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Old 01-11-2018, 03:43 AM
 
6,751 posts, read 5,456,512 times
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I will negotiate at the BIG well advertised places ( Firestone, Goodyear, mineke, Monroe, etc. but not at the new small time mechanic I use now.

I don't mind paying a fair price, we all have bills to pay. But, when I'm told it's $25 to do this, then the bill comes and it's $100 instead ( because that was $25 per wheel, not the total price to do "x"), then I'll squawk. I've had that at big name to the point If, big if, I go there I ask now for the "out the door price".

I'll also negotiate if it's a large bill for doing multiple things while in there. That is " while doing the timing chain can you do the thermostat and flush the radiator "....theyll be mid tear down anyway so they don't need to pad the bill with tear down price included for each individual item!.

I most hate it when I'm given an estimate for say $350, and then am told the bill will be $923. I'll negotiate then as I figure if you(they) can't estimate right, then they need to absorb some of the added cost and learn how to get to an "out the door" or "proper price". Or costs like above. They estimate $350, but find "y" wrong also then quote me that it will be that $25. THEN I find out at payment that it's really $25 per wheel, so it's another $100. I'll tell them "that's NOT WHAT YOU QUOTED ME."

I had a brake job quoted at $250. I said fine, go ahead. Then something else was wrong so now added it was "only $50 to fix"...i said go ahead, figuring now my bill was$300., then one other thing had to be done..."It's just $100". I choked on the 1187.65 bill I was presented with. Turns out that WAS that $50 per wheel, and $100 per wheel!!!! Plus other, taxes, and fees etc.the bill was that way much higher. I was expecting the $250 , maybe 300 if they err, but NOT $1200!! The guy at (t he big name brand place) did reduce it to $800 and change. I told him firmly he needs to better explain charges and start giving the out the door price, not a tiny fee. Leads to the customer feeling RIPPED OFF.

I actually hate negotiating. Name me your price and if I like it I will pay it. If not I'll move on. But getting RIPPED OFF so much has MADE me a negotiator... where reasonable.

The experts say "everything is negotiable ", but I know Wally World isn't gonna budge on their retail price unless it's broken, for example.

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Old 01-11-2018, 04:00 AM
 
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No.
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Old 01-11-2018, 04:16 AM
 
Location: Where the sun likes to shine!!
20,549 posts, read 30,332,386 times
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I'm more of an asker than a negotiator. I figure it can't hurt anyone to ask for a better or cash price and I will in many cases like insurance, vehicles phones and service, my Directv bill, contractors and supplies. As for mechanics if you found a good one, one you can trust and one you think is fair I would pay the fair price. Now saying that there are many who will rip you off especially the big dealers. Multiple times we have had to bring a vehicle in for a problem, hear their diagnostic and quote which in some cases has been insane. We have then gone home, bought the part/s and do it ourselves.


I don't think I have ever negotiated for hair salons, big box stores, restaurants, or an electric or water company.
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Old 01-11-2018, 11:26 AM
 
21,108 posts, read 13,486,038 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ylisa7 View Post
I'm more of an asker than a negotiator. I figure it can't hurt anyone to ask for a better or cash price and I will in many cases like insurance, vehicles phones and service, my Directv bill, contractors and supplies. Now saying that there are many who will rip you off especially the big dealers. Multiple times we have had to bring a vehicle in for a problem, hear their diagnostic and quote which in some cases has been insane. We have then gone home, bought the part/s and do it ourselves.


I don't think I have ever negotiated for hair salons, big box stores, restaurants, or an electric or water company.
Yes there are many ways to do that. Or saying hm, I usually only pay x to 'wherever'. Being talkative I say things like that and have been surprised. I grimaced at the price for something at a convenience store and the clerk (owner?) started discounting my items. IDK if he wanted that sale that day or to make me a regular customer but that was cool.

That did NOT work just now calling my Vet. He interrupted me to say 'We don't price match'. Yeah, yeah, I know............

Quote:
As for mechanics if you found a good one, one you can trust and one you think is fair I would pay the fair price.
I think we have to, yes. As was mentioned above if they are giving fair pricing, the only discounting they can really do is essentially charity. They have 'x' amount they can absorb to help people out in a hard time, not so much for people who just want a lower price at every turn.
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Old 01-11-2018, 07:39 PM
 
Location: Raleigh
13,661 posts, read 12,338,208 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jencam View Post
In this case, I had my father, who is good with cars, to be able to tell me that the work they say needs done is right, and agrees we can't save much when most of the price is in the parts. (Especially since I'd also owe this place $90 for diagnostics, and they are aware I'd have to find enough savings to compensate for that).

You would still ask for something lower when you feel the price is fair? Also, I did the whole routine up front about how I never approve car repairs until my repair adviser has a chance to evaluate the estimate. In hopes they'd want to be competitive out of the gate.
While its counter intuitive, sometimes they'll wiggle a bit on that if they've marked the part up (and they almost always do.) Its a little less insulting than when its a long expensive job to install a $3 part...
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Old 01-11-2018, 08:42 PM
 
Location: Wyoming
9,724 posts, read 21,184,961 times
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I'd never consider it. I've run a handful of small to medium-sized businesses over the years. A couple of the larger ones seemed to attract hagglers, but they were spending $25-$50K per year and looking for small percentage discounts. I expected that but had a published rate card that listed discounts for high volume buyers. I always stuck to the rate card, because if I gave someone a bigger discount than what was on the rate card, word would have gotten around and everyone would want a "bigger discount".

In my home-based businesses, I think I only had TWO retail clients ever dicker for a discount, and both were multi-millionaires. Neither had any reason to ask for a discount other than hoping to cut into my profit. I'd sometimes give someone a small discount as they were paying me (i.e., "You can just make that an even $1,000.) but never to make a sale. One of those "multi-millionaires" offered to pay me cash under the table if I'd not charge him sales tax. Really? You expect me to break the law (not pay sales tax) for the opportunity to service you? The next thing I know he's running for a state office! Who does that crap?!
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Old 01-11-2018, 08:45 PM
 
Location: Middle America
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Never.

My dad does, for nearly everything. It works, too, a surprising percentage of the time. It's kind of amazing. He's a great haggler.
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Old 01-11-2018, 09:05 PM
 
Location: Back and Beyond
2,993 posts, read 4,283,991 times
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I always pay my mechanic a little extra but that's just me. He's always able to "squeeze me in" when others have to wait 2+ weeks to see him because of this. He is already super low priced, honest and does great work. Never would I insult him by asking to pay less.

Other things however, I'll try to negotiate on. Especially private sales. And CL.

I also don't like people who try to negotiate literally everything. It's almost like a game to them to see if they can haggle everything down. Sometimes it's just better and easier to pay full price. Negotiate a car deal, not your bill at Applebee's.

Just my $.02 .
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Old 01-14-2018, 11:43 AM
 
21,108 posts, read 13,486,038 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JONOV View Post
While its counter intuitive, sometimes they'll wiggle a bit on that if they've marked the part up (and they almost always do.) Its a little less insulting than when its a long expensive job to install a $3 part...
On parts, one can find out how much they cost, where they are being obtained from. Bring in one's own even.

ETA: I see I erred here. I don't know where I looked before to verify parts cost, but I just found $80 less after shipping is taken into account. *face palm*

Last edited by jencam; 01-14-2018 at 12:02 PM..
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Old 01-15-2018, 09:07 AM
 
1,171 posts, read 2,517,030 times
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I used to have a rental house, and sometimes people would ask I’d I could lower the rent a bit. It wasn’t overpriced, but I would always lower it by $25 if they asked. They liked that, and it made them feel like they had got a deal. If they didn’t ask, then they didn’t get it. I always jumped when something broke down, fixed immediately, and I never had a troublesome renter.

My son, when he was about 21, had an anesthesia bill for $850. I called them up and asked if they could give him a discount. They said if you pay it within 24 hours, we will accept $250. I was shocked at the discount.
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