Is anyone negotiating a discount on new cars anymore?

younggalway

Was looking at a few new cars this week in the small premium crossover segment for a family member for a possible 241 order. I didn't try negotiating in any real sense because the person wasn't going to put a deposit down on the day but I got the general sense dealers have moved on from negotiating?

Audi garage = a possible e500 discount as a "gesture" on a 57k Q3?

BMW = nothing mentioned but got the usual "sell themselves" on a 62k X1? (Lads why is a BMW X1 60 f'n grand?)

Mercedes = to be fair we were looking at the GLA which is costing nearly 60k in a fairly average spec, they seemed to be open to a discussion of some sort even after mentioning the usual 1k on a straight deal.

As I said I'm not expecting to drop that easy when stock is still slow to come in but the prices of some of these cars have risen massively in the past few years yet its hard to see where this increase is being seen. I also appreciate these garages are out to make a profit too but overall I just felt dissapointed with the general sense of greed around the place. I will be trying all dealers once we get to the point of placing a deposit next week, but this leads me to my main question:

Am I completely deluded thinking a 6/7/8% discount might still be possible on a new car at this price point without trading in? I'd love to hear from anyone who has bought in the past 6 months or so. Also, if anyone has a contact they would recommend in either a BMW or Merc garage we are happy to travel anywhere to deal with the right person.

BorneTobyWilde

Make an offer, and walk away.

carsfan2

I’d be surprised if you could get anything like up to 8% off these days from a BMW or Mercedes dealer.

I don’t think they have that much margin to play with. Some dealers are actually short of stock so if you had a desirable trade in they would give you a better deal.

I know that BMW dealers can sell as many x1’s as the can get so wouldn’t expect much more than a token discount if any.

still no harm in asking..

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058308869/is-anyone-negotiating-a-discount-on-new-cars-anymore

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058305980/new-car-discount#latest You asked already in that thread.

JeffKenna

Think the days of those kind of discounts are gone (for now anyway) I'm afraid. Got my Audi a few years ago and there was good scope to negotiate, went to upgrade recently and was told they had hit their sales targets already and the price was the price. Heard the same from one or two other people as well.

Montage of Feck

The car market was gotten very strange, hideous things like the x1 flying out and the likes of the Fiesta gone like the dodo, easy credit has a lot to answer for. 😂

mcburns07

New cars were always a rip off in this country (I've bought 4 myself) but the market really has lost the run of itself over the last couple of years. I have absolutely no interest in changing my car for a while to come now. Seeing the same from a lot of people I know too who would fairly regularly change cars. Sales are surely falling?

Casati

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120966601#Comment_120966601

I wonder if the dealers have left margin to play with, or is it more so that they are used to keeping that 6% to 8% as extra margin?

younggalway

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120966619#Comment_120966619

Great spot, and then I started a new thread of my own to hopefully get more insight. Is it any wonder this forum is dying off when you took the time out of your day to post your comment rather than contribute something a bit more beneficial? It takes all kinds doesn't it...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120970568#Comment_120970568

This is the crux of my question, the price increases in this segment in the past couple of years is absolutely off the charts then all you hear is "tight margins" etc. Again I appreciate people are out there to make a profit but I hope dealers get a wake up call in the coming years like they did in '08. Ireland is too small of a market not to be more focused on long term relationships in motoring rather than wringing people out while you can.

If anyone has a BMW dealer/salesperson they've personal experience with and would recommend I'd be grateful for the details.

Thanks folks

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120979464#Comment_120979464

Are you for real? I gave you my opinion in your first post about it in the first thread you asked the question, what do you want? The reason the forum is going downhill is because of a certain type of poster alright. Goodbye.

younggalway

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120979475#Comment_120979475

😘

Night bbz

con747

Some people are just complete knob heads but I can't really think of who that could be.🤔

bazz26

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120979464#Comment_120979464

No personal experience but I've heard that Ahern's down in Castleisland are supposed to be decent to deal with as BMW dealers go anyway. I think most of them are much of a muchness though. Worth a try anyway. I'd say discounts are less forthcoming these days especially on premium brands, I'd imagine to squeeze the best price you would probably have to be sitting in front of them rather than over the phone. Not practical from different ends of the country I know.

carsfan2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120979464#Comment_120979464

BMW Ireland are moving to a direct retail model in 2024 for mini and 2026 for BMW’s. You buy your car at a fixed price from them direct and the dealership of your choice facilitates delivery of your vehicle. They will take your existing car back at a price determined by BMW as part exchange if you have one. Haggling and discounts are essentially gone. This is how they see the future and other manufacturers will follow.

you can see why the dealerships now aren’t thinking about the long term relationship with a customer when they themselves are becoming irrelevant in the buying process.

NIMAN

Visited a dealer recently to have a look and casually asked how business was.

"Fantastic " was the reply, said there is no point lying!

So if cars are selling well, I suppose the chance of a big discount is unlikely.

bazz26

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120983050#Comment_120983050

Adopting the Tesla business model so. Will have no interest in the second hand car market or used car residues. Will be like buying a TV or mobile phone except the figures will be bigger. This is where PCP or leasing a new car should in theory benefit the driver rather than buying, however given PCP and leasing have future values built into them, that will cost more too.

younggalway

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120982575#Comment_120982575

I think I'll take a day next month and try to hit 4/5 dealers down south, CQ seems to have it all tied up up this end of the country so hoping a smaller dealer might be willing to do a deal. Ill add Aherns to my hit list. Thanks lads

goochy

Kearys are best dealer in country in my opinion . might be keen to deal

goochy

or Morrisons

BrianD3

Tell them to get a new Dacia Jogger instead, compared to an X1 etc. that's a 35-40k "discount" for a car that is more practical and will be much cheaper to run.

Obviously this advice won't be heeded (it never is when people want a badge and "spec") but the issue here is spending around 60k on these cars, In the unlikely event that they get a 10% discount, that's still an absurd amount to spend on a car which is far from an enthusiast or luxury vehicle.. Loads of people with either too much money or too little sense queuing up to buy these things so no incentive for a dealer to give anything other than a token discount.

pgj2015

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120983068#Comment_120983068

Would you believe anything that comes out of a car dealers mouth? 🤔

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120987551#Comment_120987551

You actually have a point, unless you go for the highest spec X1, there is very little difference between the two cars interior wise😂

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Oh jaysus, it’s that tyre kicker from the closed thread about trade in prices. If l was a garage owner ld take great delight in saying, yes sir l have loads of cars here, but lm not selling any to you. What’s that you ask sir ? “Why”… well you see sir, life is too short and you’re wasting my time, not to mention giving me a massive headache…please f€&@ off sir. Thank you for calling sir

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120987640#Comment_120987640

Normally no, but I was expecting the poor mouth response of things being tight, struggling etc. It was refreshing to hear him say he's doing well.

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120987658#Comment_120987658

At first glance they make look relatively similar, but I bet the BMW is a FAR nicer place to be in.

pgj2015

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120987717#Comment_120987717

Yes but from him telling you that, you decided there was no point trying to get a better price off him so its in his interest to say he is doing well.

I was at a dealer a few months ago, first he was telling me the high price of cars is putting people off, then he was telling me people were buying cars off him for crazy money, 35,000 for a 3 year old volkswagon passenger van and they guy that paid that didnt think twice about it according to him.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

I’ve known people like the op all my life. First off, no customer wants to be taken for a ride and everyone wants a fair deal. But there’s a special type of tight fisted gobshite who are terrified to part money in case someone is making something on the deal. Guess what, that’s business.

Casati

Don’t bother going to Aherns unless you ring them first - they are suffering with availability issues like every other dealer and up to recently couldn’t even order an X1 - no point taking money if they can’t get the cars

younggalway

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120987658#Comment_120987658

https://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/bmw/x1/fpa/202304055995386?journey=Search

The new model X1 is a fair step up from the previous model to be fair.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120987738#Comment_120987738

Is this directed at me? What about my original post prompted this response you clown? I'm talking about a vehicle that's spec for spec price has increased almost 10k euro in the past 5 years so you best believe I'd be negotiating hard. I doubt there's many dealers selling for a loss so sorry if I won't be joining you on the violin.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120987742#Comment_120987742

Don't think there's many X1's sitting in stock anywhere tbh, this would be to get a factory order in a specific spec for Jan 2024 and have been told by a BMW salesman this is currently sitting at about 4 months wait. so hence trying to get an order in soon.

carsfan2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120987658#Comment_120987658

That’s the old model interior. The new car is a significant upgrade in appearance and quality.

carsfan2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120983514#Comment_120983514

Ring ahead before you travel otherwise you might be hanging around and it will show you’re serious.

also if it’s an x1 you want, I know they’re still in short supply and discounts are negligible. I recently bought a new BMW and the guy I deal with said they can’t get them and will sell to existing customers before entertaining new customers.