Buying a fleet vehicle AND dickering with a used car salesman

 How does one go about locating major rental company fleet purchasing
opportunities?

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When dickering for with the dealer for a used car is there a rule of
thumb for making an initial offer?

The dealer bought the car at auction, for how much I know not.  KBB
lists the trade-in value at $16,500 and it is stickered at $20,000.  I'm
willing to pay $18,500 cash and I have no trade-in.  Should I make a
one-time cash offer with the cashier's check in hand - and be prepared
to walk away if they turn me down?

The car has been on the lot for a month.   The car is in excellent
condition and has 4 years remaining on the original manufacturer's
warranty.  I have to travel ~300 one way to get the car.

 

What does KBB list as the retail value?

 Chloe wrote:

KBB lists the likely retail as $21000 with no discount for the
"excessive" mileage.  The $20k list price seems to account for that.

I'm going to make a WAG here and suppose the dealer paid less than
"excellent trade-in" value at auction.  I'd expect $2k over high trade
value to cover the dealer's time-and-tool investment in reconditioning
and to give both the salescreature and the dealership a slice.

But I could be wrong, hence my query.  I typically buy my used cars via
private party sales, this is my first go with a dealer for a used car.

 
I've done a bit of bargaining from time to time and your plan sounds okay to
me. The only potential problem I see is with your 300 mile distance from the
seller and potential problems that might crop up later. Are they offering
any kind of warranty? Will you have to go back there if you encounter a
problem? If so, what if the car's not driveable? Are you willing to just buy
"as is" and deal with potentially costly repairs on a high-mileage vehicle
at a location closer to you?

 Chloe wrote:

The car is a Volvo with 4 years left on the original manufacturer
warranty; I have a local Volvo dealer for major warranty service, and an
indy Volvo mechanic for regular maintenance.  I also have a
recommendation for an indy mechanic in the city where the car is located
who will do a separate inspection tomorrow.  I've run the Carfax report
and I'm waiting for the dealer's million-points inspection checklist to
arrive via email.  I have someone on the ground who I trust and who has
test-driven the vehicle; she reports it drives well.  The mileage is
excessive by "book" standards but not by Volvo standards.

I'd prefer to buy locally but I'm having a few personality issues with
the used car side of the local dealership.  I've been pretty well given
to understand that if I want to buy a used car through them I'll take
something they already have on the lot - and that means they aren't
getting my sale.  So sad for them :D