A friend of mine is relocating permanently to SW France and fancies treating himself to a brand new car (LHD), probably a Peugot estate. Does anyone know the best deals available? For instance, do the French have internet brokers like we have? Can you negotiate a discount with main dealers? Would a nearly new car be a better buy? etc
I'm pretty sure that someone out there has just the advice I told him I'd get!!!
|
|
Found this: www.priceminister.com/info/neuf , and there must be plenty more. Suggest buying some French car magazines which will carry loads of ads for similar companies.
|
Main dealers always offer a discount in my experience, but nothing like as much as you might expect in the UK - maybe 1000 euros (around 700 pounds) and they act as though they are doing you a favour.
The market is much more regulated in France, and competition for your business is nothing like as intense as in Britain and the French seem to expect indifferent treatment as they queue up to buy the latest delights from PSA or Renault. (Although, to be fair, the queues aren't anything like as long as they used to be).
A bright spot is that Honda dealers in France seem to be almost uniformly excellent and interested - if you look in their workshops and showrooms they can often be seen to be servicing or selling Hondas as much as 15 years old!
|
"Although, to be fair, the queues aren't anything like as long as they used to be"
I wonder if this may be the reason...
"The French are turning away from their Renaults, Peugeots and Citroens in record number and buying foreign cars. After years of declining interest, only 54 percent of French car buyers bought the national marques in 2006. Hardest hit was Renault, which lost 10 percent of its national sales and four percent globally." (Timesonline)
|
Try buying the LHD car in the UK before you leave the country. Most UK dealers cannot source a LHD car, but they can refer you to the manufacturer's Diplomatic/Export/Military department who are usually very easy to deal with. Prices are cheaper too (presumably because they cut-out the dealer's margin?)
I bought a LHD Volvo V50 in this manner. The clincher was the fact that the Volvo Export department could also take my old RHD car in part-exchange.
|
|
|
"The French are turning away from their Renaults Peugeots and Citroens in record number and buying foreign cars. After years of declining interest only 54 percent of French car buyers bought the national marques in 2006.
I think that is still a very good performance - over 50% of the market held by 'home-grown' cars.
|
|
|
|
|
|
If he is in SW France, it may be cheaper to buy in Spain.
|
Thanks for the replies.
Location is Cahors so not really near Spain.
I know what you mean about the growth of non-French car sales but the French are still much more loyal than we are! He has had two Peugots and has been happy with them, and there is a main agent about 2 miles from his home in France.
Cheers
Pat
|
|
|
|
A few remarks aboput buying cars in France:
Delaers for the 'national' makes can be insufferably snotty and just about refuse to accept that anything foreign can come anywhere near their (in my view, shoddy) offers. As a result negociating the price down more than a symbolic sum is pretty rare. But that's no reason not to try. Dealers for imported, particularly Japanese, makes are much more reasonable.
Beware of the brokers offering 'new' cars at 25 or 30% off. They regularly get a very bad press. Questions to ask: Will the car come straight from the factory or port to me (or will it have spent a year sitting unsold in a field near Athens before the Greek importer cut his losses)? Can I have ALL the options and colours given by the manufacturer/importer (beware if the answer is NO)? Where wiil the car be delivered (think of your costs if the answer is Copenhagen)? What deposit do you want (no more than 5% of the car's value)? Can you guarantee a delivery date to within a week or two and what will you do to compensate me of delivery date is delayed?
Some of the brokers may be honest,competent and completely above board but the problem is being certain of that before you part with any cash.
|
|
|
