buying a new car - online?

[gidon]

Hi

We're looking at buying a new (or possibly 1 or 2 year old) car. I've just bought the What Car new car guide and it gives target prices. I really can't face having to negotiate with these places so was looking at these online retailers that seem to have already done that bit (eg http://www.autobytel.co.uk/). But has anyone used them - do you still have a relationship with the dealer if there's anything wrong? Is there a genuine cost saving or are you better off going to the garage direct? Is there one that you can recommend? I've never bought a new car so am interested in your views and recommendations.

The sort of car we're looking at is an medium estate or MPV. (I want something that can also get wood back from the timber merchant - my current Puggy 306 estate doesn't do too badly but would like something a little longer )

Thanks

Gidon

 

[Paul Chapman]

Hi Gidon,

If you are looking for a new car consider a demonstrator. I just bought one (first new car in 16 years) and money was tight. List price new was £12,995 - got mine for £8,795 (it had 4,000 miles on the clock) :wink:

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Hi again Gidon,

Just looked up my car on that site you quoted. The car I bought was a Chrysler PT Cruiser 2.4L Classic (the old model but the differences with the new one are only cosmetic). That site is listing the price at £12,221 so I reckon I did very well. Have a good look around, don't be too eager to part with your money and I am sure you can get a good deal :wink:

Paul

 

[gidon]

Thanks Paul - sounds like you got a good deal. Was that a demo car from a high street dealer then?
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Jake]

(I want something that can also get wood back from the timber merchant - my current Puggy 306 estate doesn't do too badly but would like something a little longer )

Buy a roof-rack!

 

[Paul Chapman]

Was that a demo car from a high street dealer then?

Yes, Gidon, I got it from Stratstone of Cobham, a Chrysler main dealer. Many of the cars dealers use for test drives are taxed and registered so they are technically second-hand. But in reality they have only been driven around the block a few times and maybe one of the salesmen has driven it from home to work, but it's in effect a new car, with full guarantee, etc at a second-hand car price.

The main problem these days is the trade-in values when you change your car. Because new car prices have dropped so much don't be surprised if what they offer for your old car seems very low :wink:

Paul

 

[Paulg]

The company I work for bought a company car through one of the brokers (can't remember which one). It was delivered on the back of a trailer by a main dealer so had all the checks etc.

A lot of the brokers don't actually handle the cars themselves. They just act as agents for the main dealers who have a load of stock in (or are trying to hit their targets).

The other option is to get the best price from a broker then get your local dealer to price match. I did that a couple of years ago when I bought my last car. I didn't have to negotiate - just went in with a quote from a broker and told them to match it or I would walk out again.

 

[Vormulac]

Gidon,

Don't know if this is any help or not, but due to the arrival of the sprog, we recently had to trade in the beloved MG for something with more than 2 seats. We ended up after much research and web-searching at a car superstore on the Western outskirts of London (yes, I know that's nowhere near you, but I'm sure the principle will be largely the same at car superstores all over the country) called CarGiant. We got a 2.0 litre Renault Laguna less than a year old, so still with the manufacturer's warrenty, with about 12000 on the clock with air con and electric everything and airbags all over it. £18500 new, on the forecourt at £8500, and with the trade in on the MG we paid £4000. The range of stock was truly staggering as well - with the exception of certain very high performance vehicles, there was pretty much at least one of everything less than 4 years old there!

We could have taken it away that evening but they did a mini-mot before they would let us have it and we had to wait until the next morning as they were replacing a blown sidelight bulb.

I was suitably impressed. The only downside is that it has a little 1"x1" 'Eurocar' sticker on the back that will take an act of divine intervention to remove.

Vormulac.

 

[gidon]

Don't think I'll get much trade-in anyway - but thanks Paul.

Paulg - I phoned a couple of online places and you're right - their responsiblity seems to end once you've got the car. It's then just up to the local dealer.

Thanks Vormulac - I don't have anyway like that nearby I don't think - but may take a look when I'm next up London way. Does sound like there are good deals to be had.

Doesn't seem anyone's used these online places then?

Cheers

Gidon

 

[Vormulac]

I haven't, but I remember looking at them when JamJar and similar were first being touted a couple of years ago. It seemed to me that unless you bought £80k worth of Jag, the savings were less than you could typically negotiate with a dealer, so I didn't bother to look at them again (although I see from that link you posted that the discounts do appear to have improved since then!)

V.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Doesn't seem anyone's used these online places then?

Whenever I've surfed around, the deals have never looked that good and I and others I know have done much better haggling with dealers. However, it's probably still worth looking on the net - if only to get a feel for what prices are like. Easy to get out of touch with what the market is doing if you haven't bought a car for a while :wink:

Paul