Im not gonna name the dealers just in case i might have this wrong, but here goes. Ive visited a local dealer, dealer 1, a few times in order to try and source an Octavia estate. They managed to find one but by the time i revisited them it had gone, no probs there. They have kept in touch and today gave me a call saying they have found an 06 plate Octavia Elegance with 42k on the clock up at £8150. I thought this was a good price, but after reading reviews on here i would not want to buy from dealer 1. I then ring dealer 2 who has very good reviews, and they said they could get the car in for me, price £9k.

When i re rang dealer 1 they said the price was 8995, but i could have it at 8150. I re rang dealer 2 and explained what dealer 1 had offered, and they said the price is still 9k as they had a far better reputation than dealer 1 and they have higher standards to keep up ! ( like thats worth a grand ! )

Both dealers are authorised Skoda dealers and the car in question comes from skoda stock.

Why is there a difference in price between dealers when the car is coming from the same place ?

Is dealer 1 just trying to get me in again, and then tell me that the car in qestion has gone but he has another at a higher price ?

Im probably talking ****e, but thought i would ask the question on here.

Oh, and dealer 1 said there would be a transport charge of about £180. I have said im not paying that as i can go and collect it myself for less than half that ! I have since found the car on the stocklist of dealer 3 in Kent, up at £8995.

Cheers,

Paul

Edited 26 January, 201016 yr by The Hat

Sounds like you want to avoid them both and find another dealer in your area that gives you straight answers.

To be honest I found most of them jokers...

I find it really annoying and frustrating, because you're trying to spend £8k+ with them and they don't do anything to make you want to give them your cash!

Edited 25 January, 201016 yr by naxtek

Sounds like you want to avoid them both and find another dealer in your area that gives you straight answers.

To be honest I found most of them jokers...

I find it really annoying and frustrating, because you're trying to spend £8k+ with them and they don't do anything to make you want to give them your cash!

Lol, I bought a brand spanking new one and felt like the dealer was "doing me a favour" in letting my buy a car rather than the other way round of me chosing their business.

I'd personally try the "well if you dont want my custom....." routine and see if they come around

I honestly don't know about this. I just bought my 56 plate Estate from a "good reputation" dealer, having been recommended to them by a family member and a neighbour, both of whom told good stories and had been returning customers.

The price was about in line with the higher price mentioned above, but for a car with under half the mileage. Their trade in offer was about as poor as the average that other people offered, and I negotiated it up a bit.

I had a long solo test drive which seemed fine, but didn't reveal the judder at 1500rpm that I found on the second day of ownership. They had the car back and did solve this by finding some dodgy electrical connection. I'm still worried that the DMF might have been involved and am just hoping that their 2 year warranty will be honoured if there is a recurring problem.

I could tell the story of the Ford dealer and the Focus estate. Very smooth salesmen, but unbelievably hopeless.

Im not gonna name the dealers just in case i might have this wrong, but here goes. Ive visited a local dealer, dealer 1, a few times in order to try and source an Octavia estate. They managed to find one but by the time i revisited them it had gone, no probs there. They have kept in touch and today gave me a call saying they have found an 06 plate Octavia Elegance with 42k on the clock up at £8150. I thought this was a good price, but after reading reviews on here i would not want to buy from dealer 1. I then ring dealer 2 who has very good reviews, and they said they could get the car in for me, price £9k.

When i re rang dealer 1 they said the price was 8995, but i could have it at 8150. I re rang dealer 2 and explained what dealer 1 had offered, and they said the price is still 9k as they had a far better reputation than dealer 1 and they have higher standards to keep up ! ( like thats worth a grand ! )

Both dealers are authorised Skoda dealers and the car in question comes from skoda stock.

Why is there a difference in price between dealers when the car is coming from the same place ?

Is dealer 1 just trying to get me in again, and then tell me that the car in qestion has gone but he has another at a higher price ?

Im probably talking ****e, but thought i would ask the question on here.

Cheers,

Paul

Without knowing how it works (so I'm purely guessing here), I assume both dealers are able to purchase the car from central Skoda stock at around the same price (maybe one dealer is higher volume so gets better margins?), the car comes with a Skoda recommended list price (in this case £8995) and then it's pretty much up to them how much they want to discount it, if at all.

Dealer 1 wants your business and is prepared to knock £850 off the asking price whereas dealer 2 isn't prepared to discount the vehicle at all. You pays your money and takes your choice, as they say

I assume the warranty is only a dealer warranty so would only be valid at the dealership you purchase from, not nationwide at any Skoda dealership? If so, I guess that could affect your decision.

Edited 25 January, 201016 yr by Phil_P

It's a second hand car and it is worth exactly what somebody will pay for it, no more, no less. Dealers have the right to ask whatever they want but you are the buyer and the person with the chequebook.

If you can get a clear and accurate description of the vehicle and you can work out what you want to pay then go into whichever dealer you want and tell them straight out that you are prepared to buy the vehicle for XX pounds subject to the vehicle being as described and do they want a sale or not? If the answer is not that is their right and you must be prepared to walk out the door and keep looking.

If both are authorised Skoda dealers I'm pretty sure the car comes with a 12 month warranty irrespective of its age.

And I believe (but maybe someone else can confirm) that the warranty is a Skoda UK one and as such you can take the vehicle to any dealer in the event of a warranty claim.

So you could buy from the cheaper dealer but still use the one with a better reputation for any servicing and warranty work.

Some dealers will have a bit of a sulk at first if you didn't buy the car from them, but at the end of the day they are being paid (either by you if its servicing or by Skoda UK if its warranty work) so I'm sure they'll get over it.

Both of my last two Skodas were bought from dealers that weren't local because they had the right car at the right price and the right time, but I have still received excellent service from my local dealer (Simpsons Preston and Colne) since then

In most dealers, the sales and service departments are separate profit centres, each with their own targets. The service manager will love you to use his workshop, especially if you didn't buy the car there as you are an 'extra' person for him to make money on.

Steve

I have a really good dealer if you want his number.

I have a really good dealer if you want his number.

Yeah, his number would be good.

Cheers,

The Hat

Why not name the dealers?

Yes why not name the dealers? if they have bad rep then its deserved...name and shame.

They want to sell you something and will bullsh!t you to get the sale,

Equally, name the good dealers.