I have read with some dismay the posts regarding main dealers of most types. My son wants to change his MG ZR for a Mini Cooper S.
Can anyone advise tactics? We were abused by the Rover dealer 18 months ago and bought from JamJar and last summer a Renault dealer was as bad as they come.
The Saturday telegraph recently suggested actually selling to a used car dealer to keep the purchase as a separate transaction.
Any advice welcome?!
TimW aka Meldrew
|
The MINI (BMW) dealer is unlikely to want an MG ZR to re-sell, so if he does offer to take it in part-exchange I strongly suspect you will be offered a derisory trade-in price and no discount on the mini. There is still a sizeable demand for the new mini (although the rumour is that they will be getting some more modern engines soonish).
In your situation I would get rid of the MG yourselves.
Drivethedeal.com have the Cooper S listed with approx £300 of discount but to make the Cooper sellable at a later date you will need lots of options - especially aircon and the TLC servicing option.
Take a look at the car-by-car breakdown on the left. Also www.mini2.com/ has lots of useful info.
Try the autotrader search on the left to see what sort of price the MG should fetch. Also see: www.parkers.co.uk/ but bear in mind values can also be determined by where you are in the country. Unfortunately MG Rover's products still suffer heavy depreciation.
Best of luck!
|
Yes you will be offered a poor trade in deal from MINI dealers. They will probably sell the car at auction or sell it on to a trader.
I'd suggest visiting as many MINI dealers as you can and order the car from the one that gives the best trade in offer. Then try and sell the car privately. When you collect the car just turn up and pay cash, you will get 0 discount anyway. That's what I did when I bought a MINI. I got £1050 more in a private sale for my Punto than what the best dealer offered!
With an S suggest getting CHILLI pack which gives A/C, 17" wheels, half leather seats and loads of other wee bits.
Other extras which are good are CD player (yes - it's an extra!!!) and multi-func steering wheel which gives cruise & stero controls. Don't go over board as loads of extras are big money losers come re-sale.
Pick a good colour - i.e not yellow or purple. Suggest Hyper Blue which looks stunning.
|
Thanks for both replies. Independent advice is much
appreciated!
TimW
|
Find out what the dealer will offer in p/x then stick on ebay at + the amount you would have to pay in commission.
If it does not sell p/x it to the dealer.
|
Fine, but I suspect the BMW dealer will play the same trick as a few others have been reported as being done here and not commit to a trade in price at the point of signing for the new car. The tactic is to give you a low trade in price when the collection day arrives.
Despite Rover's recent history, they do make very good cars, the MG ZR being one of them. I would suggest you have a good look at sale prices advertised in the local paper and speak to some helpful Rover dealers, there are plenty out there.
Hugo
|
Fine, but I suspect the BMW dealer will play the same trick as a few others have been reported as being done here and not commit to a trade in price at the point of signing for the new car. The tactic is to give you a low trade in price when the collection day arrives.
Both dealers I visited gave a price that was guaranteed for when the car arrived.
One dealer even phoned some traders while I was there for a price. He described the car and how much would they pay in three months time?
If they won't fix a price walk away.
|
|
I went in to a dealer before Christmas and had a chat about a replacement vehicle - he gave me a valuation based on delivery in 12 weeks time which was derisory and very little discount on a new one (I was expecting a bit of top and tailing - reduce the new car price and give a low trade in). Went in last week and saw a different salesman and the trade in had increased by £1750 if I left the car with him.
|
|
|
|
I believe that this is what all main delaers do:
They put your trade in car details onto a national database (i.e registration number, car model and extras, then wait for bids from other dealers (underwriting?)
They will either offer you less and make an extra couple of sovs' on what they get from an underwriter, or offer you the same as they are offered just to get it off hand, or offer you over but treat it as a hidden discount on the motor you are purchasing.
|
|
|
