Is it worth checking around numerous dealers and trading them off against each other, or is there a price that as dealers they can't go below (i.e. a cartel)?.
The issue that I am not clear on is the resale on UK imports - if you import a car and save, say, €4K and then in three years' time you go to trade it in or sell it, won't a dealer/purchaser see that it is a UK import and offer less money? In other words, your €4K saving is eroded, unless you just drive the car until the end of its life.
Currently yes thats true, you will definetly take a hit on the resale price. However, I think as more and more UK imports occur it wont be a big thing. TBH most UK imports should actually be worth more, but thanks to the local industry bad mouthing them it creates a artifical mistrust and affects the value.
Yes, I cannot understand how UK imports would be expected to have lower resale values. Surely UK cars are better looked after with their better roads and most are genuinely dealer serviced.
I am strongly considering buying an Octavia or Avensis (2005/2006) in the next few weeks in UK and I reckon I will save 2k+.
Dealers discriminate against imports - I think it is just to protect their own interests. Stories of salted roads etc. can be used as scare tactics so buyers will then steer clear the next time they buy a car.
Try selling it privately, then go back to the UK for your replacement car if it makes sense.
just noticed big reductions in the prices of vw's in commons road vw navan!5/6k on many models - must be feeling the pinch
I'm very slow to go the UK route because of the hassle involved with selling my own car privately, but i reckon I may have to consider that next time I change given the poor trade-in values being offered by garages in Ireland. I dread the number of scam artists calling to my door with baseball bats looking to test drive my car.
I'm strongly considering buying a new Golf diesel, list price 25.6k. If I'm buying for cash, no trade in, what sort of deal should I expect to haggle? Is it worth checking around numerous dealers and trading them off against each other, or is there a price that as dealers they can't go below (i.e. a cartel)? Btw, my rough calculation from UK prices shows a saving of about 1.5k - 3.5k ... not worth the hassle if I could get a discount anything like that from an Irish dealer.
All the cars are from the same place anyway, irish and UK cars role off the same production line