Ask a car salesman anything...anything at all (Vol. 2).

Ask a car salesman anything...anything at all (Vol. 2).

Author
Discussion

Sheepshanks

32,757 posts

119 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
sutoka said:

We left and they phoned up an hour later to say it had been sold.
Why would the dealer do that - seems a very odd thing to do?

I'm guessing here, but you turned up in the same car, obviously knew what you were talking about when you pulled the car apart, then asked about discount. Dealer may well have decided selling the car to you would bring a load of hassle.


spreadsheet monkey

4,545 posts

227 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
sutoka said:
They said if I didn't buy it the £250 would be refunded but I suspect if I'd agreed to buy it the £250 would have been the discount.
In 2021, there is no discount...

HTP99

22,549 posts

140 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
stevemcs said:
sutoka said:
Been at least 18 months since I bought a car from a dealership but Covid must have changed something within some dealerships as over the last two weeks looking a car for my father we've had some odd experiences.

Went to look at a 2013 Giulietta with 80k which was top money for the years and spec. Phoned up and the saleman gives it the old patter 'best one I've seen, absolute mint" etc. Turn up at the appointment time and the car is sitting out front running with the key in ignition, so far so good. He scans driving licence and throws us the key for a test drive, that was it. So we take it for a test drive and the rear is knocking and there s booming sound over the so I believe the shocks are knackered there's a bit is damage to the bumper and it just looks a bit unloved, wheels all corroded etc so we decide it's not for us at that money.

Get back and point out a few things, which the salesman says aren't there before admitting he'd never driven the car then he says" we'll get them sorted not worries" so they wanted us to buy it before they'd fix the issues. I came down in the same car so know how they should drive and feel when sorted. Then came the best bit. I said cash sale no trade in how much would he take. Now they'd done the belt six weeks ago an the car was up for sale since. "We don't take money off, thats's the price" then he said " You wouldn't go int Sainsbury's and ask for money off" which I replied that I'd never bought anything in Sainsburys for £6k. We left and they phoned up an hour later to say it had been sold. I suspect it was sold to another dealer as we left at 4pm and they closed at 5pm.

Then saw a 2016 VW at a Ford dealer and phoned up they said someone was coming up to see it later that day but I could pay £250 to reserve it. I'd only seen it in the photos and who is going to buy a used car without seeing in in the flesh and giving it the once over. They said if I didn't buy it the £250 would be refunded but I suspect if I'd agreed to buy it the £250 would have been the discount.

Two of my recent experiences, it's not like I'm a tyre kicker I contacted these places once and it was almost like they weren't really bothered about selling the car, just a 'buy it or don't buy it' kind of attitude. Really different to a private buy a few months ago the guy was a gent and really went out of his way to explain everything he'd done, servicing he'd done and he knocked £500 off the asking.
[b]To be honest I don’t see the issue with either dealer, you wanted a couple of items addressing then wanted money off, you cannot have both. The money has to come from somewher. People can and do just turn up and buy, just because it sold within the hour doesn’t mean it went to a trader. With the Ford dealer they already had someone coming to view who like you didn’t want to put a deposit on the car, they gave you the opportunity to reserve the car which you didn’t want to do - again your choice and I can understand why but clearly you were not that interested otherwise you would have resevered the car.

At the moment good cars are selling so there is no reason why dealers should reduce the sale prices[/b].
Very much this.

There was nothing underhand in any of your dealings, you weren't mucked about, with the Polo you were given the option to reserve it and you didn't want to, you were told that the issues with the Alfa were going to be resolved, again don't see the issue.

I do think it is odd that because any discount was declined by a dealer it is seen as them not wanting to sell a car, I have seen similar thing said throughout this forum, if a car is priced correctly then there doesn't need to be any discount and the fact that both of these cars sold and most likely at full price proves this.

You need to be quick with used cars.

Howard-

4,952 posts

202 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
I part-ex'ed (or I am planning to once my new car is ready to pick up!) my 2010 Ford Mondeo at a main dealer this week. It's a Titanium X Sport (top spec) with a few optional extras in particularly good condition.

Just wondering what's likely to happen to it? Out of curiosity smile

cuprabob

14,621 posts

214 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
Howard- said:
I part-ex'ed (or I am planning to once my new car is ready to pick up!) my 2010 Ford Mondeo at a main dealer this week. It's a Titanium X Sport (top spec) with a few optional extras in particularly good condition.

Just wondering what's likely to happen to it? Out of curiosity smile
It'll probably go to auction but may be passed onto a local trader that the dealership may have a relationship with.

Spleen

5,453 posts

121 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
cuprabob said:
It'll probably go to auction but may be passed onto a local trader that the dealership may have a relationship with.
That's what happened to my old MB 190 many years ago. Audi gave me £500 for it (I paid 750 for it originally) and I saw it a couple of weeks later at a local used dealer for £3495! No idea if it sold for that mind. Bonkers.

Howard-

4,952 posts

202 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
Interesting!

Any tips for "tracking it" as it goes on to its new life? Or am I out of luck if I don't happen to find it on Autotrader?

Buster73

5,060 posts

153 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
spreadsheet monkey said:
In 2021, there is no discount...
There is like , you just have to keep pushing.

BuzzBravado

2,944 posts

171 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
Is there a sweet spot for the deposit amount on a HP arrangement? I usually put down about 30% on a 10k run of the mill family car, but curious what others tend to do, and if there is threshold that allows a lower APR?

alangla

4,787 posts

181 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
cuprabob said:
Howard- said:
I part-ex'ed (or I am planning to once my new car is ready to pick up!) my 2010 Ford Mondeo at a main dealer this week. It's a Titanium X Sport (top spec) with a few optional extras in particularly good condition.

Just wondering what's likely to happen to it? Out of curiosity smile
It'll probably go to auction but may be passed onto a local trader that the dealership may have a relationship with.
My recent part-ex went that way. Keep an eye on Ebay (lots of small indies will advertise here) & Auto Trader and you should find it. You'll be able to see when it's sold as it'll show as taxed again on the DVLA website. Try to narrow your search down to year, colour, body style, engine size and transmission and you shouldn't need to wade through too many to find it.

Howard-

4,952 posts

202 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
alangla said:
cuprabob said:
Howard- said:
I part-ex'ed (or I am planning to once my new car is ready to pick up!) my 2010 Ford Mondeo at a main dealer this week. It's a Titanium X Sport (top spec) with a few optional extras in particularly good condition.

Just wondering what's likely to happen to it? Out of curiosity smile
It'll probably go to auction but may be passed onto a local trader that the dealership may have a relationship with.
My recent part-ex went that way. Keep an eye on Ebay (lots of small indies will advertise here) & Auto Trader and you should find it. You'll be able to see when it's sold as it'll show as taxed again on the DVLA website. Try to narrow your search down to year, colour, body style, engine size and transmission and you shouldn't need to wade through too many to find it.
Thanks! It's not a particularly common vehicle so it won't be too hard to spot it for sale. I'm just really nosey hehe

Fast Bug

11,685 posts

161 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
Buster73 said:
spreadsheet monkey said:
In 2021, there is no discount...
There is like , you just have to keep pushing.
Just don't get upset if you're told no....

anonymous-user

54 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
Spleen said:
cuprabob said:
It'll probably go to auction but may be passed onto a local trader that the dealership may have a relationship with.
That's what happened to my old MB 190 many years ago. Audi gave me £500 for it (I paid 750 for it originally) and I saw it a couple of weeks later at a local used dealer for £3495! No idea if it sold for that mind. Bonkers.
And my old 205 GTi that I traded at a Renault dealer back in 1997 for £995. It ended up for sale at a small used dealer half a mile away from the Renault dealer for £2995 looking very clean and with new, non corroded fog lights.

It clearly sold as I saw it at the Esso petrol station in Tolworth a few weeks later. They might have cleaned it but they had certainly not fixed the fact that it wouldn't idle and constantly tried to stall.

JimmyConwayNW

3,065 posts

125 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
sutoka said:
Been at least 18 months since I bought a car from a dealership but Covid must have changed something within some dealerships as over the last two weeks looking a car for my father we've had some odd experiences.

Went to look at a 2013 Giulietta with 80k which was top money for the years and spec. Phoned up and the saleman gives it the old patter 'best one I've seen, absolute mint" etc. Turn up at the appointment time and the car is sitting out front running with the key in ignition, so far so good. He scans driving licence and throws us the key for a test drive, that was it. So we take it for a test drive and the rear is knocking and there s booming sound over the so I believe the shocks are knackered there's a bit is damage to the bumper and it just looks a bit unloved, wheels all corroded etc so we decide it's not for us at that money.

Get back and point out a few things, which the salesman says aren't there before admitting he'd never driven the car then he says" we'll get them sorted not worries" so they wanted us to buy it before they'd fix the issues. I came down in the same car so know how they should drive and feel when sorted. Then came the best bit. I said cash sale no trade in how much would he take. Now they'd done the belt six weeks ago an the car was up for sale since. "We don't take money off, thats's the price" then he said " You wouldn't go into Sainsbury's and ask for money off" which I replied that I'd never bought anything in Sainsburys for £6k. We left and they phoned up an hour later to say it had been sold. I suspect it was sold to another dealer as we left at 4pm and they closed at 5pm and it was what I would consider a car of a rather citrus variety.

Then saw a low mileage 2016 VW Polo Match at a Ford dealer and phoned up they said someone was coming up to see it later that day but I could pay £250 to reserve it and they'd tell them not to bother. I'd only seen it in the photos and who is going to buy a used car without seeing in in the flesh and giving it the once over. They said if I didn't buy it the £250 would be refunded but I suspect if I'd agreed to buy it the £250 would have been the discount.

Two of my recent experiences, it's not like I'm a tyre kicker I contacted these places once and it was almost like they weren't really bothered about selling the car, just a 'buy it now or don't buy it' kind of attitude. Really different to a private buy a few months ago the guy was a gent and really went out of his way to explain everything he'd done, servicing he'd done and he knocked £500 off the asking when I said I was going to buy it. I know with a dealer you are covered up to six months under the warranty against it blowing up etc.



Edited by sutoka on Wednesday 30th June 07:38
I sold over 80 used cars last month. I've disounted none. I chucked one tank of fuel in becuase of a paint shop delay for a customer.

If you don't want it someone else will. We are all paying fortunes for stock at the moment and if we sell and replace we are probably paying more as book is increasing which in all my trade years I have never seen.

If you want a car and it is a fair price not going to be any haggling. Sure lots of people ask for a discount but its politely explained as to why we cannot.

JimmyConwayNW

3,065 posts

125 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
Fast Bug said:
Buster73 said:
spreadsheet monkey said:
In 2021, there is no discount...
There is like , you just have to keep pushing.
Just don't get upset if you're told no....
Best technique here is just to keep making an offer and keep asking for discount even when told no. Dealers will eventually relent and give in, or turn their back and walk into their office and shut the door on you.

Never waver, never relent just keep on saying come on, come on, come on do a discount.

Sheepshanks

32,757 posts

119 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
JimmyConwayNW said:
Best technique here is just to keep making an offer and keep asking for discount even when told no. Dealers will eventually relent and give in, or turn their back and walk into their office and shut the door on you.
Or, like Barbers in Northwich did to me years ago when they were VW dealers - take me gently by the elbow and guide me towards the door! "I don't think we'll be able to do business today, sir!"

HTP99

22,549 posts

140 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
JimmyConwayNW said:
sutoka said:
Been at least 18 months since I bought a car from a dealership but Covid must have changed something within some dealerships as over the last two weeks looking a car for my father we've had some odd experiences.

Went to look at a 2013 Giulietta with 80k which was top money for the years and spec. Phoned up and the saleman gives it the old patter 'best one I've seen, absolute mint" etc. Turn up at the appointment time and the car is sitting out front running with the key in ignition, so far so good. He scans driving licence and throws us the key for a test drive, that was it. So we take it for a test drive and the rear is knocking and there s booming sound over the so I believe the shocks are knackered there's a bit is damage to the bumper and it just looks a bit unloved, wheels all corroded etc so we decide it's not for us at that money.

Get back and point out a few things, which the salesman says aren't there before admitting he'd never driven the car then he says" we'll get them sorted not worries" so they wanted us to buy it before they'd fix the issues. I came down in the same car so know how they should drive and feel when sorted. Then came the best bit. I said cash sale no trade in how much would he take. Now they'd done the belt six weeks ago an the car was up for sale since. "We don't take money off, thats's the price" then he said " You wouldn't go into Sainsbury's and ask for money off" which I replied that I'd never bought anything in Sainsburys for £6k. We left and they phoned up an hour later to say it had been sold. I suspect it was sold to another dealer as we left at 4pm and they closed at 5pm and it was what I would consider a car of a rather citrus variety.

Then saw a low mileage 2016 VW Polo Match at a Ford dealer and phoned up they said someone was coming up to see it later that day but I could pay £250 to reserve it and they'd tell them not to bother. I'd only seen it in the photos and who is going to buy a used car without seeing in in the flesh and giving it the once over. They said if I didn't buy it the £250 would be refunded but I suspect if I'd agreed to buy it the £250 would have been the discount.

Two of my recent experiences, it's not like I'm a tyre kicker I contacted these places once and it was almost like they weren't really bothered about selling the car, just a 'buy it now or don't buy it' kind of attitude. Really different to a private buy a few months ago the guy was a gent and really went out of his way to explain everything he'd done, servicing he'd done and he knocked £500 off the asking when I said I was going to buy it. I know with a dealer you are covered up to six months under the warranty against it blowing up etc.



Edited by sutoka on Wednesday 30th June 07:38
I sold over 80 used cars last month. I've disounted none. I chucked one tank of fuel in becuase of a paint shop delay for a customer.

If you don't want it someone else will. We are all paying fortunes for stock at the moment and if we sell and replace we are probably paying more as book is increasing which in all my trade years I have never seen.

If you want a car and it is a fair price not going to be any haggling. Sure lots of people ask for a discount but its politely explained as to why we cannot.
Sold a Polo Gti on Tuesday, the guy had been looking at it for the past few days, test drive it Sunday, came back with dad on Monday, dad was playing the hard man and to be frank was a bit of a dick, he just couldn't understand why no discount, I stood my ground.

Son came back with his mate who has a similar car, on Tuesday, his mates dad is a used car buyer for the local Hyundai dealership who my colleague knows very well, he was there too as was hitching a lift to the pub, after a chat with myself and my colleague he went over to the guy and told him to buy it at full price, he understood perfectly that there would be no discount and the reasons why.

I actually think it was £500 too cheap.

We too are not discounting anything, we are short of stock and cannot replace quick enough, we will happily let people walk as we know it will sell to someone else at screen price, we are reviewing prices almost on a weekly basis and making adjustments upwards accordingly.

anonymous-user

54 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
HTP99 said:
We too are not discounting anything, we are short of stock and cannot replace quick enough, we will happily let people walk as we know it will sell to someone else at screen price, we are reviewing prices almost on a weekly basis and making adjustments upwards accordingly.
I was toying with the idea of getting another car, but it has got to the point now where I just can't stomach the prices being asked.

I know we have a few Renault salesmen on this thread, how are sales of the new Dacia Sandero going? There must be a lot of people like me who think that spending £5K on a ten year old Astra is crazy so they might as well just get a brand new Sandero instead?

The Sandero Essential TCE for £9995 seems to offer the best value for money, what do you think this car will be worth after three years? I have this sneaky feeling that these list prices are going to increase soon and drag the second hand values up with them.

Essentially I am wondering if I could run one of these for say three or four years and it work out cheaper than buying a ten year old Astra for £5K instead.

HTP99

22,549 posts

140 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
Joey Deacon said:
HTP99 said:
We too are not discounting anything, we are short of stock and cannot replace quick enough, we will happily let people walk as we know it will sell to someone else at screen price, we are reviewing prices almost on a weekly basis and making adjustments upwards accordingly.
I was toying with the idea of getting another car, but it has got to the point now where I just can't stomach the prices being asked.

I know we have a few Renault salesmen on this thread, how are sales of the new Dacia Sandero going? There must be a lot of people like me who think that spending £5K on a ten year old Astra is crazy so they might as well just get a brand new Sandero instead?

The Sandero Essential TCE for £9995 seems to offer the best value for money, what do you think this car will be worth after three years? I have this sneaky feeling that these list prices are going to increase soon and drag the second hand values up with them.

Essentially I am wondering if I could run one of these for say three or four years and it work out cheaper than buying a ten year old Astra for £5K instead.
Sandero is selling extremely well, there is a circa 4-6m lead time depending on spec, traditionally they have held their value extremely well, we have a white 18 plate Sandero Essential for sale for £5695, it would have been £7000 new IIRC, possibly £7400, ok we are in weird times currently and the equivalent would have been less last year but still they hold their value phenomenally well.

There is a £400 price increase on the TCe 90 as from tomorrow, to bring it inline with the Bi-Fuel, purely as they need to sell more Bi-Fuel cars.



talksthetorque

10,815 posts

135 months

Wednesday 30th June 2021
quotequote all
Is there a chance that as all car companies are all building to order rather than just filling airfields that most of them will make a profit for a change?