How to get best discount from a dealer
Discussion
I love haggling for cars...
The best discount I ever got on a used car was arriving about half an hour before the dealer closed and pissed about looking over the car and going for a test drive etc etc, I was still in there after closing time and the sales manager was clearly wanting to go home after a long day so I put in a really cheeky offer telling him I'll sign up here and now...he accepted I couldn't believe it.
It may work for you it may not but don't piss them about, if they give you the price your after sign it.
Good luck....
The best discount I ever got on a used car was arriving about half an hour before the dealer closed and pissed about looking over the car and going for a test drive etc etc, I was still in there after closing time and the sales manager was clearly wanting to go home after a long day so I put in a really cheeky offer telling him I'll sign up here and now...he accepted I couldn't believe it.
It may work for you it may not but don't piss them about, if they give you the price your after sign it.
Good luck....
RC1 said:
I am quite surprised to learn that net margins can be as low as whats been mentioned above but I guess all dealers are different
All dealers arent different.If you've got a showroom and a forecourt, sales staff to pay, receptionists, rates, rent, electric, advertising, VAT and TAX to pay, warranty, prep costs, service, valeting, etc, etc, etc, theres going to be very little left out of a £3,000 gross margin.
Some dealers may knock 10% off, but then moreoften you find their car was 10% overpriced in the first place.
Sometimes dealers will take a bath on a car, but that loss is paid for out of profit on other cars - its clearly not a viable business model to be continually selling your stock at less than Cost Price + Overheads.
Klippie said:
I love haggling for cars...
The best discount I ever got on a used car was arriving about half an hour before the dealer closed and pissed about looking over the car and going for a test drive etc etc, I was still in there after closing time and the sales manager was clearly wanting to go home after a long day so I put in a really cheeky offer telling him I'll sign up here and now...he accepted I couldn't believe it.
It may work for you it may not but don't piss them about, if they give you the price your after sign it.
Good luck....
He missed it. The cars sold.The best discount I ever got on a used car was arriving about half an hour before the dealer closed and pissed about looking over the car and going for a test drive etc etc, I was still in there after closing time and the sales manager was clearly wanting to go home after a long day so I put in a really cheeky offer telling him I'll sign up here and now...he accepted I couldn't believe it.
It may work for you it may not but don't piss them about, if they give you the price your after sign it.
Good luck....
RC1 said:
I really thought in this case that the car would move slow as the marque is not usually held by the dealer
One thing i would say is that these days people generally trawl autotrader for cars and search NATIONALLY, so it wont matter a jot if a car is, say, a BMW being held by a Merc dealer. If its the right car at the right price, it will sell.
daemon said:
RC1 said:
I really thought in this case that the car would move slow as the marque is not usually held by the dealer
One thing i would say is that these days people generally trawl autotrader for cars and search NATIONALLY, so it wont matter a jot if a car is, say, a BMW being held by a Merc dealer. If its the right car at the right price, it will sell.RC1 said:
they had already discounted a similar model albeit a newer diesel one by over 1k so I thought I might have a chance
They would have had that car in stock for quite a while.When the next one comes up, just ring the dealer before asking the PH masses, be honest and be prepared to pay the asking price. It's obviously in demand and you'll just get laughed at if you mention 10%. Do you want to buy a car or do you want to buy a deal!? Someone already mentioned this, but if you snooze, you lose! Better luck next time and hopefully you'll get the car you want.
LA167 said:
They would have had that car in stock for quite a while.
When the next one comes up, just ring the dealer before asking the PH masses, be honest and be prepared to pay the asking price. It's obviously in demand and you'll just get laughed at if you mention 10%. Do you want to buy a car or do you want to buy a deal!? Someone already mentioned this, but if you snooze, you lose! Better luck next time and hopefully you'll get the car you want.
as it turned out the car hadn't even completed all the checks and no pics on website and some guy saw it in the flesh and just offered the asking price and the rest as they say is history...When the next one comes up, just ring the dealer before asking the PH masses, be honest and be prepared to pay the asking price. It's obviously in demand and you'll just get laughed at if you mention 10%. Do you want to buy a car or do you want to buy a deal!? Someone already mentioned this, but if you snooze, you lose! Better luck next time and hopefully you'll get the car you want.
I know im a bit of a geek ie I called the manufacturers help line to corroborate the service history and get the factory options etc so id be armed and ready for a good old haggle on Thursday as couldn't have gotten down any sooner....
out of interest... in this situation would I have been able to secure the car with a deposit over the phone subject to a viewing and agreement on price?
RC1 said:
LA167 said:
They would have had that car in stock for quite a while.
When the next one comes up, just ring the dealer before asking the PH masses, be honest and be prepared to pay the asking price. It's obviously in demand and you'll just get laughed at if you mention 10%. Do you want to buy a car or do you want to buy a deal!? Someone already mentioned this, but if you snooze, you lose! Better luck next time and hopefully you'll get the car you want.
as it turned out the car hadn't even completed all the checks and no pics on website and some guy saw it in the flesh and just offered the asking price and the rest as they say is history...When the next one comes up, just ring the dealer before asking the PH masses, be honest and be prepared to pay the asking price. It's obviously in demand and you'll just get laughed at if you mention 10%. Do you want to buy a car or do you want to buy a deal!? Someone already mentioned this, but if you snooze, you lose! Better luck next time and hopefully you'll get the car you want.
I know im a bit of a geek ie I called the manufacturers help line to corroborate the service history and get the factory options etc so id be armed and ready for a good old haggle on Thursday as couldn't have gotten down any sooner....
out of interest... in this situation would I have been able to secure the car with a deposit over the phone subject to a viewing and agreement on price?
RC1 said:
HTP99 said:
Also if the dealer is anything like us and they have a non franchise car for sale, it will be priced cheaper than an equivalent car at a dealer that is the correct franchise.
That was my thinking privately the same car sold for about 13k not too long agodaemon said:
RC1 said:
HTP99 said:
Also if the dealer is anything like us and they have a non franchise car for sale, it will be priced cheaper than an equivalent car at a dealer that is the correct franchise.
That was my thinking privately the same car sold for about 13k not too long agoHTP99 said:
daemon said:
RC1 said:
HTP99 said:
Also if the dealer is anything like us and they have a non franchise car for sale, it will be priced cheaper than an equivalent car at a dealer that is the correct franchise.
That was my thinking privately the same car sold for about 13k not too long agoHTP99 said:
Yes you could have secured the car over the phone subject to it being as described by the dealer, service history being as decribed etc, however they would have wanted to agree a price on the phone before taking the deposit and taking it off sale.
I've only done that once (usually buy new) but they didn't want to talk about anything on the 'phone other than to get my deposit. They didn't even charge the card anyway, just wanted me to give the number as a sign of commitment.BTW, I got over 10% off that car, although it's probably one of a very few deals where I haven't looked back and felt I could have done better.
The bit about 'after costs' is just another dealer scam in my view. Whilst I realise it costs to clean, workshop check etc what is intolerable is the 'service department' charging the 'sales department' full - with profit rates (I know that many do this). It's just a scam to say that they are only making a few meagre per cent margin on each car when the actual profit over the whole process is far greater. Would anyone, with their own money invest/risk £13,000 in a depreciating asset to make £650 (5%)?
gtidreamer said:
The bit about 'after costs' is just another dealer scam in my view. Whilst I realise it costs to clean, workshop check etc what is intolerable is the 'service department' charging the 'sales department' full - with profit rates (I know that many do this). It's just a scam to say that they are only making a few meagre per cent margin on each car when the actual profit over the whole process is far greater. Would anyone, with their own money invest/risk £13,000 in a depreciating asset to make £650 (5%)?
you don't really understand how it works do you?gtidreamer said:
The bit about 'after costs' is just another dealer scam in my view. Whilst I realise it costs to clean, workshop check etc what is intolerable is the 'service department' charging the 'sales department' full - with profit rates (I know that many do this). It's just a scam to say that they are only making a few meagre per cent margin on each car when the actual profit over the whole process is far greater. Would anyone, with their own money invest/risk £13,000 in a depreciating asset to make £650 (5%)?
Bugger - someone has twigged. May as well come clean now lads - all the motor traders on here past and present - are maintaining this big lie to hide the fact we've all made millions in the motor trade.Caught out.
Damn.
Will go here and cry into my champagne.
Edited by daemon on Monday 20th October 20:34
Edited by daemon on Monday 20th October 20:38
Edited by daemon on Monday 20th October 20:38
gtidreamer said:
The bit about 'after costs' is just another dealer scam in my view. Whilst I realise it costs to clean, workshop check etc what is intolerable is the 'service department' charging the 'sales department' full - with profit rates (I know that many do this). It's just a scam to say that they are only making a few meagre per cent margin on each car when the actual profit over the whole process is far greater. Would anyone, with their own money invest/risk £13,000 in a depreciating asset to make £650 (5%)?
What % net profit do you think the major PLC's in other industries make in this country?oldnbold said:
What % net profit do you think the major PLC's in other industries make in this country?
Indeed... I think most people would be quite surprised how little companies like Currys make on the core product (I used to work there a few years ago). Often the big bank holiday deals were actually sold at a loss - the £229.99 laptop, or £199 brand name big TV for the bank holiday. All the money is in the accessories and extra services (profit on Norton was insane), much like the auto industry I assume!To answer the op's question. Firstly dont be a know it all knob about it, dont bring your "knowledgable freind" who hapens to "like cars" and do your home work first.,If i am uncompetitive then i will always haggle where i can, as others have said, if you are enquiring, it certainly isn't because its the most expencive one out there.
If you come in thinking you know it all and that your ability to buy it means it should be cheaper, you wont get far. Just as the punter can choose where they buy, the dealer can choose to who he sells. In my experience, those that haggle the hardest and want everything for nothing, are often the ones you need a wee bit up your sleeve for when what others would live with, they kick off about. Sometimes its a case of waiting for a better customer.
If you come in thinking you know it all and that your ability to buy it means it should be cheaper, you wont get far. Just as the punter can choose where they buy, the dealer can choose to who he sells. In my experience, those that haggle the hardest and want everything for nothing, are often the ones you need a wee bit up your sleeve for when what others would live with, they kick off about. Sometimes its a case of waiting for a better customer.
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