Luck Money

[Kaiser]

...the amount I give correlates to the amount of money I am getting.

Now I've never understood a luck penny in that manner. On a few occasions I've seen €15/20/25k handed over for a car and each time the new owner got €50 back to put into the tank. For me a luck penny is €50 whether you're spending a grand or twenty grand.

[Chamade]

I always give some, €20 or €50 in cash back.

Have sometimes said I'll fill the car with petrol as a luck penny so they don't have to put their hand in their pocket after buying the car. Last car I bought the seller offered a luck penny but I asked them to drop the car to my yard 2 miles away when suited instead as I had no trailer.

Always goes down well. I've never minded doing it.

[Kaiser]

I always give some, €20 or €50 in cash back.

Have sometimes said I'll fill the car with petrol as a luck penny so they don't have to put their hand in their pocket after buying the car. Last car I bought the seller offered a luck penny but I asked them to drop the car to my yard 2 miles away when suited instead as I had no trailer.

Always goes down well. I've never minded doing it.

Petrol is an interesting one. Personally, as much as I appreciate a luck penny, I'd much prefer to jump into a new car with a nice drop of fuel in it than get 50 quid back into the hand. Makes no difference at the end of the day because a lucky penny will only go straight into the tank anyway, but as a personal thing a full or half full tank is something I'd appreciate much more.

When selling something I always like to leave at least half a tank in it but in my experience you could leave someone with a full tank in a new car and they'll still curse you for not handing over something for luck.

[LukeyLuke]

If ever buying or selling a car I deem luck money absolutely essential. I was prepared to walk away from a done deal recently when the seller wasn't offering any back.

I always give back luck money to buyers with the amount depending on the price but generally 50 euro for a car.

I can't even remember where I originally picked up the habit but I do love haggling so maybe they go hand in hand.

[GeeTI]

Yes, definitely a more rural thing. I've always given luck money on any car I've sold.

[SJ]

If I sell a car I'd fill the tank, so maybe that counts...

[miller]

Given the overally view on luck money, there goes the Backroads Discount scheme

[Chamade]

Petrol is an interesting one. Personally, as much as I appreciate a luck penny, I'd much prefer to jump into a new car with a nice drop of fuel in it

For me, it goes back to buying a car from a certain dealership. Picked it up and it literally had enough fumes to drive to the nearest garage. It absolutely pissed me off. Told the guy behind the counter who told me brim it to the top that the garage had an account there and he'd just add it to it!

As regards *having* to get a luck penny, I once didn't give it but it was becuase the price was absurdly low for a car I was selling. The luck penny was the price I felt, buyer agreed it was cheap as chips!

[VeeAte]

I've found myself more recently throwing in 'stuff' rather than a cash luck penny.

With the Lotus, I gave the new owner a trolley jack that would actually fit under the car, with the Trans Am I threw in a lot of books and a big 1/18th scale model.

[Chamade]

I've found myself more recently throwing in 'stuff' rather than a cash luck penny.

With the Lotus, I gave the new owner a trolley jack that would actually fit under the car, with the Trans Am I threw in a lot of books and a big 1/18th scale model.

If I was buying I'd prefer that stuff with an older classic. I love when I buy a car that comes with a mountain of spare parts as stuff can take an age to source when you need it. Also great to be able to swap parts with others when I need to get something.

[JohnBoy]

Now I've never understood a luck penny in that manner. On a few occasions I've seen €15/20/25k handed over for a car and each time the new owner got €50 back to put into the tank. For me a luck penny is €50 whether you're spending a grand or twenty grand.

Surely you can endow greater luck than any penny with some muttering and a few hand movements

[Neilo]

It's more of an rural non-Dublin thing.

I've always found it weird. I mean I'm not going to say no to getting a little money back, but I kinda just prefer a straightforward approach to agreeing a price without having to build in all these little things people do.

I’ve lived in Dublin all my life and nearly every deal included some luck money, as Tristan said the amount isn’t too important it’s the gesture.

[mikerd4]

Had a few examples of it here over the years. Some garages are definately better, I've had bouquets of flowers, champagne, chocolates etc and it adds to the whole experience.

My mate bought a car in the uk and sat in the dealership trying to get extra off, the guy wouldn't budge but threw in some mats and a drop of juice (literally a drop). My mate ended up missing his ferry aswell.....The UK approach I'm used to is the price is the price whereas Irish people are insistent in haggling and feeling they got a deal at the sellers expense. Because of this I always advertise a car higher than what I actually want for it knowing the buyer will look to do a deal or if not I can always knock money off to sweeten the deal.

I've had a few private sales give me luck money and have reciprocated but again it depends on the deal etc.

[8~)]

I generally always give luck money. The one time I did not was when a buyer haggled too hard, then haggled some more. In hindsight I should have not sold them the car...

But in the case of your fella, Troop, who asked for luck money, I am not sure I would have. It's one thing to offer it but another to be asked. Especially if that lad was sure the money would have to come from an envelope of 50s that he'd just handed you.

[Ryan]

Question. if a seller refused to give you luck money would anybody refuse to buy the vehicle?

I've noticed in Ireland people apparently love haggling but then they also complain about how stressful and/or frustrating all of the back and forth haggling with dealers is when buying cars.