[bhduxbury]

seems to me your message needs to be shouting SERIOUS at the dealers before you have any chance of getting a great deal.

give them 24 hours to bid -- end bidding a couple of hours before close of business

with a promise that the lowest bid gets your cash -- "i will submit deposit within 1 hour of bidding end by CC" -- that tells them SERIOUS! (even if they don't take you up on it and instead wait for a check when you initial the paperwork)

you absolutely need them to think this is gonna happen somewhere, soon before they are gonna give you their best price.

downside: the "low bid" that comes back turns out to be more than you want to pay. you would probably back out. that number is now a "starting point" in your mind. that is precisely why they won't give you their lowest bid to begin with and why you will lose money if you are a man of your word.

better (did i mention all this is imo?): do some research. figure out a realistic-but-near-the-edge deal given your specs. then tell 20 dealers what YOU will pay for those specs within, say, 24 hrs (to allow all dealers to get back to you). you are ready to commit NOW! many will say your price is full of ****************. but all it takes is one . . . .

btw, i was 3 of 24 with my offer. i took alot of **************** from the 21 rejects (eg, "your offer is unrealistic given current market conditions for a BTO blah blah blah") -- laugh it off. it only takes one.