The car industry

[Pottersfarm]

What’s peoples opinions on the car industry. I’ve been looking at various vehicles the last couple of weeks and the theme seems to be long supply times holding up new car prices whilst they won’t value trade ins properly. I’m in the market for something and wondering whether to leave it 6 months thinking new prices might have to come down?
I’ve been into Audi, BMW, LR and VW and all the showrooms were empty of customers and seemed severely over staffed.

 

[BuskhillFarm]

Been looking the last 6 months myself at those brands.
Observations:
Arrogance of sales men especially in BMW
Still £10k over priced
Wouldn’t even consider new, unless renting
1 year old still better value
2-3years old similar price to 1 year old
Bigger difference between engine types on price- vast difference and I mean 10-20k for the more powerful ones.
£5k of difference between trade in and what they’d retail my car at
The dealers are still just fronts for the finance companies, and HATE cash buyers!

Conclusion wait another 6 months.

 

[PSQ]

Anyone can sell expensive new or used cars when theres high demand and low supply.
Now we've got sharply declining demand and increasing supply, you'd think they'd be a bit keener to do a deal, but the bonus structure won't allow it. They must have short memories, go back to October 2008 and manufacturers and dealers were slashing new and used prices to get rid of existing stock.

With the amalgamation of the big automotive retail chains I think we are about to witness what happens when giant venture capital funds play 'last man standing', only for the 'last man' to be saddled up to the eyes with debt on the eve of a downturn. If it looks like the water is starting to swirl around the drain then theres probably a very good reason for it...

Cinch and WeBuyAnyCar owner sees losses deepen by more than £100m as revenue drops – Car Dealer Magazine

Constellation Automotive Group – whose brands include Cinch, BCA, WeBuyAnyCar and Marshall – has recorded a deepening loss for its latest financial year.

cardealermagazine.co.uk

 

[Boomerang]

Been looking the last 6 months myself at those brands.
Observations:
Arrogance of sales men especially in BMW
Still £10k over priced
Wouldn’t even consider new, unless renting
1 year old still better value
2-3years old similar price to 1 year old
Bigger difference between engine types on price- vast difference and I mean 10-20k for the more powerful ones.
£5k of difference between trade in and what they’d retail my car at
The dealers are still just fronts for the finance companies, and HATE cash buyers!


Conclusion wait another 6 months.

I was talking to a former dealer principal for Land Rover group and he told me that they were told by LR that they MUST sell 80% of vehicles on finance and if they didn't meet that target they were fined.

 

[Boomerang]

Think the likes of merc ,porsche are now pricing and selling direct from manufacturers.
Dealers only there to deliver and service car s.
Dealers no longer able to sell to customers direct ,and the price is the price no haggling.
Progress ??
Tractor Dealers turning into massive super Dealers, no competition within brands. Just brand to brand.

 

[seedman stains]

And over here one of the big secondhand names is owned by stellantis no competition price is being dictated more and more ,Brexit should have changed things over there least thats what the vote was for wasnt it!!!!!

 

[kiwi pom]

What’s peoples opinions on the car industry. I’ve been looking at various vehicles the last couple of weeks and the theme seems to be long supply times holding up new car prices whilst they won’t value trade ins properly. I’m in the market for something and wondering whether to leave it 6 months thinking new prices might have to come down?
I’ve been into Audi, BMW, LR and VW and all the showrooms were empty of customers and seemed severely over staffed.

Have you tried going into a non-premium/luxury brand to see what the situation is like.
The whole car market is slowing down (not just EV's as some would have you believe) It will be interesting to see what section of the market suffers most.

 

[bobk]

And over here one of the big secondhand names is owned by stellantis no competition price is being dictated more and more ,Brexit should have changed things over there least thats what the vote was for wasnt it!!!!!

Brexit didn't mean cheap french cars .

 

[kiwi pom]

Think the likes of merc ,porsche are now pricing and selling direct from manufacturers.
Dealers only there to deliver and service car s.
Dealers no longer able to sell to customers direct ,and the price is the price no haggling.
Progress ??
Tractor Dealers turning into massive super Dealers, no competition within brands. Just brand to brand.

Toyota is no haggle over here, dealers just there to take orders and service, have been for some time.
They remain the number one brand by some margin. It amazes me to be honest because they always seem to have such massive lead times.

 

[bobk]

Toyota is no haggle over here, dealers just there to take orders and service, have been for some time.
They remain the number one brand by some margin. It amazes me to be honest because they always seem to have such massive lead times.

Are they euro 6 ?

 

[kiwi pom]

Are they euro 6 ?

No idea, never looked into buying one.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

I am sure a dealer said to me, electric car delivery straight away, petrol or diesel, up to one year wait, all because the government has decided car manufacturers have to sell a percentage of electric vehicles and will be fined if they don't.

 

[Still Farming]

Chinese comes in fast enough still though???

 

[How much]

Been looking the last 6 months myself at those brands.
Observations:
Arrogance of sales men especially in BMW
Still £10k over priced
Wouldn’t even consider new, unless renting
1 year old still better value
2-3years old similar price to 1 year old
Bigger difference between engine types on price- vast difference and I mean 10-20k for the more powerful ones.
£5k of difference between trade in and what they’d retail my car at
The dealers are still just fronts for the finance companies, and HATE cash buyers!

Conclusion wait another 6 months.

I read a post a while ago on here I think that was on about PCP pricing and the preferred pricing PCP deals got in relation to the vehicle price , in essence they would discount a vehicle or at least offer some sort of discount or introductory discount from the finance company when cash buyer would get neither . The posters answer to this was to take the PCP offer , collect the vehicle and then when they got home cancel the finance /pcp deal directly with the finance company and pay the vehicle off using I guess the amount finance figure on the contract taking advantage of the discount offered and using the cooling off period of the finance contract to allow that .
It Seemed like good answer to me , but you would need to check the paperwork thoroughly.

In general New cars are crazy money but so are trucks and tractors for a little extra spec the additional cost is out of proportion with what you actually get , but in essence you are either in the market to buy or not there are exceptions to every rule but I suspect the margin a dealer actually has available to them to discount will be very small probably around 5% and some of that may depend on selling finance , service package , gap insurance etc .
In terms of dealers / salesman and attitude I would agree some are terrible . But I have bought 2 new vehicles in the last 6 months and got a pretty good discount on both and they where both factory orders not stock vehicles if one dealer is not prepared to do a deal try another , be firm but polite . If a vehicle is in stock there is no reason you should have to pay the RRP at the moment .

 

[colhonk]

the government has decided car manufacturers have to sell a percentage of electric vehicles

That says to me that we are now in a DICTATOR state and NOT a free Democracy.

 

[seedman stains]

Brexit didn't mean cheap french cars .

but wheres the choice? it will run for a year or two

 

[Yale]

That says to me that we are now in a DICTATOR state and NOT a free Democracy.

It’s worse in Wales. We have Drakeford!

 

[kiwi pom]

I am sure a dealer said to me, electric car delivery straight away, petrol or diesel, up to one year wait, all because the government has decided car manufacturers have to sell a percentage of electric vehicles and will be fined if they don't.

A quick Goggle suggests new rules from 2024 on.

What is the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate and what does it mean for you? | Auto Express

‘ZEV mandate’ compels car makers to sell increasing numbers of EVs from 2024 up to the 2035 petrol and diesel ban

www.autoexpress.co.uk

 

[Magnus Oyke]

What’s peoples opinions on the car industry. I’ve been looking at various vehicles the last couple of weeks and the theme seems to be long supply times holding up new car prices whilst they won’t value trade ins properly. I’m in the market for something and wondering whether to leave it 6 months thinking new prices might have to come down?
I’ve been into Audi, BMW, LR and VW and all the showrooms were empty of customers and seemed severely over staffed.

I bought my car in Feb 2014, it was 2 years and 10 months old, had 6400 miles and cost £8995, which was a fair price. Casually looked on the dealers website last week, a similar aged car with 8000 miles is not £21,000, which is too much for a small car.

My opinion is that car manufacturers have lost their minds. Ford, for instance, had the best selling car or thereabouts in europe for the last 40 years, so decided to stop selling it, saying that they couldn't get parts, but oddly could get parts for the more expensive Puma.

I don't know whether people acutally want these crossovers and SUV's that manufacturers are pushing, or that's the only choice they are being given, but I do know I don't want one. If they are selling them on superiour ride and space, why couldn't they have developed the original cars to have the ride and space and stop pretending they are off roaders, all they have done is make normal cars worse in terms of handling and more expensive.

Then we have the spec. Car now need to have "settings". Why the f**k do you need settings on a barsteward car? A setting for going to the shops and another for going to work? f**k off, and just make the thing work properly, and shove your touch screen up your arse at the same time, I want clicky, tactile buttons.

The improvements I'd like to see on my car are a better ride, not sure why Honda can't do this, and a means of plugging my phone in to a screen. A bit more power would be nice, but it is very economical.

If, and this is a big if, you want me to buy an electric car, it has to be better, cheaper to buy, cheaper to run and more convenient, or I'm not bothering, and don't rely on any tax advantage.

I'll just keep looking after mine and run it as long as possible until the manufacturers give their heads a wobble.

 

[serf]

I am sure a dealer said to me, electric car delivery straight away, petrol or diesel, up to one year wait, all because the government has decided car manufacturers have to sell a percentage of electric vehicles and will be fined if they don't.

Can take a horse to water but can't make it drink ...