Are they REALLY sold?

foxy farmer

Passed a main Dealer today around 11.00 and a forecourt full of unregistered new cars with yellow SOLD on the windscreen. At 6.00 this evening when I passed again they were gone. Well over 20 cars on display covering 2 brands.
2 other main dealers had forecourts full with new cars again with sold on the windscreen. One dealer had at least 12 of only one model of a particular brand on the forecourt and nothing else. Were dealers open today shifting cars? Or is it a stunt where they bring in new cars just for the end of the year as an advertising and sales gimmick?

corktina

of course they were open today. Sad people with a superiority complex want their cars today

mgbgt1978

Yep, since the system changed to allow the Dealers register new cars online (rather than waiting for the Motor Tax offices to re-open) most Main Dealers have opened on the 1st of Jan.

Drummerboy08

We weren't open at all today, but we have around 120 cars sold across 4 brands.

SuperO'B

wow, that's a decent trader right there..

DoomZ

I often wonder where all the less than a year old ex-fleet cars come from...who has a fleet car for less than a year?

Drummerboy08

DoomZ wrote: »

I often wonder where all the less than a year old ex-fleet cars come from...who has a fleet car for less than a year?

Rental companies will take them for 3 months at a time in some cases.

CharlieCroker

DoomZ wrote: »

I often wonder where all the less than a year old ex-fleet cars come from...who has a fleet car for less than a year?

Demos, pre-regs, short term contract hire like car rental companies who lease from dealers for the summer months

DoomZ

Thanks.... Love they way they're trying to sell them as near to original price as possible....

Atlantic Dawn

Good way to do business if they were sold, promotes business. If you are a new car dealer January and July are where the main money is made.

Guy:Incognito

DoomZ wrote: »

Thanks.... Love they way they're trying to sell them as near to original price as possible....

Whereas youd run the business as a charity and take as little profit as possible?

Red Kev

corktina wrote: »

of course they were open today. Sad people with a superiority complex want their cars today

Or maybe just people who paid a lot of saved up money for a car, ordered it several weeks ago and just want to get into it ASAP.

Hardly a superiority complex, or is everybody who buys a new car supposed to, feel guilty about it?

Toyotafanboi

also worth noting that the sun visor price labels all read "SOLD" if someone hasn't clipped in the pricing tabs over it yet.

DoomZ

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Whereas youd run the business as a charity and take as little profit as possible?

Why do people thank post like this? Its a trolls tipical kind of reply :-/

DoomZ

DoomZ wrote: »

Thanks.... Love they way they're trying to sell them as near to original price as possible....

They would have gotten a big enough pay-off from the leaser to take the car back been less than 12 months old...they could knock more off the prices they try to get for ex-fleet / rental cars.

colm_mcm

DoomZ wrote: »

Thanks.... Love they way they're trying to sell them as near to original price as possible....

Keep in mind that these cars will invariably have metallic paint, mats etc. the RRP youll see quoted by the manufacturer will exclude delivery and related charges and metallic paint. Combined cost of these could be €1,000-€1500+ depending on the car.

The customers ultimately will vote with their feet. They're not stupid - if they could get a brand new one for pretty much the same price they'd do it.

DoomZ

I drive a leased car, they charge a lot to return a car early.. And isn't vrt a once off charge too, so really they could sell for less...anyhow if you're not well informed when buying...tough luck I guess

corktina

DoomZ wrote: »

I drive a leased car, they charge a lot to return a car early.. And isn't vrt a once off charge too, so really they could sell for less...anyhow if you're not well informed when buying...tough luck I guess

depends on the terms surely. I doubt these cars have been returned early at all, they have just been leased for a short term, Are you seriously suggesting that once VRT is paid it ceases to become part of the value of the car on the secondhand market? Might as well deduct the value of the tyres too then I guess.

Casati

The customers ultimately will vote with their feet. They're not stupid - if they could get a brand new one for pretty much the same price they'd do it.[/QUOTE]

Im not so sure that all customers are well informed, often buying brand new will leave the buyer with a lower cost per year, plus the buyers of the ex lease cars will usually lose out on lower manufacturers finance, service inclusive packs as well as reduced warranty period etc. Worst of all they will usually end up with a car that was trashed on some rental fleet for 6 months.

I'd be very surprised if the dealer margin on the ex rental stuff was not much higher than on new cars?

DoomZ

Casati wrote: »

The customers ultimately will vote with their feet. They're not stupid - if they could get a brand new one for pretty much the same price they'd do it.

Im not so sure that all customers are well informed, often buying brand new will leave the buyer with a lower cost per year, plus the buyers of the ex lease cars will usually lose out on lower manufacturers finance, service inclusive packs as well as reduced warranty period etc. Worst of all they will usually end up with a car that was trashed on some rental fleet for 6 months.

I'd be very surprised if the dealer margin on the ex rental stuff was not much higher than on new cars?[/quote]

I agree, it was only the odd dealer selling these years ago, now most do.
People don't haggle enough with dealers.
As for trashing the fleet cars, yes you're right about too.
I wouldn't touch an ex-fleet car especially the ones we drive.