Buying A New Car

[Region3]

I'm probably not going to, but I'm curious about these online 'new car discount' places.

They say if it looks too good to be true it probably is, so what's the catch with these places?
Just playing around on manufacturers websites then comparing prices to the discount sites, there can be as much as £5k difference on a £25k car!

Anybody know anything about them?
Are they amazing deals or will franchised dealers also go this low if you push them?

Thanks.

 

[Fish]

I think its a buyers market at the moment and dealerships need to hit targets, I'd negotiate with a dealership for peace of mind personally.

 

[full_throttle]

when i ordered my new motor, the dealer got to within £600 of the online sites, for the extra money I get a more personal service, I am now a dealer customer instead of a fleet customer as I would have been had I gone the cheaper optrion.

If you go down the new car line be careful of the 'extras'. Gap Insurance can be almost double through a dealer than online

 

[Smiffy]

At first glance these on-line deals can look good.
But as you are not buying from an authorised dealer, you won't be eligible for any manufacturer incentives that are on offer.
For instance, on Qashqai at the moment we are offering a 0% PCP deal along with "up to £1,750.00 deposit allowances" and a 3 year servicing package for a one off payment of £299.00. None of these offers will be available from an online discount sites as they are manufacturer led. On top of that, there is always a little bit of discount the dealer will give you. But believe me, the days of dealers having 17% margins are gone. Our upfront margins vary between 5% and 7% depending on model. On Micra for instance it's 5% of the pre vat price. So on a basic Visia that works out about £400.00!! So please don't expect £££££££'s off a basic Micra!!
So it's not as simple as looking at the list prices and working it all out on that. Add the interest you have just saved at 0%, the money you have just saved on servicing over 3 years (would work out about £600) the £1,750.00 deposit allowance and the discount you have been given as well and we can normally compete.....if you hang around enough to listen.
Trouble is, most people who are interested in online buying won't. They will do the demo and promise to come back, but when you ring them to find out what's going on they smugly tell you that they bought online to "save money"....it's a shame when you tell them that you had worked the deal out and could have saved them even more!
And of course when things go wrong they will expect a loan car......sorry, they are all booked out mate. To our own customers. But had you bought the car from ME I would have loaned you my demonstrator for the day. Tough luck. Hire a car for the day.....oooops! That's just cost you more money.

 

[fundy]

At first glance these on-line deals can look good.
But as you are not buying from an authorised dealer, you won't be eligible for any manufacturer incentives that are on offer.
For instance, on Qashqai at the moment we are offering a 0% PCP deal along with "up to £1,750.00 deposit allowances" and a 3 year servicing package for a one off payment of £299.00. None of these offers will be available from an online discount sites as they are manufacturer led. On top of that, there is always a little bit of discount the dealer will give you. But believe me, the days of dealers having 17% margins are gone. Our upfront margins vary between 5% and 7% depending on model. On Micra for instance it's 5% of the pre vat price. So on a basic Visia that works out about £400.00!! So please don't expect £££££££'s off a basic Micra!!
So it's not as simple as looking at the list prices and working it all out on that. Add the interest you have just saved at 0%, the money you have just saved on servicing over 3 years (would work out about £600) the £1,750.00 deposit allowance and the discount you have been given as well and we can normally compete.....if you hang around enough to listen.
Trouble is, most people who are interested in online buying won't. They will do the demo and promise to come back, but when you ring them to find out what's going on they smugly tell you that they bought online to "save money"....it's a shame when you tell them that you had worked the deal out and could have saved them even more!
And of course when things go wrong they will expect a loan car......sorry, they are all booked out mate. To our own customers. But had you bought the car from ME I would have loaned you my demonstrator for the day. Tough luck. Hire a car for the day.....oooops! That's just cost you more money.

To counter that Smiffy it would be nice if you guys just told us your best price. Having recently bought a car (we ended up buying 2nd hand from a dealership) so frustrating going through the negotiation process, almost a drawn out charade until a price was agreed upon (I told them what I was prepared to pay initially and 4 days later they finally agreed to sell it to me at that price) and this was better than several of the dealers we tried to negotiate with (we looked at both new and used). I accept they want to get best price possible but must lose so many deals with the way they conduct business

 

[chrisd]

To counter that Smiffy it would be nice if you guys just told us your best price. Having recently bought a car (we ended up buying 2nd hand from a dealership) so frustrating going through the negotiation process, almost a drawn out charade until a price was agreed upon (I told them what I was prepared to pay initially and 4 days later they finally agreed to sell it to me at that price) and this was better than several of the dealers we tried to negotiate with (we looked at both new and used). I accept they want to get best price possible but must lose so many deals with the way they conduct business

I had a similar story when buying my wifes car but did a deal in the end on an ex demonstrator. Since then we get an annual call to say that the service is due, they want over £300 for a Toyota IQ and i've told them I can get it done by my local village garage a lot cheaper, no attempt to negotiate - " well we will remove you from our reminder list then"

My take is, I go to dealer for a service and the sales staff get to talk to me about a trade up to a newer model, I go to local garage and next car I buy could be any make, I know their costs are greater but £350 (I think for a service) is extortion and worse still the potential loss of future business - not the best business model as I see it!

 

[mikee247]

At first glance these on-line deals can look good.
But as you are not buying from an authorised dealer, you won't be eligible for any manufacturer incentives that are on offer.
For instance, on Qashqai at the moment we are offering a 0% PCP deal along with "up to £1,750.00 deposit allowances" and a 3 year servicing package for a one off payment of £299.00. None of these offers will be available from an online discount sites as they are manufacturer led. On top of that, there is always a little bit of discount the dealer will give you. But believe me, the days of dealers having 17% margins are gone. Our upfront margins vary between 5% and 7% depending on model. On Micra for instance it's 5% of the pre vat price. So on a basic Visia that works out about £400.00!! So please don't expect £££££££'s off a basic Micra!!
So it's not as simple as looking at the list prices and working it all out on that. Add the interest you have just saved at 0%, the money you have just saved on servicing over 3 years (would work out about £600) the £1,750.00 deposit allowance and the discount you have been given as well and we can normally compete.....if you hang around enough to listen.
Trouble is, most people who are interested in online buying won't. They will do the demo and promise to come back, but when you ring them to find out what's going on they smugly tell you that they bought online to "save money"....it's a shame when you tell them that you had worked the deal out and could have saved them even more!
And of course when things go wrong they will expect a loan car......sorry, they are all booked out mate. To our own customers. But had you bought the car from ME I would have loaned you my demonstrator for the day. Tough luck. Hire a car for the day.....oooops! That's just cost you more money.

mmmm Im not so sure - my mate works for BMW and some of the deals and discounts he can get me on cars and finance seem to be massive compared to Joe Bloggs would be offered and his margins would seem to reflect that as well.... they do tend to be on top end cars I agree and that said he could well be selling me a yarn which I wouldnt put past him or any stealers to be honest they are all out to and targeted to make money after all!! (no offence Smiffy) I've had dozens of cars over the years and rarely buy them on finance, brand new or via a dealer unless I know exactly what and whom I'm dealing with. You can seriously stung if your not careful as there are minimal regulations and price control. The average Jo on the street wont have a scooby about what all that ^^ above means and hes the likely person who buys the car "cos it look cool!!" gets in debt cant afford it and then gets it re possessed adding to credit issue once again.