[AlanYoro35i]

I've been in touch with a few dealers for cars that is priced

A)bmw dealer 44,995 best price 1k off /very low px value (lower than wbac)
Low spec m4

B)non bmw dealer 43,750 gave me a very good px price but wanted deal done before friday. 2k more for px so really a 2k discount
Cayman S

C)bmw dealer valuation only , even lower than wbac
Trade in for Any M4

D)non bmw dealer 43,300 ok price for px and £300 off
Low spec m4

It seems to me bmw dealer gives lower trade in value and not much off sticker proce too.

[F30MGM]

I looked on auto trader found lowest price with the options I wanted. Called dealer told them to send me a invoice / quote spec sheet for my credit union and than went to my local dealer and had them price match lol. I got sticker drive out after ttl

[AlanYoro35i]

What is a credit union? Ttl?

I would of thought £40k budget i be treated like a vip! Bmw People would be more willing to do business.

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by F30MGM

I looked on auto trader found lowest price with the options I wanted. Called dealer told them to send me a invoice / quote spec sheet for my credit union and than went to my local dealer and had them price match lol. I got sticker drive out after ttl

I would exclude the trade in initially and get the best price on the sale. Tell them you're selling privately, in you can always get a trade in price for it after, at least the you'll know it's a true price.

I've haggled money off before by saying I've got a deposit on another car somewhere else, but just seen yours and like it more. I'm due to collect tomorrow, but if you can get anywhere near their price I'll cancel and have yours today. Got to be prepared to walk away if they refuse. I negotiated £2.5k off a Jaguar XFS I bought a couple of years ago and £3.5k off a 440i at Oxford BMW 2 months ago that I didn't choose to buy.

[....,,,,..,,..]

Do not discuss discount from a car you want to buy and how much they will give you for a trade in or have valued it at.

Do one or the other, find out the best for each separately.

Also use the likes of Coast to Coast cars as a starting point for new with discount.


Park away from dealership, get chatting to a salesman, say how you love BMW but bit worried about depreciation, ask if they depreciate as fast as say Mercedes, they will obviously say not to worry and hold price.

You can use that later with selling your BMW.

[R0B]

The key thing is finding out what the real level is. You're looking at different models so it may take more time, but here's how I do it:

Dealer 1 gives a price - say £10k in, £600 per month. You know that they will largely start at the top end of what they think they can get.

Call Dealer 2, and say Dealer 1 gave £5k in and £400 per month. Dealer 2 is then shocked and will likely cut straight to his best deal, or close to it.

Do the same with Dealer 3 and 4, all by phone, and you then get a true idea of what the best deal is likely to be - i.e. the rationalised figure is £7k in and £480 per month. Once you know the best you're likely to get, it makes it easier to PULL THE TRIGGER and go with a dealer who you're comfortable with.

[Archer-s]

Also be prepared to walk, I have found they often call back, let them know your ready to buy, and to try you if anything changes.

On the last car we bought, the car we wanted was at 7k, would have paid 6.5k, but missed their call, and next day was up for 6k

[AlanYoro35i]

Originally Posted by Robbo

The key thing is finding out what the real level is. You're looking at different models so it may take more time, but here's how I do it:

Dealer 1 gives a price - say £10k in, £600 per month. You know that they will largely start at the top end of what they think they can get.

Call Dealer 2, and say Dealer 1 gave £5k in and £400 per month. Dealer 2 is then shocked and will likely cut straight to his best deal, or close to it.

Do the same with Dealer 3 and 4, all by phone, and you then get a true idea of what the best deal is likely to be - i.e. the rationalised figure is £7k in and £480 per month. Once you know the best you're likely to get, it makes it easier to PULL THE TRIGGER and go with a dealer who you're comfortable with.

I like to add im paying cash for the rest of the balance so no montly payments for me

[....,,,,..,,..]

Originally Posted by AlanYoro35i

I like to add im paying cash for the rest of the balance so no montly payments for me

That can actually count against you, some dealers rely on selling finance as well.

Be open and ask where they make extra bonus points with th sale.

Exploit these areas.

I have taken out loads of bollox insurance, finance etc with thing likes mobiles, TV's etc just to get price I wanted, then cancelled straight off.

[AlanYoro35i]

Originally Posted by Brigand

That can actually count against you, some dealers rely on selling finance as well.

Be open and ask where they make extra bonus points with th sale.

Exploit these areas.

I have taken out loads of bollox insurance, finance etc with thing likes mobiles, TV's etc just to get price I wanted, then cancelled straight off.

Oh right, never thought about that. I will need to draw up a game plan now.

Thanks

[Watsey]

Here's how I'd approach it :

Define your requirements - if you don't know what car you want, the dealer may not be interested.

Research - get to know the market.

Never disclose your budget.

Silence can be a powerful thing. Never accept the first offer. Let the dealer work hard to earn your business.

Walk away if you're not being offered what you believe is a realistically available deal. There are many cars and dealers in the world.

[AlanYoro35i]

Originally Posted by Watsey

Here's how I'd approach it :

Define your requirements - if you don't know what car you want, the dealer may not be interested.

Research - get to know the market.

Never disclose your budget.

Silence can be a powerful thing. Never accept the first offer. Let the dealer work hard to earn your business.

Walk away if you're not being offered what you believe is a realistically available deal. There are many cars and dealers in the world.

Very wise words!! I shall keep my budget silent.

[bodtwo]

Find out when end of qtr or year is, sometimes they have monthly number to hit which will get them into a bonus. Be flexible on delivery so they can invoice in a particular month to get bonus.

Two bonuses at play, generally new car salesperson bonus and finance sales person bonus, work out both of them. I generally ask, sometimes they tell me sometimes they don't, becomes clear how near or far they are when you start talking immediate order/delivery.

Now for the bit that may be uncomfortable. Work out exactly what deal you want, deposit, payment, spec of car, extras, etc, etc, work it out to the nearest penny, then tell the salesperson those details and figures.

Tell them if they do that deal you'll place the deposit now, if they don't then tell them you'll walk away. They will laugh in your face and come back with some ridiculous offre but tell them no, stay there until they do the deal you want.

If you've done your homework and they are itching to achieve there bonus, they'll do the deal. If not you walk, plenty of other dealers around.

Done this many times and always funny to see confusion on their face when you tell them what you want to pay and you're willing to pay now that minute. I've sometimes got the deal straight way and sometimes it's taken four hours and others I've walked away and got the deal a few months later.

In younger days I took cash to the dealers to the pound and showed it to them. Nowadays I buy from same chap for last six bm's, I let him know what I want and when and for how much and he calls me when he thinks he can do it.

Above works for me, just make sure you do your homework as others have said and always walk away if you don't feel good about it. The three series I have I got about 24% off a list of about 52k and the z we've just bought we got about 35% off as it was one of the last available, and we could take delivery within two days that would mean the whole office got a special November end bonus that the dealers put on.

I think others have done better, but as I said, it was what I was happy to pay.

[CazuaLLUK]

This forum has taught me alot about getting the right deal for yourself and that there is alot of movement in price than the dealers make out.

I am still dreading buying my next car though, people on this forum must have huge balls and take some dealers for some serious rides!

[bodtwo]

Originally Posted by CazuaLLUK

This forum has taught me alot about getting the right deal for yourself and that there is alot of movement in price than the dealers make out.

I am still dreading buying my next car though, people on this forum must have huge balls and take some dealers for some serious rides!

Not huge balls, you've worked hard for that money, make them work as hard.

[....,,,,..,,..]

Originally Posted by CazuaLLUK

This forum has taught me alot about getting the right deal for yourself and that there is alot of movement in price than the dealers make out.

I am still dreading buying my next car though, people on this forum must have huge balls and take some dealers for some serious rides!

Not really, once you realise there is a range of discount available from the dealer AND manufacturer, then you need to take advantage of how much you can negotiate.

This same stuff applies to most electronic goods or purchases such as furniture.

I always try for discount or having extras put in for free.

It's not balls, it's just playing the system

[rich100]

Originally Posted by CazuaLLUK

This forum has taught me alot about getting the right deal for yourself and that there is alot of movement in price than the dealers make out.

I am still dreading buying my next car though, people on this forum must have huge balls and take some dealers for some serious rides!

I don't think the dealer will be taken for a ride, I think that's possibly just how it looks from our side of the fence without knowing exactly what goes on behind the scenes on their side.

In every deal that they do, there will be something in it for them even it's the finest margin or completing a deal to get over the line to hit a bonus for number of units sold.

Use of broker quotes is a very useful tool without a doubt but I think timing is also quite key, find a time of the quarter or the month when they're hungry and you'd be surprised how a seemingly impossible deal somehow magically happens.

Stupid game really

[MashinBenzin]

Originally Posted by CazuaLLUK

This forum has taught me alot about getting the right deal for yourself and that there is alot of movement in price than the dealers make out.

I am still dreading buying my next car though, people on this forum must have huge balls and take some dealers for some serious rides!

As Brigand says, it's just knowing the system and playing within the rules to your advantage.

No huge balls required, just polite but firm on what you require.

Whatever happens, we will never get to take the dealers for a ride - they won't sell at a loss (although they may sell at a loss on an individual car if it means they make a target and gain a dealership bonus).

[Hanchurch]

The best haggling I did was to make them aware I knew that they had had the car for 6 weeks, had already reduced it and when they would not go to my top price, I just said " here's my number if you are prepared to sell it for what I want ring me". Two and a half weeks later they rang back and I bought the car.

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by MashinBenzin

As Brigand says, it's just knowing the system and playing within the rules to your advantage.

No huge balls required, just polite but firm on what you require.

Whatever happens, we will never get to take the dealers for a ride - they won't sell at a loss (although they may sell at a loss on an individual car if it means they make a target and gain a dealership bonus).

I might have misunderstood, but I thought the OP was looking at second hand cars.

Most of the tricks and available discounts, brokers etc, discussed on here apply mainly to new cars. You can't count the £2k off at 10.9% because it is meaningless. It just pays for the higher interest rate. You can negotiate a lower rate anyway, but without the £2k discount. The affect on overall life cost is the same. You might be able to get a little bit off by buying insurance add ons etc, but not a signinificant amount.

Negotiating a decent discount on second hand cars does take balls. You have to play them at their own game. Make them think you have another real option that you will take and that your offer is serious and time limited for that day or phone call. You can even play them off against a lesser specced cheaper car somewhere else. Say that you aren't really interested in the higher spec of the car you're looking at with them, but maybe you like the colour better. If you can get anywhere near the price of the lower specced car somewhere else you'll take it, if not you'll go buy the other one. You can even be cheeky and say that you could probably negotiate a thousand off the cheaper car if you tried. This has worked for me in the past.

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

I agree new cars is much easier.

Find the lowest price available on a car broker and ask the dealer to match. Even if your local dealer won't, someone will. You don't even have to worry about working out the extra benefit of taking out their finance, most broker prices include that in their numbers. You can then ask what Brigand said, will the additional insurance policies get you any more off list.

The only extra thing to remember is that if you are getting 20% off list you can also get 20% off your options. Dealers will try and tell you that you can't, but it is there. Drive the deal used to be the only broker that I knew that also discounted options when you added them. Unfortunately they no longer have BMW on their list of manufacturers, hopefully that will change again soon.

[Archer-s]

On 2nd hand cars, you need to market watch, find a few that meet your needs, watch what price they go at, how long they hand around for.

Most importantly work out exactly what car and options you want, otherwise comparing cars and working out real value is near impossible