Buying used car - price negotiation?

gatsbyNZ

Has anyone had any recent experience buying a car from a used car dealer. The one I'm interest has a price on autotrader for £14k. With money being tight generally, so less buyers, are dealers more likely to negotiate? It's a nice diesel motor with low mileage, 2016. Been advertised a few weeks ago. Obv I realise the dealer needs to make a profit, but what would be a I'm not taking the !!!!!! offer. 15% less? I would expect a 5% final offer. Cash buyer and can buy on the day, but I guess they make more profit on finance. 

Another question, should I go for a low mileage older car or a newer car with the relative same mileage. Eg 2015 50k miles Vs 2017 65k. jaguar XE if it helps. 

Thanks

Herzlos

What do you feel it's worth? How does it compare to other cars?

Used car prices are very strong at the moment and the way the car dealership model has changed in that dealers need to have a competitive headline figure to get the customer to call, because overinflating it by £1k to knock it off later means the customer will buy a cheaper one.

You can try, but it's unlikely you'll get much off it in cash terms, but you may be able to negotiate better finance or deals on dealer extras like floor mats.

anycolourcar

Herzlos said:

What do you feel it's worth? How does it compare to other cars?

Used car prices are very strong at the moment and the way the car dealership model has changed in that dealers need to have a competitive headline figure to get the customer to call, because overinflating it by £1k to knock it off later means the customer will buy a cheaper one.

You can try, but it's unlikely you'll get much off it in cash terms, but you may be able to negotiate better finance or deals on dealer extras like floor mats.

well said 

Mutton_Geoff

There is much more to choosing a car than just the mileage and age. As Herzlos says, you need to set your budget then go about finding the best car you can for that money. It's not all about kicking tyres and knocking percentages off as if you were Arthur Daley.

I'm a strong believer in people doing business with people rather than the actual product you're buying. How close is the dealer, how are their reviews, how quick is it to get through to their service number (if they provide this). Ignore fluff like warranties, full tank of fuel and floor mats. Nail the deal on the car you want. The mileage it's covered so far is relative to what you will be putting on it? Are you a high miler so it won't matter or so low that you'll help pull the average back down when you come to sell on?

SaverRate

Ask the dealership if theres any movement on the price. I have done this every time ive brought a car. Sometimes they say yes other times they say no. 

Alanp

You could negotiate a deal using their finance, then pay it in full a few days later…

Goudy

Don't ask.
Asking often prompts a simple slam down reaction, a no or I can't.
This tends to stop any more negotiation.

Make a reasonable offer and back that offer up with a valid point or two.

As it's a 5 or 6 year old Jag, I would perhaps ask for a reduction on price to cover the cost of a fairly comprehensive third party warranty (go armed with what this would cost).

If a third party warranty is £1000, ask for something like £950 or £900 off, then you can always point to your offer being reasonable. Like you're doing them a favour.

They will of course state they offer a six months warranty, but you can argue that's not long enough for a car that tends to have some pretty expensive repairs when they go wrong.
If they can't move on price, can they extend their 6 months?

Now you've opened up the negotiation to a bit more back and forth, giving you both some opportunities to reach an agreement.

Make sure these valid points suit your standpoint rather than theirs.
Stating you can pay cash isn't the big incentive it used to be, as you already know they make money from finance so it's not really in your favour to mention this yet, even less to use it as a lever.

Also if you have a couple of points, don't throw them out all at once, work one at a time.
If they are reacting negatively to each one, you can put them on the back foot a little. Just hint you are doing everything to make this deal and they are the one holding it up. This will let them know you're open for business but the ball is in their court.

None of this is certain to work, but you would have given it a better shot then just asking meekly asking for a few quid off.
Though there's nothing to stop you asking as a last resort, say something like everyone expects a few quid off buying a used car, you would have done that for others, why not me!

Don't get awkward or arsey about this, keep it all pleasant and they may want to help you more than if being a bit of a pushy customer.

prowla

Make sure they know that you are a serious potential buyer, but that you are prepared to walk away if the price isn't right.

Some years ago I wanted to buy a car, but the dealer refused to negotiate on price and said the best he could do was to throw in some mats. I gave them another chance but they declined, so I went and bought the car elsewhere. I then drove it back to the dealer's and bought the mats; the salesman's face dropped when he saw me park up outside.

Grumpy_chap

gatsbyNZ said:

Has anyone had any recent experience buying a car from a used car dealer. The one I'm interest has a price on autotrader for £14k. With money being tight generally, so less buyers, are dealers more likely to negotiate? 

Obv I realise the dealer needs to make a profit, but what would be a I'm not taking the !!!!!! offer. 15% less? I would expect a 5% final offer. 

Cars still seem to be selling quickly.

Getting 15% (£2k off £14k) is highly unlikely in the current market I would have thought.  I can't say how likely a 5% reduction would be, but it's £700 in absolute terms.  It might be a point from which you can negotiate.  It also depends where the price is actually priced - if it is advertised at £14k on the nose or £14,700 makes a difference to how that target for a £700 reduction will come across.

If you are willing to lose the car, you could try to take advantage of the time of the month and make an offer, then leave it for the Dealer to consider.  If they don't sell the car this weekend or next, they might call you up keener to deal in the last three days of the month.  All depends on what target they have set.

motorguy

Alanp said:

You could negotiate a deal using their finance, then pay it in full a few days later…

Used car.  I dont imagine they'd get enough incentive to make them move on the price of the car.

jimjames

gatsbyNZ said:

Another question, should I go for a low mileage older car or a newer car with the relative same mileage. Eg 2015 50k miles Vs 2017 65k. jaguar XE if it helps. 

Thanks

Difference in mileage is negligible. When you said low miles I though you meant 20k miles vs 100k miles. I'd always go for the newer car especially when there is such little difference in mileage