Advice wanted on buying a car in England

Aidan23gd said:

Actually, you'd be surprised. The vast majority of dealers are selling very small amounts of cars right now due to the current economic climate. If you walk into a dealer and put cash on the table, offer what it'll cost you for a UK car incl VRT, most dealers can't afford to turn you away and will take the money. Once the cash is in front of them, they have no choice. They have to clear stock and can't do so without being reasonable.

Click to expand...

chrisboy said:

Yes, but the money you're gonna be offering wont be reasonable at all! The dealer has to sell these cars at a major loss if he's gonna match the price! I know about 50 people who have bought in the uk in the last year. I dont know, nor have i heard of one single person who has gone into a dealer and got the result they were looking for. Not one person.

Click to expand...

Aidan23gd said:

How is it not reasonable? Even if the vast majority sold at UK prices they'd make a profit. Look at it this way, if they made a loss by selling at Uk prices (incl VRT), why wouldnt they buy from Eng themselves? The thing is that they've been spoilt in past years by the huge amount of cash circulation and demand push inflation. They just don't want to start lowering prices, but its only a matter of time. Go on carzone, offer every dealer straight cash. Walk in and throw a wad of money at them and SOME dealer in Ireland will accept.

Click to expand...

chrisboy said:

I think the dealers would rather their business's go up in smoke rather than drop to those levels...

Click to expand...

chrisboy said:

Well i stand to be corrected, if one person can share their experience of this. Do you know anyone who walked into a dealer and got the car for the uk price? I think not, because if it became public knowledge about a dealer doing this then it would be on the nine o'clock news!

I think the dealers would rather their business's go up in smoke rather than drop to those levels...

Click to expand...

Slim said:

While you're right to say dealers would not want it known that they are dropping prices so dramatically, in reality it is already happening in what they call 'trade' prices, i.e. when they shift cars on among themselves. The prices they give each other are considerably lower than what they charge you or me at the forecourt. Therefore, the margin over trade price is dependant on what the customer is prepared to pay and that is now falling. Faced with an absence of sales most dealers might shift stock at close to trade prices just to bring in some cash, especially at month end.

Click to expand...

briancbyrne said:

car industry will more than likely eventually lobby the gov into introducin some form of protection such as increased VRT rates, additional taxation e.t.c to curb the amount of foreign cars being brought in.
An Irish Solution...............

Click to expand...