Negotiating a car price? Bring real data, not an AI's guess

Why a chatbot's number is weak in a negotiation

• Many chatbots cannot see today's ads, or which cars sold this month, so they may be working from old or general information.
• It can sound sure with nothing specific behind it, and many give no working you can check.
• It often does not know your exact version, kilometres or state, and each of those can move the price by thousands.
• A dealer can simply say "that's not what the market is doing", and you have nothing to point to.

What real data looks like

PL8ED's numbers are not a chatbot's opinion. They are worked out by MotorMetrics, a pricing engine that Australian dealers use to price the cars they buy and sell, from the advertised prices of real cars like yours at dealers across Australia, checked every night. Cars whose ads come down, which usually means they sold, are part of the picture.

Your report lists the cars behind your price: year, version, kilometres, state, price and how long each was advertised, with a link to the ad where it is still live. A dealer can look at the same cars you are looking at.

Selling or trading in

1. Get your car's market price and the modelled trade-in range before you visit, so you know your number before anyone makes you an offer.
2. Bring the report on your phone or as the PDF, with the comparable cars and their kilometres and prices.
3. If an offer seems low, ask which cars the dealer is comparing yours with, and show them yours.
4. Negotiate within the modelled trade-in range, not against the dealer's retail price. A dealer has to prepare, advertise, warranty and hold the car, so a trade-in is usually below the market price.

Buying

1. Compare the asking price with the cars like it in the report, matched on year, version and kilometres.
2. If the price sits high, show the seller the comparable cars and ask what makes this one worth more.
3. Get a PPSR check before you pay or sign, so you know there is no money owing and no written-off or stolen record.

Real data still has limits

• The prices are advertised prices. A car counts as sold when its ad comes down, and the price shown is the last advertised price, not a confirmed sale price.
• The trade-in range is modelled from dealer ads, not from trade-in offers.
• Condition, service history and extras are not assessed. A tidy car with full history can be worth more, a rough one less.
• Every price comes with a confidence label. High means plenty of close matches; Low means treat it as a rough guide.