Car price discounters

JohnD · 29 Oct 2021

I have been looking at getting a new car. The local main dealer offers a discount off list, about 5%, but a company called 360vehicleleasing offers 15%

I imagine they are a big fleet buyer with no showrooms.

The cars can be ordered by manufacturers spec and option, on factory lead time.

Is there anything I should consider before choosing them?

Burnerman · 29 Oct 2021

Don't part with any money until the car is with the supplying dealer and is the exact specification you ordered!
John

JohnD · 29 Oct 2021

have you heard something?

Burnerman · 29 Oct 2021

Car brokers have been around for ages.
With my vast experience of one purchase, the chosen vehicle (Clio 172, 51 plate) was provided by a local dealer and sourced by Carfile.net. I remember the agent was a guy called Pat Lawless, not sure if they are still around. I paid the dealer in full on collection, nothing up front and it was a good deal.
John

mointainwalker · 30 Oct 2021

Very surprised that any business would commit themselves to ordering a car without a reasonable deposit from customer.

jeds · 29 Nov 2021

I've bought several cars through this route. In all cases the broker passed me to a main dealer and the transactions were just the same as walking into the main dealership off the street - except the £5k discounted price! I picked one car up in Oldham and the sales bloke picked me up from Manchester Piccadilly station. I asked him about the discounts and he said he had no idea how they did it, but they sold hundreds of cars along the M5 corridor through the scheme. They were not allowed to offer discounts (at all) if I'd walked in off the street.

There was a deposit though - to the dealer. Normally about £500.

JohnD · 29 Nov 2021

I notice they say now it "may be" preregistered, even though it is delivered to me new.

One of the brokers is a car leasing co and says that to get the biggest discount, it has to be registered in their name for the first six months, even though I have it and am driving around in it. I suppose this is because they get the fleet buyers price. They offer me 15% off list.

I remember hearing that the big car hire companies turn over their stock at six months, and sell for more than they paid new.

jeds · 29 Nov 2021

That's true, some brokers do have possible pre-registration in their terms. I had a quote from Drivethedeal in the last couple of weeks which was just that. I have ordered through AutoeBid and I checked their terms and asked the question to confirm there is no pre-registration. The car is factory order though, so that may make a difference.

It might be an issue if a buyer was particularly wanting to visit the dealer - they are usually miles from where you live. I live South West and Drivethedeal dealer was in Kent - AutoeBid is in the midlands.

Car price discounters

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