Approved used BMW and haggling...
Discussion
1k is easy. You are looking for a straight 2k or, 1.5k with plate transfer or new tyres and 1 years tax etc etc. I have found the best and easiest way is, contact initially verbally either in person or over the phone. write eveything down. Leave then contact via email.
They will either melt you and you fold or like me a get too agressive and wont deal. Email works well for both parties. Only deal on the 3rd or 4th email
Dont jump in when they dont contact you for 2 or 3 days they will;) It's a s
t game and they always win you just need to minimise how well they will
They are the enemy and dont forget it
They will either melt you and you fold or like me a get too agressive and wont deal. Email works well for both parties. Only deal on the 3rd or 4th email
Dont jump in when they dont contact you for 2 or 3 days they will;) It's a s
t game and they always win you just need to minimise how well they willThey are the enemy and dont forget it
My 130i was advertised for £11,995 (last May). I eventually got it for £10,995 with a year's VED, the iPod retrofit and the Alpine audio retrofit - so effectively another £1,000+ worth of stuff. As per AUC conditions, the front and rear bumpers were painted, the wheels refurbished and all servicing taken care of. I also haggled the respraying of the bonnet, and new discs and pads all round. The tyres, albeit run-flats, had 5mm+ of tread on them.
If you can't get any more cash off, push for things like VED and retrofit kits which can be supplied at cost to them. Cosmetic stuff will be sorted pretty well with AUC cars so you don't usually have to push for this.
If you can't get any more cash off, push for things like VED and retrofit kits which can be supplied at cost to them. Cosmetic stuff will be sorted pretty well with AUC cars so you don't usually have to push for this.
I think there are a couple of important factors. How long the car has been sitting around for example. What concessions are you prepared to make. A couple of years ago I negotiated a £19650 130i down to £18100. I had been tracking a number of cars for about 3 weeks and decided on this one which was an AUC about 200 miles away from where I live. Negotiation was cordial and ended after a few phone calls over two days with them asking "what price to seal the deal?". The final concession on my part was that I would collect the car for which they knocked £150 off and that they put a full tank of fuel in. All subject to final inspection which I combined with a business trip. Everything went smoothly and would have full confidence dealing with BMW on this basis again, ie buying unseen if it's the right car. I probably could have pushed them a little further but I believe in keeping some goodwill with the dealer just in case. Everyone's got to make a living.
One BMW dealer, about 100 miles away, offered to bring a car to me to test drive!
I kept the 130i for 6 months and sold it privately at a £300 profit. But then it was 2008/09 around credit crunch time when the market was crazy.
One BMW dealer, about 100 miles away, offered to bring a car to me to test drive!
I kept the 130i for 6 months and sold it privately at a £300 profit. But then it was 2008/09 around credit crunch time when the market was crazy.
Try and time it so you negotiations will be finalised towards end of month/quarter when targets have to be met. One thing I did many years ago was to wander all round the show room until I found the sales room where all the sales staff hung around and looked at their sales chart to find the name of the salesman with the lowest figures then ask for him by name "as he'd been recommended to me", I knew he would be more desperate to close a sale.
Don't know if they have sales charts visible from the showroom floor anyomre though.
That ruse worked for me and I got a discount on a brand new M3 at a time when BMW 'didn't give discounts' especially on cars with 6 month waiting lists, as they had at the time.
Don't know if they have sales charts visible from the showroom floor anyomre though. That ruse worked for me and I got a discount on a brand new M3 at a time when BMW 'didn't give discounts' especially on cars with 6 month waiting lists, as they had at the time.Mr-B said:
Try and time it so you negotiations will be finalised towards end of month/quarter when targets have to be met. One thing I did many years ago was to wander all round the show room until I found the sales room where all the sales staff hung around and looked at their sales chart to find the name of the salesman with the lowest figures then ask for him by name "as he'd been recommended to me", I knew he would be more desperate to close a sale. Don't know if they have sales charts visible from the showroom floor anyomre though. That ruse worked for me and I got a discount on a brand new M3 at a time when BMW 'didn't give discounts' especially on cars with 6 month waiting lists, as they had at the time.
What a great tactic! Don't know if they have sales charts visible from the showroom floor anyomre though. That ruse worked for me and I got a discount on a brand new M3 at a time when BMW 'didn't give discounts' especially on cars with 6 month waiting lists, as they had at the time.I was in a BMW showroom today and the car I test drove had an HPI report dated 1st June 2011! I think they are keen on making a deal on that one and get a feeling that they would probably jump at 10% off (£2k), shame I didn't like the car tough and it wasn't in great condition.
I don't really know BMW AUC cars and how they're prepped, but I got the impression that they are much worse than Porsche prepping standards. Seems more like all they get is a wash and wax from an aesthetic point of view.
Anyone know if any BMW dealers are better than others in their prep?
RiccardoG said:
What a great tactic!
I was in a BMW showroom today and the car I test drove had an HPI report dated 1st June 2011! I think they are keen on making a deal on that one and get a feeling that they would probably jump at 10% off (£2k), shame I didn't like the car tough and it wasn't in great condition.
I don't really know BMW AUC cars and how they're prepped, but I got the impression that they are much worse than Porsche prepping standards. Seems more like all they get is a wash and wax from an aesthetic point of view.
Anyone know if any BMW dealers are better than others in their prep?
My experience has been that they are prepped after they are sold, the ones I have bought have been anyway. I get the feeling that they make you think you're getting a good deal when they say they'll sort some of the issues.I was in a BMW showroom today and the car I test drove had an HPI report dated 1st June 2011! I think they are keen on making a deal on that one and get a feeling that they would probably jump at 10% off (£2k), shame I didn't like the car tough and it wasn't in great condition.
I don't really know BMW AUC cars and how they're prepped, but I got the impression that they are much worse than Porsche prepping standards. Seems more like all they get is a wash and wax from an aesthetic point of view.
Anyone know if any BMW dealers are better than others in their prep?
When I bought my e90 M Sport the car was mint apart from a very worn leather bolster. When I pointed it out he said he'd get it sorted, not that I took it as a favour
they did do a very very good job though and I genuinely couldn't fault the car when I picked it up.
ChasW said:
How long the car has been sitting around for example.
6 weeks then back into the trade afaik is the norm. Recently bought a car at £10.1k which started at £12.5k.Mr-B said:
Try and time it so you negotiations will be finalised towards end of month/quarter when targets have to be met.
That'll help too.RiccardoG said:
I don't really know BMW AUC cars and how they're prepped, but I got the impression that they are much worse than Porsche prepping standards. Seems more like all they get is a wash and wax from an aesthetic point of view.
Don't know about Porsche, but of the 4 AUCs I've bought, 3 were perfect, which is what you are paying for. The oldeast was 6YO btw. I got the impression last time that the salesman took peronal interest in the prep. Maybe that's just him, maybe just that dealer, I don't know.Fox- said:
Some dealers keep stock for ever. Wood BMW had a terrible spec 08 335i for 27k back in April. It was still on the auc site in November but down to 15k with a free leather interior and a free portable sat nav.
Bet they regret taking the mick price wise with that one...
What spec is so terrible that it merits £12k off plus another grand's worth of freebies?Bet they regret taking the mick price wise with that one...
Can it match purple cloth in a 325i coupe?
Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff