Dealer prices - pulling a fast one

[Luke.]

In almost every ad for this dealer, the sticker price in the window is a good few grand more than the price stated in the ad.

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/dealer/6442...

Clearly we're all mugs and think bargains are to be had all over the place. Numpties.

(2/10 etc etc, I know, I know.)

[Rakoosh]

I don't get it? Is it this dealer you have a bone to pick with in particular?

I think you'll find that forcourt listed prices for a lot of dealers are often a little higher than advertised on autotrader and pistonheads...

Also a dealer will take pictures once... so will not update the photos for a car that has been sitting around for a few weeks and then reduced... ?

i.e. I don;t think this is a 'trick' to lure in would be pistonheads / autotrader shoppers into thinking they are getting a bargain

[Luke.]

No bone at all to pick. I'm sure they're wonderful.

[descente]

It's so you dont argue about the bargain thay are now offering .They've already reduced it what more do you want ,it's almost a give away .

[Disco You]

They may have reduced the asking price and not taken new photos...

[Rakoosh]

Then get over your rant - as the person they are trying to 'pull a fast one' over (if anyone) is the guy that walks in off the street.

On auotrader/pistonheads etc they have to compete with all the other dealers that you search against - which could be miles away depending on how far you travel.

On their site - for punters passing by - they only have to compete with other dealers in the vicinity so I would actually argue it is prudent and good business sense to price accordingly...

Think of it like a retail shop that has special offers/better deals/prices online not advertised in store but that you can get in store if you quote the online price!

Luke. said:

No bone at all to pick. I'm sure they're wonderful.

[Dave200]

Christ, there are some delightfully naive people on here...

[markmullen]

Luke. said:

Numpties.

Quite.

[poing]

Rakoosh said:

Then get over your rant - as the person they are trying to 'pull a fast one' over (if anyone) is the guy that walks in off the street.

On auotrader/pistonheads etc they have to compete with all the other dealers that you search against - which could be miles away depending on how far you travel.

On their site - for punters passing by - they only have to compete with other dealers in the vicinity so I would actually argue it is prudent and good business sense to price accordingly...

Think of it like a retail shop that has special offers/better deals/prices online not advertised in store but that you can get in store if you quote the online price!

So you think that when you walk into the dealer and "Here, have £8000 for that car over there because that's the price it shows online even though it's £10,000 on the screen sticker" that they will actually sell it to you for that price?

What actually happens is that they say is "Sorry mate, that was a typo on the web site. They are always doing that and we keep telling them about it. Anyway, do you want to take a seat and we'll see what we can do about the price for you with this great finance offer we have"

It's the oldest con in the book and they have been doing it via newspapers since long before the internet was invented. Gives a good indication regarding the type of service you will receive.

[falkster]

poing said:

Rakoosh said:

Then get over your rant - as the person they are trying to 'pull a fast one' over (if anyone) is the guy that walks in off the street.

On auotrader/pistonheads etc they have to compete with all the other dealers that you search against - which could be miles away depending on how far you travel.

On their site - for punters passing by - they only have to compete with other dealers in the vicinity so I would actually argue it is prudent and good business sense to price accordingly...

Think of it like a retail shop that has special offers/better deals/prices online not advertised in store but that you can get in store if you quote the online price!

So you think that when you walk into the dealer and "Here, have £8000 for that car over there because that's the price it shows online even though it's £10,000 on the screen sticker" that they will actually sell it to you for that price?

What actually happens is that they say is "Sorry mate, that was a typo on the web site. They are always doing that and we keep telling them about it. Anyway, do you want to take a seat and we'll see what we can do about the price for you with this great finance offer we have"

It's the oldest con in the book and they have been doing it via newspapers since long before the internet was invented. Gives a good indication regarding the type of service you will receive.

I'm not saying an element of that doesn't go on but car dealers are businessmen and businessmen don't run their businesses by following those sort of practices.
So you walk in and because you're there you're hooked - I'd anyone fell for that they deserve it.
Big hairy nads!

[Rakoosh]

If the 'online' price defferred that much vs the sticker price that I could see on the photo (i.e by 25%+) then I would mention it on the phone before coming to see the car... as that could just be a mistake - or more likely the car will have been sitting around for a while and the dealer wants rid ...

But for most cars that I have seen advertised slightly cheaper online vs sticker ... yes I would exactly expect that and in fact I have never seen or heard otherwise? have you heard of someone being treated how you described? If so I doubt that dealer will last long as that would be illegal unless it was a genuine mistake.

Like I said before - to me its no different than say richer sounds that sometimes have prices cheaper online than in store...

poing said:

So you think that when you walk into the dealer and "Here, have £8000 for that car over there because that's the price it shows online even though it's £10,000 on the screen sticker" that they will actually sell it to you for that price?

[vrtrooper]

I only checked the first car in the advert and the price in the window was less.

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...

[anonymous-user]

Last car I bought had a different price on the screen to the price on the web advert

Neither of those prices was the price I paid for the car

Isn't that usual?

[poing]

Rakoosh said:

have you heard of someone being treated how you described? If so I doubt that dealer will last long as that would be illegal unless it was a genuine mistake.

I've personally experienced it, 3 times, at the same dealer. Naturally I've never bought from them and I never will. The second and third time were visits purely to test the theory they were trying to pull a fast one the first time. Amazingly they have been in business for many years.

[edgecars]

As a dealer its nothing dodgy or anyone pulling a fast one

simply its for walk in customers

online the car would be advertised competitively whilst on site they will always be a little more

chances a walk in customer knowing the on-line price is usually pretty slim and if its an on-line customer who has already seen lower price then all good

if the dealer can make a few extra quid then why not?

Its a business at the end of the day not a charity

[rscott]

vrtrooper said:

I only checked the first car in the advert and the price in the window was less.

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...

You're right - the window price is £500 less than the online price.. Some of their other pricing is 'interesting' as well - http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/p... - has one price in the window, a different one in the description and yet another as the main price.

To me, it suggests a lack of attention to detail by the seller - if they can't manage to have the same price in the description and the listing, then why believe anything else they've listed in the ad.

[ajb85]

The additional margin on the forecourt price also gives a little more breathing space for the dealer when Joe-public strolls in and wants far more for their part exchange than it's realistically worth. An over allowance is do-able. On the flip side, a dealer can emphasize how keenly priced their car is when the enquiry has come off the web, and so can only offer a realistic trade p/x price and not a penny more. It's all swings and roundabouts, there's only one deal and a car only has one value.

[6cylGolf]

edgecars said:

As a dealer its nothing dodgy or anyone pulling a fast one

simply its for walk in customers

online the car would be advertised competitively whilst on site they will always be a little more

chances a walk in customer knowing the on-line price is usually pretty slim and if its an on-line customer who has already seen lower price then all good

if the dealer can make a few extra quid then why not?

Its a business at the end of the day not a charity

If it was my business I would remove the said sticker price from said online advert.

Edited by 6cylGolf on Monday 4th February 18:09

[surveyor]

Got caught with this by an MB dealer. I'd accepted a low p/ex thinking that I'd come off OK overall - then found that I'd paid £1k more than if I'd remembered to print the advert. It did leave a sour taste in the mouth.

I spoke to the dealer and they fitted an ipod kit to make me feel a little better. Would have cost me £400 then, but I suspect them a lot less.

Shall not be caught out again like this.

ETA I went ahead as I liked the car, and was originally happy with the deal.

[Searider]

Surely the answer is for the savvy dealer to take their photos without the price in the windscreen.

Simple.