What discount can I expect

[The Pan Man]

Now that I have made the decision to up grade to a 56 or newer 280 or 320 CDi Sport Estate if I can find one what sort of discount can I expect with NO PX and possibly CASH. Anyone seen one of these models for sale locally?

 

[wemorgan]

The discount, if any, will depend on the starting price.

But generally from dealers I look for 5% plus extras, where extras are; servicing, wheel refurb etc.

 

[Rory]

NO PX and possibly CASH.

Sorry if this is like teaching you to suck eggs, but you do realise that the above is the worst possible combination for the dealership, don't you? Unless they're about to go bust and need cash to pay wages - that has happened in some manufacturers dealerships over the last year!

No p/x means no onward chain of sales with opportunities to make money and cash means no chance to make money from the finance commission.

 

[James Rothwell]

The discount, if any, will depend on the starting price.

But generally from dealers I look for 5% plus extras, where extras are; servicing, wheel refurb etc.

That sounds pretty reasonable. Although I'd expect anyone selling a 56 plate Mercedes is going to have refurbed the alloys prior to putting it on the forecourt.

 

[fuzzer]

Sorry if this is like teaching you to suck eggs, but you do realise that the above is the worst possible combination for the dealership, don't you? Unless they're about to go bust and need cash to pay wages - that has happened in some manufacturers dealerships over the last year!

No p/x means no onward chain of sales with opportunities to make money and cash means no chance to make money from the finance commission.

Or an easy way to shift a car with no hassle? You get a much better and easier deal without a p/x . Streight talking how much discount instead of the " your car isnt popular"

Given the choice , id go without a p/ex every time Infact the last 2 cars ive bought without one and got a cracking deal.

 

[Rory]

Sure - the problem with assuming there will be a discount is that you're only going to be disappointed if you don't get one and you might walk away from an otherwise good car.

There's post from a used car dealer on another forum who focuses on £4K - £9K cars. He says it's been a nightmare for some time - if he prices cars £500 too high people don't come and look but when he refuses to discount they walk away.

People think a slow market means there should be good discounts, but he said the main problem last year was getting cars to sell - so it was pointless selling one with a discount as he'd have to pay more to replace it!

 

[wemorgan]

There's post from a used car dealer on another forum who focuses on £4K - £9K cars. He says it's been a nightmare for some time - if he prices cars £500 too high people don't come and look but when he refuses to discount they walk away.

An interesting predicament. I know when I was looking for a similar priced car last year I discarded cars that were in my eyes £1k over priced, especially if I had to travel to see them.

Usually dealer cars were 10-15% more than private, but of those I saw were subjectively 10% worse quality.

For the car I eventually bought I was only able to negotiate a discount of 3%. But the price was good in the first place and it was the best condition car that I saw, so all in all, fair enough.

 

[James Rothwell]

Or an easy way to shift a car with no hassle? You get a much better and easier deal without a p/x . Streight talking how much discount instead of the " your car isnt popular"

Given the choice , id go without a p/ex every time Infact the last 2 cars ive bought without one and got a cracking deal.

I'd rather do a deal with a part exchange, it gives me the seller more bargaining power. Plus if I buy it right I can trade it out for a small profit and dump it back into the deal.

As for cash doesn't really matter to me although I'd rather you took out finance but I personally don't care if it's cash or finance.

 

[Mactech]

I have bought a few cars from Mercedes Direct in the last few years and always found that they were competive with both P/ex and discounts.
Normally between 6% to 9% off sticker price.
Timing is important. Catch them at the end of the month or better still the end of the quarter and you can expect a sharper deal.

 

[Dryce]

Sorry if this is like teaching you to suck eggs, but you do realise that the above is the worst possible combination for the dealership, don't you? Unless they're about to go bust and need cash to pay wages - that has happened in some manufacturers dealerships over the last year!

No p/x means no onward chain of sales with opportunities to make money and cash means no chance to make money from the finance commission.

No p/x means no risk to them.

And IME there may well be a discount for no p/x simply because the dealer may be using the top end margin to offset a better deal on the p/x bottom end of the deal.

There are customers who evaluate they got a 'great deal' based on their part-ex value and a relatively small bump on the monthly to give them that comfort doesn't figure for them.

And loading the top-end to give something back on the p/x from a dealer means they can give the customer a warm feeling about depreciation and confidence in a long term finance package.

If the dealer makes money off the part-ex then some of that is money you might have made on a private sale. If the dealer makes money off the finance that's normally because you're paying for it.

At the end of the day everything comes with presentation of a deal as a veneer over a cost, benefit, and risk.

Cash deal with no p/x just upsets the traditional presentation by changing the underlying formula of cost / benefit / risk.

 

[fuzzer]

It gives the dealer nowhere to hide with cash and no P/EX

Car dealers are as crooked as they come and would sell their granny for a few quid.

you get screwed on the trade in because they see a profit in it and can feed you a line about your car not being popular at the moment and shifting it on for a nice wee tidy sum and screwed on the finance because they load it for commission too that just adds to your monthly payments.

Cash and no P/ex means they have to come clean about how much they are willing to knock off the top line with no BS in there. I know everybody has to make money , but you are removing their power and holding all the cards by dealing in this way.

 

[chiefski26]

+1 fuzzer well said

 

[Rory]

...you are removing their power and holding all the cards by dealing in this way.

Hmmm...don't forget that they're "holding" the car that you want. And in the current market they can't easily replace stock that they sell.

 

[fuzzer]

Hmmm...don't forget that they're "holding" the car that you want. And in the current market they can't easily replace stock that they sell.

plenty of cars and dealers around if they don't want your reddies..

 

[Rory]

plenty of cars and dealers around if they don't want your reddies..

...depends how flexible you are. If you're looking for a Merc and there are certain items you want in the spec then it narrows the choice a lot, and it's a time consuming and soul destroying task travelling to look at cars that aren't as described, ot the paperwotk is iffy etc.

 

[The Pan Man]

AS always informative answers. I will keep looking and when I find what I want will push really hard for the very best deal as I'm in no rush. March might be a good month with the reg change, I've really got a 280 or 320 Sport Estate in the frame but want as many of the toys as possible. If I can get a 57 plate or newer it will be a long term keeper. All that being said yesterday I went to Reading and back A & B roads +30 Motorway miles there All motorway return + about 7 or 8 miles A road Returned 45 mpg in comfort and was 79 + on the M Way 60 - 70 on the D/C and at the limit on all other roads. Do I need to sell the 270??? No but I want to update for a keeper.
I have traded more motorcycles than a lot of members have had birthdays never any hassle but cars always cause me concern thats why I don't swap vey often

 

[Dryce]

AI've really got a 280 or 320 Sport Estate in the frame but want as many of the toys as possible.

I think your situation is a bit more challenging then. Simply because the combination of estate+toys is not a commodity on the forecourts in the same way as a 1 or 2 yr old saloon in standard AG spec.

 

[The Pan Man]

Why do you say that

Dryce Why do you say that? My last S210 320 CDi had everything on it and I mean everything.

 

[James Rothwell]

Car dealers are as crooked as they come and would sell their granny for a few quid.

Not all of us!!

 

[fuzzer]

Not all of us!!

present company exempt of course , but im sure you with insider knowledge know where im coming from. Sorry