Haggling if a bike has no obvious flaws...

So I'm looking at some zx9s at the moment as a replacement for the SV and I have a question. If you go into a dealer and see a bike that has no obvious flaws, you test ride it and it seems fine, it's in good condition for age and so on and so forth and the price is about average asking price, do you still haggle? If so, how?

I can get as far as saying "what's the best price you can do me" but then I get all English about it... Am I better off offering a lower price and letting the negotiations go from there? Or should I just threaten to have sex with them?

How do you intend to pay is the first question!

I would pay in cash as they seem to like that, offer then an amount in cash there and then and see what they say, they keep a bit back to the max amount your willing to pay.

Or pay the full amount and ask, what you get with the bike i.e free services, and kit lids ect thrown in with the bike. Be really cheecky, I always am, sometimes it works others it doesn't!

Its the end of year and cold as hell or will be soon outside, so hopefully they will let the bike go a little less, if they want rid of it, to make way for new bikes next year.

Good luck dude! Lets know if you get it, and photos

See what other people are selling their bikes for, and then offer that to the guy selling. Take a good look at chain and sprockets, and ask when they where last changed. You can knock of at least £100 if they are up for renewal any time soon. Check tyres aswell, theres another £150 off at elast. Prob more if you want good tyres for a ZX9

Say things about insruance aswell...you wont afford this bike at that price because insurance is this much etc etc

Matt

[arc123]

The only way to get the deal you want is to decide what price you are prepared to pay, and be prepared to walk away if you don't get it. If you have your heart set on the bike, then you'll more than likely end up paying what the salesman wants for it.

Cash definitely has the most bargaining power - if you're part-exing then they'll do you a good price on the zx9, but fleece you on the part-ex (or vice versa).

Genrally, go for anything you can get. Price of bike first. tax. free service. money off future purchases. scottoiler thrown in etc etc etc. They want to sell, so be cheeky.

Never be prepared to tell them how much you're willing to pay, make them tell you. I had an instance where the salesman I was dealing with kept going off to 'talk to his manager' - After the second time he did this, as asked to talk to his manager - no point in speaking to somebody who cannot authorise the price negotiated. And also this was probably a sales ploy to pass the onus onto somebody else - so he can say "theres nothing more I can do".

But in short! Know what you want, for what price, and go get it.

I normally start with throwing a figure at the sales man say 20% less than advertised price, they arnt going to go for that figure tho because usually they only like to knock a few hundred off list, no part x is a bonus for you but at the end of the day you have to be realistic a place like George white swindon prob wouldn't knock you anything off as there bikes are cheap as is. a car dealership close to me in cannock (motorhouse2000) sell very cheap new'ish cars and they wont discount anything and their part x valuations are rubbish aswell.

It's natural to try and get what you consider a "good" price as long as you don't try and take the p*ss. Remember you could be the seller one day.

When I sold my Ducati,I had just spent a good amount of cash on a repair and some maintenance. It had been set up by a dyno jet guy and was running better than all of the time the time I had it. Aesthetically it was stunning and of low average km's.

The first guy who came to see it bought it. But he could not resist from pushing and pushing on the price. In truth he was really starting to annoy me. I was so close to telling him to f*ck off. But in the end I relented as you just never know if another buyer will turn up.

Sods law of course is that even up to last week I was still receiving emails from guys interested in it after they saw the ad and pics I placed on the internet.

One handy thing i learned of one of them bargaining telly shows is to make a slightly cheeky offer and then 'zip it' before you end up undoing your bargaining position by feeling too cheeky and going "oh but is that a bit low, how about £X instead" etc. Make them an offer and then shut it, let them be the next to speak.

The onus is then on them as to whether they can afford to refuse your offer, and you'd be suprised what some people will go for. At the very least it softens their position, and you can meet part way. And for all you know they might think that they're being a bit cheeky with the price in the first place! I've tried it a few times myself and it works really well.

Also, if you're not making much headway on the price of the bike (and in fact even if you are!), turn to extras instead, as the cost price to them is less that it is to you, e.g. labour for next service free, 1yr tax instead of 6 mths, free gloves, discount off more expensive items.

Oh and take someone with you or you'll probably end up buy the first bike you see and like, however much it costs! (I've had to be lead away from some real nails before myself!)

Remember that they will be struggling to shift bikes at this time of year so that's on your side too.

GOOD LUCK!

Originally Posted by arc123

I had an instance where the salesman I was dealing with kept going off to 'talk to his manager' - After the second time he did this, as asked to talk to his manager - no point in speaking to somebody who cannot authorise the price negotiated. And also this was probably a sales ploy to pass the onus onto somebody else - so he can say "theres nothing more I can do".

That's exactly what it is most of the time! When we bought a car a few years back the sales guy kept doing this, and as we left i looked into the room where his 'manager' was and there was noone there!

well it didn't work anyway cos we'd already worn him down to a really sweet deal by then

I always look at it this way.

I know what the bike is worth based on age, mileage, condition and amount of wear on the consumables.

I offer them that amount and if they say no I walk out.

Obviously if you don't want to walk out because you know you couldn't get a better one for the same money elsewhere then by definition you are being offered the bike at the correct market value - in which case pay it as there is no way the dealer would budge.

Offering cash as way of payment does not make the salesman's eyes light up. They make most profit by giving you a loan. They make the most commission this way.

It is in the days of old that the salesman would be rubbing his hands together at the site of a bunch of 50's. This would mean he could bypass the till and stuff a wad of cash in the back pocket.

Laws have been tightened and it is far more difficult for a reputable company to buy and sell vehicles in cash without paperwork or questions asked.

Offering to buy the bike in cash these days is probably the best way to ensure you don't get a good deal.