Bargaining at the dealers

[Compostella]

We're in the market for a Citroen C1 used car, we've found a nice one with air con (which is an optional extra) and its priced at �6595. We're paying cash so no finanace and nothing to trade in

Now, I know that you should always bargain but realistically what should I expect?

We want one with air con and 5 doors but it seems that they are rare. Frome where I sit it seems that we haven't got much bargaining power.

Any tips?

[bigboots]

dealers usually get a back hander from finance companies so are more willing to give you money off the screen price as they recoup it from the finance deal,
Best bet is to find another car at a differant dealers and pretend that you can't decide which car to go for, tell the salesman you are going to look at it and make him sell you the car you want i think a good deal would be free road tax full tank of fuel and no less tha �500 off the screen price.
If he knows you want this car your a sitting duck and the wont give you much if anthing off, if he thinks you are going to walk away and he could loose the deal then the will be more flexible, but do your home work and find out the price of a renault clio for example, as this is your bargaining tool

[annie0000]

I just managed to buy, from a dealership, a brand new renault clio campus sport, with metallic paint and cd player - unregistered, full 3 year warranty, I year road tax, 3 years vri, first 2 services inc. no finance, �600 trade-in on my 9 year old matiz. For �6600. - Book price �9.5K. And I have no idea how I managed it!

i was initially interested in some pre reg cars, but was looking for a bit extra discount as they did not have full warranty. I phoned and asked if there was any movement on the �7.8k deal (that was including my trade in) deal that he had offered as I had seen a brand new car on line for a similar price. He phoned me back with the above on a car that they had just got in for the showroom- without the servicing and with 6 months tax - I told him to chuck in the servicing and extra tax and he had a deal, and he did it! I was gobsmacked.

I think there are definitely deals to be had - think the market is a bit slow just now.

As has been said - go armed with other figures - sound fairly open about what other deals are available and when you have got what you are looking for, always ask for one more small thing to clinch the deal.

Going with my other half for a new car tomorrow - he has told me to handle negotiations. When the sales guy thinks the deal is done, I am going to try to get roof bars!

[Compostella]

The road tax is only �35 per year and the fuel tank only holds about �30 but the servicing is a good idea.

I bet that the service intervals are long though so that might not be worth much

Do you think that he would knock off �500 on a �6.5K deal?

Especially s the car we want is rare in that it has 5 doors and air con

[kjn2]

Checked on this site ;-

http://www.usedcar.citroen.co.uk/

and they have four cars that suit your requirement from what we read here, so go to the dealers and tell them your limit is 6T ,does not seem unreasonable to me to expect the discount stated for a cash sale, at the end of the day it all depends on what kind of month they have had with regards sales . GOOD LUCK , If they accept the offer then say ok we are nearly there just tax for the year fit over carpets, full tank ,and one free service and its a deal. GO FOR IT

[VICTIMS]

as others have said dealers prefer you to have finance. don't tell him you want to pay cash. if he talks about so much a week, just listen and let it go over your head. when you have agreed the price and said you'll take it, let him get all the sales invoice ready, then when he gets the finance forms out, just say you don't need that. he has already agreed the price, so will not now want to lose his sale.

[Compostella]

Okay we've been and done a deal. We ended up buying a brand new one, with 5 doors, A/C, mettalic paint, tax. petrol, all the trimmings for �7.5K.

Its a special edition with red seats for only �1K more than we originally intended to spend.

We got �1300 off list price. Whether we got or good deal or not, we feel that we have. It turns out that its a good time to buy as its the end of the financial year and they just need volume sales thro now

[bigboots]

Well done you did a good deal,

[annie0000]

Sounds like a good deal to me - with brand new, you have your full warranty and the pleasure of knowing that no-one has hashed it about. You should have an in demand decent spec model for when you want to trade it in.

Enjoy your car - see I told you there were deals to be done.

We bought a Skoda Roomster today to go with the Clio I bought earlier in the week. Managed to get a bit more for the trade in, the roof rails we wanted and a third headrest in the back thrown in and the roofbars at cost price.

Were happy as well. Especially as he managed to source one at tanother garage so we can get it in the next week or so - so we don't need to MOT or tax our current car.