What to offer on a used car listing, and the script to say it

• Listed price vs fair market price
• Stance verdict (buyer favors / at market / overpriced)
• Your target offer + walk-away price
• Leverage points (cheaper comps, price drops, days on lot)
• Ready-to-use negotiation script
• Cheaper alternatives within driving distance

• Buyers who found one car and want to walk in with a number and a plan.
• Shoppers negotiating by email or text who want the leverage points written down.
• Anyone who wants to know whether an asking price is fair before the conversation starts.

How much will dealers come down on a used car?

It depends on the car: how long it has been listed, how its asking price compares with similar cars nearby, whether the seller has already cut the price, and the dealer type, since franchise and independent dealers price differently. The brief lays those out as leverage points for one listing and sets a target offer and a walk-away price from where the asking price sits against fair market value.

Can you negotiate used car prices at a dealership?

Usually, yes. Most used car prices are asking prices and many dealers expect an offer below them, though some sell at a fixed, no-haggle price. The strongest offers cite evidence: cheaper comparable listings and how long this car has been for sale. The brief gives you those points, a target offer, a walk-away price and a script to use in person, by phone, by email or by text.

What data should I bring to negotiate a used car price?

Bring the asking price, the mileage, two or three comparable listings nearby with their prices and mileage, how long the car has been listed and any price cuts, and the price you will walk away at. Agree the out-the-door price before any talk of monthly payments. The brief assembles this for one VIN: the fair market price, cheaper alternatives within driving distance, the listing history, a target offer and a walk-away price.

What is in the brief?

The listed price against fair market value, a five-band verdict, your target offer and walk-away price, the leverage points (cheaper comparables, recent price drops, days on the lot) and a negotiation script you can use as written, with cheaper alternatives within driving distance.

How aggressive is the target offer?

The opening offer is the lower of two figures: a discount to fair market value set by the verdict (3% at market, 6% modestly above, 9% well above market) and the asking price less the target savings percentage, 5% by default, which is the one that applies to a car priced below market. A Rough condition lowers both the offer and the walk-away, and the walk-away never goes above the asking price.

What do I need?

The VIN, the asking price on the listing and your ZIP. The mileage shown on the listing and the dealer’s name make the script sharper.

Should I vet the car first?

Yes, if you have not. The Used Car Health Check on the same VIN covers listing history, price changes and red flags. The brief assumes you want the car and works on the price.

What does it cost?

$1.99 per brief. Connect the MarketCheck AI Desk to Claude or ChatGPT once and ask in plain English, or run it from this website. You pay per report from a credit balance, with no subscription. A single brief can also be bought as a guest.

Technical reference (inputs, outputs, the MCP tool name): Pre-Purchase Negotiation Brief documentation.