The Biggest of 1st World Problems (Car Content)

ennspek

Sporky said:

I should probably have put a smiley on that one. Damn these flippant fingers!

Flippant fingers can be a blessing or a curse!

oaf

I've bought via DrivetheDeal a few times. Online broker, worked fine. Friends have tried other online brokers too and found them better than dealing with idiots in dealerships!

Moe_Zambeek

I've had 3 cars from my local (family owned) Subaru dealer. The first time I went in, i'd just been to another dealers to view a Saab and the dealer had asked for a £500 deposit before they would consider a test drive! I just left them to it. Half an hour later I walked into the Subaru place and they took some details and my licence then gave me the keys and said 'off you go - bring it back in a couple of hours'.

Sold. Same story for the next two cars I had off them.

My last car was from a local family owned Honda dealer - same story - took some details and my licence then handed over the keys and left me to it. 

Snap

THe best dealers I've dealt with have been Mini (2 new ones from them over the years) - dead straight no BS from them at all.

BMW - but not local, one out in the sticks, who was straight down the line (Listers in Boston Lincs)

Porsche - didn't buy one, but no patronising crap or sales patter, just matter of fact. I suppose they don't need to put all the crap in, they don't do discounts so the only debate to be had is what extras and what finance deal - and that is pretty narrow in terms of variance.

Theres a lot of difference between dealers too - you are likely to get a better deal from a dealer out in the sticks, than one in the city, in my (and people I know) experience

oaf

Snap said:

Theres a lot of difference between dealers too - you are likely to get a better deal from a dealer out in the sticks, than one in the city, in my (and people I know) experience

I think that's probably right about location. Some places are hilarious though, as if they're doing you a favour selling you something...!

When dealing direct (no broker) in the past I've had good results with people who never discount by calling a salesman and saying I want to buy a new X with A, B and C options - and if you call me back today with a good price, I'll buy it now. They discounted it (and we didn't have to waste time on the sales theatrics either!)

Stevepage

I was looking at a Nissan Juke last year. The guy I dealt with wanted me to buy it without even test driving one before hand and his deal wasn't that great either.

He kept bothering me every month until I got blunt with him.

Ended up buying a second hand mondeo estate any way.

Axe_meister

Best tactic is. Show the salesman LingsCars website for personal leasing. Ask if he can match any of those deals, if not you are walking out.

shuikit

The worst experience I've ever, ever had was at an Arnold Clark.  The amount of hoops and bs we had to go through just to get a test drive.  Afterwards, it was hard sell and bs to a degree I've rarely experienced, ended up with one of the managers angrily shouting at us and we walked. 

In contrast, the following day or so we went to a Honda dealer and I got the most pleasant car buying experience I've ever had.  It was a used car, probably the oldest and cheapest Civic they had (I thought it was well priced when I saw it advertised).  The saleswoman was very polite and chatty enough without being intrusive.  She left us alone to have a poke around the car etc and ended up giving us an even better deal after I we haggled a bit.  But there was no bs, just if I can do xyz do we have a deal? Talk to the manager - yes.  Done.   

octatonic

I've been fairly lucky from the looks of of it.
I've only had one dickhead dealer in the last few years, which was Ridgeway Land Rover.

BMW dealers seem to be pretty good, both with cars and bikes.
Berry Chiswick, North Oxford BMW and Bahnstormer in particular.
We put an ordering for a new BMW yesterday actually, the whole deal was smooth and easy.

rlw

FX_Munkee said:

rlw said:

mrsrlw will need a new car soon and her criteria are:

Engine bigger than 3 litres, automatic, air-con, some street cred and no more than £25K.

Another used V8 Mercedes beckons I think :-)

Seeing as you didn't mention, non-horrendous fuel consumption, or ability to operate at least 50% of the days of the year. Can I suggest a Maseratti Quatroporte

They're Italian so no.  

mike_l

SRich said:

And I have never regretted getting out of the retail motor industry........

Me too. 

HAL9000

My last car was bought new on a PCP scheme. First (and probably last) time I'll ever use PCP. Just coming up to the three years and due to the final payment required I now feel somewhat suckered into buying another Toyota. They are currently phoning me every few days to persuade me I need a new motor (one of theirs of course). My feeling at the moment is to either pay the final installment (about 40% of the cost of the car) or to just hand the car back and start again - anything just so long as it means I'm not beholden to a particular manufacturer. PCP - never again. Next time it will be conventional HP, so that I actually own (rather than part own) a car at the end of the term. That way I have more control than if l still owe money to them.