negotiating on a C1

MORPH3US

jtownson wrote: »

Odd that you are all saying this

I have been thinking the exact same thing...

Obviously not saying its incorrect, but I could count on one hand the number of 09 cars I have seen and I haven't seen many more 08 or 58 either....

Is this a case of the dealers talking up their sales in a "buy one quickly before they sell out" fashion?

Hintza

Yes but the manufacturers have cut back on supply over the last few months. But it is all a bit of a game of brinksmanship who will blink first.

soolin

MORPH3US wrote: »

I have been thinking the exact same thing...

Obviously not saying its incorrect, but I could count on one hand the number of 09 cars I have seen and I haven't seen many more 08 or 58 either....

Is this a case of the dealers talking up their sales in a "buy one quickly before they sell out" fashion?

That is a real possibility especially with larger cars. I have been trawling around the dealerships for a while and they were desperate to flog me larger cars and I could have negotiated well on them, but ask about the smaller ones and they start panicking as they can't get them.

For the Citroen dealers I visited they have a data base of available cars as they use a 'grab' system (I'm sure someone knows what it is actually called) where basically if they sell a car they can look on the data base and 'grab' any one at any other dealer and reserve it. They told me it was Nationwide but I suspect from what I could see it was slightly mor elocal, ie South East etc. One dealer that I have a good relationship with told me he had people on a waiting list for the C1 and he was taking deposits just to get on the waiting list, but if I wanted a slightly larger Citroen I could have it within a week.

A friend of a friend in the Midlands couldn't even get the dealer to take her deposit as he told her there was probably no chance at all of getting a car and he is seraching today for her and will take her deposit as and when he tracks down a C1. She's also on a list to see if the Peugeot garage can get the 107 first although that is a little dearer so she is hoping for the C1.

soolin

The other thing I found absolutely fascinating is that I could have bought several year old C1s over the past week but all dearer than the new one!

My friendly dealership said that they sell enough second hand ones at more than new to mean that they don't feel the need to lower their second hand prices at all. On the day I first visited he had even sold the one he was using for test drives, and that had gone for almost 7k, although it was a slightly better model as it had aircon and a rev counter.

soolin

Just an update. Garage have said it is unlikely they can source a car this week, but will order one and assuming they can get it by end of May 'they' (I assume Citroen not the dealer?) will honour the quoted price.

arrowsmith

I'd go an check out a Hyundai i10, more powerful engine, proper boot, more room, better handling and comfort. Still in the cheap range of tax and rated the the top small car by auto express and Honest John.

For £400 more you get aircon, better standard equipment and 5 year warranty, you'll lose a few MPG but if you want great MPG you should go for a new Suzuki Alto.