I am 66 but I’ve never bought a new car in my life. But thinking about it now, my lovely L&K 280tsi has done 95,000 miles and since it seems the 280 might not exist in 2024, I’m thinking of ordering a new one this year. I tried Drivethedeal and Carwow but both were completely useless when it came to a specific model (L&K 280 tsi). Existing car was an ex-dealer car 9 months old with 6k miles and in a stroke of luck had a tow bar, about £10k less than new list price. Ideal but you don’t seem to get them any more. So I guess it’s a trip to the dealer.

 

So my question is, does one just have to pay the list price, or do they expect you to haggle? Obviously there would be some wriggle with trading the old car in, but what about if I just wanted to buy the new car for cash and sell the old one separately?

Edited 14 August, 20232 yr by nicknorman

Haggle like your wallet depends on it 

 

I ordered mine at about 15% off list price after to-ing and fro-ing over prices with my local dealer and just as we were about to shake I said "oh, and that includes the reversing camera doesn't it" at which point he'd probably had enough of me and agreed. I'd already specced the tow bar, fancy front lights and a full size spare wheel and held back on the camera until the last minute even though I knew I wanted it.

 

Always haggle for a free tank of petrol too - sounds daft but better them pay for it than you.

 

It think it used to be What Car that showed the RRP and a "but you should aim to pay" price for every available make and model.

 

I was trading in my previous Mk II Superb but the balance was being paid cash.  However I've also seen it suggested that you may get a better price out of them by taking finance (as they get a kick-back on that) but then pay the finance off straight away and pay no interest at all. Obviously check very carefully whether that's a viable option.

1 hour ago, nicknorman said:

I am 66 but I’ve never bought a new car in my life. But thinking about it now, my lovely L&K 280tsi has done 95,000 miles and since it seems the 280 might not exist in 2024, I’m thinking of ordering a new one this year. I tried Drivethedeal and Carwow but both were completely useless when it came to a specific model (L&K 280 tsi). Existing car was an ex-dealer car 9 months old with 6k miles and in a stroke of luck had a tow bar, about £10k less than new list price. Ideal but you don’t seem to get them any more. So I guess it’s a trip to the dealer.

 

So my question is, does one just have to pay the list price, or do they expect you to haggle? Obviously there would be some wriggle with trading the old car in, but what about if I just wanted to buy the new car for cash and sell the old one separately?

As @unclerichysaid, probably best not to pay cash. Most legit businesses now find it more of a nuisance than an incentive.

It's worth telling a couple of dealers what you're after and to let you know when they have a car that meets your needs coming in.

Some dealers are rubbish, but some will keep informing you of new stock.

The mk4 superb will be announced in a couple of months & so probably around the beginning of next year the dealers will want to get rid of their demonstrators to make way for the new mk4.

Might be a few good deals around on low mileage demonstrators.

 

New Car buying in the UK is really stressful I found.

Different dealers have different targets.

Some will give you a great price on the phone, others will give you nothing until they think you're ready to pull the trigger because they don't want you going elsewhere to ask for some more off.

 

 

In Switzerland it's much more standard for new cars.

Most companies have deals with the main franchises & you get between 15%-18% discount from the list price.

You can go to 3 different dealers & the price they'll give you will be identical & best you can hope for is 99chf off.

Full tank of fuel, mats etc are standard so no chance to get suprised when you pick it up.

15% discount seems reasonable to aim for based on my experience of UK & Switzerland but it really depends on the time, market, supply etc

 

At the end of the day, they'll always be someone who tells you they got a better deal than you or a better spec for the same money.

 

They way I think about it, as long as you do a bit of research & are happy with what you get for what you paid, it's not worth to lose sleep over paying too much.

1000€ over ten years is less than 30p a day & nothing compared to the enjoyment you'll get from a new car that you chose & specd exactly as you want

 

 

Depending on the model, you might struggle to order exactly what you’re after. As noted above, the new generation Superb is due early next year and to smooth the production change, the range has already been rationalised and certain models (inc L&K I believe) are no longer available to order. They’ve been deleted from the online configuration as a result, which also applies to Carwow.

 

Your best bet is to talk to a few dealers and see if any of them have cars on order which might be far enough out in the production plan to allow them to amend specs. I do have to wish you the best of luck with that, I was in a similar position when considering a new Kodiaq L&K a few months ago and none of the dealers I spoke to had anything in the pipeline and none had any plans to register new demos, presumably wanting to sell their limited supply of new ahead of the new  model.

 

Unsurprisingly, all were keen to sell new stock, off the shelf, and most were pushing cars that were a completely different spec to what I was after, but none would acknowledge the impending model change, even when I showed some the images and stories on the internet!

1 hour ago, Ranger said:

Depending on the model, you might struggle to order exactly what you’re after. As noted above, the new generation Superb is due early next year and to smooth the production change, the range has already been rationalised and certain models (inc L&K I believe) are no longer available to order. They’ve been deleted from the online configuration as a result, which also applies to Carwow.

 

Your best bet is to talk to a few dealers and see if any of them have cars on order which might be far enough out in the production plan to allow them to amend specs. I do have to wish you the best of luck with that, I was in a similar position when considering a new Kodiaq L&K a few months ago and none of the dealers I spoke to had anything in the pipeline and none had any plans to register new demos, presumably wanting to sell their limited supply of new ahead of the new  model.

 

Unsurprisingly, all were keen to sell new stock, off the shelf, and most were pushing cars that were a completely different spec to what I was after, but none would acknowledge the impending model change, even when I showed some the images and stories on the internet!

Not sure why you're saying L&K Superb has been removed from configurator, I just checked and it's still there! 

 

I ordered a new L&K 190 just 2 weeks ago, delivery due in about 20 weeks but could well be sooner. There are very few in the country so if you're after a specific colour/spec you'll likely have to do a factory order. I wanted Royal Green with cognac leather for a complete change. Got a fantastic deal on the 190 but for some reason the 280 was ridiculously expensive. Definitely get in touch with at least 2 dealers so you know you are getting a decent deal. I went pcp cos I don't want to hand over a huge wedge of cash at the outset, been there and done that too many times. 

 

I was worried about missing out on the mk4 but from what little has leaked I'm less and less concerned. Plus I fear the new version will be more expensive than I can justify.

17 hours ago, nicknorman said:

I am 66 but I’ve never bought a new car in my life. But thinking about it now, my lovely L&K 280tsi has done 95,000 miles and since it seems the 280 might not exist in 2024, I’m thinking of ordering a new one this year. I tried Drivethedeal and Carwow but both were completely useless when it came to a specific model (L&K 280 tsi). Existing car was an ex-dealer car 9 months old with 6k miles and in a stroke of luck had a tow bar, about £10k less than new list price. Ideal but you don’t seem to get them any more. So I guess it’s a trip to the dealer.

 

So my question is, does one just have to pay the list price, or do they expect you to haggle? Obviously there would be some wriggle with trading the old car in, but what about if I just wanted to buy the new car for cash and sell the old one separately?

Try carfile - i had a great experience with them. I highly recommend them (and Drive the Deal).

 

 

 

On 14/08/2023 at 19:43, nicknorman said:

my lovely L&K 280tsi has done 95,000 miles and since it seems the 280 might not exist in 2024,

I think the answer is your question. The  280 is a keeper. Keep yours or order a new one before it’s not available anymore. 😜

In France, the 280 is already unavailable for months…😐

I agree. The 272/276 “280” will be a classic. It’s a real Q car; understated, comfortable, very well equipped - almost ridiculously so in L&K trim - plus it has tried and tested VW 4x4 mechanicals. And they’re very, very fast. And it’s already rare too. Its a keeper. 

Went to one dealer. Most unimpressed, got off to a bad start when I said “280 tsi” sales guy said “is that diesel or petrol?” He then droned on for hours about finance and trying to upsell me stuff, we barely talked about the car even though I kept trying to drag the conversation back to it, Looked shocked when I asked for a discount and had to consult his boss. Sales manager was unfriendly to the point of aggressive and having grudgingly given me some small discount, wanted me to sign up there and then, and when I declined he was struggling to hide his anger. I left thinking maybe I wouldn’t bother with getting a new car.
But a fairly long drive to another dealer from a different chain produced a completely different experience, chalk and cheese. So I think I’ll be phoning back on Tuesday (the chap is off until then) to order a new one. Yikes!

 

I am still amazed at the contrasting experiences at the two dealerships!

 

Oh and the general view for a 280 L&K estate seems to be 12-14 weeks plus 4-5 weeks for shipping. Which is not too bad and anyway I’m not in a hurry.

Edited 19 August, 20232 yr by nicknorman

On 14/08/2023 at 23:15, Paulinkeighley said:

Not sure why you're saying L&K Superb has been removed from configurator, I just checked and it's still there! 

 

I ordered a new L&K 190 just 2 weeks ago, delivery due in about 20 weeks but could well be sooner. There are very few in the country so if you're after a specific colour/spec you'll likely have to do a factory order. I wanted Royal Green with cognac leather for a complete change. Got a fantastic deal on the 190 but for some reason the 280 was ridiculously expensive. Definitely get in touch with at least 2 dealers so you know you are getting a decent deal. I went pcp cos I don't want to hand over a huge wedge of cash at the outset, been there and done that too many times. 

 

I was worried about missing out on the mk4 but from what little has leaked I'm less and less concerned. Plus I fear the new version will be more expensive than I can justify.

Sorry for being late back to this, you’re absolutely correct, L&K is still showing so no idea why I couldn’t see it when I looked a few weeks back.

 

Sadly the Kodiaq L&K is no more though, that’s fallen foul of the rationalization of models ahead of the new one and quite possibly Superb will go the same way at some point, so buy now while you can, especially the 280 which is a fabulous car and this will almost certainly be the last of the line for a straight petrol version.

 

Ironically having talked myself into another Kodi to replace the troublesome incumbent, I can’t actually buy one!

I have found using Carwow is a good way of finding a reasonable deal.

It is amazing how different the quotes are from each retailer in my experience.

Go for the cheapest and haggle a bit.

I managed a discount of 18% last time.

20 minutes ago, Hozz said:

I have found using Carwow is a good way of finding a reasonable deal.

It is amazing how different the quotes are from each retailer in my experience.

Go for the cheapest and haggle a bit.

I managed a discount of 18% last time.

I tried Carwow but they couldn’t help. They suggested I might like a 1.5tsi instead. I declined!

2 hours ago, nicknorman said:

got off to a bad start when I said “280 tsi” sales guy said “is that diesel or petrol?”

 

2 hours ago, nicknorman said:

Looked shocked when I asked for a discount

 

2 hours ago, nicknorman said:

and when I declined he was struggling to hide his anger.

 

And they wonder why they didn't close the deal and so many are going bust. "I'm fired - but I'm a brilliant closer" said Lance in disbelief. "Drop the "C" from the last word you said; that more accurate!" said Swiss Tony..

57 minutes ago, Ranger said:

… especially the 280 which is a fabulous car and this will almost certainly be the last of the line for a straight petrol version.

 

One thing I hadn’t quite realised until I started looking properly, is that whilst the 2016 280tsi has max torque of 350 Nm (limited by the 6 speed DQ250 gearbox presumably)  the 2023 version has the limit at 400 presumably due to the newer 7 speed box being beefier. Hence the 0-62 time improving by 0.5 seconds.

Edited 19 August, 20232 yr by nicknorman

@nicknorman Your first experience is almost unbelievable. I think this kind of guys should simply change for another job.

The other one, who suggest the 1.5 TSI should better convince you than a TSI280 is a top seller, for sure! 🙄

I think this guy never drove a TSI280… 😂

8 hours ago, nicknorman said:

I am still amazed at the contrasting experiences at the two dealerships!

 

I'd be interested to know which two dealerships these were.  

On 19/08/2023 at 10:42, numskull said:

I agree. The 272/276 “280” will be a classic. It’s a real Q car; understated, comfortable, very well equipped - almost ridiculously so in L&K trim - plus it has tried and tested VW 4x4 mechanicals. And they’re very, very fast. And it’s already rare too. Its a keeper. 

Agreed.

Recently we felt it was time to get an EV that we could charge from home & never use any public chargers. So, it was a toss up whether we part ex'd / sold my wife's Karoq or, my L&K 280 to make way for the EV.

I thought about it for about 2 secs. The 280 had to stay so the Karoq got part-ex'd for a nearly new ex-motability Kona Ultimate. TBF the independent trader gave us a very fair price for the Karoq which made the whole process a whole lot easier than me selling it privately.

   

4 hours ago, Colin170CR said:

Agreed.

Recently we felt it was time to get an EV that we could charge from home & never use any public chargers. So, it was a toss up whether we part ex'd / sold my wife's Karoq or, my L&K 280 to make way for the EV.

I thought about it for about 2 secs. The 280 had to stay so the Karoq got part-ex'd for a nearly new ex-motability Kona Ultimate. TBF the independent trader gave us a very fair price for the Karoq which made the whole process a whole lot easier than me selling it privately.

   

2 seconds seems a long time for such a decision…

19 hours ago, Schtum said:

 

I'd be interested to know which two dealerships these were.  

Well if you look at my location… first one near home, second one nearest heading south that isn’t part of the same group.

@nicknorman

Aberdeen Skoda John Clark Group,

Dundee Skoda Specialist Cars John Clark Group.

Perth, Thomson & Potter (Ex Burrelton)  Skoda, owned by John Clark Group.

 

 

DQ381,s are nothing to feel confident about. IMO.

Edited 20 August, 20232 yr by toot

9 minutes ago, toot said:

@nicknorman

Aberdeen Skoda John Clark Group,

Dundee Skoda Specialist Cars John Clark Group.

Perth, Thomson & Potter (Ex Burrelton)  Skoda, owned by John Clark Group.

 

 

DQ381,s are nothing to feel confident about. IMO.

Yes the DQ381 does seem to have occasional problems, although of course we only get to hear about the bad ones, not the good ones. I’m just hoping that now we are a few years in, VW a have sorted out the mechatronic weaknesses. I will have to decide whether to take an extended warranty or not…

Extended warranty and reduced servicing period and be sure the filter is done until VW group get around to doing that and at least warranty them to as long as they say the service is scheduled for.

 

We only hear of bad ones where people get on Social Media because 'Dealership staff have never heard of issues' & if there are noises or issues, 'they all do that' even though they do not know what DSG it is. 

Well I pushed the button. Now I just have to wait 5 months or so…