How do you ask about buying cars?

[Harlow]

What method do you guys use for picking up cars that are not technically listed for sale. Lets say you see a car sitting in someones backyard or carport. I just straight up asked the owner if he wanted to sell my Sport Satellite, luckily he was happy to sell right there. I also asked about a 68 coronet and the lady didn't want to sell it. I'm now in the market for a new project and I've found a few local cars I'd like to inquire about. I think I might just knock on their door and offer cash. What methods have you guys had luck with?

[Charger-Bodie]

I'd just knock on the door and say: Hi there , "just wondering if by any chance you would consider selling that car?"

[69charger2002]

yep, just like brian said.. gotta be nice and courteous while at the same time not acting like a tire kicker.. sometimes you get rude responses, sometimes you get a polite no thanks, other times you get LUCKY.. never hurts to ask.. i used to be really shy about knocking on strangers doors.. but after i lost a couple deals from being shy.. i figured.. hey if i don't do it SOMEONE else will. bet on it
trav

[TUFCAT]

I agree with Trav and Brian, the sincere approach works best ...just say something along the lines of what you wrote in the beginning of this thread ...and I think it will work well for you.  In most cases, the reason was sentimental to keep the "old car" around in the first place, or it was "going to be restored someday".  I'm guessing a primary factor for deciding to "let it go" would be seeing it go to a good home.  Lots of these cars had been the owners dream car that never transpired over the years.....for whatever reason.   

[41husk]

I like to talk about the cars see to kinda feel the owner out, but I usually ask if they would want to sell it during the first meeting.  Ive been maried long enough to have been told NO many times, and long enough to not take NO fopr the answer on the first try

[bull]

yep, just like brian said.. gotta be nice and courteous while at the same time not acting like a tire kicker..

Trav would know better than anyone I suspect.

IMO the key to not acting like a tire-kicker is not being a tire-kicker. In other words, there's little point in showing up to ask if a car is for sale unless you actually have a decent amount of money to spend right there on the spot. It's fine to gauge interest by asking without having money on hand but what I found in my limited experience is that when you are a genuinely interested buyer it sometimes prompts the owners to contact some schmuck buddy of his right after you leave. He tells his buddy, who's been sitting on the fence for 3 years hemming and hawing and gawking at the car, that someone stopped by and offered a good price for it and will soon return with cash so the guy finally gets off his butt and buys the car before you can return. I think that happened to me twice while I was looking for a '68 to buy so I learned to take the money with me and be ready to buy right then.

[rav440]

i just tell them " you sell me this car or im going to break you @#$!&*% head " 

BULL's way is the best . my only problem is people just dont want to sell and if they do they have the answer , well they just sold one on ebay for $xxK  at that point i just give up and walk away coz theres no reason to argue  with somebody who thinks their sittn in the field car for 25 years is worth as mush as as the restored one that sold for $xxK 

[skip68]

Sorry to break in but rav440,  YOUR 73 IS BEEEAUUUUUTIFUL.    sorry guys.

[rav440]

Sorry to break in but rav440,  YOUR 73 IS BEEEAUUUUUTIFUL.    sorry guys.

thanks SKIP 

[Mike DC]

SHOW THEM A BIG WAD OF CASH MONEY. 

Don't verbally offer them the number.  Don't show them checks.  Don't show them potential trades.
Just show them a whole lot of paper bills right there in person.   I'm ny experience, paper bills right there in front of their faces can be more effective than verbally promising them twice that much.



But be warned that this method can get you beaten up & robbed if you're not careful.  You may not want to start off with the money in the first meeting, or you may want to have a friend with you.

You have to balance the line between offering them enough money to encourage an impulse-sale, but you don't want to offer too much too easily and make yourself seem too wealthy in their eyes.  (Which may not only make them demand more money, but it can also make them feel insulted/put-off if you're not careful.)


And don't ever whip out a lot more money than you're currently offering.  If you've got $2000 and you're gonna start out your offer at $1000, then don't whip out the whole $2000 at first.  Wait until the potential price has already climbed up near $2K before you show your hand.

[69bronzeT5]

Deffintley have to agree with the people who said be polite. There's a 68 Charger I know of (I've posted pictures on here) and I wanted to take pictures of it for my site. I could of taken pictures of it but since it was behind a fence and tarped, I was interested in taking pictures of it without the tarp. Apperentley Matt (CPUNK) asked the owner and the owner let Matt go into the yard, take the tarp off and check it out..he didnt take pics though.

So anyways, I go up to the door and knock. An older lady answered and the first thing she said was "its not for sale, sorry". I said "I know that, plus I already have a project Charger, I was just wondering if I could possibly take pictures of your Charger?". She said "My husband will meet you in the driveway". So I go to the driveway and the guy comes out. He immeditley says "ITS NOT FOR SALE!!!" in a really angry voice. I said "Im not interested in buying it, I was just wondering if I could possibly take pictures of it for my photo album" and he said "NO! ITS NOT FOR SALE!"....so I said again "I dont want to buy it, I just want to take pictures of it" and he said "NO! GO AWAY!!!!". I said "ok, thanks" and I left. I was pretty pissed, I was nice and polite and he was (pardon my language), a complete dick. So anyways, I came back the next day and took a picture of it from the street.


So like I said, try and be polite but sometimes, it dosent always help and the owner is sometimes stuck on the car not going to anyone else. Such as alot of the cars from my site and carsinbarns or Maple Leaf Mopars

[dukeboy_318]

I'd just knock on the door and say: Hi there , "just wondering if by any chance you would consider selling that car?"

thats how i do it as well,  although i ususally start out by asking what they know about the car and get them talking to develop a relationship that way they know im serious about it and not some kid wanting to play doh with it or anything. 

[RT DAVE]

If it isn't listed for sale, ie sitting in a field or driveway, I would knock on their door and politely ask if the item is for sale.  If they say no, I would ask them if they would take my contact information should they happen to change their mindl.  I would also ask for their contact info so you could  check back in with them. If it's something you have to have now, cash will work best.  Bring only what you're willing to pay and start small but not insultingly small.  You can always pull more out of your pocket but once they see the whole wad it's over for you.... 

If the potential seller is not the owner (like a wife), it's sometimes a good idea to show them that you are both knowledgeable about the car and that you actually like the car.  Sometimes showing a genuine desire for somethings makes people sell things because they realize you will take care of their once prized possession.  Sometimes (not always) people even sell for less if they don't think you're a flipper and they know you'll do the right thing with the car.   

Most importantly, BE NICE!  If somebody has ten people asking about the car they will more than likely call the person back who wasn't hyper agressive and insulting when they initially turned them down.  For instance, I wouldn't act like they needed to sell now or say anything like "here's my 10K cash, now or  never" or they will think you're an a-hole.   

[bull]

If the potential seller is not the owner (like a wife), it's sometimes a good idea to show them that you are both knowledgeable about the car and that you actually like the car.

That's a good point you touched on there. In fact that's how I was able to pry a '69 Charger out of the hands of a woman a few years ago who thought her well-worn 318 car was worth $12k. The husband had a more realistic approach to the price and was able to influence her to sell it for less than $5k to a Nevada-based buyer I scrounged up on the old site. It took me several visits before she warmed up to the idea that her car might not be worth what she thought it was, and the fact that her boyfriend and/or husband was tired of seeing it sit in the side yard prompted her to finally sell it to someone who could restore it.

[HITMAN 149]

just knock on the door.. and tell them your takin it!!!!!!!!!!!! (ok...if you have some type of firearm or large heavy solid object with you that may help!!! LOL) ONLY KIDDING!!!!! omg funny... cause on my recent sgt's test there were friggin 5...count them 5 CARJACKING questions!?!?!?!
out of alllll the stuff we are supposed to know.... they asked us 5 carjacking questions?!?!?! weird...really.... weird!!!!

[moparstuart]

I like to talk about the cars see to kinda feel the owner out, but I usually ask if they would want to sell it during the first meeting.  Ive been maried long enough to have been told NO many times, and long enough to not take NO fopr the answer on the first try

me too