Buying approved used cars from dealer?
Discussion
I'll soon be looking at buying a BMW approved used car and when looking at their website showing all of their used cars around the country would you usually have to travel to those dealerships to view the cars, or are local dealers normally prepared get a car delivered to them?
The former could lead to driving lots of wasted miles viewing different cars, but the latter could mean lots of wasted time and money for the dealers.
If the latter, would your local dealer normally want to pre arrange a price and agreement before transporting the car to them for you to view?
The former could lead to driving lots of wasted miles viewing different cars, but the latter could mean lots of wasted time and money for the dealers.
If the latter, would your local dealer normally want to pre arrange a price and agreement before transporting the car to them for you to view?
As I understand it, they'll move cars between dealerships within the group. So, in the case of the car I want, if it pops up at Sytner in Cardiff they'll move it to Sytner in Sheffield so I don't have so far to go. However, they're not going to move it to Stratstone in Harrogate or Lloyd in Colne, both of which would be much closer still, because they're not part of the same group.
That makes sense. So if the car does get moved to your local dealer I suppose you negotiate with them. Would they normally want to sit down and talk ££ before they arrange for the car to get transported to them, as they clearly need to know they aint wasting their time?
Instead of getting the car moved to you local dealer, could you perhaps visit the dealer who has the car to negotiate, and then do the same with your local dealer, to get the best deal, or would two dealers within the same group refuse to negotiate against each other?
Instead of getting the car moved to you local dealer, could you perhaps visit the dealer who has the car to negotiate, and then do the same with your local dealer, to get the best deal, or would two dealers within the same group refuse to negotiate against each other?
Edited by The Gauge on Tuesday 2nd December 17:35
The Gauge said:
That makes sense. So if the car does get moved to your local dealer I suppose you negotiate with them. Would they normally want to sit down and talk ££ before they arrange for the car to get transported to them, as they clearly need to know they aint wasting their time?
Instead of getting the car moved to you local dealer, could you perhaps visit the dealer who has the car to negotiate, and then do the same with your local dealer, to get the best deal, or would two dealers within the same group refuse to negotiate against each other?
The two dealerships would probably have a customer information management system that tracks the leads for the cars, and it would show that you've made an enquiry at one dealer so the other would just refer you there anyway.Instead of getting the car moved to you local dealer, could you perhaps visit the dealer who has the car to negotiate, and then do the same with your local dealer, to get the best deal, or would two dealers within the same group refuse to negotiate against each other?
Edited by The Gauge on Tuesday 2nd December 17:35
The Gauge said:
That makes sense. So if the car does get moved to your local dealer I suppose you negotiate with them. Would they normally want to sit down and talk ££ before they arrange for the car to get transported to them, as they clearly need to know they aint wasting their time?
Instead of getting the car moved to you local dealer, could you perhaps visit the dealer who has the car to negotiate, and then do the same with your local dealer, to get the best deal, or would two dealers within the same group refuse to negotiate against each other?
They are not going to do anything with a car at another branch until you put down a deposit. No dealer is randomly moving cars between branches just on the word of someone off the street making some vague noises about possibly buying it. Dealers hear that 100s of times per day. The fuel alone is going to be a large chunk of the margin, and then there's the trade plater's costs on top of that.Instead of getting the car moved to you local dealer, could you perhaps visit the dealer who has the car to negotiate, and then do the same with your local dealer, to get the best deal, or would two dealers within the same group refuse to negotiate against each other?
Edited by The Gauge on Tuesday 2nd December 17:35
If you want to see it before you buy then you need to go to where it is.
Moving a car between dealers even in a group is incurring costs and possibly an internal transfer, etc so don't be surprised if you have to make some sort of committment to buy it.
They won't transfer cars around on a whim just because you would like to test drive a specific vehicle.
If you aren't sure then better get used to travelling and enjoy the experience.
They won't transfer cars around on a whim just because you would like to test drive a specific vehicle.
If you aren't sure then better get used to travelling and enjoy the experience.
I got one about 18 months ago and they didn’t want to send the car to another dealer as it was their sale. They would have transported the car to my house as a distance sale or to another dealer once I had paid them the full amount plus transport. Ended up travelling 3 hours to get it as it was cheaper to sort the transport myself and wanted to see it before paying full amount plus it was worth travelling for as the car was not that common with spec and mileage.
Similarly brought an Audi recently and they delivered it to the house and wouldn’t send it to another dealer to finalise the sale.
Similarly brought an Audi recently and they delivered it to the house and wouldn’t send it to another dealer to finalise the sale.
My last two cars (including my current one) have been BMW's used approved and whilst my current one was from the local dealer the one before I had to travel on trains across the country for, they wouldn't move it to another dealer but were prepared to have it delivered (for a fee) if I purchased it but I just went to get it myself.
My wife's current Mini was also used approved and when I asked about them moving it to a closer dealer they just brought it to my house instead and took the PX back with them but that was during Covid times, the salesman came to my house and we did the deal at the dining table.
My wife's current Mini was also used approved and when I asked about them moving it to a closer dealer they just brought it to my house instead and took the PX back with them but that was during Covid times, the salesman came to my house and we did the deal at the dining table.
As I've said before, Approved Used is just marketing guff to sucker in all the simpletons who think they are getting a good well-cared for car. The reality is that it's often the dog-end cars that they can't shift, so get them into the bodyshop to give the keyed panels a cheap and nasty 'trade' blow-over, add some tyre foam and get the local detailer to give it a 10 min going over with the MOP so that it looks decent enough from 10 paces, then add some Approved Used banners.and an extra £2k to the price board in the windscreen and suckers will come flooding in through the gate.
You only have to look at the Speed and Law forum on here to see the endless threads about knackered so-called Approved Used cars.
You only have to look at the Speed and Law forum on here to see the endless threads about knackered so-called Approved Used cars.
Looks like I could be doing some driving to other towns/cities then to buy the car. I'll perhaps go look at some at my local dealer, and choose the model/spec I want, and I'll obviously take a test drive if they offer one, but if they don't have the particular car I want then I'll happily travel.
Even if I made the purchase, would it normally take a few days for the car to be ready to collect, requiring me to make a revisit, or can they be driven away on the same day?
Oh, and it'll be an X5 (30d most likely)
Even if I made the purchase, would it normally take a few days for the car to be ready to collect, requiring me to make a revisit, or can they be driven away on the same day?
Oh, and it'll be an X5 (30d most likely)
The Gauge said:
Looks like I could be doing some driving to other towns/cities then to buy the car. I'll perhaps go look at some at my local dealer, and choose the model/spec I want, and I'll obviously take a test drive if they offer one, but if they don't have the particular car I want then I'll happily travel.
Even if I made the purchase, would it normally take a few days for the car to be ready to collect, requiring me to make a revisit, or can they be driven away on the same day?
Oh, and it'll be an X5 (30d most likely)
Call ahead, ensure the car in question is available and ask if a deal can be agreed, could the car be taken away same day. The only people who can answer that, are the dealership with the car.Even if I made the purchase, would it normally take a few days for the car to be ready to collect, requiring me to make a revisit, or can they be driven away on the same day?
Oh, and it'll be an X5 (30d most likely)
Tisy said:
As I've said before, Approved Used is just marketing guff to sucker in all the simpletons who think they are getting a good well-cared for car. The reality is that it's often the dog-end cars that they can't shift, so get them into the bodyshop to give the keyed panels a cheap and nasty 'trade' blow-over, add some tyre foam and get the local detailer to give it a 10 min going over with the MOP so that it looks decent enough from 10 paces, then add some Approved Used banners.and an extra £2k to the price board in the windscreen and suckers will come flooding in through the gate.
You only have to look at the Speed and Law forum on here to see the endless threads about knackered so-called Approved Used cars.
Nope. That's not been my experience of Approved Used. You only have to look at the Speed and Law forum on here to see the endless threads about knackered so-called Approved Used cars.
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