Negotiating price on used cars?

Lemoncurd

We've been looking at nearly new cars recently, at a range of dealers and trade/car supermarket type places and have found that they don't seem to be prepared to move on price at all. Is this typical nowadays?

I'm used to negotiating on any large purchase, last time I bought a car from a dealer (ok a long time ago, back in 1999 and it was new rather than 2nd hand so I was able to play off as many dealers and brokers as poss until I was satisfied I had the best price) I got a reduction of 2.5k so I'm reluctant to believe that there is no movement there at all. We found a car we really liked today and comparing it to a couple of others we'd seen we thought the price was a lot higher given the mileage it had. W spent a long time umming and ahing but when I said my maximum was only £300 less than the advertised price (15k car) they insisted that they were 'unable' to go any lower and that the price would be going up tomorrow. They suggested we looked at cheaper cars instead. We walked away but OH is getting a bit fed up with me doing this to every car we see!

anewman

Walk away with a warm feeling that the car will probably be stuck on their forecourt for ages costing them more than the price reduction you asked for Go to other places. IMHO car supermarkets are the worst places to go to and generally aimed at poor people who buy everything on credit and want a nice car for £x a week (125% APR or something silly like that) and are less likely to budge on price.

Lorian

Buyers market, they are being daft. I'd have thought even the lowest prices supermarkets would have taken that in the current climate. I would have been offering a lot less as an opener.

Lemoncurd

The one we liked today was at a large dealer, we've not been seriously prepared to buy any of the ones at the car supermarkets as they have had too many flaws and I don't particularly trust them.

We started looking 2 months ago and I really thought prices would be coming down and they would be getting more desperate for sales in the current climate. I wonder if our approach is all wrong??

Lorian

My approach is not conventional. I find the car I want then negotiate by email!

sheslookinhot

I agree, your offer should have been accepted by the dealer. Unbelievable really.

I would offer 10% less than advertised price and walk a away if it is not accepted. There are acres of used cars and new cars on land away from dealers forecourts.

I am looking for a small car about 4k-6k and would never handover the asking price.

lincroft1710

For some strange reason, car dealers, large and small are unable to understand that not every business transaction will be profitable or as profitable as expected, the phrase "take a hit" appears to be absent from their dictionaries.

AdrianHi

sheslookinhot wrote: »

I would offer 10% less than advertised price and walk a away if it is not accepted.

That would be my thinking. Cars on the forecourt are a liability at the moment depreciating twice as fast as normal. I've know a local BMW dealer has sold thirsty high emmissions cars at a loss of 1000's just to shift them lately.

anewman

AdrianHi wrote: »

That would be my thinking. Cars on the forecourt are a liability at the moment depreciating twice as fast as normal. I've know a local BMW dealer has sold thirsty high emmissions cars at a loss of 1000's just to shift them lately.

Guess that could well be the problem the OP is experiencing in reverse - if they are looking for small engine cheap tax etc. They probably think they can hold out for full asking price on those cars.

Lemoncurd

anewman wrote: »

Guess that could well be the problem the OP is experiencing in reverse - if they are looking for small engine cheap tax etc. They probably think they can hold out for full asking price on those cars.

I have been wondering if the car we are looking it is too popular and they know that they really can sell them for that price quickly, each one we've seriously considered does seem to have moved within a few weeks..
We're not looking for a small efficient car at the moment though. We're focusing on a 1 year old Ford S-Max 2l Diesel or 2.5l petrol.

Chris2685

Well I couldn't believe it the other day when we part exchanged our car for £650 (I was only expecting £500, maybe £700 privately) and then had a look on their web site and they put it on for £1995...

Crazy, it was a 2000 model (X reg) Daewoo Matiz!

It is now up for £1695 as I type... I think they just hope to get lucky with their prices.