Car buying

booba

Does anyone have any experience of buying a car via one of the on-line brokers. They discount heavily - the car is brought as a "fleet" car but the company holds the registration document for 6 months. Help!

Conrad

My general observation is that I like dealing with local traders that are there when things go wrong. If for example these cars come with a warranty I'd be damned careful to read exactly what is covered. Tp give an example - if the car wont start one morning, will the dealer tow it away and give a courtesey car? Good local dealers in my experience will look after you in ways that some distant call centre just wont.

So buyer beware - cost is not everything in the long run.
I'd say I almost certainly wouldn#t do it as there will be service implications somwhere and you will almost certyainly be viewed as just a number by a salesy organisation.

iolanthe07

Why not post this in the motoring section? You will get a lot more expert opinion from people in the trade.

Chorlie

Get a price from the On-Line dealer and then phone around to see if a main dealer will match it or get close to it.

You might have to phone around the country, but you might get the same deal.

MrSmartprice

Chorlie wrote: »

Get a price from the On-Line dealer and then phone around to see if a main dealer will match it or get close to it.

You might have to phone around the country, but you might get the same deal.

Sound advice, that's exactly what I did last year.

I decided to change my old Berlingo for the new model and shopped around to find the best price with a broker. I got a quote emailed to me and printed it out. It was alarmingly cheap and I doubted any Citroen dealer would match it, but I decided to try. There are several within a 20 mile radius so I worked my way through them.

At each dealer I told them what model I wanted and that I would buy if their price was right. The first three were about £300-400 too high and couldn't match. The fourth salesman went very pale when shown the quote he had to match, but eventually they agreed to do so.

The only advice I would add is don't be frightened to walk away if they don't meet expectations. It's still a buyer's market. You can always return, but in practice they will normally follow up with a phone call to check. All 3 did in my case.

booba

Thanks Mr. Smartprice - that's exactly what we did. The local dealer came very close to the online quote and we ordered our new car this morning!

Glad

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Kilty_2

NEVER buy from a broker that retains the logbook - there are enough brokers out there with whom you will be the first registered keeper.

Ones that retain the logbook are effectively committing fraud by misleading the manufacturer as to the use of the car in order to get a discount.