Car Dealership Extras

paulspencerwilliams

I have just plunged into the world of nearly new cars. On completion of placing a deposit, the salesman provided information on two interesting services / products. I am sceptical to their worth and wondered what others thought...

The first item is known as GAP insurance which costs 350 pounds for 3 years. This insurance covers the gap (get it?) between an insurance payout and the original purchase price or outstanding finance of the car if it got written off. The dealer continued to provide examples where often the insurance payout may be into thousands less than the replacement cost of a car - not good when you still have to complete finance payments for the first car.

The second item is a set of paint sealents, interior stain resistent and such like that helps keep the in mint condition and increase future resale price of the car. Seems similar to the leather cleaning sprays etc that shoe shops always try to sell you when you buy trainers.

sujman

I have no specific experience in this area but my first thoughts are:

1. GAP Insurance. Bit like extended warranties when you buy electrialy goods. You can always buy equal cover more cheaply elsewhere. I'd ring a few insurance companies and see what they quote.

2. Cleaning stuff. Again, probably buy something similar much more cheaply from another source. Perhaps you should get them to throw this in for free, considering your large purchase from them.

Having said all of that, you've just spent several thousands of pounds on a nearly new car, whats a few more hundred pounds at the dealership? Saves you the hassle of shopping around....

maclean2

If you still want GAP insurance try googling and get some other quotes.From past threads on this topic the dealer is adding a hefty commission to the price so you can easily save yourself a lot.Whymake the salesman rich ?

highguyuk

I know someone who has recently bought a new KA and was offered the cleaning service and used it. Very happy with it.

vansboy

GAP cover IS one of the few 'add on', insurances well worth considering. But do shop around for this, as mentioned.

As for the 'treatments', this is an expensive way, of not really giving any added value - you certainly won't get any more £$£$ come selling on the car, in the future.

If you really can't face looking after the car, cosmetically, think about regular valeting, from any number of mobile firms, every now & again. At least you'll be cleaning the road grime & interior dirt, which will STILL appear - even with a protection product.

Better still, check http://www.meguiars.co.uk/ for hints n tips, on looking after your new car & spend a few £$£ on some of the items in their range & you'll be more than impressed, at just how long a new car, can look NEW!!

VB

like-saving-money

paulspencerwilliams wrote:

The second item is a set of paint sealents, interior stain resistent and such like that helps keep the in mint condition and increase future resale price of the car. Seems similar to the leather cleaning sprays etc that shoe shops always try to sell you when you buy trainers.

these paint sealants do what they say, i am a professional valeter and i do the paint sealants and i am not saying this because im a valeter but they do actually work and dont buy from a dealer as they rip you off big time :eek: . when applying these sealants you have to be qualified to apply them as you get a gurantee (upto 6 years) on them, but then there is a certain up keep on your car after application to keep your gurantee like not going therough car washes or jet washes, using a certain kind of wash and wax and what you find is that the person who applys these at the dealers is the casual 16 year old saturday staff who has no idea how to apply them as these take up to 4 hours to apply and that is just the paint protection as for the interior it has to be valeted to a very clean condition before applying the fabric protector and then that has to be sprayed on out of the can

if you are after a paint sealant do not buy off ebay as there is a lot of fake stuff on there but if you do want to read some further more info on the paint seaqlants have a look on my site http://www.stevescleenz.co.uk/paint_sealants.htm

the sealant that i use personelly is the silver seal one as this has lasted 4 years on my van and only recently have just polished it again but if you do want to buy a sealant kit i can provide you with one (about 10 times less than the dealer will charge you) but you will not have any guarantee on it as you will be applying it

:beer:

xycom1

paulspencerwilliams wrote:

The first item is known as GAP insurance which costs 350 pounds for 3 years. This insurance covers the gap (get it?) between an insurance payout and the original purchase price or outstanding finance of the car if it got written off. The dealer continued to provide examples where often the insurance payout may be into thousands less than the replacement cost of a car - not good when you still have to complete finance payments for the first car.

The second item is a set of paint sealents, interior stain resistent and such like that helps keep the in mint condition and increase future resale price of the car. Seems similar to the leather cleaning sprays etc that shoe shops always try to sell you when you buy trainers.

As you say it's nearly new, I wouldn't have thought that there will be a huge depreciation immediately and so the GAP insurance might be obselete? As usual with insurances, if the insurer didn't make money on it then they wouldn't offer it - I would only take it out if you can't afford to lose what they are covering you for...!

As like-saving-money says - the dealer will bend you over for the paint/trim protection - I'm guessing they will want to charge you £100-200 for it? The actual stuff only costs about £30 I believe - the rest is mark-up.

like-saving-money

xycom1 wrote:

As like-saving-money says - the dealer will bend you over for the paint/trim protection - I'm guessing they will want to charge you £100-200 for it? The actual stuff only costs about £30 I believe - the rest is mark-up.

very close price guess there on the price of the actual product and as for dealers prices the last sealant i did i got him to phone the dealer and they wanted £350 plus vat to apply it customer i got to :T :T :cool:

Murphy_The_Cat

Ok my 10 cents worth.

I wouldn't be prepared to pay the insurance on the insurance (I.e Gap) because it's not something I'm into - however when I took out my policy for my car, it already included 12 months GAP insurance (if you wrote it off in the first year you'd get a replacement FOC) - so check with your insurer.

As for paint sealants (Supaguard, Diamond Brite, Life Shine etc), I think that they are great. Several years later and your car still comes up a treat. They are however not a cheap thing to have done, but can form part of the negotiations when getting a car. The deal offers you the treatment and tells you that it is a discount worth £200 - £400, but it only costs him £40 plus the time for the bloke thats going to do it. For myself, I pay it every time and think that it is worth it.

MTC

p.s. like-saving-money are there some colours / finishes that would benefit from paint sealant more than others i.e Flat Red against say Black Pearlescent ?

like-saving-money

i do think that Red, Black and white benefit the most as these are the most common colours to fade (go dull) but i would still reccomend having a sealant on any colour of car as they all have a clear coat of laquer and this is what makes the car shine and if you look after this your car will always shine

P.s Murphy i do reccomend next time you have a sealant go to a valeter as you will save your self a lot of money

plane_boy2000

Gap insurance can be bought for about £90 on the net if you shop around. The "free" gap insurance that murphy_the_cat refered to is usually if you are the first owner i.e. you bought the car new, but its worth checking. I have gap insurance just because it means that if the car is a total loss I can just step back into a new one. If the car was decalred a loss at two years old I would only get what the insurance co value it at at that point so would either have to stump up the difference for a new car again or go back and by a used car.

Ref the sealent products - dont pay the dealer - they are massive profit centres, but ask if they will chuck it in - tell them its the difference between buying and walking and most will give it to you, although I had diamondbrite on my last car and didnt really think it did much. The no waxing for 3 years was a bit iffy as the shine dissapeard in a few weeks and you had to keep washing the car with their special products which to me looked like t cut, but if its free go for it.