There is an S reg Golf gt tdi for sale through an independent garage. it's done 70000miles and looks to be in good condition. They're asking 8499 for it. I would be part ex-ing a 1995 N reg Golf match with FSH and 45000miles on the clock, which is maybe worth between 2300-2800 I think. What I need to know is are these reasonable figures and what can I expect from the salesman when I start haggling???
Cheers
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PE,
Happen to have been casually looking at some of these GT TDI Golfs at the dealers over the weekend. Yours is cheaper than most I noticed (is it a '98 or '99?) but they often had lower mileages.
Despite the low mileage on your Match I'd expect a much lower trade-in than you're mentioning. I bet the trade price for your old car is nearer £1750, the figures you mention are nearer the dealers normal retail price.
Rarely will you be able to get away with doing a deal where you get a car below normal retail and they give you over book for yours.
Good luck though and feedback of the actual deals offered would be interesting.
There have been some negative Golf comments here over the past year but I would say the one contact of mine who has a GT TDI is very pleased with it after a couple of years.
David W
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Just got back from looking at the car. It was pretty tatty inside and has led a hard life. The Salesman said that he could give no more than 1400 for my old one.
So I went down to a franchised VW dealership where there was another S reg GT TDi for sale, this time at 9995. They took my car in for an "appraisal" and when they brought it out the said it was worth only 1500! They think that there's a fair bit wrong with it too. Corroded brake pipes, power steering pipes, and they think it needs a new clutch. Worn wishbone bushes, gearbox oil leak diff seals, 3 new wiper rubbers etc etc. The MOT is due this month too.
The salesman from the VW garage has just been on the phone to tell me that someone else is going to look at this car tonight and he can take a deposit off me over the phone tonight.
Suggestions please...
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If you want to buy it, then do so. But don't let any salesman tell you that you must put a deposit on it tonight or someone else might buy it.
There is always another car to buy.
Tell him that you're not that struck on the car and if he can sell it tonight, then he should do so. Unless he wishes to amend his offers.
Tell him that *maybe* you'll call him in a few days and see if he has still got the car.
Don't be steamrollered, you'll regret it.
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PE,
Mark is spot on with this. There is never never such a thing as an unrepeatable deal, treat the sales approach with the response it deserves...."please do sell it to the other buyer, it'll give me more chance to look around".
Two points...
1. The thing is your car will depreciate slowly from now on so the gap between the values will close over time....ie your old Golf might only lose £500 or less over the next year, the new car may lose £1500 or more. Far from being the once in a lifetime deal this would likely cost you less in 3-6 months time.
2. I get mad when a main dealership gives a trade-in appraisal on an older car and "faults" it to the standard of a nearly new one. The problems you describe them "finding" are present to some extent on almost every car under £2K. They're aren't going to do all those repairs and then retail it, they'll trade it out to a smaller dealer. And he won't want it turned inside out to give them a value, a 30 sec description and he'd value it over the phone. No that blasted "appraisal" is as much part of the sales act as the machine coffee and moments when the salesman claims he has to see his manager to get a slightly better deal for you......it's all in their training and works to their benefit.
Bet you'd sell that old Golf easily for nearly £2K privately, then you'd have all the cards for a good deal on the replacement.
David W
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Thanks for the sound advice. The salesman did actually offer me coffee/diet pepsi. I'll give the salesman a ring tomorrow and ask for 2000 or thereabouts for the old one. If he says no I will walk away. September is coming soon anyway. He said himself that he wanted it cleared before the new registration comes in. I'll keep you all informed.
Thanks again
PE
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He rang me 3 times today. He offered 1700 after chatting to his boss after me saying no deal. I said 2000 and he can have a deposit tonight. He rang back after a bit and said meet me halfway. So I said OK. 1850 for the old one. 9999 on the new one. Now, after placing the deposit and having a few pints of lager I feel I could have got him to go further. Put the leeches on him. Given him a thousand yard stare, etc etc.
Till next time. Live long and prosper. And thanks for the advice.
P E
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DW wrote:
>...as much part of the sales act as the machine coffee and moments when the salesman claims he has to see his manager to get a slightly better deal for you...
Don't so much mind the coffee, but the manager thing is really galling - if the bloke in front of me can't make a decision, I'd like to speak to the person who can, thanks all the same.
Lee.
PS - David, hope you've got your bucket and spade packed and that an uncharacteristic heat wave hits south west scotland next week!
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Lee,
Thanks for the good wishes. Car cleaning and packing today, at that stage where we have to cut down everything by 50% or take the horse trailer for excess baggage.
David W
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Well, I bought the car. Picked it up last Friday. Has a number of problems; wheel bearing, central locking (requiring a new passenger side lock) and a hook from the drivers side sun visor is missing. I only discovered these things on the bank holiday weekend. The main dealer got the car in yesterday and gave me a courtesy car but they have just rang me to say that they've had to order the parts from Milton Keynes. It'll be next week before the parts arrive and they have assured me the car is safe to drive until then. I would have thought a big main dealer would have had spare golf wheel bearings in stock and at least checked the car before selling it to me. As they were keen enough to check my old car over for faults.
Just thought you would like to know.
P E
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Have seen this on a number of car salesmens desks in the last month or so
"The car you look at today and decide to buy tomorrow is the car that someone looked at yesterday and is buying today"
That, along with photos of the salesman with wife and daughter facing you on his desk are very loud warning bells to me!
Lee.
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Problems with s.african assembled golfs have been reported, i would check on it's origin if you intend to bye.
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I checked the VIN in the window and I don't think that it was built in South Africa, no SA in the VIN. I'll be going down later on to see what they say. They had other Golfs in (GTi's, TDi's) of the same age and a bit younger for 7499-7999.
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Be aware, well documented in the Backroom, S reg VAG TDi's often suffer from catalyst internal breakup at around 60K (happened to my pool A4 also).
TDi 110 Golfs very frugal, the one I had for a while regularly gave better than 55mpg (brim to brim calculation) on my 135 mile round trip M4 commute!
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This is an 1998 S reg with 45000 on the clock.
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I think you should stop wasting money on your car and start spending it on your chiquita.
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