Advice for getting the best price?

[Mythos]

Hi guys, so I'm going to be getting an S3 at some point soon, either HP or PCP. Can anyone give me any advice on how to get a good deal? I've only ever had 1 car and I bought it outright, so I just need some advice as I don't want to be paying more than I should, hard to trust a dealer if he/she is telling you you're getting a good deal as at the end of the day their main concern is getting your money, not saving you money.

 

[Dazs87]

Use a site like drivethedeal and go in with the figures in black and white. They usually at least match the price of the car, and sometimes beat it. I ended up being about £20 a month cheaper through my dealer and got a cracking deal because of using that as the bargaining chip!

 

[Timi8888]

Get the car you want specd up, then get 12% off and you’ve done well.

 

[Jassyo06]

Far tooooo many variables to take into consideration to get even close to answering your question mate, time of month time of year, model specific,how many options,geography where you live..... Larger discounts south of the border factory order= less discount, in stock model =more likely larger discount, so shop about then you can tally up what's what, try coast2coast cars, orange wheels, Carwow, drivethedeal etc etc

 

[oli356]

It's a question I asked myself as I haven't really had to do any negotiating before so when buying my car, despite what the dealer said, my discount was pathetic. But I didn't know how to get the price down...ie, what to say..

I guess with new cars it's a bit easier because of carwow etc. but on a used car? With or without finance we want the car price to be reduced and then the APR to be low also, I got offered 8.1% on the S3.

Interested to see what others say.

 

[Mythos]

Cheers guys, I'll give them sites a try.

 

[DrEskimo]

Avoid brand new and avoid PCP and you’ll save loads of money
HP direct from Audi usually isn't great either as you can get far better rates elsewhere.

As the good Jassy says though...lots of variables and factors to consider before giving any concrete advice mate.

As the many members that I've bored senseless on here will testify to, always happy to run over any figures with you...

 

[Mythos]

Avoid brand new and avoid PCP and you’ll save loads of money
HP direct from Audi usually isn't great either as you can get far better rates elsewhere.

As the good Jassy says though...lots of variables and factors to consider before giving any concrete advice mate.

As the many members that I've bored senseless on here will testify to, always happy to run over any figures with you...

Thank you mate. So if I were to get the 5 door with no more than 4k miles, virtual cockpit on a HP contract, what do you think the payments would look like?

 

[davc]

Agree with the '"Dr". PCP is a mug's game.

If you are eligible try to finance with a personal loan, rather than HP. The rates should be cheaper especially if you have a good credit rating and most importantly the car is not owned by a finance company. You could sell it easier if eg your financial situation changes . I would not buy a car which was owned by a finance company and being sold by an individual.

As others have said get prices from the online brokers so you know the maximum discounts available and go into several dealers. Be prepared to travel if necessary.

Negotiating a good discount with a dealer can be a nerve racking experience.

Thngs to note when you go in is that they will sense if you are 100% intent on having the car and will play hardball on the level of discount they offer. Play it cool and make it appear you could just get up and walk away and you should do so to suss them out. If they call you back the ball is now in your court. If they don't, move onto the next one.

Chance your arm even if you're unlikely to get what the likes of carwow offer. Better to go in with a large discount in mind and then negotiate down. You can also try to get other things like service plans thrown in if they won't budge on price.

The best times are towards the end of the QTR/financial year. I have bought several cars in the run up to Xmas when people's minds are on other things and have managed 'good discounts.

Play several dealers off against each other. I bought my car 30 miles from home but had been offered the same car 350 miles away 4% cheaper and they offered to pay for a train ticket to collect it.

If you agree a price they will try to sell you add ons like paint protection (avoid) and GAP cover, wheel damage etc. Get quotes for GAP, eg ALA first and they may be able to match it.

 

[DrEskimo]

Thank you mate. So if I were to get the 5 door with no more than 4k miles, virtual cockpit on a HP contract, what do you think the payments would look like?

Like this?

https://usedcars.audi.co.uk/usedcar...dGlvbg|1041,5000|1217,Ba2/l|12,1,PRICE_SALE,U

So car is about £30k after haggling. How much are you paying upfront and how much do you need to finance? What rate are we assuming here; the eye watering 10.9% advertised by Audi, a possible 5.9% negotiated price from Audi, or 3.4% from a competitive high street bank?

I would be looking to get one that's at least 12months old though, so hopefully around £28k, as you can get the car above brand new discounted to about £32k. I mean it's still cheaper, but not substantially...

 

[Mythos]

Like this?

https://usedcars.audi.co.uk/usedcar...dGlvbg|1041,5000|1217,Ba2/l|12,1,PRICE_SALE,U

So car is about £30k after haggling. How much are you paying upfront and how much do you need to finance? What rate are we assuming here; the eye watering 10.9% advertised by Audi, a possible 5.9% negotiated price from Audi, or 3.4% from a competitive high street bank?

I would be looking to get one that's at least 12months old though, so hopefully around £28k, as you can get the car above brand new discounted to about £32k. I mean it's still cheaper, but not substantially...

Yeah something similar to that one. To be honest I would say I want to be paying £400 a month max, so I'm guessing my deposit is going to have to be pretty huge? I could probably put in around 15k deposit, that's if I can go that high? Not too sure about the rate really.

Are there any other payment options I can go for other than PCP and HP?

 

[davc]

Yeah something similar to that one. To be honest I would say I want to be paying £400 a month max, so I'm guessing my deposit is going to have to be pretty huge? I could probably put in around 15k deposit, that's if I can go that high? Not too sure about the rate really.

Are there any other payment options I can go for other than PCP and HP?

£15k deposit?

Surely you can get a personal loan to cover the difference over X yrs? That would be cheaper than a PCP over the term. Most providers offer personal loans of up to £25k. You would pay a set amount per month and no balloon payment, option to own free etc if you wanted to buy it outright at the end of the agreement.

If you intend to walk away, you could also look at leading as an other option.

There are usually some good lease deals out there to be had.

What is the list price with the options you want?

 

[DrEskimo]

Yeah something similar to that one. To be honest I would say I want to be paying £400 a month max, so I'm guessing my deposit is going to have to be pretty huge? I could probably put in around 15k deposit, that's if I can go that high? Not too sure about the rate really.

Are there any other payment options I can go for other than PCP and HP?

OK cool. So assuming you want to borrow the money over 3years, £15k spread over 36months is £417. That would be borrowing the £15k you need at 0% interest.

HP @ 10.9% = £2500 in interest; £480per month
HP @ 5.9% = £1,350 in interest; £450 per month

However, I would recommend a personal loan like davc says. A personal loan acts exactly the same as a HP, except the rate is cheaper and it’s an unsecured loan rather than being a secured loan on the car. That means the car is owned by you from the start, whereas on a HP it’s only yours after the final payment.

Personal loan @ 3.4% = £790 in interest; £438 per month

In the case of HP or a personal loan, the interest charged is pretty minimal. Might as well save the money by getting the cheapest loan possible, but it doesn't have a huge impact on the monthly amount.

Personally, I say wait for a 66plate S3 with the options you want and haggle for it to about £28/27k. Try and get them to thrown in free services. Use the additional money you save to extend the warranty in the 3rd year of ownership (it will be in the region of £700 I think). Take all of davc advice on haggling. Be prepared to walk away if they cant get the numbers you want. There will always be another one!

That, or try and get one from a forum member on here that is trading in their S3 early! Save you paying the Audi tax!

If you want me to compare that to a PCP on a brand new one then let me know, but the car above using a personal loan @3.4% would be about £5k cheaper than getting a brand new version of the same car on a 3yr PCP with £15k upfront.

 

[ACWKGYTO]

2.9 % on 15k is possible but might depend on your credit score.

Best way to haggle is to see it as a challenge or even a sport. Set yourself a realistic target to get the car at and be prepared to walk away if the deal isnt right for you. Its not particularly easy as they know they have a product which pretty much sells itself. Be polite and enjoy the process.

 

[oli356]

I deffo think you want to show enough interest so the salesman thinks you're interested. But not too much interest on a particular car that they will start playing games with you, ie.. "somebody is coming in later to view the car so if you want it get a deposit down now!".
Stand tall and make them work the price, with the ball in your court and not theirs. Something I need to remember in the future!
Helps I guess if you are moving from one pcp deal to another and say that you don't want to pay more than you currently are (though if you're changing from an A1 to an S3 or something you will look stupid lol)

 

[DrEskimo]

This is what I mean by getting a barely used one of a member:

http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/2017-s3-saloon-nano-grey-high-spec-just-9-months-old.356899/

I mean...why wait till they trade it in to Audi for £2k less than the £30k he wants, and you buy it from Audi for £5k more (at least...) than the £30k he wants?
Buying it from Audi wont give you anything extra! just do a HPI check and check its clear of finance and you'll have a bargain

 

[ACWKGYTO]

This is what I mean by getting a barely used one of a member:

http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/2017-s3-saloon-nano-grey-high-spec-just-9-months-old.356899/

I mean...why wait till they trade it in to Audi for £2k less than the £30k he wants, and you buy it from Audi for £5k more (at least...) than the £30k he wants?
Buying it from Audi wont give you anything extra! just do a HPI check and check its clear of finance and you'll have a bargain

What Im about to say is in no relation to the advertised vehicle.

Pros of using a main dealer approved....Audi dealers dont sell modified cars, you have a lot more rights than when you buy privately, dealing with large amounts of money will be a lot safer with a dealer, part ex easy to sort out although you might not get the best price, smooze, free coffee, cakes etc


Cons... Cost (you pay extra for all of the above) HPI doesnt show that the car has been in an accident, only if its written off/damage repaired

 

[DrEskimo]

What Im about to say is in no relation to the advertised vehicle.

Pros of using a main dealer approved....Audi dealers dont sell modified cars, you have a lot more rights than when you buy privately, dealing with large amounts of money will be a lot safer with a dealer, part ex easy to sort out although you might not get the best price, smooze, free coffee, cakes etc


Cons... Cost (you pay extra for all of the above) HPI doesnt show that the car has been in an accident, only if its written off/damage repaired

Very good points. All worth considering and weighing up against the cost saving.

The part-ex argument is a bit lost on me though. I have sold privately and to other indie dealers and its been dead simple. The indie dealer I sold my S5 to actually drove to my house to pick it up! I mean the work involved for extra thousands in your pocket is money for old rope to me..!

I've never had to worry about access to another car though (i.e. selling earlier before the next new one is ready), so there is that.

 

[ACWKGYTO]

Yeah its tricky...its a lot of dosh to get it wrong.....sometimes its gone wrong for me at main dealers too. I think you have to be focussed whichever route you take, maybe get the car inspected if its a private sale and be careful with maindealers not to be too trusting as some are better than others !

 

[Matt Titanium]

hard to trust a dealer if he/she is telling you you're getting a good deal as at the end of the day their main concern is getting your money, not saving you money.

True to a point but look at it from a slightly different angle. Each dealer has a target to shift a certain number of cars so their main concern is to sell you one. Timing can be everything especially if a deadline is looming and they haven't reached their monthly/quarterly sales targets. At this point a sale can be more important to them than any profit they make on a car. Remember, they can source new cars from other dealer stock and search for the spec you want.

Salesmen are trained to put the pressure on, get as much money out of you as possible and close the deal. Audi cars don't sell themselves and fly off the forecourt as the salesmen would have you believe. Don't fall for it, don't be pressurised, be friendly, build a rapport but don't be a know it all or put their backs up. Remember, the art of negotiation is to make an offer, not ask for a discount.

If a particular dealer isn't willing to do the deal you want, let them know there are plenty more who will and they will be your next call - they might try a bit harder for you. If they don't you can walk away.

Nothing will hack a salesman and his manager off more than realising that they let you slip through their fingers and missed out on a sale to another dealer when they phone you a week later.

New or used? Personally I don't think Ex-demos offer good value against buying new. The benefits or otherwise of the PCP roundabout is another story.

 

[Mythos]

£15k deposit?

Surely you can get a personal loan to cover the difference over X yrs? That would be cheaper than a PCP over the term. Most providers offer personal loans of up to £25k. You would pay a set amount per month and no balloon payment, option to own free etc if you wanted to buy it outright at the end of the agreement.

If you intend to walk away, you could also look at leading as an other option.

There are usually some good lease deals out there to be had.

What is the list price with the options you want?

Yeah, I think I'll do a personal loan. The more I look into PCP the more I want to stay away, especially as I will probably want to keep the car at the end. Also if you mean the total price on the options I want it adds up to £6,685 but that's the exact spec I want, I'd probably have to be more realistic and take a handful of options off to cut the price down.

 

[Jassyo06]

Yeah, I think I'll do a personal loan. The more I look into PCP the more I want to stay away, especially as I will probably want to keep the car at the end. Also if you mean the total price on the options I want it adds up to £6,685 but that's the exact spec I want, I'd probably have to be more realistic and take a handful of options off to cut the price down.

Almost £7000 of options you
What are they? Besides that question your limiting/narrowing your choice again by buying fully loaded, Audi price fully loaded cars accordingly not much cheaper than a new car

 

[SPIKE_]

Another option is to take the PCP deal from the dealer (assuming there is a monetary contribution for doing so) and then get a personnel loan and pay of the finance deal after your first payment of the PCP - have heard a good few people doing this.

 

[Jassyo06]

Again the calculations boffins strike, l have pcp doesn't bother me in the slightest as are the majority of new car buyers in the UK, it works for me l don't go above my pay grade "Mataphor" l got a good deal only by doing my very own research, my last Audi was the learning curve, so lessons learnt and knowledge gained, l wouldn't buy a used Audi this time around as l was spec specific, l would only buy used if the car had the carlsberg car spec and they are very few and far between rarer than hens teeth, there's nowt wrong with pcp if you don't go overboard with your budget but a lot of people do though

 

[kevpuk]

Have to agree with Jassy ^^
It is horses for courses.....Lease offers pros and cons, PCP offers pros and cons, HP offer pros and cons, PL offers pros and cons and Cash offers pros and cons....all about what suits and works for YOU
For me, it is generally a toss up between Lease and PCP, but have ended up going PCP last couple of times as a) has been cheaper and b) it is essentially a lease with the option to buy at the end, so more flexible.
However, if I had a solid intention to keep the car at the end of term, then I would probably not have chosen PCP......

 

[mistac]

Again the calculations boffins strike, l have pcp doesn't bother me in the slightest as are the majority of new car buyers in the UK, it works for me l don't go above my pay grade "Mataphor" l got a good deal only by doing my very own research, my last Audi was the learning curve, so lessons learnt and knowledge gained, l wouldn't buy a used Audi this time around as l was spec specific, l would only buy used if the car had the carlsberg car spec and they are very few and far between rarer than hens teeth, there's nowt wrong with pcp if you don't go overboard with your budget but a lot of people do though

I have also had numerous PCP's and don't consider myself a "mug" as an earlier post mentioned - or perhaps I am lol - If PCP is such a bad thing why are so many sold?

 

[Jassyo06]

I have also had numerous PCP's and don't consider myself a "mug" as an earlier post mentioned - or perhaps I am lol - If PCP is such a bad thing why are so many sold?

This is exactly my point if your happy buying a car in whatever format you choose Just Frickin do it.....Simples

My wee Mum at 74 has just signed up for a PCP deal top spec Audi A1-S-line £25ks worth they gave her £3k for her own 09 plate 60k miles Fiesta titainium,GAP included £200 bangers a month,she could have paid in cash but hey whats the point....they all lose a **** load of money anyways and she's as high as high The 3 Tenors where singing Nessun Dorma in 1990 waiting on her new car coming Thursday first car on the drip may l add or should that be on the Vino Rossa drip.....lol

 

[SPIKE_]

Got my new A4 on PCP, but at 2.9% apr, it was a complete no brainer! Think it is the only model in the Audi range offered at such a low deal to shift large numbers.

 

[Jassyo06]

Got my new A4 on PCP, but at 2.9% apr, it was a complete no brainer! Think it is the only model in the Audi range offered at such a low deal to shift large numbers.

**** me gently as l bend over.....2.9% you shrewd barsteward....lol i think mines was 4-7% my last S3 was 6-8%

 

[Mythos]

Almost £7000 of options you
What are they? Besides that question your limiting/narrowing your choice again by buying fully loaded, Audi price fully loaded cars accordingly not much cheaper than a new car

The list of specs are folding mirrors, advanced key, park assist, rear-view camera, red brake calipers, matrix lights, super sport seats. comfort and sound pack, tech pack, sunroof and privacy glass.

As I said though that would be the exact spec I want, I completely understand I will be needing to narrow it down as much as possible, as long as I got the tech pack I'll be fairly happy, I can always get the privacy glass done after I got the car couldn't I? I think the dealer told me I can get the rear camera done later too if that's right?

 

[SPIKE_]

**** me gently as l bend over.....2.9% you shrewd barsteward....lol i think mines was 4-7% my last S3 was 6-8%

It has since risen up slightly to 3.2%, and you can even get an S4 at this rate.....£3150 contribution even before further discount! Very hard to look past.

 

[ACWKGYTO]

Haggle on the deal as if its a cash deal, pin em down, then when the finance vampire comes in pretending to do due diligence FSA b'sh*t ask why you should take their terrible rate when you can borrow from the bank for far less ie 2.9%....

They'll say GFV, you'll say free car mats, they'll say Lifeshine, you say dont even touch it !

£500 deposit contribution to take the PCP dont tell them youre gonna pay it off before the cooling off period

Bobs your uncle !

 

[Jassyo06]

The list of specs are folding mirrors, advanced key, park assist, rear-view camera, red brake calipers, matrix lights, super sport seats. comfort and sound pack, tech pack, sunroof and privacy glass.

As I said though that would be the exact spec I want, I completely understand I will be needing to narrow it down as much as possible, as long as I got the tech pack I'll be fairly happy, I can always get the privacy glass done after I got the car couldn't I? I think the dealer told me I can get the rear camera done later too if that's right?

You can take park assist, red calipers, mug-less entry off for a start insignificant options, the rest are fine but that would still be a expensive S3 especially in saloon guise £35000 plus
A nice speciman S3
Should have
metallic paint
Privacy
S-tronic
VC
Folding wingers
Bang & Olufsen
19s magritte
Super sports seats?????
Front & Rear parking sensors
Rear camera Nah don't even look at it..... Not necessary at all

 

[Mythos]

You can take park assist, red calipers, mug-less entry off for a start insignificant options, the rest are fine but that would still be a expensive S3 especially in saloon guise £35000 plus
A nice speciman S3
Should have
metallic paint
Privacy
S-tronic
VC
Folding wingers
Bang & Olufsen
19s magritte
Super sports seats?????
Front & Rear parking sensors
Rear camera Nah don't even look at it..... Not necessary at all

I definitely want the sportback, not the saloon. As I said earlier, as long as I have the VC, privacy glass and sunroof I'm happy with that, any additional options is a positive of course though. Is the sound system really that good?

As for the camera I'd prefer to pay the money and have it on the screen that comes with the car than have an extra 3rd party screen in there...

 

[steeve]

Seriously think about a bank loan rather than either HP or PCP, at least you own the car and can sell should the need arise. Many PCP customers are finding it very difficult if they need to cancel the contract early.