Journey into the unknown

[fattybacon]

Well, I've decided... I've taken the day off tommorrow and I'm heading darn Sarf to check out a couple of Roomies I've had my eye on.

One is a 2006 1.9TDI in done in a tasteful 3 spec and the other is a 2007 1.4TDI also in the 3 spec but with knobs on (ipod dock, roof rails and something else I forget) but they are both about the same price and done the same amount of miles.

So will I be seduced by the newer with knobs but less powerful or will my head rule my heart and go for the older but pokier?

I've never bought from a showroom before, any tips? Any idea how much wiggle room I've got in doing a deal, any normal percentages I should be thinking of? Or is the 2nd hand market picking up and the price I see is the price I pay?

I don't think they'll give me anything much for my 1999 Focus - in fact, I'm going to use it as the yardstick of how much they want my business - if they set fire to it in the lot I know I'm on a sticky wicket

[jamcoly]

when i got mine from a dealer

it was a ex-demo

when he dealer stopped haggling on price

i started haggling on the options list

which made a better deal

so don't be affaid to ask.

[fattybacon]

What do you mean by option list? The car is 'as is', isn't it?

[Decron]

There will be some dealer fit stuff like mats and trim sections.

2006 must be one of the very early ones.

Drive a few and you will know what you want. There should be some room to move on the price, but it will depend what it's up for in the first place.

[fattybacon]

Well, I'm back. I test drove a 1.4TDI '3' and I was pretty happy with it. The dealership is close to the M1 so we had a little run out and a bit of local driving, I was surprised at how well the 1.4 performed. No complaints with the power.

Then back to the showroom to talk about a deal on either a new car or one of the 2nd hand ones, it was very relaxed, it was more about what I wanted from the car and how they could help - they even talked about re-upholstering the ivory cloth interior, we got a quote for leather PU - was only £600, because I was worried about the effect my 1 year old would have on it.

He came to his senses and offered a Autoglym Lifeshine for £200 - the full works, exterior, glass and all the interior with a 7 1/2 warranty.

So the question is, what do you think of the price:

They automatically dropped it to £8000, it was £8495, for a 2 1/2 year old 3 1.9TDI (panorama roof, turning fog lights, rear parking sensors), externally it's in showroom condition with 13k on the clock, 2 owners - 1st was dealer, ex-demo. Inside it was a bit grubby inside, hadn't been valeted since Saturday.

There is an almost identical one about 90 miles away and that's starting at £7600. I wish I'd remembered about this one, it would have been a handy carrot because I never asked for any more off. I left it with the request to see it again when it's valeted.

[Decron]

The trade in on that 3 is £6310 so there is a fair margin on that price even at £8k. You would need to look at the warranty etc. It has a few extras on it but it's still a tad expensive for one that old.

There is no point in the Autoglym stuff it will make no difference in a years time and whats the point in having anything re-upholstered when there are enough around with more of what you want.

Best thing you can do is decide exactly what you want and go for that.. Oh, you need to drive the 1.9 too...

[steffo]

Are you sure it's 2 1/2 years old? that seems way over the odds if it is,there are plenty of same spec cars under a year old for than money.Out of interest what dealer is it?Progress in Letchworth have a few if you want to compare.

www.skoda.co.uk/retailers/progress_skoda_letchworth.aspx

[fattybacon]

Are you sure it's 2 1/2 years old? that seems way over the odds if it is,there are plenty of same spec cars under a year old for than money.Out of interest what dealer is it?Progress in Letchworth have a few if you want to compare.

www.skoda.co.uk/retailers/progress_skoda_letchworth.aspx

Yeah, it a 56 plate. The Letchworth ones, although a lot newer, they are all '2' spec. There is a grey one that's the right spec for £9200 which is only 10 months old. Blimey!

Decron brushed the scales from my eyes, basically, since they haven't bother cleaning it yet, they're trying to make two grand from having it sat on their forecourt. The world's most expensive car park!

[fattybacon]

There is no point in the Autoglym stuff it will make no difference in a years time and whats the point in having anything re-upholstered when there are enough around with more of what you want.

I'm tempted with the Autoglym treatment, there are going to be a lot of spillages and food smearing going on the upholstery (12 month baby ahoy!) and the outside treatment is the only protection it will get as I never wash cars. My wife might do it maybe once a year before going on holiday but that's it.

[Decron]

I'm tempted with the Autoglym treatment, there are going to be a lot of spillages and food smearing going on the upholstery (12 month baby ahoy!) and the outside treatment is the only protection it will get as I never wash cars. My wife might do it maybe once a year before going on holiday but that's it.

I have black Onyx cloth and the worst I have had with the 2 year old is leaving wetwipes on the seat which stain. There was a vomiting incident but I just took the seats out and used the carpet machine which did them fine.

[fattybacon]

There was a vomiting incident but I just took the seats out and used the carpet machine which did them fine.

Not you I hope? I'd take the seats out and have them burned if it happened in my old car, but the Varioflux seating in the roomy means I can do as you did!

+1 for the roomie

[Diving Dave]

I got my 2 auto from Letchworth for under 9k, 6 months old with only a couple of hundred miles on it. Have the Autoglym treatment on it (and my wifes Fabia) dirt just rinses off and plishes up beautifully (not that I do it very often). Letchworth also give you a loyalty card for 15%? of servicing and half price MOT's and 4 free valets a year for life with the Autoglym.

Really nice people to deal with as well and a workshop thats so clean you could perform open heart surgery.

They do price there cars to sell though so not much room for manouvre but it's worth a try,, may get some 'extras'.

[fattybacon]

I emailed the sales dude with links to some identically specced cars at low low prices and he got back pretty quickly with a promise to sharpen his pencil and get back to me.

[fattybacon]

Anyone any idea what the 'ipod preparation' is. It sounds like a pile cream.

I hope it's not the 3.5mm jack next to the handbrake that all Roomsters have.

I'm hoping it's a proper iPod dock that will allow you to control the iPod from the ICE.

[mdk1]

I hope it's not the 3.5mm jack next to the handbrake that all Roomsters have.

I'm hoping it's a proper iPod dock that will allow you to control the iPod from the ICE.

Think you might be disappointed.

But don't let that spoil your enjoyment.

[fattybacon]

Think you might be disappointed.

Doh!

It's hard to use the Skoda website to compare like with like, presumably because the dealers are in charge of data quality. Bah!

[Decron]

Get the dealer to clarify. The proper data link is available here

?koda Accessories

[fattybacon]

Thanks Decron, I've been in contact with them. It was as mdk1 guessed, but fair play to the dealer, he did mention he could fit "a ipod charging adapter thats works through cd player controls and inc it in the deal" which sounds like the Denison thing.

[fattybacon]

Righty.. I'm now the proud owner of Roomster 3 - it may not be the newest filly on the block but there is plenty to admire in the old bird. She's the Helen Mirren of Roomsters.

It's the Sept 2006 I mentioned before, managed to get more money off and some extras - I've got black roof rails being fitted so waiting for a collection day. For an early roomy 3 it's fully loaded, climatic control, cornering front fog-lights, multi-functional module on the steering wheel. Noice goodies!

Now, how would I tell if it's got Maxi-dot installed? On the main cluster there is the odometer strip at the top which shows miles (duh!) and basic trip info. and in between the two big analogue dials (revs and speed I imagine) there is another vertical oblong led panel which has lots more info when you press the nipple on the end of the stalk on the right. You got miles left in the tank, current mpg, temperature and such. Is that just the trip computer option?

[g6zru]

Sounds like you've got Maxidot to me.

[fattybacon]

Wow! It's amazingly hard to find pictures of Roomsters with Maxi-dot in. Other cars show it differently, so I was just keen to find out whether someone else had it in their Roomy.

Now if that's the case I'll look into the Dension Gateway 100 because I believe with a maxi-dot display you can see ID3 data from an iPod rather than basic track number info. Anyone got a Dension Gateway in their Roomies?

[Broomster]

Wow! It's amazingly hard to find pictures of Roomsters with Maxi-dot in. Other cars show it differently, so I was just keen to find out whether someone else had it in their Roomy.

Now if that's the case I'll look into the Dension Gateway 100 because I believe with a maxi-dot display you can see ID3 data from an iPod rather than basic track number info. Anyone got a Dension Gateway in their Roomies?

I dont think you have maxidot - if you did you would have a temp guage and analogue fuels guage on the main dials. I have a 3 with trip and I just have the LCD panel in between the speedo and rev counter.

Well done for buying the 3 BTW, its a very well specced car and does everything you could want a four wheeled contrivance to do. I've owned a lot of posher faster wheels but I never had as much affection for any of them.

[mannyo]

This is what a maxidot looks like on the fabia mk1. the mk2 will be simillar

However it seems rare, just as it was on the mk1 fabia.

[The PM]

There's another thread on the Roomie bit where we are that has a piccie of the maxidot... I haven't got time to trawl back, but if someone wishes to try...!

The "ordinary" computer display looks like one of those digital watches (black-ish letters/numbers on a greyish background)... maxidot seems a bit more colourful!

[fattybacon]

Cheers, I'll have a trawl of the archive, it's hard to search for because people spell it differently. Like me. LOL!

Looking at Mannyo's pic, the distinct petrol pump symbol was definitely what I saw, and it was a dark screen with pale yellow characters like his pic too... but I don't remember seeing the temp. Darn, I wish they'd ring me to tell me my collection date, I want to know what I've got!