Why are supercars cars ending up at non supercar garages?

[Creditcrunch]

Ok I am still searching the classifieds each day for that elusive £50K Gallardo in mint condition even though I know I may have to wait till next year or slightly later.

However, one thing that puzzles me is why so many cars are currently being sold at what are simply dodgy looking garages. Checking out the other cars for sale at these garages I will typically find that the Gallardo for sale is the only Lambo there and often the only sports car there aswell. How and why are these garages getting these cars? Why arent most used G's back at the Lambo dealers or other well known garages.

A good Gallardo will be hard to find at the best of times but I would never ever consider buying a Gallardo at a place that doesnt do routine servicing or doesnt appear to have any experience with these cars.

I guess these unknown garages simply have dodgy cars or simply provided the highest bid to desperate sellers.

Edited by Creditcrunch on Friday 7th August 13:08

[Gring]

I know exactly what you mean. A prime example being http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/LAMB...

I phoned these people up hoping to view the car, I had no intention of buying from them for obvious reasons I just wanted to see how a black one looked compared to others I have seen, and they are only up the road from me.
When I phoned I wondered if they actually have the car, the guy was very cagey and did everything he could to put me off viewing the car! Very odd!

[matc]

I bet a lot of them have been bought by the owner, for him/her to use for a while. Either that or they saw it go through an auction and took a chance on making a nice profit.

I wouldn't let it put you off too much, doesn't matter where the car is for sale; a car at 'John's Motors' could well have been cherished more than one at a main dealer has. Just get an independent inspection done and enjoy the car.

[AndrewW-G]

Nothing odd about it, it's just how the motor trade works . . . . . . Ferrari / Lambo / 911 / Mas gets leased, once the lease is up the car is disposed of via the normal route i.e. presitge auction, trader has enough cash to buy a nice car for stock that he can use himself and so car is advertised by none specialist. The reason your noticing it more is simply down to the increased numbers of Ferraris\lambos etc that have been produced and then leased by the first owner

[2 5HAN]

I think that quite a few Gallardo's didn’t get traded in at official Lambo centre's as in relative terms it was only last year that the new centres emerged.

This therefore meant that most owners selling their cars either did so privately or traded into the next vehicle which was probably not a Lambo.

Agree with Mat now particular problem with a smaller dealer selling a Lambo but i have to admit i would worry that all and sundry had been taking it for a spin whilst its been sat there for sale. Then again you don’t know what the previous owner has done to the car. Just because its sat in HR OWEN doesn’t make it a better car than Jon Smith Motors. I guess the most important thing is to make sure the S/H is up together and get it inspected by an official centre or good idie.

[JoyZipper]

1 reason. Mass production. Look at the number of Gallardo's and 360's that are for sale on Autotrader. They can't all be sold at main dealers.

[bertie]

They are getting to the age when the main dealers won't have them.

[Trommel]

AndrewW-G said:

The reason your noticing it more is simply down to the increased numbers of Ferraris\lambos etc that have been produced and then leased by the first owner

Agreed - they're all leased now and go through the auctions. Gallardos aren't exactly rare, either.

[toohuge]

bertie said:

They are getting to the age when the main dealers won't have them.

Agreed, the same as DB9's that are getting a little old.

[Dr_Gonzo]

I've seen a few that are owned/run by the owner of the dealers. They run around in them and also have them up for sale. That way they get to drive a lambo/ferrari etc whilst having it in their stock should someone wish to buy it. I suppose it might also act as a halo-effect for their company. If they bought it at the right price (which they probably did) they should then be able to dispose of it at either a profit or break even.

[andrew.]

if i were to own a garage and run around in one of the cars "for sale", would i get taxed for a benefit in kind ?

[willcrookz]

andrew. said:

if i were to own a garage and run around in one of the cars "for sale", would i get taxed for a benefit in kind ?

I doubt it, I mean it's unreasonable to be taxed on a car that you're merely 'demonstrating' for a potential customer

[Creditcrunch]

Dr_Gonzo said:

I've seen a few that are owned/run by the owner of the dealers. They run around in them and also have them up for sale. That way they get to drive a lambo/ferrari etc whilst having it in their stock should someone wish to buy it. I suppose it might also act as a halo-effect for their company. If they bought it at the right price (which they probably did) they should then be able to dispose of it at either a profit or break even.

I didnt realise that this happens.

Even more of a reason to avoid such cars then.

[Trommel]

Creditcrunch said:

I didnt realise that this happens.

Even more of a reason to avoid such cars then.

Easy credit is why it happens.

I'd be far more concerned about ending up with an ex-rental car which has spent its life doing donuts as part of a Luton wedding convoy.

[944gav]

andrew. said:

if i were to own a garage and run around in one of the cars "for sale", would i get taxed for a benefit in kind ?

Yes, providing it is available for private use. It is quite common for HMRC to agree a benefit in kind for car dealers based on an approximate average price and CO2 emissions for their stock so it might work out pretty well for these type of garages.

[andrew.]

944gav said:

andrew. said:

if i were to own a garage and run around in one of the cars "for sale", would i get taxed for a benefit in kind ?

Yes, providing it is available for private use. It is quite common for HMRC to agree a benefit in kind for car dealers based on an approximate average price and CO2 emissions for their stock so it might work out pretty well for these type of garages.

run a garage stocking average cars
every so often buy a lambo at auction
run it for a while whilst trying ( maybe not too hard ) to sell it
modest bik + real costs including depreciation paid out of gross profits = cheap motoring in lambo terms

[RallyRider]

andrew. said:

944gav said:

andrew. said:

if i were to own a garage and run around in one of the cars "for sale", would i get taxed for a benefit in kind ?

Yes, providing it is available for private use. It is quite common for HMRC to agree a benefit in kind for car dealers based on an approximate average price and CO2 emissions for their stock so it might work out pretty well for these type of garages.

run a garage stocking average cars
every so often buy a lambo at auction
run it for a while whilst trying ( maybe not too hard ) to sell it
modest bik + real costs including depreciation paid out of gross profits = cheap motoring in lambo terms

Can I book a test drive please?

[northo]

Another reason:

Seller wants more for his car than it's worth (he doesn't know what it's worth because he's not an expert)

Goes to franchised dealer who tells him what it's really worth.

Ss himself.

Mate down pub has a mate who is a car dealer.

Meets car dealer who agrees to try to sell it for whatever seller is looking for.

Dealer gets car on forecourt and gains kudos.

Delear has many enquiries and "test drives" in car.

Car does not sell.

Desperate Seller finally agrees to sell car for realistic money.

Dealer makes tidy commission.

[andrew.]

RallyRider said:

andrew. said:

944gav said:

andrew. said:

if i were to own a garage and run around in one of the cars "for sale", would i get taxed for a benefit in kind ?

Yes, providing it is available for private use. It is quite common for HMRC to agree a benefit in kind for car dealers based on an approximate average price and CO2 emissions for their stock so it might work out pretty well for these type of garages.

run a garage stocking average cars
every so often buy a lambo at auction
run it for a while whilst trying ( maybe not too hard ) to sell it
modest bik + real costs including depreciation paid out of gross profits = cheap motoring in lambo terms

Can I book a test drive please?

done

[Sarnie]

Lambo dealers will only buy low mileage, high spec, mint condition cars with full service history. If a lambo ends up at 'Cars R US' its because it has high mileage, low spec, poor condition, no/part service history and had to be sold at auction as the Lambo dealer refused to bid.

Also Dealers will only stock cars up to about 3yrs old. You won't see an official dealer with say, a 53/04 Gallardo in stock unless its a minter.................