all these new car sales websites, advertised on telly
Discussion
The bearded Kazoo bloke with his awful Essex accent grates on the nerves. And as for the childish reference to having the snip it's just darn childish but I can see such adverts would appeal to a certain demographic. The couple in the little semi just have to choose a BMW don't they?
Salmonofdoubt said:
They have money for advertising because they're massively well funded. Car sales is one of the last retail spaces left for online disruption. If any of them can become a dominant player in click and deliver car sales they could be potentially the Amazon of that space.
Cinch is a BCA owned enterprise IIRC and despite posting a loss Cazoo has just raised more investment.
Cinch doesn't recognise that Mercedes E Class do an automatic. As far as they are concerned it's a semi-automatic.Cinch is a BCA owned enterprise IIRC and despite posting a loss Cazoo has just raised more investment.
https://tinyurl.com/yyg337h9
Bonzo1930 said:
You're probably spot on us car enthusiasts are becoming an indangered species!
Having said that, I'm a car enthusiast but not for generic utility vehicles. The couple of those that I've bought, I have simply phoned up the dealer and asked them to deliver the car. I buy them when they come off their first lease run. The previous user has been heavily restricted as to what they can do to it and BMW approved tart them all up quite nicely, will send you the whole history and I'm generally of the view that they prep them well enough that I wouldn't spot any issues if I were to go an crawl all over it. Car turns up, I disinfect the interior and Indont mind saying that this also includes insecticide spray and the car is then ready to be used the next day. I wouldn't buy outside of the 'approved' system or older than one first user and if I was buying something interesting then I'd make the effort to go and see it etc but for generic 3 year old goods it's probably no worse than going to the dealer and arguably easier.
Sheepshanks said:
I guess the main difference/complication is that most people (I wonder how many?) will have an existing car they need to deal with somehow.
What did you do?
We were in the fortunate position of buying outright (through our Debit card) with no part-ex involved. No faffing about. Like I say, exactly like buying a new bread bin on Amazon.What did you do?
I'm always browsing for my next car and have a number of saved searches on Autotrader. I've noticed in the last month or so, suddenly loads of cars crop up in my searches (sorted by distance) but with no distance stated on the ad. Confused me at first, but turns out they are all Cazoo and a couple of other similar online traders. I can't imagine myself buying unseen without having a poke around and test drive etc, because although they offer a 7 day return, what a massive pita that would be with insurance etc, and moving on your current car either through part-ex or other means.
Hub said:
I'm always browsing for my next car and have a number of saved searches on Autotrader. I've noticed in the last month or so, suddenly loads of cars crop up in my searches (sorted by distance) but with no distance stated on the ad. Confused me at first, but turns out they are all Cazoo and a couple of other similar online traders. I can't imagine myself buying unseen without having a poke around and test drive etc, because although they offer a 7 day return, what a massive pita that would be with insurance etc, and moving on your current car either through part-ex or other means.
Cazoo give you 7 days free insurance along with the returns policy. Tax needs doing, but that is the same as buying from any other dealer.Honestly, they don't want the hassle of you returning the car, so their photos, write-ups and honesty about blemishes etc. are going to be bang on. You've got to be a bit of a knob to buy a car and then look at returning it purely because you've changed your mind. (But then in my opinion that goes for anything you buy. Just don't buy it in the first place). How many other dealers would let you return a car 'just because'?
Edited by 2otter on Sunday 22 November 13:12
Much like the OP, I’m recently been questioning how these companies are making as much money as they are (or appear to be)
Cazoo for example. I’d never heard of at the start of the year. Now they’re the main sponsors of 2 premier league football teams, have a large advertising campaign on both TV and Radio, and deliver they cars in brand new cover car transporters.
Even on a £10k car, they can’t be making more then say £750. To cover all of that expense? They must be really heavily backed
Cazoo for example. I’d never heard of at the start of the year. Now they’re the main sponsors of 2 premier league football teams, have a large advertising campaign on both TV and Radio, and deliver they cars in brand new cover car transporters.
Even on a £10k car, they can’t be making more then say £750. To cover all of that expense? They must be really heavily backed
gizlaroc said:
HTP99 said:
I had 2 phone calls on used cars, 1 was desperate for something, had heard that Dacia was good for a cheap runaround, however she wouldn't buy without seeing any of ours first and driving one, had another on a used Captur, he was the same, it was in his budget, appeared to do what he wanted it to do, but he'd not even sat in one, asked about test drives and I said "no can do".
If you had said "We can deliver it to you, you can drive it for up to 250 miles up to 14 days and if you are not 100% happy we will refund you." she may have had a different opinion. What you have now is "I promise you it is spot on, however, if it is not I am afraid you are stuck with it. But you can trust me, I'm a car dealer."
Which is why I was saying this could change car buying as we know it. In many ways, you have far more comeback buying this way than buying from a dealers forecourt.
Neither knew 100% that the car was for them.
Andyjc86 said:
Much like the OP, I’m recently been questioning how these companies are making as much money as they are (or appear to be)
Cazoo for example. I’d never heard of at the start of the year. Now they’re the main sponsors of 2 premier league football teams, have a large advertising campaign on both TV and Radio, and deliver they cars in brand new cover car transporters.
Even on a £10k car, they can’t be making more then say £750. To cover all of that expense? They must be really heavily backed
Your idea of "making money" is quite strange!Cazoo for example. I’d never heard of at the start of the year. Now they’re the main sponsors of 2 premier league football teams, have a large advertising campaign on both TV and Radio, and deliver they cars in brand new cover car transporters.
Even on a £10k car, they can’t be making more then say £750. To cover all of that expense? They must be really heavily backed
The question really is, how are they managing to attract so much finance? Investors must be bemused by them buying up physical premises.
Andyjc86 said:
Much like the OP, I’m recently been questioning how these companies are making as much money as they are (or appear to be)
Cazoo for example. I’d never heard of at the start of the year. Now they’re the main sponsors of 2 premier league football teams, have a large advertising campaign on both TV and Radio, and deliver they cars in brand new cover car transporters.
Even on a £10k car, they can’t be making more then say £750. To cover all of that expense? They must be really heavily backed
It's Alex Chesterman who made his money on Zoopla. Cazoo for example. I’d never heard of at the start of the year. Now they’re the main sponsors of 2 premier league football teams, have a large advertising campaign on both TV and Radio, and deliver they cars in brand new cover car transporters.
Even on a £10k car, they can’t be making more then say £750. To cover all of that expense? They must be really heavily backed
He's pumped just shy of £100m of VC money into it.
They will be making money on the cars as it's dealer prices without dealer costs, so it's all centralised in the cheapest land and labour but with a national customer base. But it's all the upselling to the database that will also be of great value.
You might only get a customer buying a car every few years but you can also sell them all the annual stuff, taking a turn on the insurance and finance etc.
In due course, you will migrate all your customers away from the conceptnof buying a car as an event but instead just paying a monthly subscription that covers everything and replaces the car automatically. Once you've smoothies out all your revenues into monthly subscriptions then your valuation will take a big leap northwards.
Edited by DonkeyApple on Sunday 22 November 13:42
These threads often show that a portion of PH aren’t all that self aware.
For the majority of people, the act of buying a car is something they don’t look forward to. It can be really stressful to some - how many of you have been asked by family and friends for help when it comes to buying a car?
Paying an extra 5-10% for the convenience of not having to haggle with dealers who don’t have their best interests is a price many are happy to pay. And it isn’t just the love island/Instagram influencers that the PH echo chamber love to hate. It’s your neighbours, friends and family.
Finally on the subject of where this money comes from for the adverts. They are venture capital backed - being the preeminent player in this space, the last retail market to be disrupted, means there is a lot of capital chasing it.
For the majority of people, the act of buying a car is something they don’t look forward to. It can be really stressful to some - how many of you have been asked by family and friends for help when it comes to buying a car?
Paying an extra 5-10% for the convenience of not having to haggle with dealers who don’t have their best interests is a price many are happy to pay. And it isn’t just the love island/Instagram influencers that the PH echo chamber love to hate. It’s your neighbours, friends and family.
Finally on the subject of where this money comes from for the adverts. They are venture capital backed - being the preeminent player in this space, the last retail market to be disrupted, means there is a lot of capital chasing it.
gizlaroc said:
WBAC.
I know people knock it, but those people, from what I have seen on here, have a totally unrealistic idea of what their car is worth.
WBAC has always pays more than any dealer has offered and often pay considerably more than what private sales are 'selling' for.
My experience this is the exception, WBAC may be bidding CAP average but they still aim to knock 10% off the price.I know people knock it, but those people, from what I have seen on here, have a totally unrealistic idea of what their car is worth.
WBAC has always pays more than any dealer has offered and often pay considerably more than what private sales are 'selling' for.
gizlaroc said:
Of course.
But compare that with buying a dog and fighting with the dealer to get it sorted or refunded, is one hassle better or worse than the other.
None of these online companies are dealing with the down the arches or doorstep trader end of the market. They are aiming for the main dealers and large independents who deal in sub 48 month old stuff. These sort of dealers would generally be reasonable if there was a genuine problem.But compare that with buying a dog and fighting with the dealer to get it sorted or refunded, is one hassle better or worse than the other.
Auto810graphy said:
My experience this is the exception, WBAC may be bidding CAP average but they still aim to knock 10% off the price.
I have only ever had them chip me down on scuffed alloys, butt then I have prepped the cars beforehand and don't go in thinking "But it is 4 years old so will have some marks." Auto810graphy said:
None of these online companies are dealing with the down the arches or doorstep trader end of the market. They are aiming for the main dealers and large independents who deal in sub 48 month old stuff. These sort of dealers would generally be reasonable if there was a genuine problem.
I was thinking of the main dealers. The amount of customers I have that feel like they have been completely let down from main dealers.
"I went to a Land Rover main dealer and paid a few £k more so I wouldn't get this sort of crap." I hear all the time.
I do get that most will sort issues, but that often changes when they can't sort them and the customer asks them to take the car back.
Mate is still having a hard time with Audi Norwich, sold him a Q5 with 34k miles on it, when he got it home it had 48k miles on it.
They said "You are lucky, with that high mileage it would have made the monthlies more expensive."
It has been nearly a year now and still no resolution, being ignored, fobbed off and with lockdown and everything else going on he has sort of given up.....for now.
He said he wanted them to find him a car with 30k miles on it, he will keep driving this until they do.
We shall see.
Personally I find buying privately gives a car with the least amount of issues.
gizlaroc said:
I was thinking of the main dealers.
The amount of customers I have that feel like they have been completely let down from main dealers.
"I went to a Land Rover main dealer and paid a few £k more so I wouldn't get this sort of crap." I hear all the time.
I do get that most will sort issues, but that often changes when they can't sort them and the customer asks them to take the car back.
Mate is still having a hard time with Audi Norwich, sold him a Q5 with 34k miles on it, when he got it home it had 48k miles on it.
They said "You are lucky, with that high mileage it would have made the monthlies more expensive."
It has been nearly a year now and still no resolution, being ignored, fobbed off and with lockdown and everything else going on he has sort of given up.....for now.
He said he wanted them to find him a car with 30k miles on it, he will keep driving this until they do.
We shall see.
Personally I find buying privately gives a car with the least amount of issues.
Not sure your mate is telling the whole truth. If the car was invoiced and financed as 34k but had 48k he has the right to return plus it is finance fraud. If Norwich are are not playing ball pm me his details and I can forward to some senior Inchcape staff if it was from their era. Likewise Robinsons would not let this escalate.The amount of customers I have that feel like they have been completely let down from main dealers.
"I went to a Land Rover main dealer and paid a few £k more so I wouldn't get this sort of crap." I hear all the time.
I do get that most will sort issues, but that often changes when they can't sort them and the customer asks them to take the car back.
Mate is still having a hard time with Audi Norwich, sold him a Q5 with 34k miles on it, when he got it home it had 48k miles on it.
They said "You are lucky, with that high mileage it would have made the monthlies more expensive."
It has been nearly a year now and still no resolution, being ignored, fobbed off and with lockdown and everything else going on he has sort of given up.....for now.
He said he wanted them to find him a car with 30k miles on it, he will keep driving this until they do.
We shall see.
Personally I find buying privately gives a car with the least amount of issues.
Auto810graphy said:
Not sure your mate is telling the whole truth. If the car was invoiced and financed as 34k but had 48k he has the right to return plus it is finance fraud. If Norwich are are not playing ball pm me his details and I can forward to some senior Inchcape staff if it was from their era. Likewise Robinsons would not let this escalate.
Sorry, I was talking mileage. I have a contact there that I have said I will speak to when we come out of this lockdown.
If that gets no where I will take you up on that offer. Is that someone at Inchape who is not Audi Norwich based?
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