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Car Buying

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Home, Law & Money
hello i just sort of wanted to get peoples opinions on this what happened to me yesterday :)

im looking at buying a pretty much brand new car. (its a new style ford Ka which only came out this year). however i wanna buy one second hand as i cant quite afford brand new. iv seen a few advertised around, they mainly seem to be ones that have been used by the car dealership as a run around, or the one they've used for test drivers. they only have 1000-2000 miles on the clock etc and are still perfect condition.

anywaaaay i saw one advertised on autotrader yesterday at a car dealership for a really decent price, plus it was in the colour i wanted etc. when we got there we couldnt find the car so we went inside and spoke to the guy. to keep it brief first they said they had the car, then they said it was on loan to somebody for 5 days but if we put a deposit down on it, they'd keep it for me, then when we went to put the deposit down on it they found it that mysteriously it was sold!

i was so disappointed but then the guy passed me onto another guy and he started trying to sell me a brand new one! he said he could do me a really good deal etc...there was loads of time spend me and my dad just hanging around waiting for the guy while he kept disappearing into the back apparently talking to his managers. in the end the deal he did for us i still couldnt afford so we left.

what im thinking now though is, i reckon they didnt ever have that car in the first place? it seems weird that they had it when we went in, but then it was sold. do you reckon they just advertise it at a good price to get you in and then try and talk you into buying a new one? are garages really that sneaky?

any advice about buying a pretty new car and the ways of car salesmen (ha) would be appreciated. x

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i always take a man with me, usually my uncle! that's my only advice. don't feel pressured into anything either even if they do keep telling you it's a good deal. go away and think about it properly before rushing into anything.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Never be specific with the salesman when he asks what you're looking for, if you're specific it means the salesman has an advantage, he knows how much you want the car. Always shop online first to see what's available nearby, and for what price, they won't admit it, but if you're about to walk out the door they'll match a price.

    Never pay what they're asking for, always offer significantly less than what they're charging. You can expect to get a £5000 car for about £4000 at the moment, and the discounts increase as the price of the car does.

    When the salesman asks how much you're willing to spend, tell him a price 10-20% under what you're actually willing to pay. That way when he says "well we've got this in for this price" you're in a much better bargaining position.

    Never be afraid to walk away if you don't like the offer, and never, ever pay a deposit on a car you haven't physically driven around.

    The most important thing to remember is, it is a buyer's market. Salesmen at the moment are desperate to get rid of stock, and as you get closer to the end of the month, increasingly so (they have sales targets).
    Oh, and never buy brand new, it's not worth it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It's a common tactic, designed to actually get you into the showroom, in a bid to sell you something else instead.

    Name and shame the dealer...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Evans Halshaw!! they have lots of showrooms all over the country. they had another one for sale, same car, similiar price but a different colour and at a different branch. just rang up to make sure they definitely have it before we go to look at it, suprise suprise its 'at another branch' then they said its 'in the service department, so i cant see it'. but the guy promised to ring me tomorrow and that he'd definitely have it there for me to view...so who knows. so frustrating :|
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If going on a longer journey to view, ask the dealer for the registration plate and the last 5 digits of the VIN, so you can do one of those "HPI" vehicle history checks before travelling down. If he doesn't have the details, or can't get them within a few minutes, the chances are he doesn't have the vehicle...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ahh thanks for that. its about 40 minutes away which is why i wanted to make sure they had it before i went. :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    just another quick thing to add to this!

    the guy who tried to sell me the car from the first garage (the brand new one) has rang up and said he can get it cheaper for me. i dont QUITE understand what it is, but its something like...they have a car at the garage that they can use for the government scrappage scheme so they will get £2000 off a new car...so we can get £1500 off the price they offered it me at. the only thing is i would have to pay my money to the salesman, he would buy the car, then sign it back over to me in 5 days. does anybody else think that just sounds really dodgy? he could run off with my money, or my car! but its a big ford car dealership its not a little backstreet garage. argh.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I know nothing about buying cars.

    Me buying a car.

    Me - 'Hello, i'd like to buy a car please.'

    Salesman - 'OK. Did you have anything particular in mind ?'

    Me - 'A blue one'
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    FireyFirenze wrote: »
    just another quick thing to add to this!

    the guy who tried to sell me the car from the first garage (the brand new one) has rang up and said he can get it cheaper for me. i dont QUITE understand what it is, but its something like...they have a car at the garage that they can use for the government scrappage scheme so they will get £2000 off a new car...so we can get £1500 off the price they offered it me at. the only thing is i would have to pay my money to the salesman, he would buy the car, then sign it back over to me in 5 days. does anybody else think that just sounds really dodgy? he could run off with my money, or my car! but its a big ford car dealership its not a little backstreet garage. argh.

    I'm not clued up, but to my mind, it's fraud.

    The government incentives only work if the person looking to buy the car has a 10+ year old vehicle, and has owned it for a year. Only the registered keeper of that vehicle can register the new car.

    This garage doesn't have a car they can submit under the scrappage scheme. It sounds very much like the guy has a 10+ year old car he'd trade in under the scrappage scheme, then sell the new vehicle on to you, pocketing whatever he can along the way.

    I'd walk from that, TBH. If it is the case...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    FireyFirenze wrote: »
    just another quick thing to add to this!

    the guy who tried to sell me the car from the first garage (the brand new one) has rang up and said he can get it cheaper for me. i dont QUITE understand what it is, but its something like...they have a car at the garage that they can use for the government scrappage scheme so they will get £2000 off a new car...so we can get £1500 off the price they offered it me at. the only thing is i would have to pay my money to the salesman, he would buy the car, then sign it back over to me in 5 days. does anybody else think that just sounds really dodgy? he could run off with my money, or my car! but its a big ford car dealership its not a little backstreet garage. argh.

    That sounds incredibly dodgy and most likely illegal. It sounds like he is trying to make a shifty £500 on the side...

    I have just had a look at the government site and I think his little plan will fall down in a couple of places;

    The vehicle you are trading in must:

    - be registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) or Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) in your name
    - have been registered to you continuously for 12 calendar months before the order date of the new vehicle
    - be insured when the order for the new vehicle is placed

    http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/AdviceOnBuyingAndSellingAVehicle/DG_177693

    I would stay well clear if I were you!

    (the other alternative being take a voice recorder with you and catch him offering you the deal on tape, you could then take it to Ford and ask for a decent discount on a new car as a reward for shopping a dodgy salesman!! This may or may not work depending on whether it is common practice at Ford dealers! :))
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Whowhere wrote: »
    Never pay what they're asking for, always offer significantly less than what they're charging. You can expect to get a £5000 car for about £4000 at the moment, and the discounts increase as the price of the car does.

    When the salesman asks how much you're willing to spend, tell him a price 10-20% under what you're actually willing to pay. That way when he says "well we've got this in for this price" you're in a much better bargaining position.

    :yes:

    hardly in the same price range but i bought my car for £2250 about a month back when it was advertised for £3000. my fella managed to get them to knock it down £750 :) it came with a 3 month warranty and a 12 month MOT too. not too bad considering its a 2003 model and its only had one previous owner :)

    definately offer much lower than its advertised. they more often than not advertise it at a higher price knowing you'll try and knock at least a few hundred off it anyway.
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