Resale Value What is your car worth?

[NH Dan]

Originally Posted by J. Derek Riddell

NH Dan and Mr JP (and perhaps others) seem to totally confuse the terms 'Mark-up' and 'Profit' ...

To many people, they are one and the same, but they are NOT ... 'Mark-up' is the difference betwen the Net buy-in price (to Honda etc.) and the Gross cost (including all the dealers's on-costs) ... 'Profit' is simply the difference between the Gross cost and the eventual Sales price ...

And yes, I'm quite prepared to believe that any dealer - given today's economic situation (at least, in the UK) - will sell any car that is in stock, as long as there is some Profit in the deal ! ...

I can assure you that if you read my posts in this thread, one thing I am not is confused between mark-up and profit. Having been a car salesman for over 10 years, i think i've almost got the hang of it.

[dave525]

Just a thought !!! Why do we all expect to go to a car dealer and knock the price of their goods down, would we expect to go in to say Currys and get an extra £100 of of the new HD TV that we want ? or in to say WH Smiths and ask for a £1 off a book.

[J. Derek Riddell]

Obviously, I was actually agreeing with you ...

NOT so obviously, I 'carried' the wrong protagonist's name in my head ! ...

I MEANT to refer to Topcat and Mr JP ...

Much grovelling \ hand-wringing \ forelock-touching \ etc. ...

[Mr JP]

Wouldn't ever buy a T.V in currys, much cheaper online, and books on amazon are cheaper than WHsmiths.

As for being a "protagonist", I apologise if I offended anyone and mean no harm to any individual as I'm sure your all lovely, and the mortgage has to be paid etc etc.

I just wish salesman would stop the rubbish that ejects from their mouth when they say "how are they doing it for that price, we don't even get them for that"

If they just eluded to the fact that money needs to be made and bigger discounts means less comission for them, I would pay much more respect to them in general.

[J. Derek Riddell]

I wasn't offended and \ or harmed ... note - I said "protagonist" - and not "antagonist" (if I understand the difference correctly) ...

BUT, my experience with dealers hasn't been the same as yours ! ...

In the UK, despite a couple of somewhat 'dodgy' individuals (as opposed to dodgy dealerships), I always got - or at least got 85% - of what I believed I was entitled to, in terms of warranty \ guarantee work (for both used and new cars) ... ditto, when 'negotiating' the initial purchase price ...

However, irrespective of how much I fumed \ raged inside (and it only happened perhaps once every several years), I was always formal and polite and very persistent and - when confronted with a 'no' - referred to a "Which" or whatever article on relevant consumer rights (and the outcome - in the customer's favour - when it was tested in Court) ...

Here in Norway - where I've been a resident for some 11 years - I have had a few occasions of 'less than satisfactory' service (with various dealers) - but, always "sorted", after asking to see the 'Manager' ...

For me (here in Norway) I can't really fault my Honda dealer ...

Are they perfect - NO - but more than acceptable (apart from Norwegian prices for cars \ parts \ servicing \ repairs) ...

Actually - for absolutely anything connected to driving ! ...

How about £ 1.40 per liter for petrol, in an Oil Exporting Country !!! ...

[Mr JP]

Protagonist I believe is to be the lead in something, i.e the lead role in a film or "most responsible" for an argument or debate. I don't feel I was. Antagonise I certainly wasn't either.

I Just wanted to help anyone on here (because it's supposed to be a useful resource) that was looking for a deal and is persistently told that there is no margin for a discount on a new car.

The apology I was making was mainly to NH Dan who sounds like a nice fellow it's just I have a difference in opinion but never the less respect his.

I work in sales and understand the concepts of comission and price and the two interlinked, I am just on the side of the consumer when it comes to this forum and try to help people (i.e Karobonas) the best I can.

I got £1500 off my new R-GT last year when I ordered in April, and free mats, free ambient lighting, free i-pod lead, free auto dim mirror......

And guess what....

the dealer is still open!......

....and Adam (my sales guy) hasn't got the sack,

and even said he would repeat the deal with one of my friends.

[FWH]

Originally Posted by dave525

Just a thought !!! Why do we all expect to go to a car dealer and knock the price of their goods down, would we expect to go in to say Currys and get an extra £100 of of the new HD TV that we want ? or in to say WH Smiths and ask for a £1 off a book.

I try this kind of stuff all the time.
You would be amazed how often it works.

Maybe not a WH Smith...but many other places.

[NH Dan]

Originally Posted by Mr JP

Wouldn't ever buy a T.V in currys, much cheaper online, and books on amazon are cheaper than WHsmiths.

As for being a "protagonist", I apologise if I offended anyone and mean no harm to any individual as I'm sure your all lovely, and the mortgage has to be paid etc etc.

I just wish salesman would stop the rubbish that ejects from their mouth when they say "how are they doing it for that price, we don't even get them for that"

If they just eluded to the fact that money needs to be made and bigger discounts means less comission for them, I would pay much more respect to them in general.

Mr JP , i do see your point but I had an exact scenario today, a lady came in with a quote on an FR-V from an internet broker that was a clear £200+ lower than the ex-gate invoice price from Honda. I'm sure if you asked the other dealers on here they will have all seen the same thing.

[Mr JP]

Originally Posted by NH Dan

Mr JP , i do see your point but I had an exact scenario today, a lady came in with a quote on an FR-V from an internet broker that was a clear £200+ lower than the ex-gate invoice price from Honda. I'm sure if you asked the other dealers on here they will have all seen the same thing.

Dan the fact that you see my point is enough for me

Your quite clearly a top salesman who actively participates on this forum which others don't.

You seem very committed to your job and Honda and I commend that.

Did you send her on her way?

[NH Dan]

Originally Posted by Mr JP

Dan the fact that you see my point is enough for me

Your quite clearly a top salesman who actively participates on this forum which others don't.

You seem very committed to your job and Honda and I commend that.

Did you send her on her way?

Nope, dealt. we had the stock, the broker was mid/late september.

[J. Derek Riddell]

I bought from my local dealer ...

I looked at \ investigated many choices :-

1} Local Honda dealer

2} Honda dealer elsewhere in Norway (a bit cheaper)

3} Dealer in Germany (cheaper still, but personal import hassle)

Despite 2} and \ or 3} being a cheaper buy, I chose 1} ...

Why ? - they had what I wanted in stock - and being able to engage (in the future) in face-to-face discussions re any warranty issues or the like, appealed to me ...

I ordered the car on a Wednesday and collected it the next Tuesday ! ...

Winter wheels \ tyres and the skinny spare wheel came 1 week later ...

NIL problems \ issues so far (cross all fingers and toes) ...

[Diesel Virgin]

Some dealers are greedy, but it is upto us the consumer to go to those that are fair. I went to Horizon Honda and all they wanted was to give me was a really poor price for my old car against an expensive year old car, and told me I would not be able to get a good price for it privately. I discussed it with them for 2 weeks not getting anywhere while just being offered day light robbery finance. I then went to Honda in Dorchester (the name escapes me) and the sales guy advised me to sell privately come back with the cash and he would knock £1k of any used civic price. So I did just that and got £2K more than what horizon were offering. Unfortunately i fell in love with a brand new Type S GT with extras for £16500 which was more than my budget, but they were prepared to let me walk away over the car mats so I guess that was the max they would go. The thing is, that was just £500 more than a year old SE from Horizon. So be patient, vote with your feet and wallet and sell privately (unless you car is a dog and you do not want the come back).

[Coldwarkid]

Originally Posted by dave525

would we expect to go in to say Currys and get an extra £100 of of the new HD TV that we want ?

I work for them, you'd be surprised.

[Civvy Civic]

That'll be Ash Honda , then Diesel Virgin. I originally visited their Yeovil showroom, before I brought my 1.8 EX secondhand from Ryland Honda in Cardiff.

Ash Honda (Yeovil) were bl**dy awful - I was looking to buy new with no part-ex, and they offered me a 2 week wait for a test drive - both local Ford and Toyota offered the next day! They wouldn't even give me a price for a new car, unless I signed there and then - but they couldn't understand when I said NO, because they wouldn't give me a price, so I wouldn't know what I was going to pay!!! I had a guaranteed internet broker price - which they refused to meet. I certainly won't be having it serviced there - off to either Ryland (39 miles) or Howards, Taunton (20 miles). Both Howards and Ryland offered to beat the internet price.

However, Ryland had great deals on 6 month old cars (£13,995 for 1.8 EX, ex-Honda UK car with 6k miles - and in Milano RED!!!) - and I was desperate for a car, as my old Rover 200 had failed its MOT big style! However, I am a firm believer in haggling the price down, but also aware that you get what you pay for!!

And, yes, I've haggled the price down in lots of different retailers for all manner of things.

[gingerjedi]

Hey Civvy Civic, I'm also in Somerset so I guess you see the same prices as I do.

Whenever I search on autotrader I get a lot of results from south Wales as it doesn't take the Bristol channel into consideration, I've noticed that Ryland Honda in Cardiff is consistently and considerably cheaper than Bristol or Weston Honda.

Living in Weston I would rather buy in my home town but find the dealer way of the mark compared to others, I had my eye on a 06' CDTI with 15k on the clock advertised at £12,500, a week later they had a 'special' weekend event (why do dealers think balloons sell cars??) where the price dropped to £12,000, the following week they put it back up to £12,500, a few days ago I got a text from the dealer telling me that all cars are now available at 0% for 4 years and guess what... that same Civic is now £13,000! Do they think we're stupid???

The same dealer offered me £8,700 for my pristine 05’ CTR with 28k on it and he wouldn’t even let me haggle… they had a Milano red CTR which was 6 months older than mine (similar miles) on the forecourt for £11,000!

One thing’s for sure, if I sell privately I’ll also be buying privately... or going over to Cardiff!

[dave525]

I bought my Civic at the above dealer in Weston and got a very good deal, but did notice that a lot of their cars were much more expensive than the advertised prices on the web for Ryland Honda

[gingerjedi]

Originally Posted by dave525

I bought my Civic at the above dealer in Weston and got a very good deal, but did notice that a lot of their cars were much more expensive than the advertised prices on the web for Ryland Honda

I guess if you turn up on the right day and the salesman needs to make a sale then you may get a deal, I got the impression that they didn't really want to sell a car the day I visited.

Have you noticed the difference at carbase.biz? All their cars are advertised cheaper on autotrader, they had an Audi A3 advertised at £12,000 but the screen price on the forecourt was £14,000! Again... do they think we're stupid??!!

I had a look at 320d at a dealer in wales who also bumped the forecourt price, when I quizzed him he said that was his 'special' internet price. People don't buy cars like CD's, you don't order a second hand car online so no-one will get the internet price.

[NH Dan]

Originally Posted by gingerjedi

I guess if you turn up on the right day and the salesman needs to make a sale then you may get a deal, I got the impression that they didn't really want to sell a car the day I visited.

Have you noticed the difference at carbase.biz? All their cars are advertised cheaper on autotrader, they had an Audi A3 advertised at £12,000 but the screen price on the forecourt was £14,000! Again... do they think we're stupid??!!

I had a look at 320d at a dealer in wales who also bumped the forecourt price, when I quizzed him he said that was his 'special' internet price. People don't buy cars like CD's, you don't order a second hand car online so no-one will get the internet price.

you'd be surprised at how many people do....

[gingerjedi]

Originally Posted by NH Dan

you'd be surprised at how many people do....

New maybe but you'd have to be a complete idiot to buy a second hand car without seeing it.

[NH Dan]

Originally Posted by gingerjedi

New maybe but you'd have to be a complete idiot to buy a second hand car without seeing it.

as I say, you'd surprised at how many people actually do.