I totally agree. If I NEED the part offered in exchange then I'll offer full market value in credit.

But typically it's partial payment or trade offered in non-cash items. I look at it this way: I would now have to sell the part offered in trade. Meaning advertise, handle calls, negotiate all over again, and sit on the item (storage) until it does sell.

That $600 clutch might take a few weeks and 5 hours worth of work to fetch $500. Asking someone to take the gamble and wait the time on the item is really only worth their while if they stand to make more money from it.

Normally it does work best to sell the items outright and show up with cash.

Maybe I'm a bit biased as we've come to jokingly refer to ourselves as the 'DSM pawnshop' to explain similair scenarios (try bringing your $500 TV to a pawnshop and see how much they offer you).

Just my $0.02

Your pawn shop could do for worthless junk what Hooters did for chicken wings

I would tend to agree.

It seems harsh, but when you sit on the other side of the fence you come to realize exactly what Travis was saying.

I've been amazed with the number of phone calls made/recieved, and then ten emails that have to along with those... the hour packaging, plus shipping materials and costs... and all of suddenly that 600 dollar clutch that you just sold for 600 ends up giving you a 50 to a 100 dollar hit in time and shipping.

I guess another way to look at it, is that I'm not putting all my time and effort and expenses into selling my product x, just to turn around and have to go through all of the time and expenses to sell your product as well...

that is unless it is something i want personally.

I would totally agree with what has been put on the table, and I would have to say that most business minded individuals would have to agree also... it's the loser who buys a $200 turbo, runs the piss out of it, decides to upgrade, tries to trade it in on a $500 turbo and argues that he paid $200 used, it is still used so it is still worth that much that throws off the whole balance.

Business owners are in business to make money, money keeps them in business and fair business owners pass the rewards of their fruitfull business to the customers to keep them coming so that they, over time make more money.

what was mentioned about what a $600 clutch is worth: it's all in the supply and demand world.

I live by the rule that "something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it"

Here in Iraq I have learned something about there economy.
paying for products/services with large bills versus small bills
a single $20 bill is worth more than 20 $1 bills because when the locals take that same $20 bill to the local market, they can buy more with it also.

In the US $20 is $20 it doesn't matter what form it is in.

food for thought, chow down!!!

Agreed. Now that I've begun to buy more and more parts for my car, it is becoming ever so clear that when you do try to trade parts for parts, generally speaking you don't get what you bargained for. This idea is identical to that of a used/new car dealership. You take your old beatup 91 AWD Eclipse in to trade on a new 05 Lancer Evolution. You're going to get squat for that Eclipse because the dealership has to take into account resale of that Eclipse. No one but the crazies here would value a 91 AWD Eclipse. Everyone else in the world wants a good reliable car to get them from A to B. Plus, the dealership has to fix all the oil leaks (we all know our DSMs have oil leaks) wash, wax, and prep the car with whatever other parts it needs (tires, brakes, oil change). And on top of all of that, they have to pay their employees. When it all comes down to it, not only is cash king but selling outright for cash is king. So don't be shocked when you go to the dealership next time and find out that the car you've put $5,000 into isn't worth $2,000

I'm just glad as DSMers we have so many resources at hand. The trader, the classifieds here, dsmtuners, dsmtalk, all of them are great resources for selling a car and getting the most for your dollar. The real trick is finding someone who wants what you don't.

essensially spy, you are correct even though the locals don't barter with US coins.

you have more buying power with a larger bill than several smaller bills.