How to get a Dealer to drop their price?

Why low miles?

That was part of the requirement for me to have a higher budget

Because of the following:


Finally managed to get the loan I wanted at the right % interest, so i have £6k to spend on a car.

Hey all.
I have been able to raise my budget to 8k.

This is by a loan from a family member, but the stipulation is that it needs to be less than 5 year old and be less miles the better.
I'm struggling to find something that fits the bill!
 
I dont understand why you'd want to accept money with such conditions attached, you could get that on a 0% credit card without any misguided car buying advice from Barclays

It's not a hugely bad thing, in reality - but only looking at low mileage cars, especially diesels, is a bad approach. Lots of short journeys is bad for cars, especially diesels. "High" mileage doesnt mean it's knackered like your relatives obviously think - 50k over 3/4 years is perfectly standard use
 
50k over 3 years is not much at all, I wouldn't say I drive *that* much, just commuting 30 miles each way and weekend trips to the highlands, I average about 30k per year...
 
Is this seriously going to have such a large effect on the car??

I didn't think it would have been an issue??

Educate me on why its a bad thing please, if its a serious issue i could convince them to allow me to go for the Blue 50k example

My understanding is that DPFs in newer diesel engines need to be ran a certain length of time at a certain RPM to clear them out and regenerate. Failing to do so on a regular basis (as would happen in a car used for short journeys) can throw up expensive problems later on.

I'm sure someone can explain better, but my guess is that car manufacturers design their parts around the average mileage (around 12-15k a year). Less than this or more than this therefore results in atypical wear and tear on parts, again causing problems.

It's just a common misconception that lower miles = better. Same as car adverts that shout "ONE LADY OWNER FROM NEW" as if that's a good thing. One lady owner from new makes me worry about the state of the tyres, the clutch, etc etc.
 
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My understanding is that DPFs in newer diesel engines need to be ran a certain length of time at a certain RPM to clear them out and regenerate. Failing to do so on a regular basis (as would happen in a car used for short journeys) can throw up expensive problems later on.

I'm sure someone can explain better, but my understanding is that car manufacturers design their parts around the average mileage (around 12-15k a year). Less than this or more than this therefore results in atypical wear and tear on parts, again causing problems.

Thats basically it - DPF regen only happens when the engine is fully warmed up and at a particular speed.

There's also the ususal issues of more wear on clutch, suspension etc which comes from short journeys. Sitting at motorway speed on a smooth motorway is very easy on a car. Short journeys around town are much harder on a car.

Of course you dont know for sure what a car has been used for, but one with really low miles is more likely to have done the former and a higher mileage car the latter.

Clearly there's a sensible limit - you wouldnt want a 3 year old car with 120k on it but keeping a common sense hat on and buying on condition is the best way. Buying a low mileage car which has been dented, had scuffed wheels and mismatched tyres is not a recipe for trouble free motoring.

The most reliable cars I've owned have been the "high" mileage ones (100k+) and the only ones I've had a lot of trouble with have had low miles for their age
 
In defence of the OP. We once saw a car online we were interested in and agreed with the dealer a £100 holding, but refundable, deposit.

Furthermore we were able to get the price down when we went to see it as we took details of other cars which were comparable but cheaper. This one was in good condition and a colour my wife preferred which is why we went for that one in particular.
 
[TW]Fox;28570569 said:
In theory. In practice it often requires legal action and still doesn't guarantee resolution sadly.

I would always take a private seller over the perceived comfort offered by random independent traders.

No, in practice. Retain all documentary evidence and use a credit card for payment. (If they refuse the card, then walk away.)

You're then covered by Section 75 if your statutory rights under the Sale of Goods Act are not complied with, even if the company has ceased to exist.
 
I work for a major dealer. We would NEVER hold onto a deposit, it's not worth the grief. However we also wouldn't do any major work or rectification. You're buying a used car, it has history. If you want a brand new car then pay your money.
As for margins, we run at around during 500 on our used cars and less on our new. So, no you won't be getting that sort of discount from us or our major competitors. Gone are the days of thousands of pounds in the metal.
Your demands are unrealistic, and coming armed with print outs won't do anything. The car will likely be priced sensibly, if you don't buy it, someone else will.
 
[TW]Fox;28578274 said:
No, in theory. SOGA for cars is nothing like as clear cut as some like to think.

Show me your basis for denying legislation. (Read put up or shut up; the law is clear, regardless of whether or not you have been able to enforce it in your experience.)
 
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The OP of this very thread has the perfect example - he won at court but still got nothing. This is too common in this industry hence my point, the theory is great but in practice getting the comeback you want can be more of a challenge than you would want.
 
So.
Test drove the mazda, very nice indeed, paintwork sorted but the alloys were not all refurbished as promised... and they put a £45 tyre on the front! So I had words and told them I expected two alloys to be refurbished again due to poor quality workmanship and a new tyre. The salesman said that he will instead ask for the money off the car so I can get my own tyre that I would like to save me being disappointed again.

so.. got money off? A success!!
 
Not sure that's really a victory for the 'got money off' camp given they've only done it so they don't have to bother sorting out the car like they had originally said they would.

How much did you knock them down in exchange for not refurbing the wheels and giving you a crap tyre?
 
Not sure that's really a victory for the 'got money off' camp given they've only done it so they don't have to bother sorting out the car like they had originally said they would.

How much did you knock them down in exchange for not refurbing the wheels and giving you a crap tyre?

I think wrote that wrong.

They are going to redo the alloys. Also will pay for a Wheel alignment and give me £70 because of the tyre.

But to be fair, they also serviced it which they didn't need to do so more included.
 
So you're getting £70 off? Is that all?

I'd have expected a car from a dealer to be serviced so that's not really anything gained.
 
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