how to negotiate when

[ricky409]

Sup famb

I'm looking to purchase a used motorcycle from Craigslist.

Its a Kawasaki katana 750...

2004 with 14k miles... I'm going to meet up with him tonight.

He's asking 2509, and the value is 2800 (I found that myself)

Any tips and haggling the price down?

I need some leverage. The only thing I can think of is winter's coming and it will be harder to sell the bike

And I think I seen it listed at 2.8k a couple weeka ago and no one bit..

I'm trying yo get it down as low as possible ... cash in hand...

 

[nationaltruckerdave]

Offer him 1400 first then keep moving up till he feels comfortable

 

[jking0821]

I was actually in an almost identical situation OP.

Just bought a 2006 Suzuki Katana 600. It had 1k miles they were asking $3500. All i did was tell them it was going to be my first bike ever and i didn't want to put a ton of money into it. I had a budget of $2500 but i would be more then willing to meet them half way because i really liked the bike. I offered $3,000 and they said that sounded reasonable.

I knew going in the bike had been sitting a while and i would have to dump some more money into it. No way a 2006 has only 1K miles without sitting. So be careful about that, if its possible maybe tell them you will pay in full but if there is anything over $200 that comes back from inspection then you may reconsider the bike. Just put some stipulation out there. I had to get the carburetor cleaned and front tire replaced due to dry rot cracks. So i dumped $300 more dollars into the bike after I bought it. That doesn't count tax that you will have to pay when you register the bike and tags and title fees and inspection fees themselves.

There are a lot of horror stories about craigslist deals but a lot turn out well too. The only real advice is try to some how work into the wording of the agreement "pending inspection". I know my katana is oil cooled which is rare for a bike (i am assuming the 700 is the same) and if there is an issue with the carburetor its hard to diagnose without taking the bike apart. So both of those can be pricey if they fail you at inspection (i failed inspection first time).

Leverage can only be based really on how much he needs the money. Luckily the people i bought from needed the money so they were fine with less of an amount. But if dude doesn't need money badly and you offer him $1,400 he may just laugh at such a low offer

 

[jesusshuttlesworth34]

Cash in hand is always a good tool of leverage.

Do your research and dont' appear too desperate. If the other person is tired of the selling process or in need of money, they will take a lower offer.


Usually a seller prices his/her item a little higher than the price they are willing to sell for expecting bidders/offerors to come in lower than the sticker price.


Good luck.

 

[knightlovesqueen]

Just don't act like the lowballers in the buy-sell thread and the man above me speaks truth

 

[fishm3at]

Offer him 1400 first then keep moving up till he feels comfortable

But why should he offer him 1400? What reasons should he give for why the Bike is worth less is what he's asking. Him going up there and saying i'll give you $1400 for the bike without any valid reasoning is the reason he made this thread.

Compare the value of similar bikes made around that time, that would compete against the bike you have and see how much they are worth with similar mileage, etc. Inspect the bike for damage, don't just overlook the bike and be like that's straight because it looks good at first. Point of dings throughout or imperfections on the bike and tell him why you don't think you should pay this amount or why some should come off.

Ask about maintenance, ask for receipts, proof of the maintenance someway,somehow.. "I replaced this" and "I replaced that such and such months ago" should hold no weight unless he has some kind of proof other than pointing something out and saying I bought that a couple months ago look how good it looks. Everybody isn't a good person and that's how you go into transactions like this, with that perspective. He is trying to sell the bike, most people don't just sell stuff if they don't need the money, especially on Craigslist. He can tell you, i'm selling this because I have 50 other bikes and this is just collecting dust or whatever but that is just a way to sell the bike. It's a buyers market, you can get the price down to whatever you want because money talks. Once you have done that and you say here, this is x amount this what I think it's worth, if he doesn't take it, which he probably will because this will probably be the only time he has seen money if he's been trying to sell it for week, then you just walk and find another bike. 

If all else fails, just be patient. You have went this long without one, you can go longer if this one isn't the one for ya. 

 

[young halo]

what are you looking to pay? whatever that amount is, offer $200 less.

then go from there

 

[oh you mad]

 

[ricky409]

A little update.

I go by a motorcycle dealership ... random one... to see if they can tell me the trade in value on yhr bike and point me to a mechanic that can give it a look over.

Come to find out the Guy I'm talking to is an avid shoe fan.

I'm not into kicks like that, but still have knowledge of them prior to 2011...

He gets out of seller mode and into regular homey mode.

Said that

1. The bike is a POS
2. Its a carborated engine, so cold starts are outta there
3. With 14k, it's going to need atleast a Grand I'm repairs over the next year
4. The value in his system is 2.5k private party, 1800 mint trade in, and 1500 regular trade in....
5. If someone brought that bike in to him, he'd give them 1.3k trade in value
6. He wouldn't pay over 1.7k
7. Save uo another 500 to 1k and get an yamaha r6. (I was at a Kawasaki dealership)
8.the bike has no get uo...
9. Its great on gas ...
10. He's selling it for a reason. Either he needs the money or no dealership is going to give him trade value over 1.5k

I'm definitely going to use those trade in points to get him down.

 

[nazdrowie]

10. He's selling it for a reason. Either he needs the money or no dealership is going to give him trade value over 1.5k
 

I found an 07 FZ6 in my area for 3k with 20k on the odometer. I was like thats a great deal but then ^ kind of mentality kicked in.

like why would he let go that low when similar ones are going for almost 1500 more. i never followed through on it but when i see something like that, I feel like something might be wrong.

 

[ricky409]

I found an 07 FZ6 in my area for 3k with 20k on the odometer. I was like thats a great deal but then ^ kind of mentality kicked in.

like why would he let go that low when similar ones are going for almost 1500 more. i never followed through on it but when i see something like that, I feel like something might be wrong.

bu5 I don't want to psych myself out of a good deal.

I'm gonna pass on this one, but anymore advice for whezn I do purchase.

 

[ricky409]

But why should he offer him 1400? What reasons should he give for why the Bike is worth less is what he's asking. Him going up there and saying i'll give you $1400 for the bike without any valid reasoning is the reason he made this thread.

Compare the value of similar bikes made around that time, that would compete against the bike you have and see how much they are worth with similar mileage, etc. Inspect the bike for damage, don't just overlook the bike and be like that's straight because it looks good at first. Point of dings throughout or imperfections on the bike and tell him why you don't think you should pay this amount or why some should come off.

Ask about maintenance, ask for receipts, proof of the maintenance someway,somehow.. "I replaced this" and "I replaced that such and such months ago" should hold no weight unless he has some kind of proof other than pointing something out and saying I bought that a couple months ago look how good it looks. Everybody isn't a good person and that's how you go into transactions like this, with that perspective. He is trying to sell the bike, most people don't just sell stuff if they don't need the money, especially on Craigslist. He can tell you, i'm selling this because I have 50 other bikes and this is just collecting dust or whatever but that is just a way to sell the bike. It's a buyers market, you can get the price down to whatever you want because money talks. Once you have done that and you say here, this is x amount this what I think it's worth, if he doesn't take it, which he probably will because this will probably be the only time he has seen money if he's been trying to sell it for week, then you just walk and find another bike. 

If all else fails, just be patient. You have went this long without one, you can go longer if this one isn't the one for ya. 

repped.

 

[gotjz]

I think I'll be in the market for a bike in the next year or two as well. How many miles can bikes typically run for? I know that varies from bike to bike, but what's the most mileage on a bike that you would still consider buying?

 

[the hater boxden]

Where did you guys learn how to ride motorcycles? someone teach me plz

 

[JVII]

Where did you guys learn how to ride motorcycles? someone teach me plz

http://www.msf-usa.org

 

[hometownhero]

Cash in hand is always a good tool of leverage.
Do your research and dont' appear too desperate. If the other person is tired of the selling process or in need of money, they will take a lower offer.
Usually a seller prices his/her item a little higher than the price they are willing to sell for expecting bidders/offerors to come in lower than the sticker price.
Good luck.

what Jesus said....

 

[u-mob]

Cash in hand is always a good tool of leverage.
 

This!

 

[jesusshuttlesworth34]

Where did you guys learn how to ride motorcycles? someone teach me plz

Arizona on my cousin's bike. Nice open roads, not a lot of traffic and consistent weather. He just said hop on and go for it.

They also have classes you can take at the DMV in order to get your license. It is harder than it looks.....

 

[ricky409]

Where did you guys learn how to ride motorcycles? someone teach me plz

its like riding a brolic bike without pedaling..

to me, the hardest part is starting from a still position... once you get that down, easy work...

but another question...

i cancelled that katana... did some research and the bike is buns..

but i have another one on the radar, and its not quite as time sensitive...

GSX r1000... 2004... 14k miles..

he's asking $4500...

did some research, and the trade in value was 3800, but the srp was 5600...

which one do vehicles in private parties tend to sell closer towards?