Went to see my friendly local Skoda dealer about buying a face-lifted Roomster, looking at figures for the new 1.6 TDI 105bhp.

The full price is £14,735 but I would get £2111 off with the 'VAT-free' offer, making £12,624. (The extras I want come to about £325 on top of that).

He has offered me £500 for my admittedly scruffy Fabia (101000 miles) in part-exchange.

I am really bad at bargaining but how much more, if anything, should I be looking to get off?

On CarQuake they only have the 'old' 1.9 TDI listed at £12,020 (reduced from £14,515) a reduction of £2495. I could save £400 to £500 by going with them but would like to use my local dealer as they will service the car...

Just re-checked Drive the Deal and they have the 1.9 TDI listed as £11,722, a saving of £2793.

I seem to have put lots of figures in there - apologies! I feel very green (inexperienced) about these things.

Many thanks for any advice,

Matthew.

I'd ask your dealer to match the DTD price. If they won't and you really want to buy from the dealer then you could always ask for a deal on your next service(s).

Even if you don't buy from this dealer, you can still have them service the car. For me it's all about the bottom line but that's the way I am. I think there's always a deal to be done, never accept the first offer.

Is £500 a good price for your old car? I have no idea. Maybe you'd do better selling it yourself?

At the very least take the DTD print off with you and ask the dealer if he can get closer to that, the worst he can say is no, and if he cant knock any cash off it then you can maybe try for some options at reduced price.

Unless your Fabia is absolutely horrid, with no MOT or tax, £500 is a joke for a trade-in. Stick it in the classifieds on here at £800 and it'll sell.

As for who'll service it, that's where they make their money, so why would they bother if you hadn't bought the car from them?

Skoda are supporting the VAT-Free offer, so the dealer still has about 8% to give you if they want.

The real question you should be asking though, is do I want the older 1.9TDI or do I want the new CR 1.6TDI? Only you can answer that, but I think the new one will resale better. Call DTD and ask them to update their listings.

the other one to try is autofinders

my car came from there, saved a fair amount, (even got some discount on the extras i had factory fitted) had to travel to derby to collect but they would have driven it down to me, had good service from them

contact information: tel: 01246 22 11 91 email: [email protected]

http://www.autofinders.co.uk/car_list.php?openID=15&makeID=18&modelID=11

they do not list the face lift model yet, but drop them an email and they will get a quote for you, they order the car so you can have any factory fitted extra same as a dealer

they do do part x as well so give them the details of your car (but i think they prefer no part ex), be honest about condition and see what they offer, it will all come back in writing so you can show the dealer and see if they want to match it (assuming it is a better offer than the dealer

always better to have the competing quote in writing, then not classed as hear say and dealer more likely to match

the other one is do you have several skoda dealers in a reason able distance, if so try all of them, i have 3 in about a 30 mile radius

peter

Edited 18 March, 201016 yr by bluecar1

Thanks for all the advice. I will do some research and let you know how I get on...

Cheers,

Matthew.

One thing thats puzzling me, why would anyone expect the dealer to match the online quote when its not for the same car? If they were both for the same, new, 1.6 engine, then I could understand it, but not when the old engine is being compared to the new one!

One thing thats puzzling me, why would anyone expect the dealer to match the online quote when its not for the same car? If they were both for the same, new, 1.6 engine, then I could understand it, but not when the old engine is being compared to the new one!

I'll put my hand up and say that I missed what the OP had written about the quotes being for two different cars.

I would always advise ‘haggle’, as if you don’t ask, you don’t get. Be polite and friendly, but also be firm, as if you joke about, the dealer will see you will easily back down. I got my Skoda at the DtD price form a dealer and my current BMW at almost the DtD price, also from a dealer, so it is worth asking.

One important thing I learnt over the years is to be ready to walk away if you don’t get near to the deal you are after. The best deals I have done, have been when I have had a relaxed time scale to buy a new car. This gives you time to shop around and the fact that your mindset is ready to walk away owing to the lack of time pressure that you can afford, means the dealer will see that if he/she wants the deal, they must get pretty close to your haggle price. It also takes a lot of stress out of buying a car too.

One thing thats puzzling me, why would anyone expect the dealer to match the online quote when its not for the same car? If they were both for the same, new, 1.6 engine, then I could understand it, but not when the old engine is being compared to the new one!

Yes, sorry for the confusion. It's just that the web sites don't have the new model listed yet. There is only £230 difference between the 1.9 SE and the new 1.6 SE (on the RRP) so was just using the quotes from the broker web sites as a guide.

I have contacted DtD and CarQuake directly and they hope to have the new models listed by the middle of next week. I appreciate that the new models may not have such a good discount but they do say all these cars are ordered new, not already made and waiting to be sold off. In fact, my local Skoda dealer said that Skoda had 'closed the book' on ordering the pre-facelifted models.

Amanda, thank you for your sensible advice. The only thing in the back of my mind is the 'VAT-fee' offer which is due to end on 31st March (although some feel it will just be extended).

Cheers,

Matthew.

Amanda, thank you for your sensible advice. The only thing in the back of my mind is the 'VAT-fee' offer which is due to end on 31st March (although some feel it will just be extended).

Cheers,

Matthew.

I am in a similar position myself about ordering a car this month. But I am quite happy to walk away if I can’t get the deal I want, as I feel sure that another deal will be along before the year ends. Well I hope so

If your Fabia is 11 years old with the MPi engine an no AC and it has done 101k and is a bit scruffy doesn't sound like 'a joke'.

But if it's a Comfort 16v with AC with a full history and only a couple minor scuffs as one would expect for a higher mileage car than you might be able to get a little more.

We only retain a small margin with the VAT deal as the discount is split between dealer and manufacture support.

Not one wanting to agree with a dealer but you have to be fair, they do need to make money. I would suggest if they are not willing to budge on the p/x value you offer it for private sale on ebay or even on here.

Use parkers and autotrader to give you an idea of what the car is worth. I've also in the past gone to the dealer with a high price that I wanted for the p/x knowing that they will alway knock you down. In the end you normally get what you wanted in the first place.

The dealer will not sell you fabia on through the forecourt so it will go to auction and it may not reach a good price so the £500 is so they will not loose on the p/x car.

Most important of all if the deal is not right for you walk away.

Use parkers and autotrader to give you an idea of what the car is worth.

don't forget to factor in the milage, there is a table in the front of the parkers guide to give you a guide to adjust the price depending on your average milage

peter

don't forget to factor in the milage, there is a table in the front of the parkers guide to give you a guide to adjust the price depending on your average milage

peter

But please bear in mind it is just that, a guide. It's only worth what someone is willing to write a cheque out for.

If it's of any help a basic Fabia 8v Classic registered in 2000 with 100,000 in Glass' Guide (The industry standard) books at £725. So £500 on a factory order sale and if it's a little tatty isn't a bad valuation.

But like someone else said if you aren't happy with this you can always sell it for more, dealers can only really give you whatever it's worth in the trade.

But please bear in mind it is just that, a guide. It's only worth what someone is willing to write a cheque out for.

If it's of any help a basic Fabia 8v Classic registered in 2000 with 100,000 in Glass' Guide (The industry standard) books at £725. So £500 on a factory order sale and if it's a little tatty isn't a bad valuation.

But like someone else said if you aren't happy with this you can always sell it for more, dealers can only really give you whatever it's worth in the trade.

as you say, it is only a guide, my point was not knowing the milage or condition to ensure he gets as accurate as possible guide, but the other thing is to be realistic about milage and general condition

peter

I did a deal on a car a couple of weeks ago and got within about £700 of the DtD price (about £4K discount). I also think I may take GAP (BTI) if they will do me a deal on it. In the end I got a deal I was happy with and the dealer will have made about £1,500+ profit approx (by my reckoning), so we all got something.

I have to say that I do feel sorry for dealers. When I sold cars, the management said things like “how many people have ever bought cars off the internet?......None! that’s how many! And they never will either!†How wrong they were :( I will always haggle hard but will happily stop short of the ultimate price, as if dealers keeps matching the prices of these brokers, who is going to pay for all the nice shiny demonstrators, the showrooms, and the trained technical staff with their expensive machinery? People often seem to think they are being ripped off by dealers, but there are so many dealers going out of business, it shows that in many cases there just isn’t the profit needed to keep them afloat.

Perhaps I am going soft in my old age

I have to say that I do feel sorry for dealers. When I sold cars, the management said things like “how many people have ever bought cars off the internet?......None! that’s how many! And they never will either!†How wrong they were :( I will always haggle hard but will happily stop short of the ultimate price, as if dealers keeps matching the prices of these brokers, who is going to pay for all the nice shiny demonstrators, the showrooms, and the trained technical staff with their expensive machinery? People often seem to think they are being ripped off by dealers, but there are so many dealers going out of business, it shows that in many cases there just isn’t the profit needed to keep them afloat.

Perhaps I am going soft in my old age

No, I completely agree and did the same thing as you when I bought my Roomster (used the DTD price to do battle but bought from the dealer)

The internet brokers have few overheads so don't need to make a massive amount on each car. And if dealers can't make any money selling the cars then they'll only put their servicing charges up...

I have to say that I do feel sorry for dealers. When I sold cars, the management said things like “how many people have ever bought cars off the internet?......None!

i can confirm i bought mine off the internet, got about £2000 saving on list 3 years ago, it was built to order with cruise, TPM and the brake / ESP upgrade, looking at going back to same firm to change wifes car later this year

the car cam from a skoda dealer in manchester to a firm near derby and i live in kent, first time i drove a roomster was on the way back from derby with it new

so people do by off the internet and do make reasonable savings

peter

i can confirm i bought mine off the internet, got about £2000 saving on list 3 years ago, it was built to order with cruise, TPM and the brake / ESP upgrade, looking at going back to same firm to change wifes car later this year

the car cam from a skoda dealer in manchester to a firm near derby and i live in kent, first time i drove a roomster was on the way back from derby with it new

so people do by off the internet and do make reasonable savings

peter

I think you will find that’s what I was saying.

I did a deal on a car a couple of weeks ago and got within about £700 of the DtD price (about £4K discount). I also think I may take GAP (BTI) if they will do me a deal on it. In the end I got a deal I was happy with and the dealer will have made about £1,500+ profit approx (by my reckoning), so we all got something.

What the hell did you buy where the dealer could stand to make £5,500 profit if he didn't discount it?

What cars did you used to sell and what margins did they have in them, 25% or something?

What the hell did you buy where the dealer could stand to make £5,500 profit if he didn't discount it?

What cars did you used to sell and what margins did they have in them, 25% or something?

……and breathe…….

I have bought a rather expensive car as it happens, thank you very much. Audi provide £500 to the 5.8%APR finance and I haggled the rest. Glad to see you think some dealers have 25% profit!!!!!

For you records I sold Nissan, Peugeots and worked also sold at Bauer & Millet (you can look them up on the interweb).

Perhaps I should go back to screwing every last penny out of the dealers, or better still buy off DtD.

I didn't realise it wasn't a Skoda, that would make sense I was trying to figure out what Skoda could possibly cost £39,400.

We both know that dealers don't have 25% margins.

Sorry if it reads that I've got annoyed or something, that's not the case it just irritates me slightly me when people think we earn fortunes on new cars, if we earnt as much as people think we do I would only work 4 months of the year.

I didn't realise it wasn't a Skoda, that would make sense I was trying to figure out what Skoda could possibly cost £39,400.

We both know that dealers don't have 25% margins.

Sorry if it reads that I've got annoyed or something, that's not the case it just irritates me slightly me when people think we earn fortunes on new cars, if we earnt as much as people think we do I would only work 4 months of the year.

OK

I went back to my current job as the money was better. Some of my postings (probably before you joined Brisky) made mention of the fact that to do the saleswomans/mans job properly takes an enormous amount of effort. Made worse if the rest of the dealership doesn’t pull their weight. Chasing up on everything from the ordering, through the PDI and eventually valeting, of every car and then repeatedly calling the impatient customer means you almost don’t have time to sell. The week I delivered eight 350Zs (the first batch in the country) I had days when I only had 1 cup of coffee all day. Couldn’t get out to eat, or find time to even get a drink. The sales team even resorted to bringing me cups of water and just leaving them on my desk. One of the worst weeks of my life and after only being given £50 per car (these were £30-35K cars and sold full up after over a years wait for delivery, so you can imagine the amount of hours in that time that i would have put in to their delivery)I told the ‘Dodgy’ Salemanager precisely what I thought of him……….. he didn’t like my appraisal it appeared

Edited 15 April, 201016 yr by Lady Elanore

It is vastly reassuring that there are some people who understand what is involved with the job, I realise it seems very easy and for the most part it is, but like you say it can get pretty difficult to manage your time well.

Glad you managed to escape the trade, it's the most difficult job to leave!!