How to negotiate the best deal at a Car Supermarket

[topless_mx5]

I'm going to see a car on at £6995 at a car supermarket later today. Whilst I am normally a pretty good negotiator, I find it more difficult at car supermarkets as it is harder to get the price down.

What margins do they typically work with and what would you expect the lowest price to be on this car?

[Jo Po]

For the short time iv been here their have been looooads of threads on this.

Have a search, Some of them had good info that could really help you.

[va1o]

Most supermarkets price there cars to sell and won't really move on price. I'd guess on a £6,995 car they are probably working on a margin of about £1k maximum.

[pinchmeimdreamin]

In my one experience of looking at a car in an "available" car supermarket, I would expect them to offer you £50 px for your car and Finance on the car your looking at totalling around the £10k mark.

[geeteeaye]

Bought one car at a car supermarket a few years ago, was £7995, haggled a bit and they offered £200 off however I looked in depth through the service history and noticed it was due a service which involved a bit more than the basics, they took another £200 off. Had to fight like stink though for the £400 (5%) off, you may get a healthier discount in the current climate, or it's possible they're actually doing rather well if people are buying less new cars and more 3yr old ones?

[topless_mx5]

They were very very busy today and had to wait in line to see a salesman. Managed to get the car for £7050 including a service and a refurb to 2 alloys and a repair to a scratch on the bumper.
Should have been about £100 more than that inc service but had to haggle like hell to get it to that price.

[GKP]

Good skills. Only £55 over the asking price.

[pinchmeimdreamin]

topless_mx5 said:

I'm going to see a car on at £6995

topless_mx5 said:

They were very very busy today and had to wait in line to see a salesman. Managed to get the car for £7050 including a service and a refurb to 2 alloys and a repair to a scratch on the bumper.

you think thats a good deal ???

[hornetrider]

GKP said:

Good skills. Only £55 over the asking price.

[boredofmyoldname]

GKP said:

Good skills. Only £55 over the asking price.

I was just wondering how that worked out as a good deal

[vxrandy]

pinchmeimdreamin said:

topless_mx5 said:

I'm going to see a car on at £6995

topless_mx5 said:

They were very very busy today and had to wait in line to see a salesman. Managed to get the car for £7050 including a service and a refurb to 2 alloys and a repair to a scratch on the bumper.

you think thats a good deal ???

I've noticed they like to add an admin charge on all sales, their screen price will be their base price to upsell on.

[Cheeky Jim]

In agreement.....am scratching my head to determine why you feel you've done well.

Having said that...we don't know what you've bought and/or whether you could have bought better elsewhere...


At the end of the day, if you feel you've paid a fair price for a good motor, who are we to criticise!

[BlackMCS]

You haggled to pay more than the car was advertised for??? They should put any issues such as scratches and marked wheels right for free and the car should be up to date with its servicing. I have never bought from a car supermarket but did visit a couple with my BIL a few years ago and hated the attitude.

[Deva Link]

topless_mx5 said:

They were very very busy today and had to wait in line to see a salesman.

I think that tells you that you're not going to get much of a discount.

As to whether it was a good deal or not, who knows?

[anonymous-user]

Deva Link said:

topless_mx5 said:

They were very very busy today and had to wait in line to see a salesman.

I think that tells you that you're not going to get much of a discount.

As to whether it was a good deal or not, who knows?

oh yes, I can see me waiting in line to see a salesman - NOT

but, as others have said, if its a good buy at £7k, enjoy it!

[paddyhasneeds]

To be fair, from the info given it might have already been a good price, and it might not have already needed a service for a few months so it may not be such a bad deal - be interesting to know the details though.

[Deva Link]

JPJPJP said:

oh yes, I can see me waiting in line to see a salesman - NOT

It's amazing how busy these places are at weekends.

[dowahdiddyman]

Just don`t expect any miracles if the car goes wrong.The better half once bought a Laguna from a car supermarket and after we had the car only 6 weeks the g/box destroyed itself. The warranty covered upto £500 including labour, so basically not worth the paper it was written on. When it went a second time I nursed it back to them and came away with another car and left the laguna with them in p/x. They never asked if anything was wrong with it, just offered me bottom book price like they always do.
If you can get much off a car supermarket car your doing well, the salesmen all work on commision only(used to anyway) and know if you don`t buy somebody else will. Would certainly expected it serviced and all faults put right for no extra money though.

[topless_mx5]

GKP said:

Good skills. Only £55 over the asking price.

It's actually £50 over because it includes a service that would've been £150, plus repair work to bring the exterior up to near new.

As a comparison, a virtually identical car in perfect condition was £1000 more at a nearby rival car supermarket. This one was so cheap because it had a few scratches, but as these are being sorted, its pretty much the same as the one priced at £1000 more. Plus we get it ready serviced, so hopefully nothing to spend for a year.
So overall, I'd say yes it was a good deal

[IndyAndy777]

Why go looking for a deal on one of the busiest days of the week??