Car dealership used car price hike before viewing!

pineapple

Hi folks
Have arranged to see a used car at a national car dealership on Friday.
I viewed the car online and discussed it over the phone/arranged to view on Wednesday morning - but by Thursday morning the price advertised on the website was showing as £6295 (as opposed to the original £5995). I thought my memory must be playing tricks but managed to open a cached version at the original price. They are bringing the car up from one of their other branches. Surely this can't be the reason?
It's not a huge amount and I would be negotiating them down from the initial specified price anyway but if this is some sort of weasel tactic dealerships use, I am tempted to back out on principle.
Anyone experienced this?
Cheers

forgotmyname

Possibly. Or one of the sorry that cars sold but we have a similar car for sale but its £300 dearer.

Maybe the cost of transporting the car closer to you. Did you ask about any charges for that? Someone posted recently they got charged for having a car moved to a closer dealership to purchase.

pineapple

It's the same car - same reg etc.
They offered to bring the car from Oldham to Keighley - around 40 miles. I never thought to ask if there was a charge. Imo it's a bit naughty of them not to mention it if that's the reason.
But in any case why alter the website price?

bigjl

It's their car and they can decide what they want to sell it for.

Different areas have different overheads.

Different branches of the same dealer chain may also value the same car differently.

Nothing wrong with mentioning the first price and asking them to honour it.

bowlhead99

Regardless of what the sticker price now says, or used to say, you're only going to pay them what you think it is worth and they are only going to let it go at a price that covers all their costs and the salesman commission and the lost opportunity of being able to sell it to a bunch of other customers who might offer more.

Maybe now they have moved it to Keighley where space in the carpark is less tight and they can let it sit around longer and they have more local people who can afford to pay more money for that type of car etc etc, they feel they should be asking more for it. Perhaps the 'going rate' for that age and specification of car in that part of the country has changed by 5% since they first advertised it, or perhaps the person advertising it initially put the wrong price in error.

A sticker price is only an invitation for you to make them an offer and even if you offered them £6400 they could choose not to sell it to you if they felt that on balance they would prefer to hold out for another customer who is perhaps trading in his car and would stretch to paying £6500 if they asked him to pay it.

So, while knowing it was originally advertised at under £6k is your advantage in negotiations, it doesn't really change what you will be able to get it for. If you can find a hundred other ones of the same or better condition advertised for a lower price, or feel that some of the other ones would drop their price, there is no point paying too much. If it is relatively unique and you think you would have to pay £6k somewhere else, then there is no point holding back if you really want it - that's how the market works.

When I bought a car late last year I paid less than the sticker price but 'overpaid' compared to guideline prices for the make and model. However the exact specific spec was relatively rare in terms of colour, trim, age and options, and an identical one hasn't come up on the market nationally in the two months since. Even though I didn't need the car in December, and the dealer would probably have reduced it to improve his figures if he didn't find another buyer by the end of the year, I was willing to pay the money rather than miss out on getting the car and go back to shopping around and waiting.

That's what the market's all about. The dealers will all make out like their price is fair and have excuses why they should change a price or why they can't lower a price. Ultimately if you find a number that works for you and them, the sale will happen, but if you want to pay £5600 and they want £5800 it will stay unsold until one of you caves.

arcon5

I doubt they'd adjust the website based on one customer viewing it.

pineapple

Cheers folks
I've emailed them to ask why the increase. I know it is all negotiable but I find it odd that the advertised price (it is still on the forecourt in Oldham) has gone up inbetween me asking about it and arranging to see it. And now I've noticed that another car we were discussing has gone up too - but none of the others have.

colino

Not at all unusual in the 21st century to have different prices for different mediums of sale. Ask the many followers on here for ECP v. Carparts4less comparisons.
Just remember that you always negotiate prices, never commit with a deposit unless you are already 100% certain (of car and seller) and use your credit card for S75 protection.

hollie.weimeraner

Looking for cars for my sons last year there were plenty of cars on Autotrader advertised cheaper than the screen price when we turned up. Just take the cached screenshot with you and use it to your advantage if you like the car.

worried_jim

I too have bought a car that was dearer on the sticker in the lot to the web picture price when I went to view it, no problems as it was offered to me immediately at the original price.

OP- best thing to do us if they won't honour it and you want it, is to leave your number and walk away telling them to call you when they've changed their minds. You will get the call the same day.

Marktheshark

Sounds like they think they have spotted you are hooked and will be buying anyway.
After all that is what they do for a living, they can spot someone smitten a mile off.
They will probably agree to back down to the other price thus avoiding backing down the first price.

Look elsewhere, not as if the market is short of second hand cars at the moment, its a buyers market. .