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Hi there,

I've been looking at a few Ravs on Trademe and the price ranges from 6k-10k for a 98 5 dr with kms under 160,000. My workmate who used to be in car sales reckons that they are overpriced and I should not pay more than $6k for this type of vehicle. What is a reasonable price for this type of car and how much can you bargain down a seller on trademe?

I think your workmate has been out of the game for too long or is still thinking about trade-in rather than retail prices.

While 10K may be on the high side you could expect to pay around or more than 6K for a 1998 5D RAV4 depending on condition.

Toyota's of this age are known for their reliability record so potential buyers are often prepared to pay a little more for this peace of mind.

All you can do is compare prices for similar vehicles from sources such as Trademe, Dealers yards, Car Fairs and auctions and come up with what you think is a fair buy price.

Remember when you buy from a Licensed Trader (Dealer) you are covered under the Consumers Guarantees Act (the vehicle must be fit for purpose) while there are no such protections when buying privately or from an auction.

For this reason you should expect to pay a little more from a Dealer than what you would from a private sale or from an auction.

Some sellers want a quick sale and are prepared to drop their prices very quickly while others hold out for the best possible price which they often never get.

Do your homework and set yourself a price range to work with is our best advice.