Used car market is cheap? So ...

[teknow]

New around here - long awaited return to Mercedes ownership!

It seems that used car prices are incredibly cheap at the moment, so much so that Parkers guide seems completely out of touch.

I've spotted an X-reg (2001) CLK 230K Avantgarde, full leather interior, FMBSH, 60,000 miles, alloys need refurb and seat needs a leather panel replaced (about £400 for both I've been quoted).

How much would you say it is worth? I'm really stuck on this ... £4,500 too much? I was thinking around £4k?

Apart from rust around arches and boot lock - anything else I should be looking out for?

Confused!

 

[andy_k]

tbh, I'd go in at £3500

at the moment, it's a buyers market and there are plenty of massive bargains about

 

[pint6x]

Don't forget that the automatics are much easier to sell on in the future - manual gearbox Mercs can stick around a bit. Manuals should be quite a bit cheaper - have a look on www.autotrader.co.uk or www.pistonheads.com to get an idea of what they're going for.

 

[teknow]

tbh, I'd go in at £3500

at the moment, it's a buyers market and there are plenty of massive bargains about

Really? Wow. The dealer is asking £4900 for it ... however, I don't want the warranty and will be paying cash, so hopefully ...

 

[teknow]

Don't forget that the automatics are much easier to sell on in the future - manual gearbox Mercs can stick around a bit. Manuals should be quite a bit cheaper - have a look on www.autotrader.co.uk or www.pistonheads.com to get an idea of what they're going for.

I made this mistake with my 1998 C180 Sport when I bought it years ago. Never had a problem with the gearbox and had done 120,000 miles when I shifted it. But I did lose a shed load on it!

Thanks.

 

[vijilants]

Really? Wow. The dealer is asking £4900 for it ... however, I don't want the warranty and will be paying cash, so hopefully ...

If I were you, and the warranty is reasonable, id take the warranty. You should still be able to knock him down in this current climate, regardless.

 

[teknow]

If I were you, and the warranty is reasonable, id take the warranty. You should still be able to knock him down in this current climate, regardless.

Have been reading good things about Warrantywise.com - so will take my own warranty post-purchase. I should have explained that.

 

[Fandango]

I think your £4k offer would be reasonable.
Glass's says £3980 for below average condition.

 

[andy_k]

Really? Wow. The dealer is asking £4900 for it ... however, I don't want the warranty and will be paying cash, so hopefully ...

If you offer a price that's too low and the dealer says no then you can negotiate up in small increments until you reach an agreement.

If the dealer accepts your first offer - it was too high and you have no bargaining power

 

[The Dent Guy]

So where's the dealers profit margin then? Everyones getting a bit carried away with the "buyers market" thing?

Up at £4900........ and Glass's below average condition "trade price" is a tad under £4k....so i would think that he has about £1200 profit ish sat in the car.

I bet he if he's desperate he wont drop below £4400

 

[Howard]

Why does the seat panel need replacing at 60k ?

 

[andy_k]

I know what you are saying but the price he has bought the car in at will also be lower due to the so called "buyer's market". I've never yet found a car dealer that pays the full book price for cars. If it's been picked up at auction he's probably paid about 65% of bottom book in the current climate.

If he'd rather shift the car and invest the cash in something more "saleable" then you never know what he'll accept. It's far better for him to have a really tidy late model small car on his forecourt than a slightly tatty 2001 car that's just into the expensive road tax bracket.

There's no harm offering him a low price. If it's too low he can only say no and suggest a more realistic price.

 

[The Dent Guy]

I know what you are saying but the price he has bought the car in at will also be lower due to the so called "buyer's market". I've never yet found a car dealer that pays the full book price for cars. If it's been picked up at auction he's probably paid about 65% of bottom book in the current climate.

If he'd rather shift the car and invest the cash in something more "saleable" then you never know what he'll accept. It's far better for him to have a really tidy late model small car on his forecourt than a slightly tatty 2001 car that's just into the expensive road tax bracket.

There's no harm offering him a low price. If it's too low he can only say no and suggest a more realistic price.

I see your point - it also largely depends on how long its been on his front. I still think a very low offer to start with would be met with an outburst of laughter. This isn't an auto trader special - its a dealer forecourt.

Another thing is, if he agrees and sells ridiculously low (for a dealer) I'd be worried it might be a lemon.

 

[Adam230K]

I think the price should be £4500 tops, its a low mileage CLK dont forget and 'Avantgarde', so its going to have good spec. Its only a 2.3 supercharged engine, not a V8 or anything, so regardless of the "climate" in the country at the moment, i seriously dont think this type of car is effected.

I traded in my old car + £2500 for my c230k (c230k was classic and c200 was elegance), and this was a year and a half ago. My c230k had 61K on the clock and it was immaculate in terms of the body condition... but i had to change pads/discs and 2 tyres, so i paid around 3k for it. Considering my old car was a 1995 c200 with 179k on the clock and it had the worst bodywork i've ever seen! they still p/x'ed it for me for £1200 somehow!

 

[teknow]

Wow! Started a real discussion here.

First the seat panel. When I asked the guy about the condition the only two things he said he could fault were the alloys were slightly corroded around the rims and the seat side support was slightly scuffed.

I would guess that neither of the above really need doing but reserve judgement until I've actually seen the car.

Tuesday I'm thinking of going over.

I hate haggling. I can't see him reducing the price much past £4,500 myself - that would cover the cost of the restoration of wheels and seat and maybe he'll knock another £100 off if I don't want the warranty?

Lets see. There are plenty of them around.

Found another with 55k of the clock 1997 on an R plate for £3500. Mint - again with history.

I don't know if I should pay a grand less and go for this one

 

[andy_k]

just ask him the simple question

"what's your best price if we finalise the deal today?"

Then offer him a couple of hundred quid less with a big smile on your face

That's not haggling, that's getting yourself a good deal

 

[Will]

To be honest, rather than worrying over £500 here or there, I'd be more concerned with checking the car over properly.

£500 can easily be swallowed up on a service and a set of tyres. Has it been serviced recently - might be due a few things at or around 60k - plugs, coolant, brake fluid - etc etc.

It pays to evaluate a car thoroughly IMHO - one example that's £500-1000 or so more expensive might have no rust, new tyres, just been serviced and faultless. A cheaper car that sounds similar in an advert might actually cost you more over the near future under your ownership.

Basing the car at the start of this thread in 'average' condition, I would agree with Andy K and offer a low starting bid - can only work in your favour and I don't think it's that unrealistic either.

There's plenty of CLKs out there waiting for your cash

Best of luck,

Will

 

[teknow]

just ask him the simple question

"what's your best price if we finalise the deal today?"

Then offer him a couple of hundred quid less with a big smile on your face

That's not haggling, that's getting yourself a good deal

I hate haggling. But I'm quite good at smiling ... :bannana:

 

[Adam230K]

Ok dont haggle... If you have the slightest doubt about its condition or you just feel uneasy.. walk away.

 

[teknow]

Ok dont haggle... If you have the slightest doubt about its condition or you just feel uneasy.. walk away.

Ohhhh I will!!!

Am thinking about having a used car inspection done on it ... thus my other post! I am a mechanical bafoon.

I've run my own HPI check already which came up clean - although it said the car used to be RED!! So I got the VIN number and rang MB for a paint stick - they said it was BLUE so no problemo! Then rang HPI company, who said it is not uncommon for cars to be incorrectly registered - they said they wouldn't be worried at all if MB have the car on file as blue.

Was really worried for a while!