Motoring Discussion > Discounts on new cars	Buying / Selling
Thread Author: scousehonda	Replies: 38

New Mon 7 Feb 11 21:46   Discounts on new cars - scousehonda

Most of the main stream dealers in the UK (eg Ford, Vauxhall, Skoda, Citroen) offer discounts of varying sizes when selling new vehicles from stock. Do the same discounts apply to new cars that are built to order, say a top of the range Mondeo in a non standard colour or a colour not readily available? Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 21:56   Discounts on new cars - RattleandSmoke

Yep. My car was built to order due to the colour (metalic paint is not that common on Active spec Pandas) and there was none in the UK so it had to built to order from Poland. Got it for £6500, with that colour the list price would have been £8200 so that is quite a big discount of list price. That said other than that it is standard. If I had specified the 5 seat version (e.g one extra seat belt) it still would have been discounted. Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Mon 7 Feb 11 at 21:57 Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 22:20   Discounts on new cars - mikeyb

Yep - My C5 is leased, but as there was not one with my chosen options then it was a factory build. Only difference in price was the options. Dont really know what the price of the car was, but can work back through the lease to see that it was nowhere near its list price. Come to think of it the A3 I had before was bought through a broker at a discount and that was a factory order Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 22:26   Discounts on new cars - Iffy

When I last bought a car in 2009, Ford dealers were offering much bigger discounts on new, unregistered stock, than on a factory order. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 22:31   Discounts on new cars - RattleandSmoke

That was probably because they had an excess stock they wanted to get rid of. Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Mon 7 Feb 11 at 22:31 Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 22:36   Discounts on new cars - Iffy

...That was probably because they had an excess stock they wanted to get rid of... Not really, always better to sell a car than take an order. It amuses me when people place an order on something with a six-month wait and then moan when the dealer doesn't bother with them much. Last edited by: Iffy on Mon 7 Feb 11 at 22:36 Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 22:51   Discounts on new cars - Dave_

>> the 5 seat version (e.g one extra seat belt) Your Panda is only a 4-seater Rattle? Does that make a difference to the insurance premium? I only ask because when I've been shopping around for car insurance I have to state how many seats the Escort's got - even though the websites have already pinpointed the exact model and engine details from the registration number. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 23:36   Discounts on new cars - rtj70

I bet it doesn't make a difference Dave. Originally the Passat CC was a strict four seater and now is a five seater. Doubt that has changed the insurance either. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 23:39   Discounts on new cars - RattleandSmoke

I don't know the answer to Dave's question for certain but I have a bit of time on my hands so I am going to make two bogus quotes. All data will be identical but one will be a four seat Panda the other a five. And yep Dave mine is legaly a four seater, there is no middle belt and the V5 cearly states it is a four seater. I could have paid an extra £150 for the five seater but they are narrow cars and you would be mad to want 5 people in a Panda! Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 23:44   Discounts on new cars - rtj70

And yet some big cars are four seaters only for 'comfort' reasons. The Passat CC example I gave above as one. The Audi A5 Sportback might be another - MLC can answer that one. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 23:49   Discounts on new cars - RattleandSmoke

Decided against doing the quotes as it said information would be used for anti fraud measures. As the person dosn't exist etc it is not worth the risk. I would be interested to know the answer for certain though. I am guessing it might have some effect but it would be trivial. It seems every tiny bit of data you provide helps decide the risk. Apparantly even having a landline phone can lower the risk a bit. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 00:45   Discounts on new cars - henry k

>> And yet some big cars are four seaters only for 'comfort' reasons. The Passat CC example I gave above as one. >> Another VW - the Phaeton is available as a four only seater Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 23:52   Discounts on new cars - Skoda

Me new Skoda (built this week, I seem to have jumped the queue!) had the Skoda uk discount off the list price, same discount off all the options (effectively vat free) then a wodge lopped off by the dealer. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 23:56   Discounts on new cars - RattleandSmoke

Built or registered this week? My dads Fiesta was built in March 1996 but was registered in December 1997, there wasn't any demand for a green Fiesta with a push rod engine, no aircon but electric seats/mirrors/windows and quick clear windscreen by then!!. My Panda was built after 20th of April 2010 (because the plastics are date stamped, and I assume the car was built after the plastics were made) but by the 12 of May 2010 I was driving it. Should check the VIN really. If it was built this week then I would imagine it won't be on your drive until another week at the earliest. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 00:04   Discounts on new cars - rtj70

He did say built this week ;-) My last Passat was built to order and managed to intercept a standard build in the 13 week process to change the spec. My last Mondeo was built a particular week after ordering too - first batch of Euro IV diesels from Ford I think. Last edited by: rtj70 on Tue 8 Feb 11 at 00:05 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 00:06   Discounts on new cars - RattleandSmoke

People sometimes get two confused as they sometimes not thinkign assume the registered date was the day it was built. It will be interesting to see how quickly Skoda can get it into the dealer and on the road. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 00:05   Discounts on new cars - Skoda

Aye only built :-( last year it took ~3 weeks from build date to arrive. I remember you mentioning the date stamps, remember thinking fiat are impressively fast at the old shipping lark. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 00:11   Discounts on new cars - RattleandSmoke

I am guessing your Skoda was made in Mladá Boleslav which is about 1000 miles away. My Panda was made in Tychy 1200 miles away so pretty much the same distance and similar route across Europe. * I wonder if they are delivered by boat or transporter? If it has come by boat you wouldn't think the turnaround times from being made to registered would be quick enough. *Distances are from Manchester as I was being lazy on Google. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 00:17   Discounts on new cars - Dave_

>> I wonder if they are delivered by boat or transporter? There are thousands upon thousands of cars at docks all around the country Rats, FIATs come in at Avonmouth (Bristol). That's why a lot of the FIAT UK fleet and rental cars are registered with a W-prefix. Certainly the two Ducato minibuses at my old work began WV05 and WU05, they were delivered direct from the docks. You never see foreign-registered transporters on UK roads (apart from the odd Eastern European one laden with salvage or second-hand diesels) so the new-build cars must be transported to the docks, shipped over and then transported to the dealer. Last edited by: Dave_TD {P} on Tue 8 Feb 11 at 00:18 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 00:41   Discounts on new cars - rtj70

>> That's why a lot of the FIAT UK fleet and rental cars are registered with a W-prefix Bought a FIAT Seicento (wife wanted one...) with 2 miles on the clock in 2002. Car was a 2001 build. It is a W prefix. Saw a car three weeks ago on the Barton bridge in Manchester with one letter difference in the last 3 letters on the plate - also a 2001 Seicento. Last edited by: rtj70 on Tue 8 Feb 11 at 00:42 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 00:53   Discounts on new cars - WillDeBeest

W would mean mid-2000, RTJ. 2001 was X, Y and 51. Or am I missing something? Last edited by: WillDeBeest on Tue 8 Feb 11 at 00:54 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 01:10   Discounts on new cars - rtj70

You're missing the fact that the Bristol area in the new reg scheme starts W. For west country. So reg could be WF51 HHP for example. That is a made up ref but the reg prefix starts W. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 01:12   Discounts on new cars - RattleandSmoke

51 is W, e.g WX51. W is a prefix, I am guessing for Westcountry. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 01:22   Discounts on new cars - Dave_

This is the most comprehensive guide to registration areas I can find, I use it quite a lot: bit.ly/enKMn5 A leaflet with all the area codes for 2001-on registrations was included with tax disc reminders at the time IIRC. I bought a book listing all the area codes for pre-2001 plates back in the 80s. I've still got it, and can reel many of them off from memory. I've had the motoring bug for a long, long time... Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 01:28   Discounts on new cars - RattleandSmoke

My dad can do that too, he knows his car is registered in the Manchester area simply because of the last four digits (pre 2001). I find it quite amusing what they did with the M prefix, M stands for both Manchester and Merseyside. I have a flipping Birmingham prefix on mine which I wouldn't mind but the entire registration spells something very rude. I should have got a discount for it, I am sure it was a some sort of brummy sense of humour to probably their only manc customer. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 01:33   Discounts on new cars - Dave_

Be thankful it wasn't a little older and registered in Portsmouth, like a neighbour's car near here - beginning PO02. At least yours doesn't make children under the age of about 13 snigger. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 01:35   Discounts on new cars - RattleandSmoke

I think I would prefer that, I certainlty do a lot more of them than that my car says these days!. Once I have paid the finance off I may try and sell the plate to a pimp. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 00:18   Discounts on new cars - Skoda

The vrs (and scout models) go a different route from the others. The body's are built at a newer smaller factory near the main complex, then they go by train to a VW factory in Germany (Wolfsburg? I forget I looked it all up last year) to have their drivetrains installed. From there it's train up to the port at Emden, then over to near Newcastle. Last leg is via Transporter to the dealers. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 00:24   Discounts on new cars - RattleandSmoke

I am not sure how the Polish built FIATs would come via Bristol though? Seems a long way round. It seems a bit mad to put Eastern European built cars on ships it dosn't seem far enough. I've been to sort of Eastern Europe by train (well Berlin) and it is just down the road. It would make far more sense to send them via train. I can see why they can't send them all on transporters as there would be far too many. I can understand French and Spannish cars arriving by boat as there is a direct sailing path to the UK. Is there any canals within mainline Europe the ships can use? Actually I am now thinking they could arrive on train to some where say in France or Belgium/Netherlands and then get stuck on a boat to get them into the UK? Or maybe shipping is so cheap it dosn't matter if the sailing route is 2000 miles furher. Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Tue 8 Feb 11 at 00:25 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 06:46   Discounts on new cars - AshT

>> I am not sure how the Polish built FIATs would come via Bristol though? Seems >> a long way round. It's economy of scale Rattle. A ship like this - www.tinyurls.co.uk/R24706 - which is docked in Portbury at the moment will hold over 5000 cars; far more than a whole train of transporters, and can deliver to a number of ports on an itinery. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 09:00   Discounts on new cars - Iffy

I see from the photos in Ash's link, the Tombarra gets around. Sydney, Panama Canal, New York and, er, Gravesend. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 11:18   Discounts on new cars - Auntie Lockbrakes

>>When I last bought a car in 2009, Ford dealers were offering much bigger discounts on new, unregistered stock, than on a factory order. Spot on Iffy. And the discounts can be even higher at month- or quarter-end. I lucked-in to buying a KIA in late-June last year, just before the end of the sales quarter, before the holidays, and before the first of the 2011 model year stocks started shipping from the factory. Got a huge discount! Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 17:30   Discounts on new cars - mikeyb

Listening to Iffy's coments makes me think that the answer to this question is probably manufacturer specific. In the case of Ford they just run a line churning out cars and then worry about selling them, so as you say they have to discount to shift stock, whereas most VAG groups cars are built to order - very few end up as stock. This creates a market where people may pay more for a stock car as they dont want to wait 12 weeks Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 10 Feb 11 12:08   Discounts on new cars - pug3

....VAG groups cars are built to order - very few end up as stock. This creates a market where people may pay more for a stock car as they dont want to wait 12 weeks Or in my case 6 months for a Golf 1.4 TSi. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 10 Feb 11 12:11   Discounts on new cars - Alanovich

I purchased a brand new Touran in 2008 from stock, the discount (15%) was bigger than the dealer offered on a car built to order. It was also cheaper than an ex-demo car with the previous reg number which he had on the forecourt, and was of the same spec, which I found hugely bizarre. Therefore, the above statements are not true of VAG in all cases. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 10 Feb 11 13:32   Discounts on new cars - Bill Payer

>> Or in my case 6 months for a Golf 1.4 TSi. >> I do wonder if they wait in other European countries too? They generally don't in the US - cars are stocked in volume and you can change in a couple of hours. Even VW dealers in the US typically carry tons of "inventory". Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 10 Feb 11 14:21   Discounts on new cars - BobbyG

Just put my Altea into dealer for its service - its a joint Seat/Hyundai dealer. Interesting to see that there was only a handful of £'s difference between the Hyundai ix35 and pre registered Santa Fe's they had in. Not sure if that reflects the huge success that the ix35 has been, or the oversupply of Santa Fe's . Or a bit of both. I would take either of them in a minute! Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 10 Feb 11 14:47   Discounts on new cars - Zero

you get a bigger discount on cars in stock. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 10 Feb 11 18:52   Discounts on new cars - Manatee

>> you get a bigger discount on cars in stock. >> Especially if they are paid stock - which pre-reg will invariably be, along with anything that's been on stock longer than, typically, 180 days at which point the dealer has to pay for it anyway. Reply to this message | Report message