How much not to go to a dealer for new car?

[runboy]

So, quick straw poll. How much would you have to save by going to an online broker before you would walk away from buying at your local dealer? Bearing in mind you also have a trade-in to deal sell/get rid of.

Just wondering how much value buyers put on dealing face-to-face?

[Shaw Tarse]

Ideally sell current car privately.
Then shop around, try to get a local deler to match a broker's price.
It's all about cost to change, I managed to get a silly amount for my trade in, probably lost a bit onthe discount, but overall was happy with the deal I got.

[skodamanpat]

>£500, odds are you will get a better price selling privately in any case, but would have to save at least £500 to cover inconveniance of having to travel xxx miles to collect car. This is providing it is a new car and not pre-reg.

[MacG]

I have in the past managed to get local dealers to match the best broker price I have found (for BMW, Audi, Volvo & Volkswagen), but if this was not achievable I think my breaking point would be £1,000-2,000 difference.

For me the difference would have to take account of several things...

1. Eventual travel to collect the car (I don't like home delivery - dealer collection is part of the ritual!)
2. The fact that the local dealer (who has not supplied the car) may be slightly less helpful if there are any post-delivery niggles (I don't mean proper warranty items).
3. Dealing remotely with the ordering process (which could include adjusting spec, checking on delivery dates etc.) with a salesman who has you earmarked as a 'bargain hunter' rather than someone giving him/her a fatter profit.

Not all dealers are the same so points 2&3 may never apply, and you may get lucky and have the car supplied by a dealer who is fairly close to home, but you would not know this at the point of initial ordering.

Bear in mind I enjoy the 'sport' of selling privately. Also, in view of my opening comment, I have never bought through a broker so the experience may be much better ot worse than I am assuming.