I’m looking at a £12.5K estate and don’t know what offer price wise.
The closest dealer price is £1K more but has 15K mile less, but the private AD has ALL the options, where-as the dealer ones are quite basic. I’ve tried the price guides but they don’t match reality (either huge more optimistic or totally pessimistic) or I can’t find the specific model/year of this car.
Any idea’s

Have a look on Autotrader and Motors although it very much depends on how price sensitive the seller is, if he has his eye on another car/needs cash etc. Dealer prices are always higher and sometimes very much so.

Not an educated opinion, but is the mean price between the guides’ optimistic and pessimistic anywhere near the price of the car you’re after?

This car ‘model’ isn’t exactly popular, so don’t have a huge range to compare it with unfortunately.
The price guides are varied for different cars, TBH as much as anything I wondered what ppl use. I’m trying wisebuyer from a recommendation on here. My current car is over valued (compared to ebay sales) the car I want to buy is not correctly listed and the closest (not as well spec’d) says a lot lower from both private and dealers..

Offer the private sale £11k and see what they say?

This is a difficult one and will depend (in my view) to a large extent on the seller’s circumstances.. If they need the cash for deposit on next car, pay off finance, etc. and they’ve had zero interest so far they may take a hit. If they don’t need the money and the car is a good spec (right engine/gearbox combo, colour, options, SH, etc.) then they may just stick.

I was selling a 325 a couple years ago and had little interest at 8K and it was getting close to the point where I needed the deposit for my new car.. Someone came to look at it after 3 weeks on Autotrader and offered me 7K.. I think we landed on about £7.6K (it was a good spec/history etc. and although I needed the money I wasn’t willing to go too low).

If it’s local and you’re able to go and have a look it helps massively as you’re not beginning the negotiation process over the phone without having seen the car.

yeah I know I could send him a low ball bid off but I’d prefer not to be a complete c**t and I’m not looking to alienate the guy.. it’s local enough that I’ll probably try to see it at the weekend.

I’d try and go to see it as soon as possible before making offers and agree that a lowball offer initially isn’t the way to go.

I’ve bought a couple of cars long distance (300+ miles away) and found very little wriggle room TBH – one was private and one was an independent garage. I think in both cases I got maybe 2-300 off the price (7.5K and 11K cars). I basically said if it is as described (immaculate in both cases) I’ll give you £X.

I think with the availability of info on internet classifieds/autotrader people have to be relatively competitive with their pricing from the off.. Although there will always be exceptions where people take the mick (but this will result in little interest because you can see all the other cars stacked up next to it on your AT search).

Private sales are ‘sold as seen’ though, so you have little comeback if it’s a lemon.

It should therefore cost less compared to the dealer price to take risk into account.

The seller will no doubt have checked the webuyanycar-type valuations. I suspect they are giving the private sale a go in order to achieve a better price for a well-spec’d car (which won’t really get any credit at trade-in or from a car buying service).

I’d try to establish an honest and open discussion with the seller about what their lowest offer is (i.e. car buying service or trade-in) and agree a fair premium that reflects the spec and your chances of finding a better one.

There isn’t a magic formula or a big list of prices. You just need to go with what you want to pay (obviously starting a bit lower) and walk away if he won’t take it. From your description it sounds about the right price so I’d be looking at 5-10% off after a bit of haggling

I was in a similar position for a car of similar value. The car was worth £15-17k at a dealer and the private seller car was advertised for £13.5k. The ‘webuyanycar’ price that I looked up myself was £12.5k, and that’s assuming they don’t find anything to knock it down on. I haggled it down to £12750 using the line, ‘This is slightly more than webuyanycar but without them knocking you down.’. IMHO a carefully selected used car from a private buyer is safer and better than from a dealer, especially if there is a sizable saving to cover a mechanical issue. It’s quite useful to judge their lifestyle, ie: buying from a person with a pristine house, which other pristine cars is a good sign that they look after stuff.

If you want to send me the details I will have a look at the industry guide prices and give you my professional opinion. Email in profile

It’s quite useful to judge their lifestyle, ie: buying from a person with a pristine house, which other pristine cars is a good sign that they look after stuff.

+1,
and do you like the seller?
Nice people sell nice cars!

Interesting comments, cheers all, Russ ygm, many thanks

It should therefore cost less compared to the dealer price to take risk into account.

Yep, but how much less, think I’m happier approaching it, TBH it’s not the colour ‘I’d like’ or the auto I think I’d prefer, so hopefully I can stay level headed & walk, as waiting for the ‘one’ isn’t a really problem

Put the reg number into we buy any car etc to see what there (low) offer is?
The seller will have probably done the same, add £1k if you don’t want to lowball them and start from there

Take a test drive, tell him you like the car and you want to bid him. Offer him £11 grand and tell him to “owd out yer aaand”

Seems to work on the telly

Put the reg number into we buy any car etc to see what there (low) offer is

WBAC take the mick though. They offered me £150 for a car in better condition/spec than equivalent ones selling for ~£1800 on autotrader and eBay.

bails – Member
Put the reg number into we buy any car etc to see what there (low) offer is

WBAC take the mick though. They offered me £150 for a car in better condition/spec than equivalent ones selling for ~£1800 on autotrader and eBay.

Hence why I said add £1k

What car is it and what age etc

Take a test drive, tell him you like the car and you want to bid him. Offer him £11 grand and tell him to “owd out yer aaand”

Seems to work on the telly

Ftfy

Renton, the model you own, though I’ve gone cold on this particular sale, as it’s got a few many miles & is a manual