New car brokers
Discussion
I'm feeling a bit sad at what I see as the loss of proper new car buying. Is it no longer normal to go to your local dealer and thrash out a decent price?
Today I had the displeasure of trying to get my local Audi dealer to get somewhere close to the broker price we've been quoted on a new A3, and in the end they "don't do discounts" because they don't need to and can sell the car to someone else apparently, and therefore they didn't even try to offer anything.
I'm not moaning about that, I had the same issue with my local BMW dealer a few years back and I don't expect them to lose money that they could be making off someone else (not that they should be mutually exclusive), but the pleasure of getting a new car was always in dealing with the local dealer and going through the new car pickup process. Now the new car buyer can check out the best discount prices and even do a full PCP quote online.
I don't know why I'm saddened by all this, I'm going to get a new car at the price I wanted via Carfile, but it'll be a faceless transaction with a dealer I will probably never visit. All I wanted was the local place to get somewhere close (I told them I was happy to pay a bit more for the local relationship) but they just weren't interested. I felt sorry for the sales guy, he did say they were just becoming a place people go to pick up cars rather than go through the buying experience, and he did at least go through the motions of talking to his manager for 10 minutes at a time, but nothing was offered.
Sad really, the brokers must be taking over.
Today I had the displeasure of trying to get my local Audi dealer to get somewhere close to the broker price we've been quoted on a new A3, and in the end they "don't do discounts" because they don't need to and can sell the car to someone else apparently, and therefore they didn't even try to offer anything.
I'm not moaning about that, I had the same issue with my local BMW dealer a few years back and I don't expect them to lose money that they could be making off someone else (not that they should be mutually exclusive), but the pleasure of getting a new car was always in dealing with the local dealer and going through the new car pickup process. Now the new car buyer can check out the best discount prices and even do a full PCP quote online.
I don't know why I'm saddened by all this, I'm going to get a new car at the price I wanted via Carfile, but it'll be a faceless transaction with a dealer I will probably never visit. All I wanted was the local place to get somewhere close (I told them I was happy to pay a bit more for the local relationship) but they just weren't interested. I felt sorry for the sales guy, he did say they were just becoming a place people go to pick up cars rather than go through the buying experience, and he did at least go through the motions of talking to his manager for 10 minutes at a time, but nothing was offered.
Sad really, the brokers must be taking over.
Had a similar experience to the O.P but not purchasing new, but leasing.
First time ever in leasing a vehicle so did my research, followed lease threads on here etc.
Start of this year and some fantastic deals on the VW Scirocco R. Looked at all the options and cheapest was some franchised VW dealers themselves, but mainly down south.
Im up norf in Warrington, so contacted my local VW dealer for a quote.
All in he was about £400 dearer over the 2 years, so i gave him 2 examples of different franchised VW dealers and i explained to him he just had to get a bit closer to their quotes.
He came back to me a little later in the day with juggled figures.
He had raised the initial deposit and lowered the monthly cost, but was still £398 more expensive.
HE HAD QUOTED ME £2.00 LESS THAN HIS FIRST QUOTE.
I stated in a phone conversation that he did not have to better these 2 quotes, just get within £30 to £50 of either.
He sent me an email which i can best describe as insulting to me and the other VW dealers.
He was questioning why when using a local dealer, was i unwilling to pay another £400 ?
He could not understand how the other 2 VW Dealers could do deals so cheap, he stated they must be doing the deal at a loss.
He told me to justify his position within the company, that there was a minimum amount of profit he had to make,on any deals he arranged.
He also said that the benefit to me would be a car collected at my local dealership, and not driven by a.n.other some 200 miles for delivery.
I declined his quote, and i will be travelling south in March to collect in person my new Scirocco R. with 10 miles on the clock.
I could of had this car delivered, but i am taking the opportunity to visit family down south that same weekend. Also looking forward to the drive home.
A Mr Richard Gibson [ the fleet business development manager] of V W Windrush in Slough, has kindly agreed to hand my car over to me on the first available Saturday after he takes delivery.
He normally only works mon to fri so he is being more than a little helpful.
OTHER VW DEALERS IN THE NORTHWEST TAKE NOTE !
First time ever in leasing a vehicle so did my research, followed lease threads on here etc.
Start of this year and some fantastic deals on the VW Scirocco R. Looked at all the options and cheapest was some franchised VW dealers themselves, but mainly down south.
Im up norf in Warrington, so contacted my local VW dealer for a quote.
All in he was about £400 dearer over the 2 years, so i gave him 2 examples of different franchised VW dealers and i explained to him he just had to get a bit closer to their quotes.
He came back to me a little later in the day with juggled figures.
He had raised the initial deposit and lowered the monthly cost, but was still £398 more expensive.
HE HAD QUOTED ME £2.00 LESS THAN HIS FIRST QUOTE.
I stated in a phone conversation that he did not have to better these 2 quotes, just get within £30 to £50 of either.
He sent me an email which i can best describe as insulting to me and the other VW dealers.
He was questioning why when using a local dealer, was i unwilling to pay another £400 ?
He could not understand how the other 2 VW Dealers could do deals so cheap, he stated they must be doing the deal at a loss.
He told me to justify his position within the company, that there was a minimum amount of profit he had to make,on any deals he arranged.
He also said that the benefit to me would be a car collected at my local dealership, and not driven by a.n.other some 200 miles for delivery.
I declined his quote, and i will be travelling south in March to collect in person my new Scirocco R. with 10 miles on the clock.
I could of had this car delivered, but i am taking the opportunity to visit family down south that same weekend. Also looking forward to the drive home.
A Mr Richard Gibson [ the fleet business development manager] of V W Windrush in Slough, has kindly agreed to hand my car over to me on the first available Saturday after he takes delivery.
He normally only works mon to fri so he is being more than a little helpful.
OTHER VW DEALERS IN THE NORTHWEST TAKE NOTE !
Edited by TJC46 on Sunday 22 January 17:27
TJC 46 I do understand your frustration, it's not nice when a salesman just rehashes a quote to get you down to a monthly by increasing your deposit and hopes you don't notice. Its pretty insulting I find.
However I do feel a bit sorry for some new car sales staff, they all compete against the internet, you have retail salesmen getting frowned at by customers who can't understand why they can't do a broker fleet discount or fleet lease price - when really it's not their fault.
Having said all that theres no need to be rude and a simple 'thats not a deal I can do, this is my best price' is all a salesman needs to say to end the matter.
However I do feel a bit sorry for some new car sales staff, they all compete against the internet, you have retail salesmen getting frowned at by customers who can't understand why they can't do a broker fleet discount or fleet lease price - when really it's not their fault.
Having said all that theres no need to be rude and a simple 'thats not a deal I can do, this is my best price' is all a salesman needs to say to end the matter.
I'm going to try the next local dealer, but they are part of the same group so assume I'll get similar response, but at least I can be more forthright and just tell them where I am price wise.
As much as it saddens me, I'll drop them an email and ask them to call me if they can get close. Unlike the other poster, I'd be happy with a few hundred quid either way, but conscious that the dealer the broker will contract with will also have to pay a fee, so presumably there is even more room if we can cut out the middle man.
The dealer on Saturday was £3000 out and didn't offer a single penny, which confused me at first,but I assume it's because they knew they wouldn't get close and just didn't want to talk any more.
As much as it saddens me, I'll drop them an email and ask them to call me if they can get close. Unlike the other poster, I'd be happy with a few hundred quid either way, but conscious that the dealer the broker will contract with will also have to pay a fee, so presumably there is even more room if we can cut out the middle man.
The dealer on Saturday was £3000 out and didn't offer a single penny, which confused me at first,but I assume it's because they knew they wouldn't get close and just didn't want to talk any more.
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