I'm writing again after a break. Look out for some serious churning!
I'm writing again after a break. Look out for some serious churning!
Member since:08.09.2000
Reviews:102
Members who trust:56
With all the talk of UK car prices and the hassle of importing I thought I would add my own experiences to the pot. As there is no general section here I've put this opinion under Ford as thats where my experience lies but what I say really goes for all manufacturers. Before I give you all my tips for saving money without going abroad I'll just put forward a bit of information about why you find it hard to purchase from abroad.
~~~ Manufacturers Won't Supply RHD Cars ~~~ I sometimes get a little worked up when I hear the people on "Watchdog" telling the viewers that the manufacturers deliberately won't supply right hand drive cars for sale on the continent. Yes the manufacturers are legally obliged to provide the car to the dealers but they won't do it very quickly, this is true. What is never mentioned though is that the manufacturers will not supply ANY car quickly. The dealer doesn't order a car when you do, he sells you one which he has already bought from the manufacturer, maybe several months ago.
~~~
Dealer Stock ~~~ Yes, when you buy your new car its not fresh of the production line, its dealer stock. The manufacturer builds cars and sells them to the dealers, the dealers then keep them in huge lots until they sell them to the customer. Its not unusual to buy a new car which has been in dealer stock for a number of months, in fact its quite common. At work most people buy new cars, often they have trouble getting the colour they want because the dealer doesn't have any in stock they will try and sell you a different colour. If you were to wait for them to get a new car from the manufacturer, in the colour you wanted you may wait several months. In fact you will probably wait just as long as if you had gone to Europe and ordered a right hand drive car. The European dealers don't have any in their dealer stock because they don't buy them from the manufacturer and that’s why you will find a wait of several months for your car to be ordered.
~~~ Why Can't I order direct from the production line? ~~~ I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on this but I do know that the manufacturers are working towards this concept. Its not really simple as it involves the co-ordination of correct components (thousands of them) but it is a goal. One day you will be able to order a car which will then be produced to your specification and with you inside a month.
~~~ My Experience ~~~ Because I work for a car manufacturer and as such I get to buy their cars at a discounted price. So does everyone else I work with. Even with the discount available it pays to shop around for the best deal. I'm based in Essex and I know people who have travelled as far as Newcastle to get the best deal on their new car. I'm not talking a few quid off here it can be thousands.
~~~ Think Nationally ~~~ Before buying a new car it is well worth phoning round various dealerships across the country. Don't rule them out by distance; sometimes they will deliver without any extra cost. Heres a couple of recent examples, bearing in mind these cars were bought on discount vouchers, you might save more if you were paying the full price.
A few months ago my friend bought a Ka collection, she ordered it from a dealers in Lowestoft and saved £600 on what she was quoted locally, they also threw in a CD player. They even delivered the car to the office for her. She bought her previous car from a dealers in the Sheffield when she saved £500 and got it delivered free of charge.
Last September I bought a new Focus 2.0l Ghia, with my discount voucher I made a considerable saving but I saved an extra £900 by making a short drive to Ipswich. I also found a highly professional dealership who I will be happy to place custom with in the future. They threw in a set of mats a first aid kit and a golf umbrella (it was top of the range so there wasn't anything they could add to the car.).
~~~ Quotas ~~~ Bear in mind that all dealers have quotas which they have to meet every month. If you buy a car in September or March then the dealer will have met his quota for the month easily. Try December or January and they are likely to be short on sales. If you are looking for a car where they are failing to meet their quotas they will bend over backwards to get your business. Shop around a wide area for the best deal, if you can't find the deal you want try again next month and it could make a world of difference.
~~~ Negotiate ~~~ Don't be afraid to play off dealers against each other, they really do want your business. If your local dealer offers you a price which is slightly undercut elsewhere go back and tell him the other price you have been quoted, he may well match it. Also try and get them to throw in some extras say "ah, but XYZ said they would give me free mats", his reply will often be "OK then, I'll give you free mats and mudflaps". Car dealers really can be flexible when it comes to a few extras getting them that sale. I never order until I'm happy I've got everything I could possible get out of them without drawing blood!
~~~ The Bottom Line ~~~ Buying a car in Europe may indeed be your cheapest option, but the dealers in the UK are still selling a huge amount of cars to private individuals. Before you part with your hard earned cash or sign that finance agreement try every dealer you can find in the phone book and don't be afraid to haggle with them over little extras. I was so happy with the deal I got that the dealer subsequently got my fathers business too, oh and he gave me a small cheque for the "introduction".
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Advantages: Very efficient, excellent competitiveness, good customer service and knowledge of products in which they sell and in which they give. Disadvantages: Did not send a reminder about MOT and service due
christopherbrown 13.01.2001 ·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Ford
Sep 8th, 2000
(May 22nd, 2001)
exceptional by (3%):
very helpful by (80%):
helpful by (17%):
