Hi everybody
Any advice on what is the best car supermarket in the South East in terms of screen prices and part exchange deals.
I prefer to buy a car at an auction but have had no luck selling my car privately (it's an immaculate, low mileage, 2 year old Focus). I need to upgrade to a Mondeo because I've just bought a caravan and the Focus can't pull it. Because I can't get hold of the cash to go to an auction I need to part exchange it.
The prices at places like Car Giant and Trade Sales don't seem too bad but does anybody know what they are like with part ex values?
Thanks
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unless you're buying new, Andy 4, why not consider a swop (see "Yours for Mine thread)
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The PX won't be as high as at a dealership but, on the other hand, the car you would be acquiring would be that much cheaper initially.
PX prices, depending on the sticker price of the vehicle you want and how much is built-in to allow for PX purposes, should in theory be superior to an auction sale.
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You're best off selling your car privately and forgetting the P/x. Supermarket prices are so keen, they'll pay a pittance for your P/X and there's no haggling...
Splodgeface
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Thanks for your comments.
I have been trying to sell my car privately for the last few weeks. I am on the point of giving up, hence the need for a part ex deal.
I have advertised in Auto Trader and Exhange and Mart. I started off a couple of hundred quid over the book price (as the 2 year old car has only done 11,000 miles and is in pristine condition, full Ford S/H etc etc). I had one caller. I have now reduced it to the book price. I have had no calls in two weeks. I must admit I thought it would have been easier to sell. Is it because it is a common car (it's a Focus), or the time of year, or are the days of easyily selling privately on the way out because of the popularity of car supermarkets, auctions and companies like YES etc.
Perhaps I should have one last attempt and reduce it to well below book price.
Cheers!
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Honestjohn,
Apologies for the lack of info.
The car is a Ford Focus 1.6LX 2002 O2 Reg. It's done 11,200 miles and has CD, Air-Con, Alloys, P/S, E/W, Heated Front and Rear Windscreens (and all the other usual LX bits). The car has a full Ford service history and is under warranty until April 2005. It is also in a very nice metallic Metropolis Blue colour (if you like blue, that is). The car is in excellent condition inside and out. I have a good reason to sell it (I have just bought a caravan) with evidence to back it up.
The book price was £7,095 (for 21,000 miles). I have now reduced the car to £6,950. I will check out the Auto Trader price and lower it appropriately.
Perhaps the main problem is that there are an awful lot of Focuses(!) to choose from. Mine is wonderful to me, but nothing out the ordinary to any body else.
Cheers
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And have you asked a supermarket what they'll give you as a p/ex price? IIRC they don't normally give any reduction for cash buyers, so you'll know exactly what you need to sell your car for in order to bother trying to sell it privately.
Remember that with a private sale you will either be stuck with two cars at once, or you will sell your current car & then be desperate to buy a new one, so you'll end up with a car in canary yellow & pink stripes & with a big back bumper!
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Looking at Autotrader, for a quick private sale you probably need to be pitching it around 6.5k, and accepting a couple of hundred quid less.
Maybe that is slightly low, but how keen are you to see the back of it?!?
Mike
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Mike,
You're probably right about the price. It does seem low but then again your car is only worth what someone wil pay for it.
I was offered £6500 at a local car supermarket type dealer with no money off the winscreen price of a Mondeo (03 reg 2.0 LX Petrol 12,000 miles at £8999). I didn't think much of the deal at the time and walked away. If I don't have any luck over the weekend I may have to change my mind. Perhaps my expectations were too high.
Are people generally finding the book valuations (ie Parkers and What Car) true to life. I know it will depend a lot on the car and perhaps time of year but I just wondered what peoples views were.
Cheers.
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Well, it's not worth selling it privately for 6,500 if you can get that in p ex.
You're not managing to sell it at 6,950, so you can but dream at that level.
Time for a bit of reality I'm afraid. Is it worth the hassle if you're going to get 6,700 for it privately - plus another £25 for another ad.
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Mapmaker,
The reason why I hoped to sell it privately is because I need the cash so I could get my next car from an auction (and hopefully save a good 750/1000 pounds off supermarket prices in the process). I originally picked up my Focus from an auction and it was at a very good price. I am fortunate in having an in-law who is an MOT mechanic so I am always reasonably confident in what I buy.
But, you're right, the reality is I need a bigger car quickly so I 'll probably have to trade it in.
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Ah! Well if financing is your worry, then you need to look at the thread about bridging loans for cars: www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?f=2&t=24...0
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Anyone have a good idea what the Focus would fetch at auction? Just curious.
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