How to get a discount on a car

bartsimpson

What is the best discount you have had on a car, new or used, and what technique did you employ to get the discount?

goldspanners

£3000 ford priveledge discount and some haggling.

chuckles1066

£2800 off a brand new Ford Focus CC by using AutoEbid.

Kez100

7%, retaining the 0% finance and a free tank of fuel on a Toyota.

By luck more than judgement. Contacted a dealer just out of my 'local' range on another matter and then decided to buy new. He was prepared to do a good deal because he knew being some way away it would be easier for me to buy locally. He also had a target to meet and was close to it. A friend had secured a similar deal up country, based on What Car target price? and so I put it to him that if he agreed the same deal they had I would pay a deposit. Result.

Used cars I have always had a problem with. Never really got any great discounts, or should I say decent negotiation on 'cost to change'. I did have a good offer on the table recently but didn't go for it as I wasn't happy with the used vehicle. I think the reason the offer was so good was due to it being obvious I wasn't as interested after the test drive as before. The offer there was an additional £400 more PE for my vehicle and £350 body and seat protection plus all the faults we found put right.

The key seems to be to get control of the situation. Falling in love with a car you just have to have as soon as possible is the worst position to be seen in, but it's very common!

nickj_2

it's a buyers market . if the garage your buying from doesn't come up with a good deal be prepared to find anther that does

moonrakerz

You may see the car you are after in a dealership, but it's the wrong colour, wrong engine, etc, etc - but the dealer has marked it way down to get it off the forecourt.

Go and ask if he can do the same price for the colour,engine, etc, etc that you want. then ask what else he is offering as part of the deal.

bartsimpson

goldspanners wrote: »

£3000 ford priveledge discount and some haggling.

Can you elaborate on your haggling technique?

My best discount was around £500, all I did was go to the Parkers website used price guide and said, well this is what Parkers recommends, can you match it?

I reckon with some different tricks of the trade and a bit more time and thought I may have secured a much bigger discount, but I hate dealing with car salesmen.

Crabman

chuckles1066 wrote: »

£2800 off a brand new Ford Focus CC by using AutoEbid.

Impressive saving - out of interest did you try to price local dealers off against each other before going to Autoebid and was the winning dealer near you?

chuckles1066

Crabman wrote: »

Impressive saving - out of interest did you try to price local dealers off against each other before going to Autoebid and was the winning dealer near you?

Nope, I used the "name my own price" facility.............easy peasy!

The winning dealer was about 40 miles away.

jeannieblue

Crabman wrote: »

Impressive saving - out of interest did you try to price local dealers off against each other before going to Autoebid and was the winning dealer near you?

Thats what I have done in the past. Also, if they don't give me what I want I walk out and if they let you walk out, they're not worth dealing with

Bart, I detest car salesmen/women too - although they're probably not all bad, in line with Estate agents - who are not all bad either, I'm sure

Kez100

I dislike them generally too but I have to say the guy I dealt with this time was really nice. I felt an equal!

Have to say I didn't play anyone off against anyone. I can't be bothered with all the too-ing and fro-ing and I don;t think it can help a rapport. I said I wouldn't if he was prepared to offer a great deal - and he did. It is easy enough with the net to get some idea of what you can get away with and the rest is down to luck a bit - finding a dealer needing to get that extra sale that month to win on, presumably, bonuses.