Once again I find myself running the gauntlet of car dealerships and private sellers in the hunt for a new car. And once again it seems as though I'm fighting a losing battle with sellers who just seem to miss the obvious opportunity to do what they want, namely sell a bloody car.

 

Spent the last week or so looking at various possibilities and checking spec etc. so decided a couple of days ago to shoot off a load of emails to possible sellers, asking a few relevant questions etc.The result has been pretty dire to be honest. Most have resulted in no reply at all.

 

One dealer seller replied and decided that he couldn't make a deal at the sort of price I'd put forward (yes, it was a cheeky offer on my part perhaps but at least we've started a discussion of sorts).

 

Another private seller has just ignored all contact. I'll try him again though just in case.

 

And after 3 emails to a third dealer I finally got an email back ignoring the specific question I asked, and invited me to call him. Just for the record, I have an ear infection which makes phone contact hard at best, so I specify email contact on the Autotrader web form. This shouldn't be too much of a problem really, should it? But it took longer for him to explain he's failed at phone contact and couldn't leave me a voicemail that it would've done to answer "Yes it has heated seats" or "No, sorry. No heated seats on this one I'm afraid". I sent a rather terse reply back which really I shouldn't have, but come on, I want to buy a car. You have one for sale. Don't make it any harder than it should be, eh?

My last two car purchases have been hassle free, infact a breeze. The latest 2014 which I still have was from a dealer in Preston (SEAT) email query fired off, quick reply, then followed by a phone call from me about when I could test drive etc... All very much hassle free, hence I bought the car.

 

The one before that was via a car broker, again hassle free (which I didn't think it would be via that route) dealer excellent (Skoda) no pushy stuff, infact a lack of contact at first but I found that ok as what can they really do when waiting for a car to come from a foreign land.

 

Previous cars purchased before those two were somewhat a mixed bag, from couldn't careless attitude to trying to stitch me up on what they should have done to the car prior to collection etc....all long stories on there own.

Well, the one from the private seller has disappeared from Autotrader, so I'll assume that it's sold. That could ecplain why he didn't reply, but still, a quick email saying "Someone's coming to look this afternoon but I'll keep you in mind" wouldm't go far wrong eh.

I think I've been lucky. We've had 4 new cars in the family over the last 14 years or so.

Always dealt with more senior staff and never been disappointed. Been in many showrooms and been put off by first impressions.

Like I say I've been lucky I think.

The last, my first Skoda,is leased and it was dealt with in a handful of emails and 2 visits. Could not fault them.

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Before i bought my octy i went around a few places..

one guy managed to convince to test drive one of his cars - a 1.4vvti corolla, 2003 - despite me saying i wanted diesel.. he came with me and during the test while trying to convince me the car was as good as new, the winder for the passenger window came off in his hand...

needless to say thats not where i bought the octy! Nor would i ever buy anything even a bulb in there!!!

Viewed a car Monday, in my drive today. Salesman was off Wed/Thur as well.

 

Went in and got solo test drove, asked for trade in prices for my two cars. He gave me top book on one, and middle book on the other. Decent prices all round so no haggling.

Basically said -"I'll take that one", didn't ask for a deposit and car was marked as sold anyway.

Got an email on Wednesday with details of the car having been serviced.

 

They'd offered to hold onto my late wife's car until the V5 turned up so I could get it out of sight. DVLA came through yesterday anyway, phoned this morning and they were ready to go.

 

Turned up no hassles, no push for add ons, had finalised the deal and driven off within 45min.

 

That was SDM Mazda in Falkirk.

 

TBH most places I've bought cars from have been totally fine, coz I'd not have bought otherwise. I have walked out of several showrooms never to enter again because of arsehole salesmen.

Edited 15 April, 201610 yr by Aspman

I got an email reply from the dealer I ripped a terse reply to, apologising for not reading the question I asked, and replying to it. He also asked me to contact him again if I had any more questions. So that's nice. I'll send a reply and see where we go.

And the other dealer I made a cheeky offer to has completely ignored my reply to him. Clearly needs a certain type of buyer and not someone who want's to ask too many questions.

Just bought my first PCH lease car.

 

What a pleasure it was, I didn't even have to get off the sofa.

 

I did my research, spent many hours searching online deals and brokers until I found the best price.

 

Emailed the broker, everything sent over email, promptly filled in and returned.

 

6 weeks later the car is delivered to my front door (first human contact).

 

Brand new Octavia Scout diesel, 8,000 miles per year, £200 / month.

 

I'll have paid less over the 2 year lease period than the car will have depreciated. In two years I just do the same again.

 

I'm quite looking forward to never having to deal with private sellers, dodgy classified sellers and the rip-off dealers directly ever again.

I was browsing on ebay motors, with no intention of buying, but got a call from a dealer who noted I'd been looking at a Superb Elegance on their forecourt. It works both ways.

First car, the crappy Pug was bought of a friend and turned out to be a pile of crap anyway. First Fabia was bought from dealers who gave me more for the Pug than I bought it for so I was happy with that, then I got the Monte, which was at the right price and they brought it from another garage quickly, they gave WBAC value for the old Fabia and everything seamed great other than the few issues with the Monte which were, eventually fixed, took them 3 months though but maybe that's a bit my fault for accepting the car before they were put right (or they were going to fix the bonnet, if I didn't bin it at Snetterton)

 

So you're selling the Jetta?

What you thinking of buying?

So you're selling the Jetta?

What you thinking of buying?

 

Oh no, the Jetta's staying for the moment. There's nothing about which is anywhere near the spec we have on that without spending way too much. The new car is for me...

Oh no, the Jetta's staying for the moment. There's nothing about which is anywhere near the spec we have on that without spending way too much. The new car is for me...

That's good then. The Jetta is a lovely car. If it wasn't for the maintenance getting a bit much my dad would still have his. And that would be 8 years now.

Well, a few days further on and nothing to report. The dealer I made a cheeky offer to didn't reply, so I sent him an email presuming he wasn't bothered selling me a car and he replied saying sorry he'd get onto it. And promptly did nothing.

 

I have another car in mind and the dealer there has taken my details... and nothing back yet.

 

Just a matter of the right car at the right dealer, with a salesman who feels like making his wage for the week and doing a bit of work. I guess that's expecting a bit much though. On a slightly different track, I ran an Autotrader search for a new Jetta to see if there was anything for the wife to keep her happy. Hardly anything out there with heated seats, 2.0ltr Sport, and nearly all the adverts have crap pictures. What do people use to photograph cars for an advert these days? Clearly not a camera... This one for example. Postage stamp size, badly shot, close up, contrast all messed up. How is that supposed to sell a car.

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201601260425051

I went car shopping yesterday as need to replace the ex's 5 seater with a 7 seater. Spotted a car online, went to the dealer. Not actually there yet but being taken in part ex later that day but someone had already put a holding deposit on it. Ok then, have you got anything else? Money in hand, ready to deal....

Sorry I've got an appointment in 15 minutes so can't really help you right now. Took my details for part ex valuation and said he would call me. Nothing....

This was a main dealer.

It's rather poor, isn't it. Gone are the days of dealers falling over themselves to sell you a car, it seems like they're only interested in people who wander in and ask to be sold a car, rather than people who come in and want a specific car.

It must be a very small dealership that only has one Sales Executive working even on the days off days at Dealerships.

 

If you ask the Receptionist if the Finance Manager or the Dealer Principal is available, even by phone and tell them you want to buy a car but the Sales staff seem disinterested, you might find you get some Customer Service.

Well, after supplying my trade in details to two dealers I've still not had a response. First car is still on Ebay while the other one sold quickly. One was a bargain and the other one is overpriced in my opinion, so I reckon it's easy to guess which is which. Still, a reply with a trade in value would've been nice. A third one has also been sold.

 

Anyway, end of the month coming up so perhaps a few trade ins will hit the forecourt.

Trades ins at the end of the month doesn't really happen they just come in. From the dealer perspective you do get some silly offers from customers, you will also find if you use the autotrader valuation tool it's not always accurate, it's optimistic some times both in over valuing and under valuing cars.

every enquiry should be responded to within 24 hours and if a car is sold then just a quick email to say so helps, at least that way customers know the email has got through and they are not being ignored. We will also send videos by what's app and any specific pictures of the car. There are some good dealers out there and some bad, it's just like everything else in life.

I was browsing on ebay motors, with no intention of buying, but got a call from a dealer who noted I'd been looking at a Superb Elegance on their forecourt. It works both ways.

That happened to me too(Autotrader). The dealer called and I went and looked at the car and bought it. I don't regret it at all. Great dealer and a pleasure doing business with them.

Edited 27 April, 201610 yr by Stormchaser

Found a rather nice car on Ebay which wasn't too badly priced, (not perhaps the colour I would've chosen though) so I shot the dealer an email to see what he thought of a part ex. Now here's the thing, every car dealer I've been in touch with has come straight back and asked me how much I reckon my van was worth, so I'd been working on a reasonable trade in price based on other similar ones for sale and "we buy any van dot com" valuation plus a bit. As soon as they find out what sort of a deal I was wanting they clammed up. So this guy I told him I had no idea but invited him to make an offer based on the pictures and description I sent him. He's come back with a good deal so it's looking positive.

Found a rather nice car on Ebay which wasn't too badly priced, (not perhaps the colour I would've chosen though) so I shot the dealer an email to see what he thought of a part ex. Now here's the thing, every car dealer I've been in touch with has come straight back and asked me how much I reckon my van was worth, so I'd been working on a reasonable trade in price based on other similar ones for sale and "we buy any van dot com" valuation plus a bit. As soon as they find out what sort of a deal I was wanting they clammed up. So this guy I told him I had no idea but invited him to make an offer based on the pictures and description I sent him. He's come back with a good deal so it's looking positive.

This is a valuable lesson to anyone looking to trade in their car and buy another. Don't EVER give them that kind of info upfront. They are asking how much you think it is worth purely to flush out what kind of customer you are and if they are likely or not to be able to get a profitable deal. Play your cards close to your chest and always let THEM make the first move. Otherwise if your idea of a trade in price is lower than the max they would have paid you will lose out and if they think you are being unrealistic and it will be too much hard work to get a profitable sale from you they might take the view it would be better/easier to deal with someone else.

Get them to give you figures for trade in value and purchase price and then negotiate from there, always keeping in mind it's the "cost to change" that's the most important bit. :-)

Cost to change, that's another thing. One of the cars I was looking at was about £2k cheaper than the next one and wouldn't talk about a deal at my quoted trade in price. The more expensive car actually worked out a better deal because it was less cost to change. And it has about 30k less miles on it as well (but not perhaps as nice a colour).

I don't like the process of buying cars at all. Not one bit. I quite enjoy driving them home though.

 

Might be the amount of money involved though, I haven't bought a car for more than £2k in about 15 years.

Well, next week I should be not driving a Renault van.