Smooth talking

[dragnusa]

Id like to hear some of the smooth talking people do to be able to buy bikes from people thats on the fence on wanting to sell

 

[ozzmonaut]

I don't have any smooth talking myself. If someone is on the fence I let them keep it. But when people try to smooth talk me they say, "How often do you ride it?,or, Is anbody else going to make you this offer? My favorite is, "What can you possibly want with this old bike?" As if I don't have any inclination to work with or hang onto old bicycles.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

I always ask what price would buy it. If they say it's not for sale, I say you'd sell it for a grand so there's got to be a number between 1 and 1,000 that will buy it. Then after they throw out a number I come back with it MIGHT be worth that IF it was in MINT condition. Then I ruthlessly nitpick the bike down to a scratch, scuffed bolt, wrong part, non original tires, pedal grip and seat wear, and mention the MONEY I'm going to have to dump into it to make everything absolutely perfect. That has a tendency to shake them. Then I make a fair offer that is 2/3 what I think it is worth.