7 Top Tips Let You Buy A Cheap Car Directly From A Main Dealer
by Mark Stephens
Not everyone wants to buy a 'cheap' car, but no-one wants to pay too much, right? We all want to think that we've got a bargain, even if we've just bought a 50,000+ Range Rover. But finding bargains at any level when it comes to cars isn't always easy - but it can be!
When I was working directly in the motor trade myself, I would get 20%, 30% and sometimes even more discount on new cars that I would sell on to the public after keeping a share for myself. I don't sell cars any more, and I'm ready to tell you my secrets.
If you choose you're moment, you can get a great deal. No dealer will turn you away because you're buying at the wrong time, but the last week of every quarter (March, June, September and December) sees a rush to get registrations, and manufacturers give dealers bonus money for taxing cars then, and the dealers will pass that on to you for being in the right place at the right time.
You can also cash in on the salesman's ego to get a bargain. One of their 'perks' is a company car, which is often a higher spec than standard. Most salesmen wants the latest 'plate, but they have to sell their car first, so when the new plate is out, or the model changes, they'' often sell their own car for little or no profit just to change their own car.
When manufacturers put bonuses on to get more registrations, some dealers will register 10, 20 or even more of these cars in their own name to hit targets. Then they'll offer these 'pre-registered' cars at knock down prices to clear their stock before starting the game all over again, The cars are brand new and haven't moved an inch - but they could be two or three thousands pounds cheaper than list price.
Using the dealers own finance company is also a way of saving money when you're buying a car. Most manufacturers have their own finance company that they either own outright or have a partnership with a bank. Their rates are priced to make a car look attractive to you, and they will almost always be cheaper than the bank - all you have to do is ask for their best rate.
Most people when they buy a new car have one to put in part exchange, but very few people get the best price for it, even though you already know how - you just don't know that you know it. When you go to buy a car, you expect it to be clean, smelling nice, without any scuffs or scratches, right? Well if your car is clean, smelling nice and well polished a dealer will fall for your car the same way that you fall for theirs - just make it look the best you can, and you'll get the best offers!
In recent years, car dealers have started to buy fleets of late model, low mileage cars from leasing companies and other sources. Because of the huge levels of discounts that these companies command, their fleets are incredibly cheap - you can often get them at almost half price, even though they're only a few months old and have only covered a few thousand miles. They're still under warranty, probably haven't even covered enough miles to need a first service, but you will make massive savings just because your name isn't the first one in the log book - but if you've just saved 5,000, do you really care??
About Mark Stephens: After 23 years selling all makes of new and used cars in the UK, Mark Stephens will tell you how to
buy a cheap car with the peace of mind of buying from a main dealer. There are more
top tips on his website. You can get a
unique content version of this article.
