[QUOTE 4909497, member: 76"]Right. Go to the bank tomorrow, take out £950 in cash. Go to the garage, say you want to buy it. Count out £850 in front of their eyes in £20 notes ( and a tenner). Say you will drive it away tomorrow afternoon after you have insured it. They will tut and say they can't do it for that money, it cost them more, it's already a bargain, lowest they can go blah blah blah. Say you could go another £25 and count that out. They will tut and dither again. At this point you say you will take it for £900, if it has a years MOT and a full tank of petrol. If they say no again, pick up all your money give them your mobile number and say they can contact you by the end of play if they change their mind, then simply walk out.
Go back to Autotrader and start over. Don't think of the car ever again.
That ladies and gentleman is how to buy a car from a dealer.[/QUOTE]
And the way to buy off Auto Trader is to get an issue that is a month old, find a car you're interested in then call them and ask if the car is still for sale.
If they answer 'Which one?', they are almost certainly a dealer of one sort or another. Hang up and try another.
If they seem a genuine private seller, go and look at the car. If it's ok, offer silly money - after all, no one else has bought it and it's been hanging around for at least a month - most private sellers are more desperate to sell as they are probably getting another vehicle. If they are asking £x, offer half £x. They can only say yes or no. If they say no, you can haggle or just walk away - but leave a contact number in case they change their mind.
I've bought several cars over the years like this. Best one was some time ago when I got a tidy low mileage Maestro that was advertised at £2000. I offered £1000 and was turned down - guy felt insulted by the offer and didn't want to haggle - fair enough.
The following day the guy rang me up asking if I was still interested and that he would take £1100.
I ran the car for a year trouble free and later sold it for £1300.
