the wrong way, but you don't have a very strong position for haggling. If I were you I'd try bumping it down to 7000, just because the mile is high? (to be expected if it's an older model) I really don't know how miles equates to kilometres, is it 1:2?





Anyways the first guy said it the best, just wanted to support what he said.|||well an offer is just an offer. U can offer anything you want, but if you the most willing to pay 6600. then offer 6k and say cash, ill go get it right now while you get the paper work, he might say no, so kinda say ' man, im not sure, whats the lowest you will go?" and if he will say 7k, so you say i cant do that. the most i have is 6500 and i have to register and pay taxes. so he might take it.|||I say it cant hurt to ask.|||Depends on whether the price is actually fair.



In your case, they're asking for less than KBB. So they've already given a discount.



But as a percentage, I usually go for around 5%. IF I can JUSTIFY it. If the car is as described, there's no reason at all to offer anything less. Why would there be?



Think about how it sounds "Hi, I like your car. You've described it well, it's in good condition, and it's lower than list value, so your price is fair. Completely ignoring that, will you lower the price some more, for no apparent reason?"



I mean, seriously....



On a low end: 10% at worse. But the car has to have something pretty wrong with it to go that far. Like break down while I'm looking at it.



You, on the other hand:



5800: 23% off.

6600: 12% off.



So consider it this way: If you were selling a car, would you sell it for nearly 1/4th off the price?



I doubt it.



And it's not a matter of what you're willing to pay. If they don't lower the price, you either match their price, or you don't get the car.



You're negotiating with them, not the other way around.



And by the way, the last thing you want to do is mention the economy to the seller. I've had several buyers come to me, and try to get me to lower the price, because of "the economy".



The reason I sell my cars, is to help my economy. So lowering my price, only hurts that. So all it is, is insulting.