What Does "Reasonable Offer" mean?

[cosgig]

Hmmm.....I couldn't imagine anything for $1500 that wasn't totally rotted. I never saw the car in person, but $1500 does seem low. JMO.

And your opinion is valid. However, as I stated, that was an informed offer. I sold my little convertible about a month ago for $6800, running, driving, and he drove it home. The value of early A bodies just isn’t there, and to tow the Dart home, go through the fuel system, brake system, probably have to unstick the engine and dump money into getting it running, possible carb, possible clutch, all just to return it to the road as a $5k car at best. And that’s not counting the shitty interior, which would need serious work, unknown floor pans and undercarriage, it’s just not worth buying for more than $1500. I was trying to get it for a young gun that’s looking for just this scenario. I don’t need it, nor did I want it. I had been trying to sell my convertible because I didn’t need that either, but had it for 15 years.

Here’s what $6800 gets you in the early A body world!

 

[RustyRatRod]

I give informed offers, and can always back up my information. Unfortunately, people are not informed and expect to get BJ money for basically junk. My most recent example….

Saw this car up at the rental shop in town. Owner was in Germany and wouldn’t be back for a week or so, so I looked it over. Found the transfer of title in the glovebox from 1999. 6 cyl, 3 speed on the tree, he bought it, took it home and put it in his barn. Supposed to be a family project that never happened. He wanted $7500. I waited for him to come back and went to talk to him. I drove my 66 convertible commando car that I had for sale for 2 years or more for $7500 with no buyers. Running and driving and much rarer than his car. His had been repainted, a shoddy interior job to change everything over from turquoise to red, and the outside from turquoise to black. I offered him $1500, he got pissed and said he was going to put it back in the barn, and when he died his kids could junk it. I tried to get a counter out of him, and told him why my offer was so low, but he didn’t want to hear it.

Was my offer reasonable? Yes! With the amount of work to go through a /6 3 speed that had been off the road for at least 25 years, and maybe more, against his price and my car that didn’t sell for $7500 for over 2 years? But people don’t want to hear logic, and true information. Car is gone now, probably back in the barn where it will die on Pride Hill.

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While I agree your offer was reasonable, it wasn't reasonable to him, and therein is the dilemma. What's reasonable to me or you may not be to someone else.

 

[RustyRatRod]

And your opinion is valid. However, as I stated, that was an informed offer. I sold my little convertible about a month ago for $6800, running, driving, and he drove it home. The value of early A bodies just isn’t there, and to tow the Dart home, go through the fuel system, brake system, probably have to unstick the engine and dump money into getting it running, possible carb, possible clutch, all just to return it to the road as a $5k car at best. And that’s not counting the shitty interior, which would need serious work, unknown floor pans and undercarriage, it’s just not worth buying for more than $1500. I was trying to get it for a young gun that’s looking for just this scenario. I don’t need it, nor did I want it. I had been trying to sell my convertible because I didn’t need that either, but had it for 15 years.

Here’s what $6800 gets you in the early A body world!

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The value of early A bodies is "there" a lot more than it was ten years ago. Even still, they are an acquired taste for most.

 

[oldkimmer]

While I agree your offer was reasonable, it wasn't reasonable to him, and therein is the dilemma. What's reasonable to me or you may not be to someone else.

As always! Kim

 

[cosgig]

While I agree your offer was reasonable, it wasn't reasonable to him, and therein is the dilemma. What's reasonable to me or you may not be to someone else.

And that’s fine with me. I always tell people “I’m in the hobby”, meaning I know these cars. If they don’t, that’s fine, I don’t know what he paid for it, and it was 25 years ago, but if he wants serious money for a car that’s been off the road for decades, he needs to back up his price with his side of the story. It doesn’t hurt my feelings, I get approached all the time about cars, helping people with cars, which I gladly do. I just got my nephews 79 Ford pickup running and back to the road today, and I’m not a Ford guy, just a car enthusiast. I try to save em all, but not for me, for other people. Win some, lose some, but this one wasn’t a loss for me, but for my young gun friend who really wants to be in the hobby. On to the next car!

 

[Kern Dog]

I give informed offers, and can always back up my information. Unfortunately, people are not informed and expect to get BJ money for basically junk. My most recent example….

Saw this car up at the rental shop in town. Owner was in Germany and wouldn’t be back for a week or so, so I looked it over. Found the transfer of title in the glovebox from 1999. 6 cyl, 3 speed on the tree, he bought it, took it home and put it in his barn. Supposed to be a family project that never happened. He wanted $7500. I waited for him to come back and went to talk to him. I drove my 66 convertible commando car that I had for sale for 2 years or more for $7500 with no buyers. Running and driving and much rarer than his car. His had been repainted, a shoddy interior job to change everything over from turquoise to red, and the outside from turquoise to black. I offered him $1500, he got pissed and said he was going to put it back in the barn, and when he died his kids could junk it. I tried to get a counter out of him, and told him why my offer was so low, but he didn’t want to hear it.

Was my offer reasonable? Yes! With the amount of work to go through a /6 3 speed that had been off the road for at least 25 years, and maybe more, against his price and my car that didn’t sell for $7500 for over 2 years? But people don’t want to hear logic, and true information. Car is gone now, probably back in the barn where it will die on Pride Hill.

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While the $7500 may have been way optimistic for the car, an offer of $1500 is a complete insult. If a guy puts an unrealistic price on his car and a "customer" offers something equally insulting, who is the good guy in this deal? Neither.
You'd be better off just politely telling him his price is in line for a finished car (That his car clearly is not) OR just walk away.
I'd be compelled to do the former and make no actual offer. An offer that insults the seller often backfires.

 

[challengergary]

When I am selling something I try to base my pricing on what the market pricing currently looks like. If someone offers my a low ball, I generally just reply with a simple "No Thanks." I am not going to get butt hurt by someone trying to get a deal.

When I am buying something, if the asking price seems reasonable, I will still offer less because, why not? Who doesn't want to get a good deal? When it comes to cars, if I see one for sale and go take a look at it in person and the price seems high, I usually preface my offer with, "I don't want to insult you, but to me it is worth X dollars." If they take that offer, great. If not, great. I can walk away knowing I didn't over pay. If they counter offer, I will counter with another offer closer to what I initially offered but still within my personal comfort zone. It's what I like to call a Win-Win.

That's how I ended up with another 1970 Duster 340 in my garage a couple of weeks ago. I paid what I consider a fair price for a rolling 340 car with a great body but no interior or drivetrain. Even then, the guy actually did not know it was a 340 car. I told him what it was before I made my offer so that he wouldn't think I was just some prick trying to pull one over on him. He actually appreciated that I was honest and that is why he took what some might consider a low ball offer. He didn't want to deal with the hundreds of "is this still available" messages and the never ending questions. Fortunately, it was right here in my hometown less than 5 minutes from my work. So now I have 3 project cars in my shop LOL

 

[Dddddart]

As the title suggests - when does a "reasonable offer" become insultingly low?

Say someone is asking $1,000 for something but stipulates reasonable offers will be considered. Is anything under $750 (or ***) then considered insulting? I've never understood the whole "reasonable offer" thing and have only offered what I was willing to pay. It's a simple yes or no at that point. What does it means to you all?

If the item in your opinion is worth $600, then $500 is reasonable..

 

[mgoblue9798]

I am trying to figure out what's reasonable here.

Should I go by the hour, or just go all in by the day? Asking for a friend.

Tom

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Is by the minute an option?

 

[mgoblue9798]

As the title suggests - when does a "reasonable offer" become insultingly low?

Say someone is asking $1,000 for something but stipulates reasonable offers will be considered. Is anything under $750 (or ***) then considered insulting? I've never understood the whole "reasonable offer" thing and have only offered what I was willing to pay. It's a simple yes or no at that point. What does it means to you all?

A lot of it is in the attitude of the buyer. I have had guys show up to my house and immediately start shitting all over the car or item I have for sale. Not just pointing out flaws (that I disclosed in the sales ad), but this is a pos type of comments. I just ask them to leave as I wouldnt sell to an asshole even at my asking price.

Nothing wrong with negotiating but dont **** all over someone else's stuff if they were honest in the description.

During covid I responded to more than one wanted ad offering to help someone out by selling parts for what I paid for them since I didnt need them right away. Couple of them actually devolved into them calling me a liar and berating me. Life is too short to deal with idiots that think the world owes them something.

Nothing wrong with making an offer as long as you are respectful about it.

 

[barbee6043]

Yes, negotiating on a classic car, without insulting or hurting someones feeling is an art, just like people that learn to be natural born salesmen and like the guys that are born being able to sell ice cubes to Eskimos! It is an art either learned or born with.

Some people buy only IF they have any $ in their check account!

Some will never buy anything unless they can talk you down, as in a car priced at 30 cents on the dollar, they want it for $15 cents on the dollar!

Then there is the seller that has his for sale car no doubt WAY overpriced, but he will not talk $ UNLESS you want to make a 10 hour trip to go see it!

Hardest classic to sell is the non runner or roller..... and the most expensive to get on the road is that same car!!!

 

[Fishing68]

What does reasonable offer mean?

I think it is not a fixed amount nor a fixed percentage nor a formula.

It is quite simply- an offer that is accompanied by a logical REASON for the amount offered. An example of which might be- “I know of one that sold for the price I’m offering”.

However, both parties (buyer and seller) may not agree on a price even if it is associated with a reason. There will always be different prices for the same item that will each have reasonable bases.

Also, Just ANY reason given does not constitute a valid “reasonable offer”. An example of which would be a buyer saying “I don’t have money so I’m offering a (fraction) of the asking price”. Another example is a seller saying “It has massive sentimental value (and therefore offering it for way more than the market value)”.

It goes both ways for sure. The buyer AND seller should be adhering to being reasonable, especially when stating the expectation the other party should be reasonable.

 

[273]

The original question was what is meant by the seller "reasonable offer" and when does it become insulting.

People are confusing what they think is and or the offer they gave is reasonable to most (market value), that has nothing to do with it the seller don't care what's reasonable to you and others, he's asking for only people that are in his ballpark (price range) to respond only and all others look elsewhere. And obviously if your offer ain't in the sellers ballpark then it's an unreasonable offer (to the seller) even if it's a fair price for the item cause that's got nothing to do with it.

 

[Fishing68]

Well that’s not reasonable for the Seller to do

 

[318willrun]

Last 4 classic cars I sold were

• '79 Magnum
• '74 Duster
• '77 Ramcharger
• '85 Ramcharger

All were sold very quickly, and the closest buyer of the 4 was still 5.5 hours away. I priced them to what I considered to be a good deal if I was buying. Out of the 4 vehicles, I only came down on 1 of them, and it was less than 10%. Some claim what they can get and the going price "around here". My reply ... "why are you talking with me then??? " LOL Offering 60% or less of the asking price isn't offensive to me, but don't be offended if I don't reply to your offer

 

[273]

Well that’s not reasonable for the Seller to do

That's an entirely different discussion,
Same with should I/You respect the sellers wishes of "Reasonable Offers Only"

 

[Fishing68]

What is more reasonable than market value? In fact, isn’t it the definition of a price based on factual empirical data?

Question was- what do people think a reasonable offer is.

If you want to stick to the facts then this is the definition. If you want to gauge at what point someone gets their feelers hurt then there are as many answers as there are readers here and never mind the seller may be offending the buyers by asking waaaay to much.

 

[318willrun]

I think the rules change a little at a flea market or yard sale. If I see something for 500 (like a garden tractor for instance) that I wouldn't mind having, I may say "take 300 cash right now?"... and if I get it I get it, if I don't then no biggy

 

[Fishing68]

I’m simply drilling down on the essence of the definition of reasonable. If the answer is not fact based then the answer falls to “it depends”

 

[318willrun]

I’m simply drilling down on the essence of the definition of reasonable. If the answer is not fact based then the answer falls to “it depends”

LOL... i deleted my post, i was just being silly ... having stupid fun

 

[273]

What is more reasonable than market value? In fact, isn’t it the definition of a price based on factual empirical data?

Question was- what do people think a reasonable offer is.

If you want to stick to the facts then this is the definition. If you want to gauge at what point someone gets their feelers hurt then there are as many answers as there are readers here and never mind the seller may be offending the buyers by asking waaaay to much.

The question is what is meant by seller when stating Reasonable offer and how low does the offer have to get under asking for the seller to find it unreasonable/insulting?

Obviously it's about what the seller thinks, most here are arguing from the buyers perspective, what they should be able to offer, fair market price, etc..

Obviously the seller don't care about that when saying "reasonable offer" to me it quite obviously means if your price ain't near asking don't bother me with your low ball offers cause it's a NO, telling you now, F off with your bullshit, that's how I read it anyways.

 

[Fishing68]

I think the rules change a little at a flea market or yard sale. If I see something for 500 (like a garden tractor for instance) that I wouldn't mind having, I may say "take 300 cash right now?"... and if I get it I get it, if I don't then no biggy

I like this post. Keeping it real

 

[Kern Dog]

I think the rules change a little at a flea market or yard sale. If I see something for 500 (like a garden tractor for instance) that I wouldn't mind having, I may say "take 300 cash right now?"... and if I get it I get it, if I don't then no biggy

Cash? What else would you expect to pay with?
1995, I was selling a 78 Monte Carlo I advertised for $1000. A guy offered $700.
Sorry man, I need the $1000.
But I'm talking $700 in CASH.
Yeah, I don't care if it is $700 in cash or ground beef, I need to get $1000.
Why would anyone think that using the word c a s h would make a difference? ALL I want is the cash. ALL I am willing to take is cash. I didn't post the ad to read "$1000 in cash or the equivalent in full service massages from attractive women".

 

[Fishing68]

The question is what is meant by seller when stating Reasonable offer and how low does the offer have to get under asking for the seller to find it unreasonable/insulting?

Obviously it's about what the seller thinks, most here are arguing from the buyers perspective, what they should be able to offer, fair market price, etc..

Obviously the seller don't care about that when saying "reasonable offer" to me it quite obviously means if your price ain't near asking don't bother me with your low ball offers cause it's a NO, telling you now, F off with your bullshit, that's how I read it anyways.

Your take- I respect that.

But hey, I think it is a two way street is all.

I think it’s reasonable to inform an unreasonable seller that they are being unreasonable using reason

 

[340six]

Yeah there is nothing worse than people negotiating a low price when its already a good deal. If its an item that's hard to sell or is difficult to value then fine. She was right to weed these people out quickly. My usual approach is to not respond. Sometimes I list an item as firm and I still get offers

I went to a regular junk yard mostly new cars. The guy at the pick a part recommend.
Guy says we mostly pull new stuff inventory it and sell on calls and computer. Everything's in computer, but have some real old crap way, way in the back. You are welcome to look. So my wife and I go way way back there. A Body was 3 or 4 speed on floor 340 car really stripped. But has 8 3/4 391 tag turns as sure grip.
I walk back to front guys say 100 bucks cash and you pull it. I get tools. Shortly after guys pull up and says I gotta cut something close let me just cut the U Bolts unless ya need um.
So guys cut it out by cutting nuts off.
Shock plates not cut. So complete 8 3/4 391 suregrip not worn low mile car wrecked long ago. When we get to front guy asks for a hundred but wife says missing a drum to me guess we gotta find one. Lol guys says 80 bucks. And they loaded it for me too.
I went and bought them a case of beer.
That was 3 years ago. Cleaned, blasted and cleaned again. Primed and picked up in back shed.
My buddy is going to put new purch on for DR Diff offset hangers.