Used car prices - help please

welshsue

I am looking to purchase a used car shortly and have been looking at dealers websites for prices etc.

I have been checking Parkers used car guide and Glass's guide (cost £3.50 for each valuation) and the figures for independant dealers prices have at least a £1500 difference between each site. .

Which one should I take more notice of when trying to do a deal with a dealer.

mrscb

IMO.Glass's guide will be more accurate...but dont forget its just a guide..
Check out how much similar cars are on Autotrader.Obviously the cars will all vary...mileage,some colours better than others etc so there wont be a set price.
Take someone with you that knows about cars,do all the necessary checks BEFORE you buy and set your budget and dont go over it.Be prepared to walk away if the deals not good enough(if they have your details they may come back to you;)
Please dont walk in with copies or books of guide prices...they will see you coming!!!!

welshsue

thanks for that, very interesting. Didn't think to look on Auto Trader, will do that now.

pineapple

What Car (online) has a valuation section which gives an idea of a reasonable price to pay.

aqueoushumour01

the difference may be because glass is the trade in value where as you are probably looking at the dealer retail value on parkers. glass is the official part ex guide price

Inactive

aqueoushumour01 wrote: »

the difference may be because glass is the trade in value where as you are probably looking at the dealer retail value on parkers. glass is the official part ex guide price

Not strictly speaking " official " but it is the guide mainly used by the trade, usually to their own benefit.;)

atrixblue.-MFR-.

dont forget that the screen price is allways what the dealer wants the car to sell for not what your prepared to pay for! research, hagle, bargain and plead and remember if your serious about buying the car CHECK (HPI or rac inspection or both)-TEST (all gears, electrics, tyres,performance,mileage etc)-CHECK AGAIN (purchase reciept, warenty detail mileage matches the current mileage of the car and all agreements met prior to collection). and dont forget if you going on finance allways check the APR your going to pay!! try and haggle this too my bro in law bought a golf mk4 5 years ago they wanted 16%variable APR his bank could offer a fixed rate of 7% APR on a loan he showed this to the sales man and they put him on 6% fixed APR because of his status!!

Pincher

I would go to an auction to get a feel for prices. That should give you a baseline figure.