how cheap have you got a car?

purpleTJchick

purpleTJchick

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Location
Durham
I get alot of PMs about the jeep and they are all the same offer. Which got me thinking... do people really take these guys up on thier offer. I have never got more then 20 percent of asking price from big ticket items (IE 4k or more)

So im wondering how others have faired.

Edit, I have got people early for something already priced REALLY low...
 
I got my 77 toyota for free bc I told them I liked it and it was not running and I have $11 in it and it runs and drives.

I told a lady that had her car at my work to be worked on I would pay her bill for the car and she said ok. Took more then $11 to fix that one but sold it for more then I had in it and drove it for a year.
 
I never really go too low because I don't want to piss them off.

When my parents bought a 98 Grand Prix I got it dirt cheap though. I went with them to look at it, the dealer wanted $5500. He was kind of a dick, so I didn't feel too bad lowballing him. I told my parents to let me negotiate and I offered the guy $3300 and he took it. :lol: It was a steal on the car at the time, and that was a long time ago and the car still runs great, my brother drives it every day.
 
I had a 97 TJ stock and needed TLC the guy wanted $4200 for it. I studied on it and started pointing out all the problems and he dropped the price to $2100. I quickly paid the man.
 
GubNi said:
I had a 97 TJ stock and needed TLC the guy wanted $4200 for it. I studied on it and started pointing out all the problems and he dropped the price to $2100. I quickly paid the man.
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damn, he gave you half off asking. I was always told to add 10 percent to your bottom dollar for some wiggle room.
 
I find vehicles dirt cheap all the time. I'm a big 73-79 Ford truck guy...and in high school, I bought right at 23-25 of them that were pulled out of the weeds or a field to flip for profit. I never paid more than $1000...and never sold one for less than $1000. I also picked up a 94 Tbird to commute with in college, the guy was asking $1200, I offered $500, he said he'd take $600...and it was a deal. My dad picked up a 95 Sedan Deville 2 weeks ago with 163k for $500. My crown jewel however, was a 92 E350 15 passenger van with 460 (80k on the odo) in it was from the UNCC campus...got it off the state auction/surplus site for $112. Used it as a work/hauler/tow rig, blew trans front seal at 130k, and I still sold it for $2200.


I look at rigs for sale all the time and wonder what the owner is smoking...I think the big issue are sellers expecting to recoup costs the incurred along the way. Personally, when I start a big money project, I'll usually ask 1/2 of the money I've got in it, and expect to get 1/3. I blame Barrett Jackson.
 
I picked up an old Dodge Colt for $300. It ran fine the entire time I owned it. Except it had a bit of a smoking problem.
 
Picked up a 1987 Honda Accord for $500 bucks. That was the asking price, couldn't write that check fast enough. Damn good car. Put 50k on it and sold it for $1000. Dropped a lot of $$$ in maintenance in it, though but I've just accepted that EVERY car (new or old!) will require ~$1000 in maintenance per year. Just my experience...

I read about how the bad economy and Cash for Clunkers have driven up the price of used vehicles. I saw it back when I was doing research on my new-to-me car. Some cars were just overpriced. Simply put, I'm not paying $4k over KBB for a car with a salvage title.
 
Bought an 88 Corolla on ebay once for $192.50.

Needed starter contacts, I never even got around to putting them in..just clicked once in a while when hitting key, two three more tried always started. Car had cold A/C too! Put tons of miles on it and sold it for $700.00.
 
87 MJ 48K miles $500, little old lady just drove it to the store when it was snowing. The linkage was rusted in 4 hi.

84 CJ7 needs motor $125 good body
 
Bought an 88 Grand Waggy for $40 with leather, power seats, 117k miles, only needed a t-case and it was driveable. My most recent buy is a 99 Dakota Club Cab 318 auto power everything 141k miles with a bad t-case for $500.
 
I got a 99 grand caravan out of my boss mans junkyard, put about 300 dollars worth of brake, plugs and battery. Plus the fee to get a title for it. Then ran into a hail storm. Totaled it, bought it back, plus a $2800 check from the insurance company. Im fairly pleased with the deal. It can blow up tomorrow and I'll be just fine.
 
We paid $100 for my wifes S10 and in the 4 years we have owned it I have put in a clutch, idler pulley, brakes, and fuel tank (PO patched a hole in the original with JB weld it poured gas everywhere) since we bought it. Damn little thing just keeps on running.
 
$400 for a 1991 BMW 318is. Jump started it, drove it to the gas station where I put some air in the tires, and drove it 40 miles home. Put ~$150 into it, mostly cosmetic stuff from where some jackass ripped the stereo out of the dash.

Just a couple suggestions on your Jeep purpleTJchick... Ignore the low-ballers. They're not worth your time. Spend an afternoon cleaning the heck out of it. Remove the stickers, scrub everything with a good brush including the seats/carpet (if you still have carpet), hose down the oil covered components with a strong degreaser if necessary, hit the really bad stuff with a can of flat black spraypaint. Armor-all EVERYTHING that is made of rubber or plastic (fender extensions, interior, tires, etc.), and take some nice pics in the sun with no flash on your camera and nothing distracting (like a mobile home) in the background. I know this is NC4x4.com and everybody loves the shots of a vehicle in action, but you'll attract a lot more interest from buyers if it looks clean in the pics.
 
Paid $700 for my 95 XJ, came with aftermarket front and rear bumpers, Rubicon wheels with brand new tires, etc, etc. Needed a quick-fix that cost me nothing but about an hour of my time.

Bought a 98 Caddy DeVille for $750, had 150k miles on it when I got it, needed nothing. Put 15k trouble free miles on it in about a year and sold it for $2000.

The last several cars/trucks I've bought have been less than $1000.
 
Got a decent waggy with 4in lift for putting a serpbelt back on and $250, it needs a starter and a good cleaning. I've traded tires for cars more times then I can remeber, and many other good deals. I try not to make lowball offers on stuff dont want to make anyone mad.
 
I once has $37 in an old falcon. (Wish I still had it) A guy needed some tires for his project, to get it in and out of his garage. He said if I got him some tires, that were decent, I could have the car. I went to my brother n laws junk yard, got a set of tires and wheels for $35, one needed a plug, cost me $2, so hence the $37. I drove it for over a year, didn't even bother to change oil, just added to it. Had mostly surface rust on exterior, and sun rotted seats I threw a blanket over. 3 on the tree, and great on gas. Sold it for $500
 
Paid 400 for a cherry 97 xj w/ a bad crank sensor and 60k on the clock. Fixed the crank sensor for 100 bucks. Sold the cheesy brush guard and nerf steps for 200 bucks. Built it a little, and have proceded to bash the spit out of it ever since. Every once in a while, when the race goes well, it will pay for itself all over again:lol: Still has only 71k on it.
 
I brought an 80's model toyota pickup from my uncle for $250. It was rusted out pretty bad but drove like a dream. Drove it back and forth 40+ miles one way to work for about 2-3 years then sold it to a guy needing something to haul trash in for $500.00
 
Well since I bragged on the S10 last night it naturally died and had to be towed home last night. Looks to me like the starter solenoid is shot. Oh well.


Papa I understand feelign like you are taking advantage. There are time I almost want to talk the people out of selling stuff. I have gotten some cars that I was astounded at how good of condition they were in. I have sold many of them after doing simple repairs like water pumps and oil lines. I once bought a 97 Crown Vic police interceptor for $125 that all I had to do was hook up a ground wire on it.
 
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