Let’s set the scene. Your old car has finally bit the dust. It’s parked in your driveway in Perth and you know it is not longer of any use on the road. ’ When you have to take a call to sell the car; it’s magical that they even think its okay to send you an SMS, showing a photo of their howling baby and their 3 legged dog saying ‘I will pay $600 for your car!’ “They’re saying, ‘We know you need us more than we need you,’” said Mr. Havoich of the tow company.
That perception, we want to change. Do not allow a car wrecker to dictate the price – you have more sway than you know.
We’re WA Auto Parts, and with more than 15 years’ experience serving the people of Perth, we know that a well-informed customer is an empowered one. Our business is not just buying cars, it’s to gain trust. And to prove it, we’re going to open the curtain and show you our insider’s playbook. Here are the tactics pro sellers leverage to maximize their cash offer on an old car.
Welcome to the Negotiator’s Playbook.
Play #1: Get up to speed on your assets
The single most important mindset change is this: stop thinking of your car as a piece of junk. Your car is an aggregation of assets in the eyes of a pro wrecker, and if you’re going to get top dollar, it’s time for you to see it that way too. Before you ever think about reaching out to sign anything, your first play is to be the master of your own car’s value.
Create a simple “Highlight Sheet.” This isn’t a detailed mechanical inspection, just a quick list of the good stuff that adds value. Walk the car and jot down any parts that are new, recently replaced or in good shape.
Did you drop a new battery in six months ago? Write it down. How’s the tires less than a year old and with good tread? Write it down. Have you had a new alternator or radiator fitted recently? Write it down. Even as the car falls apart around it, does the engine purr? That’s a major highlight.
AT WA AUTO PARTS, we specialize in parts for Japanese, European, Australian, Korean and American car makes, truck makes and 4 wheel drive. SUVAuV make£o VANmake. This means we are always on the hunt for high quality used parts from these vehicles. Let’s say you’re calling for a quote.Don’t get on the phone and just go, “I have 2005 Ford Falcon”.
Use your Highlight Sheet to get us straight into what you’ve got: “I have a 2005 Ford Falcon. The transmission is blown, but I want you to know the engine itself is still good and runs well, there’s a brand-new battery in it, and the alloy wheels are not damaged.”
By doing so, you immediately put it in the context of value and assets. Beyond that, you’re not selling a problem; you’re selling salable parts. This low-level step signals to the wrecker that you understand what you have, and starts of the interaction on a positive, professional note with your potential adversary.
Play #2: Create a Bidding War
That’s the golden rule of any sale, and it absolutely holds true here. Never, ever say yes to the first offer you get. Consider your car like a house for sale — you need the most interested buyers possible to bid up the price. What you want is a competitive situation where wreckers are forced to give their best price in order to get your business.
Thinly veiled as the “golden rule,” get at least three quotes.
This process is simple. Call your initial wrecker (hopefully that’s us!), include your Highlight Sheet information and receive your first quote. Then ring two other top wreckers in and around Perth and do likewise.
Here is where the power of negotiation kicks in. When you talk to the second or third company, you can honestly say: “Yes, I’ll talk a few more wreckers today and make sure I’m getting the best price for my vehicle.” You won’t even have to disclose what the other offers are. This is a simple sentence that tells them you have other choices and won’t consider a low ball offer. They will play their cards right away.
Any company worth dealing with is confident and professional enough to appreciate this. We at WA Auto Parts believe in our pricing to be fair and competitive . We know our quotes are competitive; after all we run a used car parts yard where the competition can’t keep up when we pass on that quote. So go for it, set up that bidding war. We’re ready.
Play #3: Know What Drives Their Price
To negotiate well, you need to know what the person on the other side of the table is thinking. A wrecker’s number isn’t just plucked out of thin air; there are three main considerations entered into every complex equation. When you do know them, you have a huge edge.”
Weight in Scrap Metal: What a car is worth in its simplest form. Steel, aluminium and other metals are traded on the world markets for prices per tonne. That’s why a vehicle with the measure of mass, such as a Holden Commodore, Ford Territory SUV, or Toyota LandCruiser might have greater base price than the diminutive Hyundai Getz.
Useable parts:_This is where the money is and what we are good for. Since WA Auto Parts also sells high-quality second hand parts, we are on the hunt for cars with popular spares. That Toyota Camry’s dependable motor, that pickup’s solid transmission and all of those BMW interior parts are gold to us. For advertising purposes, most companies want cars that are in working condition — though if yours is a popular model in Australia, its parts have resale value.
The Catalytic Converter: This is the sleeper. The catalytic converter contains some of the most precious metals (platinum, palladium and rhodium) found on a vehicle; it is also one of the single most valuable components on an end-of-life car. Always be sure your car has its original converter, as this can make a large difference in price.
If you learn these drivers, you can better convey the value of your car and get a sense for the quotes you are submitting to offers.
Play #4: Reveal the Bluffs – Beware of back-end fees
This is really the one play where it makes the most sense to shield yourself from potential dregs of society. History’s oldest trick is to give you a juicy price offer over the phone, then show up and start taking fees off it again until you’re getting pennies on the dollar. They hope that you’re time-crunched and just want to get rid of the car.
You can destroy this ploy completely by asking two simple, non-negotiable questions before you agree to everything.
“You will pick up my broken down car for free, this includes any callout, labour costs and no surcharge’s on your offer?”
“So, how do I know that the number you just quoted me is the amount of cash I’m actually going to have in my hand by your driver as he leaves?”
Listen carefully to the answers. Any pause, or qualifier language even like “usually” or “it depends,” should be a giant red flag.
At WA Auto Parts, our policy is clear cut: Free towing literally means free. The price we tell you is the price we pay you. No games, no gimmicks. You should be able to receive a bright and shining “yes” for each of those questions from any professional company.
Play #5: Be Ready to Act Fast
The final play is to show that you are a serious, well planned seller. When you have quotes and selected your preferred offer, prepare to execute the transaction. A wrecker will be more inclined to provide their best price if they know they can pick the vehicle up rapidly and without having to chase you around for a few days.
This is in connection to Play #1. Be ready to act means you have your Highlight Sheet done, of course, but more than that it also means you’ve already found where your proof of ownership documents are, and that you have your photo ID at the ready.
When you can say, “Thank you for asking. I have all my papers made out. “When’s the earliest you can come to get it?” you send a powerful signal. It indicates that you’re professional, that you respect their time and that you’re not a time-waster. This level of readiness frequently ensures a smoother, quicker transaction and verifies to the wrecker that they made the correct decision in providing you with their best offer.
Conclusion: Seller to Smart Negotiator
You’ve followed the playbook, and you have changed your position. Now you’re no longer just some person trying to toss out an old car. Now, you are an informed, ready, and brazen negotiator who knows the market and how to get the most.
Let’s recap the plays:
Know Your Asset : Consider your car as a sum of valuable parts.
- “Make Competition: The rule is always three-deep.”
- Get to Know Their Motives: They are looking for value in metal, parts and key components.
- Reveal the Bluffs: “Lock-in a final price to not let you down with hidden fees.
- Be Ready to Go: Demonstrate you are prepared (even qualified) and professional.
You now have the things you need, in order to get every single cent your car is worth.
So, test the playbook out. As a company providing honest & transparent pricing, we’ve been delivering quotes at competitive prices for over 15 years to the people of Perth.
The experienced WA Auto Parts team are just a call away on (08) 9358 1392 Use this as an opportunity to see what it’s like dealing with a company that recognises your selling power.