That's a point. People go on about car salesman being dishonest but how many of us have traded a car in as there is a problem with it, and told the dealership??

In all fairness, the clutch problem wasn't present until two days before I swapped the car... mum got stuck in our front garden and, me being me, thought it would be a great idea to try and yank her off... 1200kg Civic vs. a 90,000-mile clutch and 132lb/ft torque... never going to end well! If that hadn't happened, then he'd've had a perfect car out of me for what can only be described as a dog (at that time, she's great now). However, I wouldn't have done it if I wasn't getting rid of the car...

I had a look on his site tonight. The car's still not sold, and he's lopped around £800 off the price... bringing it very close to what I part-ex'd it for. Joke's on him now!

Take the difference between what the salesman offered you and what you think it is worth and deduct that amount off the screen price of the car you want to buy.

The part exchange and the screen price are irrelevant in isolation, it's the 'cost to change' you need to focus on.

Better still cut out the middle man and sell privately. Remove the complication and hassle of a part ex. You'll be amazed how the salesmans attitude changes when he finds out you have a pocket full of cash!

I went to my dealer in August 2010, tested the VRS2 Fab and sat down dead serious to deal and buy.

He offered £4200 for my 2007 and he had 2 near identical ones for sale for £7495 and £7895.

No budging on price = no deal.

I sold it in a week privately for £6000 and I could have sold it many times over which tells you there was much more in it.

I then rang eleventeen dealers until I found one that would match a brokers price with no PX, and picked up my new VRS2 4 days later.

This brought the deal over £3500 nearer than part-exing at the first dealer.

Some folk still tell me that its much easier, convenient etc just to part ex, and they are right, it is, but boy do you pay for it.