buying a new car.

[gemarriott]

What is it with car dealers, when a punter comes in the showroom and says I want to test drive a yourcar 1600 asthmatic they come out with every excuse under the sun why you cannot test the particular car you want to buy?

When I was looking I thought I would try the Golf, Focus zetec 1.8, Astra sxi and the new little BMW.

Ford only had 2.0l ghia no zetec and no automatics and no estates at all not that I wanted auto or estate but they fully expected a punter to buy one without driving one, and buy an estate without driving one in fact buy any focus on the basis of a top of the range test drive.

Vauxhall the only astra available was the bog standard Astra life no indication of the improved performance an SXi would give. Again no estate and the only auto available was the Corsa.

BMW, worked out what I could afford and said goodbye. Actually they offered a test drive in their baby hatch and the money was not too bad but I didn't like it on closer inspection.

VW were excellent, they worked with me to see what I wanted , what I needed and then offered test drives in the Golf I could afford and a couple of polos with top end specs. Pretty good experience all round.

Mind you I had to pick a different colour as the one I wanted is discontinued.

 

[Oh sir]

About 7 or 8 years ago I wanted to buy a particular model of Fiat.

"We don't have one in the showroom" the guy says.

"Okay," I said, "Can you arrange for one, or maybe point me in the direction of a dealer who has one? I need to test drive one to be sure that it's the car I want you see."

"Erm not really" says our salesman, "I can order one if you're serious. But you'd have to buy it then."

Needless to say I bought something else.
I believe there are wrong and right times to buy a new car, when the salesmen have to clear stock. They will move heaven and earth to fill their quota when their deadline is approaching. Clearly at the time I asked the Fiat dealer, he wasn't too near his yearly quota deadline!

It used to be that the slack period was January, you could pick and choose and negotiate as companies like Ford had literally thousands of cars filling car parks all over the country around then.
That's probably all changed now with this twice yearly plate change, and the continued fetish of having a "fresh" 07 plate on your new car.

 

[katinthehat]

End of the month is also a good time - far better.
And always remember to ask for mats & flaps, along with a full tank of fuel and at least 6 months tax!!
(My uncle runs a garage so I do know a little about how to get a good deal!!!!!)

 

[vim_fuego]

I want a new car...I 've not had my present one that long but a) I'm bored of it and 2) The Fuego clan is growing.

I quite fancy one of these Grand Scenics (diesal). Anyone heard anything good/bad about them?

Plus anyone want to buy a sexy Nissan Primera sporty thing with many Gizmo's? DT_Xtremez_17:

 

[rugby then work]

Just back from 3 years in Cyprus and the Grand Scenic was a very popular buy, 3 of my mates have bought them and all give good reviews of the car. Very roomy and one of the few that you can really fit a large family in without paying through the nose. (One Of the lads has 4 kids)

 

[TheHogwartsBEngO]

I want a new car...I 've not had my present one that long but a) I'm bored of it and 2) The Fuego clan is growing.

I quite fancy one of these Grand Scenics (diesal). Anyone heard anything good/bad about them?

Plus anyone want to buy a sexy Nissan Primera sporty thing with many Gizmo's? DT_Xtremez_17:

according to 'Auto Trader' with Mike Brewer (tuesdays 9pm Discovery Real Time) the Scenics can suffer with major electrical niggles which can be expensive to put right.

Might be worth looking up the 'JD Power' driver surveys - Top Gear website has links I think

 

[Bluntend]

I too am having a bit of a dilema over what to buy. Everything here in NZ seems to be a lot bigger. For a start the price is in NZ$ (approx 2.7 x sterling) so paying over 50 grand for a family car isn't unusual and the milage is in km's so a car with over 100k on the clock is average by UK standards. And then there is the engine size. Right now I'm deliberating over a 5.7l Ford Falcon V8 (a sensible family saloon) or the 8.3l Dodge Ram V10 505bhp (a practicle 5 seater 4x4 pickup). Anything with a cc less than 3.0l seems somehow puny by comparrison...

 

[TheHogwartsBEngO]

Right now I'm deliberating over a 5.7l Ford Falcon V8 (a sensible family saloon) or the 8.3l Dodge Ram V10 505bhp (a practicle 5 seater 4x4 pickup). Anything with a cc less than 3.0l seems somehow puny by comparrison...

Over-compensating for something Bluntend? DT_Xtremez_28:

and come on, you're in that part of the world - you've got to get 'an old Holden'

Holden Monaro perhaps?

 

[Scaley brat]

I want a new car...I 've not had my present one that long but a) I'm bored of it and 2) The Fuego clan is growing.
I quite fancy one of these Grand Scenics (diesal).
Anyone heard anything good/bad about them?

Went to the airport for our hols in a rental, nice car, very roomy and decent motorway stamina with good economy. Four adults and one child plenty of room (Amazing considering 2 of the adults were women and they both took the kitchen sink DT_Xtremez_31: )

Plus anyone want to buy a sexy Nissan Primera sporty thing with many Gizmo's? DT_Xtremez_17:

No you child I'm over 19 DT_Xtremez_15:


As well as Top Gear, dont forget channel 5's Fifth Gear

 

[TheHogwartsBEngO]

As well as Top Gear, dont forget channel 5's Fifth Gear

Off Topic No! Ignore 5th Gear! That programme is utter tosh and trying to copy Top Gear - badly. I mean, the features where they actually drive cars is okay, but those comedy continuity scenes in the cafe really grip my $hit! I found myself shouting at the tele the other night, and wanting to smash VBH over the back of the head with a shovel and bury her under a new patio.

Still, bodge tape her gob shut and you would, wouldn't you?

 

[katinthehat]

5th gear is rubbish!! Its all self appreciating drivel!!
Give me the madness and straight talking of Top Gear!!
Its like the other rubbish one they used to show late on Central whatever that was!!!!

 

[rugby then work]

Top Gear is certainly the best for me.

Can't think of the driving show on central, Channel 4 had Driven which was rather toss.

 

[TheHogwartsBEngO]

5th gear is rubbish!! Its all self appreciating drivel!!
Give me the madness and straight talking of Top Gear!!
Its like the other rubbish one they used to show late on Central whatever that was!!!!

pulling power?

 

[katinthehat]

pulling power?

Thats the fella!!
That bored me stupid too!!

 

[monobrow]

Still, bodge tape her gob shut and you would, wouldn't you?

Probably......

 

[Scaley brat]

Off Topic No! Ignore 5th Gear! That programme is utter tosh and trying to copy Top Gear - badly. I mean, the features where they actually drive cars is okay, but those comedy continuity scenes in the cafe really grip my $hit! I found myself shouting at the tele the other night, and wanting to smash VBH over the back of the head with a shovel and bury her under a new patio.

Still, bodge tape her gob shut and you would, wouldn't you?

Oh c'mon, it's plain she has a little wet spot for that tw@tty geek co-hosting with her. Tiff is rarely on the show now and Jason is trying to get his leg over the Kiwi bird on Sky...

But yes, bodge tape her gob shut and I would DT_Xtremez_28:

And when have Top Gear ever had a competition to win a car ? I'm a media whore, give me the chance to win a half decent car and I'll watch any old sh1t. No I didn't win oneDT_Xtremez_08: ::/:

 

[Hu Jardon]

Oh c'mon, it's plain she has a little wet spot for that tw@tty geek co-hosting with her. Tiff is rarely on the show now and Jason is trying to get his leg over the Kiwi bird on Sky...

But yes, bodge tape her gob shut and I would DT_Xtremez_28:

And when have Top Gear ever had a competition to win a car ? I'm a media whore, give me the chance to win a half decent car and I'll watch any old sh1t. No I didn't win oneDT_Xtremez_08: ::/:

Top Gayer is for Poofs - but I'll admit when made to watch it I sometimes find it amusing, Clarkson even drives an SLGay FFS. That Vicky Butler Handupyerbum is a Pseudo Gwar but she'd still deffo get it