Buying a car (around 1 year old) whens the best time?

bingobango_3

Hi,

am thinking of buying a new car (when I say new - not brand new, new to me). Am happy for a second hand one. Looking at the new shape focus. Just a quick question, do prices of cars that will be just 1 year old, in general drop by a noticable amount when the new reg ones come out? (eg March 2005 reg when March 2006 reg are released).

And seriously, how easy is it to haggle with car prices? Test drive, then walk away style? Keep quite that I have a car to trade in? How much could you realisticly expect them to take off (percentage wise).

Many thanks .

Lorian

For a 12 month old try http://www.motorpoint.co.uk/ Many are ex hire etc, but can be excellent value.

Nile

Hello bingobango


I've moved your thread to the 'Motoring & Public Transport' board, where it should get more views and responses.

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere(please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [email="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]!!!!!![/email].

Regards

Nile

bingobango_3

Thanks Lorian, I'll check that site out.
Thanks for that too Nile

*!*HIBS*!*

bingobango wrote:

do prices of cars that will be just 1 year old, in general drop by a noticable amount when the new reg ones come out? (eg March 2005 reg when March 2006 reg are released).

And seriously, how easy is it to haggle with car prices? Test drive, then walk away style? Keep quite that I have a car to trade in? How much could you realisticly expect them to take off (percentage wise). [/QUOTE]

First up, I am not a car sales person. Car prices drop as soon as you sign on the ................. or ___________ !:p Sometimes just before the new reg comes out say in Feb some car dealers do quite good deals on new cars, although maybe 2 or 3yrs later the deal looks even more affordable. For example a 03 Ford Fiesta 1.4 Zetec Hatchback 3d 1388cc Manual, list price of £9,727.00, may become £7995 after years??. A few factors are involved when deciding the amount to reduce such as current sales, sales targets, number of stocks left etc...

Same factors could be said for haggling and depends on how hard you haggle if you know your stuff or have done some research. Sometimes you get nice sales people and you can haggle to a good deal, other times, its like drawing blood out of a stone.:eek:

For more detailed info that I have come across reas this: Showroom Tips
http:/www.channel4.com/4car/n/shwtipsml :j

bingobango_3

Thanks *!*HIBS*!*, just having a read of that site now.

Exemplar

Well I have to say I feel slightly insulted by the guy at http://www.channel4.com/4car/new-cars/advice/showroom-tips/showroom-tips.html

I have never used those tactics at all, never will.

As for the customer driving first, that's fine, but the cars I sell are a bit specialist and sometimes the customer needs someone to show them how it works!
As an example yesterday someone said they wanted to drive first and insisted on doing so, I handed them the keys and left them to it, about one minute later they were in asking how to put it into gear!

So again, that guy needs to wake up a bit and realise we are not all the same!!!

Alex

*!*HIBS*!*

alcot33uk, maybe your one of those goods guys people talk about! A lot of these car sales people are that bad maybe worse! Bad image/news on one part may affect the whole industry. For example those car finance companies that you see on Watchdog!:eek:

Some of the advice provided on that site is for the mass produced cars. It just gives extra information to the customer to build upon their existing knowledge. It helps potential buyers be able to haggle for a better deal seeing as the car industry make lots of money each year!! Sometimes the people (regarding your specialist cars), will think they are the same as normal mass produced cars or a different type, so the customer will not know until they get inside the vehicle and find out for themselves. It could be that another of one of your customers may have driven in a similar car to the ones that you provide so they might like to get in first.

I am sure not knowing how to put it in first gear is like some of those people who don't know how to do basic maintenance checks, and they wonder why they breakdown on the motorway with the engine overheating for one example.