We know buying a used car can be significantly cheaper than buying a new one, but it doesn’t come without its own challenges. Negotiating a used vehicle down to a fair price isn’t always easy, but doing your research is half the battle. Knowing how to negotiate a used car can save you a lot of stress and end up with a better final price.
How Much Can You Negotiate on a Used Car?
When negotiating a used car, you can offer as much or as little as you like. There’s no set amount that you can deviate from the asking price, but it’s important to remember that the seller has no obligation to accept your offer. If they think it’s too low, they have every right to refuse the sale and look for another buyer.
There are a lot of things that can affect the price of a used car, driving it up or down for potential buyers. Some of the most important factors include:
- The average price of similar cars
- Maintenance and accident history
- Add-ons, options, and customizations
- Mileage and wear-and-tear
- The number of previous owners
- Extended warranties
Certain factors could potentially influence negotiations in your favour. Even seemingly insignificant details can add up to save you hundreds or even thousands on a new car. It’s a good idea to do your research before going into a sale to know how leeway you might have to negotiate.
Negotiation Tips
Negotiating a lower price on a used car may seem like a daunting task, especially if it’s been a while since you last purchased a vehicle. Fortunately, there are plenty of things that you can do to ensure that talks with the seller go smoothly.
Set a Target and Budget
Before going into a negotiation, you should have a specific target budget in mind. Without setting a limit for yourself, you may end up spending more than you can realistically afford. It’s a good idea to set a manageable range for yourself and then search for cars listed around or just above your maximum price.
Keep in mind that there are many things that can affect the price of a used car, so you may be able to negotiate more expensive vehicles down to your budget range.
Do Your Research
Before settling on a particular vehicle, you need to know as much as possible about the car’s history with its previous owners. If you get the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) from the seller, you can run a report through CARFAX Canada. This will give you access to critical information such as:
- Vehicle registration information
- Brand history
- The odometer reading
- Outstanding liens and money owed
- Service records
- Accident history
This information can potentially give you leverage in negotiations. If the vehicle has a turbulent history, such as having had serious accidents or multiple owners, you may be able to significantly talk the price down.
Know What's a Good Price
Just like you don’t want to pay too much for a used car, you also don’t want to insult the seller by lowballing them. You should know what a reasonable price range is for a given vehicle.
However, understanding how much a given vehicle is worth isn’t always as cut-and-dry as it might sound.
The best place to start is by looking at what price point other similar cars are selling for in your area. You can also find convenient online tools to tell you the general price range of cars based on make, model, year, and more. Just remember that there are plenty of different factors that can influence cost, from the exterior colour to whether the previous owners smoked.
Understand the Impact of Mileage and Options
One of the most important considerations when it comes to the cost of a used car is mileage. The more a vehicle has been driven, the more issues it’s likely to have, such as a lower mpg rating, scratches and exterior damage, and mechanical problems.
Cars lose their value the fastest right after purchase. Simply driving a new car off the lot can lower the asking price by thousands of dollars. As a general rule of thumb, cars lose around 30% to 40% of their value in the first year of ownership and around 15% to 20% each year after that. If a used car has high mileage, you can often negotiate a better deal for yourself, but be aware that the low price may come with higher maintenance costs later.
Options, on the other hand, often raise the price of a used vehicle. Factory add-ons such as sunroofs, on-board navigation, built-in dash cams, and more all drive the price of a used car up. Custom extras, however, can lower the asking price of a used car.
Where You Buy Impacts The Amount You Pay
You may end up paying different amounts for the same used car based on where you buy it. If you buy in another province, you’ll often face higher purchasing costs. Other provinces may also have different fees and taxes for vehicle sales.
Time also makes an impact on price. For the best time to buy a car, it is usually recommended to buy it later in the year, around October through December. Because dealerships are trying to meet sales quotas, they may be more willing to go down in price around this time.
If you want to save money, it may be cheaper to go to a private seller as opposed to a dealership. Private sellers don't have to meet profit expectations, cover lot rent, or pay dealership employees, so they're often able to offer lower prices. However, buying from a private seller may come with more risk than going through a dealership.
Inspections Can Be Advantageous
It’s always a good idea to get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent, licensed mechanic before any money exchanges hands. Even though it costs a little bit of money upfront, it can save you thousands in maintenance costs later on. A good mechanic can tell you whether or not a car will run as promised. You should bring your CARFAX report with you to the shop so that the mechanic can verify that all previous damage has been adequately repaired.
Know When to Walk Away
It can be easy to fall in love with a car before you’ve made your final purchase. Try not to get too attached to any given vehicle, however. If you get emotionally involved, it can provide the seller with an edge. You may be more willing to compromise on little things that can add up to big issues down the road.
Stick to your budget during negotiating, and don’t budge on your highest maximum price. If a seller isn’t willing to bring the cost down to an acceptable level, you need to be willing to walk away from the deal. Even if there’s not much else on the market right now, you’ll have plenty of other opportunities to find the right car for the right price as long as you’re patient.
Understand What You Do and Do Not Need to Pay
Many first-time buyers don’t realize that the purchase price is only a part of the final number when it comes to car sales. As a buyer, you’re also responsible for additional taxes and fees. These can vary by province, but in general, you’ll have to pay provincial and federal sales taxes, and in some cases, a luxury tax.
If you buy from a dealer, you’ll be responsible for paying the provincial-federal Harmonized Sales Tax (HST). However, if you purchase a car from a private seller, you won’t have to pay the HST in most provinces. Only Ontario still charges a provincial retail sales tax (RST) you must pay.
Negotiate Your Offers
It's rarely a good idea to simply accept the asking price for a used car. Sellers, both private and dealerships, will almost always ask more for a car than they know it's worth. Many account for negotiations when setting an asking price. No matter what the sticker says, you can usually save at least a small amount by doing your research and negotiating down a used car's price to a fair amount.
Make a Counteroffer
If another buyer has made a higher offer than you, the seller may give you a counteroffer. They’ll ask if you want to bid slightly higher than the other buyer, and if you accept, may repeat the process with your competition. Eventually, the price will get high enough for one person to drop out of the race.
If you really want a particular car, it can sometimes be worth it to make a counteroffer. Just make sure you stick to your budget and refuse to go over your maximum price. If the other buyer ends up outbidding you, don’t worry. Just withdraw your offer and wait until the next car comes along.
Put Everything in Writing
As with any transaction, you should get everything in writing when buying a used car. You need to transfer the registration and title to your name and get all official inspections and reports filed away.
You should also have a physical copy of your signed contract with the seller, such as a buyer’s order or bill of sale. Some dealerships may have additional paperwork for you to sign, such as a finance agreement or retail installment contract. With everything in writing, you protect yourself both legally and financially.
Be Polite
It’s always a good idea to be polite and respectful when shopping for a used car. Try to think about the process from the other side of the equation and imagine yourself in the seller’s shoes.
Think about the type of offer they might want and how they may want to protect themselves during the transaction. When you’re speaking to them, treat them as an ally and not as an opponent. If the two of you understand each others’ wants and needs, the entire buying process is bound to go more smoothly.
In Conclusion
When buying a new car, you can often negotiate the cost down from the sticker price. It’s important that you do your due diligence before entering into talks with a seller. You should know what a car is worth, how much you’re willing to offer, and the basics of the purchasing process. By following these tips on how to negotiate a used car, you can save yourself time, money, and stress when you’re out looking for your next vehicle.