buyers questions to ask.

[Jim Mac]

Theres a luger for sale that I emailed the owner on. its suppose to be numbers matching except the mag. Its been for sale for awhile and I decided a numbers matching luger would be great for the collection.
Price on the gun is 900 dollars its a erfurt 9mm I sent a email asking if its been reblued, if they took it apart the make sure the internals match along with the grips. I figure if your going to advertise it as matching, may as well ask sensible questions if your going to part with your hard earned money. I did ask if the price was negotiable and if so what the bottom dollar was. I never did get a response. I did not throw out a low ball offer, but could asking the right questions keep a potential seller from answering? thanks. jim

[Norme]

Hi Jim, It may have been the way you asked. If you come across as an a..hole the seller isn't going to bother responding. It may be your money, but it's his Luger, and you have to respect that. I've been negotiating for a living for over 50 years and I will always consider a reasonable offer, but I will never reduce my asking price unilaterally. Regards, Norm

[alanint]

I think all your questions are fair, but of course I have not seen how you asked them verbatim, ( no offence).
Since we have not seen the ad, we have no way of knowing if this seller has any gun experience. Remember that this seller may not have a clue what you are asking about and it is easier to simply not respond.
He may have also made a deal elsewhere. Many sellers simply stop responding once the gun is sold. I've received inquiries on the machinegun boards up to a year after selling, asking if the gun is still available. I politely answer every single one, but that's just me.

[Jim Mac]

its on backpage and has been advertised there on and off for awhile. When I respond to a ad, I usually just ask questions politely, and usually throw in at the end, "i just have to ask if the price is firm, and if not whats the best bottom dollar" or something like that. The way I look at negotiating a lower price, is if the seller is expecting someone to make a offer, I hate to come across as a low baller, so I'd rather let the seller say what the bottom dollar price is and if im comfortable with it, I'll call and take a look. If the price is higher than I want to spend, I'll reply its a bit more than I can afford right now but thank you anyway.
What I really didnt want to end up with is a 900 dollar gun sold as numbers matching and turns out not to be the case.
theres a nagant revolver on there too that every internet site is selling for 99-110 bucks, and this gent was asking 450 down to 350 now. jim

[Norme]

Hi Jim, The way I would contact the seller (remember I haven't seen this gun, so it's hypothetical), is as follows:
Hi, I notice that this gun has been listed for two months now. Would you consider an offer of $700.00, and may I return it if the internal parts don't match and the finish is not original? I'm an assistant nurse in a homeless shelter and $700.00 is a lot of money for me. Regards, Jim
Hi Jim, I'm selling this gun to finance a sex change operation, however, I'll reduce the price to $800.00 for you. I know you'll love this gun and I hate to part with it. If you see a beautiful blonde walking down the street with just one boob, you'll know it's me. Regards, Seller
P.S. You may return it within three days, but you pay shipping both ways.
Regards, Norm

[Jim Mac]

thats funny. The guns for sale local. When I buy something, I go into it as is no returns etc. I figure if I cant afford to lose the money, I have no business buying something old and used. jim

[alvin]

Buying 1st Luger from online auction site is dangerous, IMO.

Better wait in this forum and see what members sell.

[Jim Mac]

Its not a online auction. if you go to backpage (its like craigslist) but your allowed to sell guns. I bought my first luger (1918 DWM) from there for $675 last summer. This one is a 1917 erfurt buts its $900 and advertised as numbers matching. The guy is about 15 minutes away but you have to email a response he didnt leave a phone number, maybe I should have included my number in the email.
Theres a artillery luger for 2275 http://tucson.backpage.com/SportsEqu...r-9mm/15837011
jim

[cdmech]

I'll to add my two cents. I don't contact a seller unless the money is burning a hole in my pocket and I'm going to buy it as soon as I get a satisfactory response. If I ask a seller a question I give them 24 hrs to respond and then I and my money move elsewhere. I have found that nobody is selling anything I can't find somewhere else.
I probably have past up buying good stuff from good people, but many a seller has past up selling their stuff to me by treating me like a bother. Some have told me they don't always respond because they get tired of people asking questions or making requests for more pictures, when they aren't going to buy anything. These things may be true, but that's not my propblem, and I'm the one risking $$$, not the seller who won't even ship until he is paid.
Sorry if this is a rant, but it's a sore subject with me.
Marc

[Jim Mac]

heres a link to the luger Im talking about. http://tucson.backpage.com/SportsEqu...-sale/15946778 jim
It may be a moot point anyway. I found a Muncie M-21 4 speed I maybe picking up tomorrow afternoon and that will keep me from buying anything else fun for awhile. jim

[Curly1]

Not many pictures or good ones for that matter along with barebones info.

I would call it lazy advertising.

What's the bore look like would be one of my questions.

No response to questions I move on

[alvin]

Luger's volume on gunbroker.com alone is 30 pages (!!!). How many buyers are in need to absorb that supply. It must be buyer's market. Wait next gun if seller does not care your questions.

[Curly1]

It's not a buyers market if they are setting reserves way high.

[Jim Mac]

Emailed back to ask about the condition of the barrel. Still no response. May end up buying another project car so its going to be a moot point if the price of the 64 el camino comes in where im comfortable with. jim