Hi all,

I put a deposit on a Citigo 75, 3 door Elegance yesterday, traded my old car in (for very little) and I paid list price. Today I'm feeling ripped off because I don't seem to have gotten anything at all knocked off the price or thrown in, despite asking a couple of times. Nor is there any free service plan. And I'm paying cash when the car is delivered. I'm actually contemplating canceling the order and finding another dealer to see how much they can better the list price and hopefully recoup my £500 and still pay less. Am I being unreasonable? Did other people here pay list price too?

Cheers.

Well, I got my dealer to knock down about 200£ on the car itself, but thats about it.

(Although car's are really expensive here in Norway, its mostly due to taxes which the dealers cannot do anything about.)

 

However, what I did manage was to get thrown in stuff for free:

- Free roof rack

- Free upgrade to 15" wheels

- Free mats

 

So I'm happy.

Edited 24 July, 201312 yr by loadinglevelone

best option is say you changed your mind and want to take it on finance, get the free servicing and a few days after you take delivery of the car pay it off in full (some dealers apparently try and tell you there is a minimum period before you can do this, but not the case, just ring VW finance settle, job done)

 

you still get the free servicing worth£300-£400, not a bad freebie, all very legal and in the contract you can repay immediately with no penalty clause, think it costs about £150 (setup and final fee which would be paid as part of the finance normally but still got the servicing worth more)

 

also so long as you have only just ordered it (and it is a factory order) and you are expecting to keep the car more than 3years / 60,000 miles consider adding the extended warranty (5 years / 100,000 miles ) this is just over £200 and extends the skoda warranty and skoda assist, if you want to add this later you do not get the real deal but an insurance backed warranty from the dealers and no skoda asist 

Edited 24 July, 201312 yr by bluecar1

Hi,

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

I really do feel ripped off, you would think a cash deal would bring some benefits but in fact it's the

reverse - no free service even. I realise their profit margins won't be great at this end of the market

but I haven't had a single thing. 

 

Well, I got my dealer to knock down about 200£ on the car itself, but thats about it.

(Although car's are really expensive here in Norway, its mostly due to taxes which the dealers cannot do anything about.)

 

However, what I did manage was to get thrown in stuff for free:

- Free roof rack

- Free upgrade to 15" wheels

- Free mats

 

So I'm happy.

Hi,

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

This seems like good advice and I'm adding it to my list of options. My concern would be early-payment penalties, I would need to be certain that I can pay it all off without incurring any.

 

I did add the five year warranty - total price is £10,420.

 

I'm going to another local Skoda dealer and I'll explain my situation - maybe they can improve it with a counter offer. When I have that information I'm going back to the dealer I purchased from and I will speak to the manager (not the salesman).

 

I also seem to recall reading about a free insurance policy from Skoda that lasts for several days... Must find that information again!

 

 

best option is say you changed your mind and want to take it on finance, get the free servicing and a few days after you take delivery of the car pay it off in full (some dealers apparently try and tell you there is a minimum period before you can do this, but not the case, just ring VW finance settle, job done)

 

you still get the free servicing worth£300-£400, not a bad freebie, all very legal and in the contract you can repay immediately with no penalty clause, think it costs about £150 (setup and final fee which would be paid as part of the finance normally but still got the servicing worth more)

 

also so long as you have only just ordered it (and it is a factory order) and you are expecting to keep the car more than 3years / 60,000 miles consider adding the extended warranty (5 years / 100,000 miles ) this is just over £200 and extends the skoda warranty and skoda assist, if you want to add this later you do not get the real deal but an insurance backed warranty from the dealers and no skoda asist 

no penalties, I could find my contract and double check, but a number of people on here have done this process

 

I assume normal setup and final fees apply, no actual penalties (not sure if the dealers get any or reduced commission if you settle really quickly hence why they try and discourage it), the free service offer is from skoda themselves so you can take the car to any dealer for service, if you were to get free servicing via the supplying dealer without the finance check you could take the car to another dealer for service or if you are locked into them

 

there is also a 0% finance deal on the citigo now as well with deposit of upto 30% on the pcp scheme, this also gives you options, pay couple of grand deposit, 24-48 months to pay, then a final lump at the end, why not take advantage and let your money make a bit of interest in the bank then decide at the end of the time to either pay the lump sum or take one of the options (trade it in against a newer model, pay it off and keep the car, or walk away) in some ways a less risky option, but I realise some people prefer not to have items on finance

 

 

the free insurance is 7 day cover, it allows them to get the car taxed easily as they get emailed a copy of the insurance, BUT, it has a £500 excess on it,

 

you then also get a quote from skoda insurance which is very variable, mine was close to the meerkat prices, others it was stupidly high, one selling point for it is if the cost of repair is more than 60% of the original price in the 1st year they just replace the car, also car repaired at skoda dealership not some "insurance approved" shop

enjoy

Edited 24 July, 201312 yr by bluecar1

Try this broker

 

http://www.carfile.net/results.php?modtext=5@@P&make=skoda&model=citigo

 

 

I've no connection with them, but have dealt with them.

I got £500 off list price, plus lux mats on my Elegance 5 door from a UK Skoda dealer if that helps...

Check out Drivethedeal.

About £700 off from memory.

If you wanna feel better - compare your price to the total I gave for my CitiGo: NOK 178000,-  (or about £19600 Pounds sterling).

 

Now thats for a 5D 75ps Black GT Elegance with most accessories (PID, roof rack, 15" alloys, speaker pack etc..) incl taxes, but still - Did I mention that cars are expensive in Norway? :wonder:

 

Also.. we have no such options as free insurance or free servicing (Although they do give standard 5 year warranty).

Edited 25 July, 201312 yr by loadinglevelone

I am not sure cash carries the cache it once did.

 

If I were you, I would bank the cash and get the 0% PCP deal with minimum deposit and monthly payment - you keep your money for longer and are given a free loan (not to mention the free servicing) - which is what I did.

 

I got £300 off mine, but the dealer does have lost of competition with a Seat dealer next door and both another Skoda dealer and VW dealer not too far away.

 

0% PCP is a good deal as there is no option to buy fee at the end of the deal - we have paid minimum deposit (£140 I think) and then £140 per month for 42 months - the end payment is high(ish), but the monthly difference between the PCP and a standard loan more than covers the final payment.

 

For me the finance package is worth more than the discount (in isolation) as it also comes with the free servicing and enables me to keep my money for longer.

 

Personally I would not give up my £500 deposit as I doubt you will get it back. I would ask for 0% PCP though...

Two points regarding the extended warranty: I can find no mention that the Skoda Assist service is extended too - in fact, I'm sure it isn't.

If you go for the extended warranty and don't get a letter confirming it within four weeks of getting the car, do check with your dealer that it has appeared on the Skoda computer system. It can go "missing" requiring phone calls, emails and Skoda Customer Services (personal experience!). Better to sort it out now than after three years when you may need it and find it doesn't exist!

We went for the finance package to get the 3 free services. I then paid it off after 3 months (the minimum you can cancel and still get the 3 free services) and I worked out that it cost us £275.00 in interest and charges. However we did save over £700 by paying it off early.

 

Don't forget you do have a cooling off period before you can't get your money back. 

Hi guys,

 

Thanks again for all your replies.

 

I spoke to a manager over the phone just now and tried haggling. I told him how much some of you are getting knocked off the price etc. and he tried to claim that it would be difficult for him to even give me £200 off as their margins are so tight. I told him that seems totally ridiculous on a £10,000 item but he was insistent. I'm trying to at least get another £100 for my old car (£400 in total then) and he said I could still take the finance offer for the three years servicing. I was as argumentative as I could be given the circumstances - I told him I was seriously considering walking away and losing my £500 deposit to purchase elsewhere. He's going to call me back regarding the £100. If he gives me that I think I'll take it and the financing deal - still not happy but there's just too much hassle at this point and my existing car insurance runs out in a couple of days.

 

Update to come...

Well... they've knocked £120 off (giving me £420 for my old car instead of £300) but there may be an issue with the finance deal as I'm not currently in full employment (I'm a carer - which is why I need the car in the first place). He suggested we put it through and hopefully it isn't rejected. If it is I'm really not sure what to do. I'll have paid almost list price. At that point it may be worthwhile to go elsewhere for a cash deal - I just don't know. Also he said he couldn't add any more extras to the car because it's already built in Germany and ready to be shipped. Very frustrating...

I've nothing really to add apart from the fact that this thread says everything there is to say regarding what's great about Briskoda. Advice with no bull...

I am not sure cash carries the cache it once did.

Totally agree. In fact I have known garages say they would prefer payment NOT to be cash (it costs to handle and bank it).

I've just ordered an Elegance 3 Door ASG with a good few extras. I'm taking the 0% PCP over 3 years (12k miles per year) which means a 30% deposit but because of the value of my current Citigo, I'll get over £4k back which actually covers the final payment if I decide to keep it.

I haven't actually got anything off mine but I have got a guaranteed price when it comes and a decent trade.

John

Hi all,

I put a deposit on a Citigo 75, 3 door Elegance yesterday, traded my old car in (for very little) and I paid list price. Today I'm feeling ripped off because I don't seem to have gotten anything at all knocked off the price or thrown in, despite asking a couple of times. Nor is there any free service plan. And I'm paying cash when the car is delivered. I'm actually contemplating canceling the order and finding another dealer to see how much they can better the list price and hopefully recoup my £500 and still pay less. Am I being unreasonable? Did other people here pay list price too?

Cheers.

 

 

Don't really understand this at all.  Of course I don't know how much you studied up (on Briskoda and/or elsewhere) before going in to the dealer's showroom.  And don't know what previous experience you've had buying cars before........I'm thinking not a lot?  But you're saying you've been "ripped off"........that there's no service Plan..........that you're paying cash................with nothing thrown in or knocked off.    That may well be the case - and clearly it is, but who are you blaming for that?  The salesperson has sold you a car at list and not had to give you anything in the process.  That's his job - to get himself and the dealer the most out of you as he can..........that, surely, is business.   Conversely your job is getting the car as cheaply as possible, getting as much out of the dealer as you can............and somewhere in between you'll both compromise and agree a deal with the dealer still making money and you getting the best you could have done having taken into consideration whether you'll be going back to him for servicing etc thereby adding to the dealer's profits and having, perhaps, achieved a good relationship with the dealer in case you need his co-operation in the future..  If you'd negotiated having been in full possession of the facts, knowledge of the options, the variables, the knowledge of what was available elsewhere.........etc, etc.  you'd have been happy with what you'd got.  Did you check Carfile or Drive the Deal or ring round a few dealers including the sponsors on this site?

 

In all honesty I can't see how you've been ripped off and am amazed that you're prepared to lose £500 in cancelling the deal in order to gain a few pounds at this late stage.  If you've managed to negotiate a few extra pounds for your PX then great....but, in my opinion, the dealer holds the cards now....not you.  Lesson learned, you'll know next time.

I agree with you stan. I was pressured by a number of things - the person who is paying for the car only decided to buy it last week, out of the blue - I had planned on using my old car for another year or two. Research then ensued under the pressure of my insurance and tax running out next week - at this point I had no idea which car to get and reaching this decision wasn't easy. On top of this I discovered that they only had one Citigo available to my spec so time to decide was again reduced - if I paid the deposit I would get that car within three to four weeks, otherwise it would be a 16 week wait. I'm also not well and will be having an operation on the 1st of August. A lot of things to deal with in a short space of time. 

 

What prompted me to action was discovering that I wouldn't be getting the free service plan. I have emailed Skoda to see if they can help with this as it seems unfair to me. I can only hope at this point.

 

I think I feel ripped off because I am usually good at negotiating but this time nothing worked. I'm angry with myself because I didn't follow the correct procedure which would have been to walk out of there, leave him my telephone number and asked him to ring me if he could offer me a more reasonable price. I'm sure the phone would have rang the following morning. I played softball when you have to play hardball with these characters. Expensive lesson.

I agree with you stan. I was pressured by a number of things - the person who is paying for the car only decided to buy it last week, out of the blue - I had planned on using my old car for another year or two. Research then ensued under the pressure of my insurance and tax running out next week - at this point I had no idea which car to get and reaching this decision wasn't easy. On top of this I discovered that they only had one Citigo available to my spec so time to decide was again reduced - if I paid the deposit I would get that car within three to four weeks, otherwise it would be a 16 week wait. I'm also not well and will be having an operation on the 1st of August. A lot of things to deal with in a short space of time. 

 

What prompted me to action was discovering that I wouldn't be getting the free service plan. I have emailed Skoda to see if they can help with this as it seems unfair to me. I can only hope at this point.

 

I think I feel ripped off because I am usually good at negotiating but this time nothing worked. I'm angry with myself because I didn't follow the correct procedure which would have been to walk out of there, leave him my telephone number and asked him to ring me if he could offer me a more reasonable price. I'm sure the phone would have rang the following morning. I played softball when you have to play hardball with these characters. Expensive lesson.

 

 

OK, you've put things into perspective here somewhat and clearly you've bought under pressure with external influences having a bearing on the process.  If you do manage to squeeze a little more and ameliorate the slight disadvantage you found yourself with then good for you.  However, ultimately, you haven't bought a lemon - you haven't bought a ringer or a cut and shut or a re-registered stolen vehicle with the Police at your heels intent on reclaiming the thing.  It's still a new, honest vehicle albeit you didn't get the very best deal in the world - and - Citigos and Ups don't realistically attract massive discounts so you haven't lost thousands (as some do at the hands of dealers). 

 

Make the best of it now and then enjoy the thing when it comes (and good luck with the operation...your health is more important than the car).

I'm pretty much with Stan here. It seems to me that the last thing you need at the moment is more stress and hassle.

 

As others have said, you are never going to get substantial discounts on a car like this. I think there's a current opinion, put about by the likes of Martin Lewis on the telly, that you have to try to screw every last penny out of every transaction you make, but sometimes the returns are not really worth the effort you have to make.

 

For what it's worth, here's the saga of my Citigo, which I bought a few weeks ago. First of all I went to a Volkswagen dealer to look at an Up! They could hardly have been more helpful, but when it came to putting a deal on the table, they couldn't come remotely within the budget I had set for the cost to change, even though I had told them in advance what my limit was.

 

So I went to Skoda, and their trade-in offer was so much better, that there were several cars available that were within my budget. So I signed on the dotted line. No doubt Mr Lewis would call me an idiot for not haggling more, but I was getting what I thought was a reasonable deal, and the dealer was presumably happy as well, so it seemed like the "win-win" situation that all those sales training courses teach you to aim for. When I picked up the car, they had thrown in a freebie which I wasn't expecting, so we seem to have established a good relationship.

 

There will always be someone who will claim to have got a better deal than you, but really, who cares?

 

Given the circumstances, why not just chalk this one up to experience, and just enjoy your new car when you get it? I'm sure you will.

 

And good luck with your op. This is just a car after all, and as Stan said, your health is much more important.

I think there's a current opinion, put about by the likes of Martin Lewis on the telly, that you have to try to screw every last penny out of every transaction you make,

 

If I could "like" this comment a 1000 times I would!

If I could "like" this comment a 1000 times I would!

Like x 1,001

Hi all,

 

Thanks for the kind words regarding my health, it's much appreciated.

 

Also thanks to everybody who has replied so far - too many posts to reply directly to all of them right now but I have read them.

 

I spoke to the dealer today and I'm going to apply for finance in order to get the three year free service offer. I may not get it but I'm out of options at this point. I also emailed Skoda expressing my disappointment that the offer isn't extended to everybody who buys a car but no reply yet - might not get one!

Who knows the machinations at Skoda top brass. The deal is attached to the PCP scheme to attract custom to that part of the business. Deals change all the time also.

 

It remains to be said that you are getting a cracking little car at the end of the day.