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

[Mikebentley]

Sheepshanks said:

The Rotrex Kid said:

Absolutely. You can ask, worst they can say is no!

Well you say that. What actually happened to me in small town VW dealer was the salesman gently touched my elbow and guided me towards the door saying "I don't think we'll be able to do business today, sir".

Really?

[dibblecorse]

Mikebentley said:

Sheepshanks said:

The Rotrex Kid said:

Absolutely. You can ask, worst they can say is no!

Well you say that. What actually happened to me in small town VW dealer was the salesman gently touched my elbow and guided me towards the door saying "I don't think we'll be able to do business today, sir".

Really?

Yep, then he went back and did donuts in the car park with his heavily discounted car he bought elsewhere ...

[SirCarsAllot]

123DWA said:

SirCarsAllot said:

I guess this thread isnt the place to ask if sales are poor or looking to be

No px, no finance, just old fashioned wonga

Maybe there’s an independent gauge of the market that the trade use to track pricing? Other than wbac or AT us commoners use

Atm I am actively avoiding deals with no PX. I'm about 20 cars short and I'd much rather take a deal with something else I can turn a profit on than sell it to someone with nothing to give.

2 mths ago i tried the same market but px’ing an aston vanquish s volante, incredibly rare! Nope, not interested… one of the so called specialists even gave me a price for a standard vanquish, he did’nt think the price would be that much different for the S

Be interesting to see if the decline in values continues through the summer, will it just mean a mexican stand off until dealers discount? :shrug:

Ive always negotiated on buying cars and as a result ive not lost money on cars, so i’m not stopping, maybe offering180k against a190k is unreasonable but one dealer met me in the middle, so there are deals to be done..

[Sheepshanks]

dibblecorse said:

Yep, then he went back and did donuts in the car park with his heavily discounted car he bought elsewhere ...

In my wife's new 1.2 Polo? Not sure that would go well.

I found it quite funny - I did buy the car heavily discounted elsewhere and he gave me the excuse I needed so I didn't feel guilty about not buying from the local dealer where we'd had a test drive etc.

Maybe it's me, or maybe this happens elsewhere, but some Cheshire places are a bit up themselves - we looked at a new house in Tarporley and the sales lady suggested that their new development in Nantwich might suit us better. Could be worse - she might have said Winsford.

[mrdanbartlett]

Hi

I've never bought a car from a dealer (I'm 40 now!) always private. Regarding dealers would I be right to assume the price is kind of the price, I know more so in todays market (although that seems it might be changing). I.e if a car is up for 38k and has been up a while (3-6 months) I assume the dealer would just keep reducing it until it sells, rather than accept someone coming in and offering 36 or 37k?

No px as Id sell it privately (its only worth prob 8k) and no finance, although I might need to not mention that and do the trick of taking financ and then paying it off when I got home as I hear dealers generally don't want full payment customers as they loose their finance kick-back.

[ScoobyChris]

resolve10 said:

Is the admin fee a relatively new thing? It's not someting I've come accross personally. It makes no difference whether the car is 16,000 or 15,850 + 150 admin fee, the dealer will price the car however they want, but if the car is advertised at 15,850 there's no way in hell I'm paying 16,000 on principle.

We were looking for a cheap small runaround for the good lady with a budget around £1500. Spent a lot of time on Autotrader finding the right car (ticking the include admin free in the price). Found the perfect car, a smidge over budget but in great condition, local, etc and were happy to pay the screen price. Sat down to do the deal … there is an additional £250 admin fee please. Kicked up a stink and said we would walk as it was the first we’d heard of it and we were already at the top of our budget and ended up being offered no warranty and the car would be a “trade sale”.

Left a review reflecting our experience and they replied to say the admin fee was clearly advertised (as one of the pictures in the advert rather than honestly in the system) and that it was common practice among all garages to cover costs.

Chris

[basherX]

mrdanbartlett said:

Hi

I've never bought a car from a dealer (I'm 40 now!) always private. Regarding dealers would I be right to assume the price is kind of the price, I know more so in todays market (although that seems it might be changing). I.e if a car is up for 38k and has been up a while (3-6 months) I assume the dealer would just keep reducing it until it sells, rather than accept someone coming in and offering 36 or 37k?

No px as Id sell it privately (its only worth prob 8k) and no finance, although I might need to not mention that and do the trick of taking financ and then paying it off when I got home as I hear dealers generally don't want full payment customers as they loose their finance kick-back.

Just ask, on both finance and price. There really is nothing to lose to ask for money off, the worst they can say is no. Similarly on finance- if they ask you if you are interested in it respond by asking what taking finance means in terms of price. It’s not a commitment but it’ll give you a sense of the boundaries of the discussion.

I always view it as trying to establish something that works for me and something that works for the sales guy, without being too hooked up on how I get there. I’d even take some of the stupid insurances if I got a price reduction. Sometimes there are ways of structuring the deal that bundle all sorts of crap you don’t want (because the sales guy gets paid better that way) but at an overall price you’re happy with.

As I say. The worst that happens is that either you or they say no.

[mrdanbartlett]

Thanks, some great replies there .

I'll likely try and stick to private but lets see what comes up.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Mikebentley said:

Sheepshanks said:

The Rotrex Kid said:

Absolutely. You can ask, worst they can say is no!

Well you say that. What actually happened to me in small town VW dealer was the salesman gently touched my elbow and guided me towards the door saying "I don't think we'll be able to do business today, sir".

Really?

He might as well have done the same for me. It was that sort of finality.

I was asked this week how I'd be funding a BMW motorbike? No idea I replied. He didn't show me out or go cold. He did think it was slightly odd I only had my first bike 3 weeks and I was bored of it but otherwise a professional.


He did direct me to a 1000GS with allsorts of driver comfort and aids but 999 call, etc etc all left me cold.

[Earthdweller]

OnTheBreadline said:

Eh? You're not doing someone a favour by selling them a car. They're putting food on your table. People aren't buying cars from you because you're amazing people. I don't get this attitude. And how will the price difference vanish? If your car is 500 more than a similar car down the road, then the customer WILL be 500 worse off by buying it from you.

I’ve paid “slightly” over the odds for a car before, In fact the last car I bought from a dealer I did .. not by much, but i could have travelled to the other end of the country and saved my self £500 off the price

But, when I bought it I got fantastic service from a dealer I’ve been buying cars from and using to service my cars for the last 20 years or so

Shortly after I bought it ( dealer ex management car, almost new ) it developed a fault that took four attempts to fix .. and they were brilliant, the sales manager said to me, without prompting when it went in the fourth time “if we can’t fix it this time we’ll take it back and sort you with another or your money back”

Can’t fault them at all and would go straight back and buy another from them tomorrow

Sometimes if you have a good relationship with a good garage it’s worth more than the cheapest car in the country

[Earthdweller]

Sheepshanks said:

In my wife's new 1.2 Polo? Not sure that would go well.

I found it quite funny - I did buy the car heavily discounted elsewhere and he gave me the excuse I needed so I didn't feel guilty about not buying from the local dealer where we'd had a test drive etc.

Maybe it's me, or maybe this happens elsewhere, but some Cheshire places are a bit up themselves - we looked at a new house in Tarporley and the sales lady suggested that their new development in Nantwich might suit us better. Could be worse - she might have said Winsford.

I’ve had the same thing with “upmarket estate agents” in the North west I had a horrid experience with the snottiest stuck up cow at a village branch of a newly established agency, who happened to have the thickest Blackburn accent ( pure mill hill )

My mother, who was an estate agent for 30+ years was viewing with me at the time and went through her like a dose of salts .. it was worth it for that alone

[Mandat]

A quick question to those in the trade:

In mid April I part-ex'd my 2014 Audi Q5 for a new MB.

Considering the current car shortages, the MB dealer gave me a good part-ex price, particularly as the Q5 was 8 years old.

Since then I have been keeping an eye out on adverts for my old Q5, but it doesn't appear to have surfaced for sale anywhere yet. The DVLA car check shows the last V5 issued as being in March, which is when I removed the private plat prior to sale, therefore I assume that it does not have a new RK yet.

Is there any particular reason why it has not been put up for sale yet, seeing as it is now 2 months since since it was part-ex'd?

[Wildcat45]

Mandat said:

A quick question to those in the trade:

In mid April I part-ex'd my 2014 Audi Q5 for a new MB.

Considering the current car shortages, the MB dealer gave me a good part-ex price, particularly as the Q5 was 8 years old.

Since then I have been keeping an eye out on adverts for my old Q5, but it doesn't appear to have surfaced for sale anywhere yet. The DVLA car check shows the last V5 issued as being in March, which is when I removed the private plat prior to sale, therefore I assume that it does not have a new RK yet.

Is there any particular reason why it has not been put up for sale yet, seeing as it is now 2 months since since it was part-ex'd?

My FIL part exchanged an older car in November. It’s not surfaced at all and remains untaxed despite getting a new MOT a day or so after he left it with the main dealer.

I’m assuming it went to auction and some dealer is having a tough time selling a 15 year old 2.3 petrol-engined SUV that costs something like £500 a year to tax. (Mazda CX-7)

[mfmman]

Mandat said:

A quick question to those in the trade:

In mid April I part-ex'd my 2014 Audi Q5 for a new MB.

Considering the current car shortages, the MB dealer gave me a good part-ex price, particularly as the Q5 was 8 years old.

Since then I have been keeping an eye out on adverts for my old Q5, but it doesn't appear to have surfaced for sale anywhere yet. The DVLA car check shows the last V5 issued as being in March, which is when I removed the private plat prior to sale, therefore I assume that it does not have a new RK yet.

Is there any particular reason why it has not been put up for sale yet, seeing as it is now 2 months since since it was part-ex'd?

Possibly exported, I had a 2014 Avensis diesel estate from new as a company car and it showed as untaxed for years afterwards. Popular PH opinion was that they were very popular in Ireland and the paperwork had not caught up

[NorcyUK]

The MIL placed an order for a new car in January, not expected to be ready for collection until July. The dealer offered her a part ex price which was agreed on and a deposit was paid. She has been told her is ready for collection next week, and they are now offering her a substantial amount less for her part ex than they were when they ordered the car.

Is this standard practice when buying a new car? I know there’s potential extra wear and tear, and more mileage on the part ex over the 6 months, but surely not everyone is able to find this extra money they’re suddenly being asked for when it comes to getting their new car? I would have assumed that they would make the original part ex offer based on the potential age and mileage at the time of collecting the new car.

[HTP99]

NorcyUK said:

The MIL placed an order for a new car in January, not expected to be ready for collection until July. The dealer offered her a part ex price which was agreed on and a deposit was paid. She has been told her is ready for collection next week, and they are now offering her a substantial amount less for her part ex than they were when they ordered the car.

Is this standard practice when buying a new car? I know there’s potential extra wear and tear, and more mileage on the part ex over the 6 months, but surely not everyone is able to find this extra money they’re suddenly being asked for when it comes to getting their new car? I would have assumed that they would make the original part ex offer based on the potential age and mileage at the time of collecting the new car.

Not standard practice, we have screwed up recently a bit and taken the hit and now are not standing on part ex prices, ie order now, your car is worth x now, come 6-7m time we will re look at it, it will likely drop £200 per month but cannot guarantee it so will have to re-value at the time, since January values have been all over the show and are very difficult to predict.

I guess there is nothing written on the original order stating that the part ex value is fixed?

[mikey_b]

NorcyUK said:

The MIL placed an order for a new car in January, not expected to be ready for collection until July. The dealer offered her a part ex price which was agreed on and a deposit was paid. She has been told her is ready for collection next week, and they are now offering her a substantial amount less for her part ex than they were when they ordered the car.

Is this standard practice when buying a new car? I know there’s potential extra wear and tear, and more mileage on the part ex over the 6 months, but surely not everyone is able to find this extra money they’re suddenly being asked for when it comes to getting their new car? I would have assumed that they would make the original part ex offer based on the potential age and mileage at the time of collecting the new car.

It shouldn't be, no. Assuming she hasn't unexpectedly done another 50k miles in those 6 months of course, or it now has damage.

More likely they're aware that new cars are hard to get hold of at the moment and if she declines, they will just call someone else who's waiting for the same thing and it'll be sold the next day.

[Dan W.]

HTP99 said:

NorcyUK said:

The MIL placed an order for a new car in January, not expected to be ready for collection until July. The dealer offered her a part ex price which was agreed on and a deposit was paid. She has been told her is ready for collection next week, and they are now offering her a substantial amount less for her part ex than they were when they ordered the car.

Is this standard practice when buying a new car? I know there’s potential extra wear and tear, and more mileage on the part ex over the 6 months, but surely not everyone is able to find this extra money they’re suddenly being asked for when it comes to getting their new car? I would have assumed that they would make the original part ex offer based on the potential age and mileage at the time of collecting the new car.

Not standard practice, we have screwed up recently a bit and taken the hit and now are not standing on part ex prices, ie order now, your car is worth x now, come 6-7m time we will re look at it, it will likely drop £200 per month but cannot guarantee it so will have to re-value at the time, since January values have been all over the show and are very difficult to predict.

I guess there is nothing written on the original order stating that the part ex value is fixed?

Also on the order form will be a part ex price, unless its stated otherwise they agreed to that price.

Ever since the issue with new car deliveries, We have never given a agree price, Same as HTP99 We tell them the value now but will re value when new car arrives. only had one customer cancel because her aygo lost £800 in 4 months

[NorcyUK]

Thanks for the replies. I haven’t had chance to look at the paperwork, but she seems to remember that they mentioned they will revalue the car at the time of collecting her new car. The main issue isn’t really with the fact that they’ve revalued it, more so the fact it has dropped £1500 in under 6 months.

[The Rotrex Kid]

NorcyUK said:

Thanks for the replies. I haven’t had chance to look at the paperwork, but she seems to remember that they mentioned they will revalue the car at the time of collecting her new car. The main issue isn’t really with the fact that they’ve revalued it, more so the fact it has dropped £1500 in under 6 months.

£1500 in 6 months sounds normal to me.