C220 cdi Elegance Auto

[david_e]

I am being offered my friend's car, new model, 07 plate, 17,000 miles, silver, black interior, a few extras, absolute mint condition. It is offered at £18,000 - but delivered when his new one is built, most likely September.

Is the price realistic now and is it likely to change much when the new plate comes out?

Thoughts appreciated, many thanks

D

 

[Rory]

Define "a few extras".

Has it got leather seats?

It looks dear to me for a private sale with you working with the seller on the timing. What are you going to do with your own car?

A quick glance at dealers and prices look very similar and you'd be able to p/x your car.

 

[wemorgan]

Simply use Autotrader to find a car as near as possible the same.
It will most likely be a dealer car, so deduct £1000 for a private sale.
Unless that is you wish to do him a favour, then offer the full dealer price.
Bare in mind his most likely other option would be to p/x with his new car and he'd lose a further £2-3k I would guess.

 

[david_e]

Define "a few extras".

Has it got leather seats?

It looks dear to me for a private sale with you working with the seller on the timing. What are you going to do with your own car?

A quick glance at dealers and prices look very similar and you'd be able to p/x your car.

It has leather seats, a wheel upgrade and some other low cost item, will find out. My current car is a Lexus 220d, got a lease bargain two years ago and it is going back in September, like it but the economy is not good and I miss the Merc auto box and economy. My previous 220 would do 50+ on a run.

I have looked at the ads and not seen any as low as that yet, having said that I haven't made any offers on a car so am not sure how elastic the prices are?

Have looked at used BMW and they won't knock a penny off, seems strange but true

 

[david_e]

Thanks, will have a bash at this.

 

[hawk20]

Three simple solutions: -
1. Go to Glass's Guide website, put in all details and extras and for a miserly £3 they will give you a full valuation, both for your benefit and to show your friend. They will give part ex, private sale and dealer prices. Really useful
2. Go to the Vauxhall website and under service and finance it gives 'value my car'. Put in the make and model, year and mileage and it will give you the part ex value for the car. Redo nearer the time of purchase. You should offer him a bit more than that, IMO, as he can get that anyway.
3. Go to the MB website and see what dealers are asking for cars of that age and mileage. Some are very competitive nowadays. I think your friend should take at least a couple of grand off what competitive dealers are asking.

 

[david_e]

Three simple solutions: -
1. Go to Glass's Guide website, put in all details and extras and for a miserly £3 they will give you a full valuation, both for your benefit and to show your friend. They will give part ex, private sale and dealer prices. Really useful
2. Go to the Vauxhall website and under service and finance it gives 'value my car'. Put in the make and model, year and mileage and it will give you the part ex value for the car. Redo nearer the time of purchase. You should offer him a bit more than that, IMO, as he can get that anyway.
3. Go to the MB website and see what dealers are asking for cars of that age and mileage. Some are very competitive nowadays. I think your friend should take at least a couple of grand off what competitive dealers are asking.

Many thanks, this is an excellent source of information and a good starting point for negotiating; it currently values the car at £17,500 so it is probably worth up to £18k because I know the history/extras; also it is going in for a B service at the Merc garage tomorrow. Thinking even more about it, we could agree the price (will bid him of course) subject to no major change in trade values?

 

[Rory]

I think your friend should take at least a couple of grand off what competitive dealers are asking.

I'd be thinking similar, although a couple of grand might be stretching it.

Also bear in mind that the Glass's Guide prices are a guide - dealers follow them faithfully when it suits them and completley disregard them when it doesn't.

Based on 07 plate, the car will be between 2.5 and 3ys old when you get it so won't have much warranty. If you buy from an MB dealer you will get 12mths warranty, but, as you mention, you have the advantage of knowing your friend's car's history.

Perhaps a key thing, is what is your friends alternative solution? Has he been offered £18K in p/x so he's giving you the chance of having the car for the same price? If so, maybe he would get a discount for no p/x and could share some of that with you.

A good way of establishing the car's true sale value as a seller would be to call a dealer and ask what they would give for the car as a straight buy. Of course you can hope, but can't expect, to be able to buy it for the same price.

 

[hawk20]

Many thanks, this is an excellent source of information and a good starting point for negotiating; it currently values the car at £17,500 so it is probably worth up to £18k because I know the history/extras; also it is going in for a B service at the Merc garage tomorrow. Thinking even more about it, we could agree the price (will bid him of course) subject to no major change in trade values?

Good. Glass's is based on actual prices being paid by car dealers in the real world and is the bible for most of them. Of course some pay below and some pay above. It is an average. I share your view that a bit above the part ex value is worthwhile given you know the history.

Linking what you pay in September to changes in Glass's Guide is a good way to do it IMO.