Buying a New VW Passat - advice needed

Decoda

Hi,

I was thinking of trading in my existing Passat so visited my local VW dealer this morning. After a sit down with the salesperson I was hoping for some feedback from the forum. I have to admit that I always hate buying a car and would be the first to admit that I am not the best at dealing with sales people.

The car I was trading in is a 2011 VW Passat 1.6 Bluemotion Diesel comfortline with metallic paint and 121,000 kilometres. Dealer described it as being in good condition with good bodywork, drives well with a full VW service history at this garage.

The car I was hoping to trade up to is a new VW Passat 2015 1.6 Diesel comfortline with metallic paint. List price of €32,253 ( incl met. Paint and dealer delivery)

The dealer would like €19,250 with my existing car to complete the deal. To me this meant he was giving me €13,000 for a 2011 VW Passat. Do you consider the trade in value of my own car as being fair?


When I said I wasn't happy with the trade in value he had given my car he turned his computer monitor toward me and said that they always use Carzone.ie as a means of assigning a trade in value. Sure enough there was a number of cars similar to mine at €13,000 but a lot more around €16k to €16.5k which is where I thought I was regarding the value of my car.

Am I mad to be expecting this kind of money for a 4 year old car with 120,000 kilometres?

Thanks for reading

DC

kenmccarthy

I would've thought €19,250 very much on the 'steep' side too!!! I thought you'd be coming in around the 16-16.5K mark (assuming no accident to car in last 4 years and full service history from the same garage??).definetely would have a good ring around the vw dealers in your location to do better. I'm trading in 2010 qashqai ( fsh main dealer and 78,000km) for same spec qashqai at €18,750 so considering my ol gal is a year older than yours and the list prices of the two cars are'nt a million miles apart your deal does look a bit steep in my opinion.

Decoda

Thanks Ken.

My initial reaction when he said he was looking for over €19k? Well I have to admit I was a bit shocked. I had taken a look around the various websites including the Volkswagen site with their used car section and the VW Passsats similar to mine were anywhere from 15,950 to 19,000. I thought I was being realistic looking at around €16.5K but obviously not.

I'll give a call round to the other dealers and see what reaction I get.

Thanks again

DC

Casati

What engine is your current car?

Decoda

Apologies

1.6 Bluemotion Diesel

Original Post edited to add this.

Dia1988

Decoda wrote: »

Apologies

1.6 Bluemotion Diesel

Original Post edited to add this.

Does it come with a coffee machine for when you're waiting for that unresponsive 1.6 engine to accelerate?

Decoda

.......

kenmccarthy

Just two quick points...1) fact that your existing car has metallic paint is moot......you don't get any kudos for that at trade-in time........ a car traded in with OR metallic is same value...just a fact of life.
2) did car do any towing???? If you have a hitch fitted that's a major negative for dealers.

finalfurlong

Reckon yours worth 15750 -the price you were quoted would tally with a Trendline with higher mileage.I definitely would trip to 3 or 4 other Vw dealers.Friend of mine bought new mondeo this year.Difference of 2800 in cost to change-he had a 2011 mondeo to trade-between best and worst ford dealer prices.Also if you can go outside your own area you might do better-remember any VW dealer will do any warranty work.

heldel00

Dia1988 wrote: »

Does it come with a coffee machine for when you're waiting for that unresponsive 1.6 engine to accelerate?

Exactly. We have a brand new one and never again. It's a living danger trying to overtake or pull out from a busy junction when you have a gap in the traffic. Go for 2.0 ltr of you can

Decoda

heldel00 wrote: »

Exactly. We have a brand new one and never again. It's a living danger trying to overtake or pull out from a busy junction when you have a gap in the traffic. Go for 2.0 ltr of you can

Did you test drive it for any length of time before you bought it? If you find it so slow at taking off from junctions or overtaking surely you wouldn't have spent €30k or more on a car you now feel is underpowered?

I know it's not going to win any races but to me it does the job I ask of it.

Anyhow I'm not looking for advice on engine size etc, just the trade in value on my current car.

Thanks

DC

kenmccarthy

Reading last two replies I guess I can assume there isn't a hitch fitted.....same issue with qashqai....1.5diesel just isn't enough....no kick at all in lower gears.....no use for towing....had a hitch on my first qashqai ....useless / couldn't pull an empty trailer.

anyhow, not going off topic but the bottom line is that dealer certainly ain't doing you any favours at over 19K

heldel00

Decoda wrote: »

Did you test drive it for any length of time before you bought it? If you find it so slow at taking off from junctions or overtaking surely you wouldn't have spent €30k or more on a car you now feel is underpowered?

I know it's not going to win any races but to me it does the job I ask of it.

Anyhow I'm not looking for advice on engine size etc, just the trade in value on my current car.

Thanks

DC

My husband does a lot of driving and fuel efficiency was a big factor in our decision. It is absolutely miserly on diesel but lacking a bit of oomph

moleyv

When my sister was trading in her 2011 Passat last year she had a difference in allowance of 3k between two dealers.

When she confronted them about the difference they said sorry they had made a mistake....

Needless to say she changed dealer after buying there for her last three cars.

I wonder do many people get burnt..

Breffnigolfer

heldel00 wrote: »

My husband does a lot of driving and fuel efficiency was a big factor in our decision. It is absolutely miserly on diesel but lacking a bit of oomph

The 2 litre engine is possibly the best engine available today. It will be significantly less stressed than the 1.6 version in most circumstances and, as a result, more economical. A stressed small engine can often be less economical than the unstressed larger unit.

moleyv

Breffnigolfer wrote:

The 2 litre engine is possibly the best engine available today. It will be significantly less stressed than the 1.6 version in most circumstances and, as a result, more economical. A stressed small engine can often be less economical than the unstressed larger unit.

They tested that in Top Gear right, to prove the point. Had a Prius and a 3 litre BMW do the same course and length and speed, and the BMW was way more economical.

colm_mcm

moleyv wrote: »

They tested that in Top Gear right, to prove the point. Had a Prius and a 3 litre BMW do the same course and length and speed, and the BMW was way more economical.

Wasn't it flat out on a race track vs an M3, ie totally missing the point?

kenmccarthy

A very good point.....and would I be right in thinking the tax is similar??I recently test drove the Rav4 2.0litre....the blurb from toyota puts the consumption at more or less the same as the 1.5diesel qashqai.

I'm miles off topic here...the op's question was if He was getting a good/fair deal on trade in......I certainly wouldn't think so

alan partridge aha

OP shop around, that dealer is taking the p***. Does it have to be a Passat, or would you consider a similar sized car? New mondeo, mazda 6 etc.

Rob Thomas

Given they know your car and have serviced it, this sounds around 2k too much to me to change.

If you are anywhere close to the west of ireland then: if previous form is anything to go by: you won't get a better deal on a new VW anywhere in Ireland than a certain county Galway dealer. Known to undercut every other dealer in the country. Especially when you are trading like for like.

Decoda

Doesn't have to be a Passat....thought this would have been the 6th Volkswagen from this dealer but it looks like its time to move on if they're going to go that strong on me. Obviously repeat custom means very little to a dealer these days I suppose. I'll try a few other VW dealers around me and also see what else is out there.

DC

Casati

Your 1.6 might be underpowered but its the engine most buyers request so the car is one that the garage will retail and should get strong money for it. Its working out at close to 5k a year for you which really seems like a lot. I have traded in an 11' Skoda Superb for a 2015 and the difference between dearest and cheapest was 3500 so my advise is to shop around.

bazz26

Dealer probably has a glut of old shape Passats coming in being traded up for the new ones. Could have been his way of telling you he doesn't really want another.

Also the new Passat has jumped a good bit in price over the old one. List price of €32k+ for a mid spec with the entry level small diesel engine is pricey imo.

alan partridge aha

Decoda wrote: »

Doesn't have to be a Passat....thought this would have been the 6th Volkswagen from this dealer but it looks like its time to move on if they're going to go that strong on me. Obviously repeat custom means very little to a dealer these days I suppose. I'll try a few other VW dealers around me and also see what else is out there.

DC

Defo shop around other VW dealers, the Passat is the new shape presumably.

Years ago (2006) we traded a 2001 Yaris for new golf (Mk5). Prices varied from €6800 to €8300 for Yaris.

Pays to shop around. Best of Luck.

moleyv

colm_mcm wrote:

Wasn't it flat out on a race track vs an M3, ie totally missing the point?

I thought it was motorway speed (70mph) and I thought it was a 330. It was a while ago so I could be wrong and apologies if I am.

It also may not have been Top Gear.

I did a quick google and I see the m3 v Prius.

Bigger engines being more efficient due to being under less stress is correct in principle, but it won't be reality with a heavy right foot.

Most manufacturers are doing great things with smaller engines these days. Polo and fiesta have 1 litre engines this generation. But I guess this isn't the discussion for this thread.

MuppetCheck

They're allowing 13k for yours.

A full service, 4 tyres, a valet and tidy up of anything that needs it, a 12 month warranty and you have a grand if not a little more.

So take it that it's costing them at least 14k or so to retail.

People will be trading similar cars right, left and centre with the launch of the new model so they'll have to price it relatively keenly to sell it or else take the risk of the value dropping while it sits on the forecourt.

I don't think 13k is all that unrealistic an allowance for it tbh. Shop around and see how much more you can get for sure but all things considered that's probably what it's worth or thereabouts.

Bigus

MuppetCheck wrote: »

They're allowing 13k for yours.

A full service, 4 tyres, a valet and tidy up of anything that needs it, a 12 month warranty and you have a grand if not a little more.

So take it that it's costing them at least 14k or so to retail.

People will be trading similar cars right, left and centre with the launch of the new model so they'll have to price it relatively keenly to sell it or else take the risk of the value dropping while it sits on the forecourt.

I don't think 13k is all that unrealistic an allowance for it tbh. Shop around and see how much more you can get for sure but all things considered that's probably what it's worth or thereabouts.

What about the margin on the new car ?

Advice to DC , the car market in Ireland is very unscientific and moody , so I'd take a day or two off and visit as many dealers as possible, and you'll get striking variation in quotes to change. Maybe get a valet done first ! It can influence even the most experienced salesman.

colm_mcm

They wouldn't want to be giving away much margin on a new model like the Passat. If they do then they're not doing their job right. No offence intended to the OP.
They could sell any amount of these at the moment, and straight deals with small or no discount on finance are what they'll be holding out for.
There will always be a few who will get their figures way out (to your advantage) shopping around is where you'll potentially find these guys. By shopping around I mean actually driving there, deposit ready.

Markcheese

Shop around - the original sales man could be right but your looking for the best deal for you, not him .it'd be worth shopping around ,check out few other makes too.
Would it be worth hanging off till March/ April . Till they're over their initial January rush ?

Dia1988

Here's a whacky idea.........sell your 2011 Passat privately and re-negotiate a straight sale for the 2015 Passat

Bigus

Dia1988 wrote: »

Here's a whacky idea.........sell your 2011 Passat privately and re-negotiate a straight sale for the 2015 Passat

Not necessarily , salesmen make bad judgements on certain days.