69 plate Tourneo van outside the house just now. Plumber in doing some work. 

Cars full stop are not selling well. I looked for a couple of months to find a mondeo ST tdci. I know one dealer has had the same car for a couple of months.

But yes I had noticed, and even asked the main Audi dealers about as I considered changing my s1 for a A4 advent they had nothing in stock and would have to be made. That was the same result for 5 main dealers none of them could get hold one. that wait may turn some away

 

 

18 minutes ago, Russdaz said:

Cars full stop are not selling well. I looked for a couple of months to find a mondeo ST tdci. I know one dealer has had the same car for a couple of months.

But yes I had noticed, and even asked the main Audi dealers about as I considered changing my s1 for a A4 advent they had nothing in stock and would have to be made. That was the same result for 5 main dealers none of them could get hold one. that wait may turn some away

 

 

My Mondeo had been sitting on the dealer forecourt for around 2 months before I came along and bought it 😁

There's a buyer for every house as they say

1 hour ago, Incontro said:

My Mondeo had been sitting on the dealer forecourt for around 2 months before I came along and bought it 😁

There's a buyer for every house as they say

True, but it is a sign the cars are harder to shift at the moment, I was able to knock his price down by more then I expected to. I got mine below the market value for a Mondeo ST, but talking to him when I picked it up, he said the market was slow, get those looking but fewer buying. the main Audi dealership I got my Audi S1 from hasn't got much in the way of stock cars like they used. There part of a big franchise with a few garages. but no Audi A4's in stock. sings there shifting in my mind. 

32 minutes ago, Russdaz said:

True, but it is a sign the cars are harder to shift at the moment, I was able to knock his price down by more then I expected to. I got mine below the market value for a Mondeo ST, but talking to him when I picked it up, he said the market was slow, get those looking but fewer buying. the main Audi dealership I got my Audi S1 from hasn't got much in the way of stock cars like they used. There part of a big franchise with a few garages. but no Audi A4's in stock. sings there shifting in my mind. 

Also got mine below market value, even though I couldn't get any off the price (probably could have if I kept more of a poker face and wasn't so eager to get the car because it had the exact spec/engine/colour combo I wanted). I think they had lowered it to as low as they could possibly go.

You're definitely right that there's not many buyers around, economy is pretty sluggish at the moment. House sales are also pretty slow. 

Think most car buyers are those buying new on PCP.

6 hours ago, Incontro said:

Also got mine below market value, even though I couldn't get any off the price (probably could have if I kept more of a poker face and wasn't so eager to get the car because it had the exact spec/engine/colour combo I wanted). I think they had lowered it to as low as they could possibly go.

You're definitely right that there's not many buyers around, economy is pretty sluggish at the moment. House sales are also pretty slow. 

Think most car buyers are those buying new on PCP.

Well there's another thing, my Audi is PCP, and I looked to change it for an A4 on PCP as my car useage has changed need a bigger boot, and doing lots of motorway. The Audi does 29mpg on 150mile motorway run. couldn't get the finance to cover it as I am too early in my PCP. so looked in to buying a second hard car..

was told by a few people there more people buying car out right at the moment the PCP because there's a lot of pcp'er that ar losing money because there car isn't worth as much as predicted. which is the case with mine. the Top of the range with all toys added S1 I have is losing valve much quicker there the PCP agreement.

 

but all seems like forums they all seem quite too what's everyone upto lol

I'm not surprised sales seem to have dropped off - in my recent experience dealers make zero effort to sell them. In the past 12 months or so I've visited several dealerships  including Audi, VW, BMW, SEAT, Skoda, Hyundai and Mini and been treated with total indifference except at the last 2. Getting a test drive is like pulling teeth and no attempt at all to actually sell a car.

Sales (well, lease/finance/motability) are booming round here now, lost count of the number of 69 plates I saw on a 20 minute daytime walk on Tuesday!  😮  At least one per street, presumably there's a lot more in the evening when those that work 9-5s are home too!  Mostly SUVs sadly, but there are a few hatches and the odd saloon too.

 

 

 

Yes, it's all about finance plans these days. But they're not going to sell me one of those if they can't even be a*sed to demonstrate the car I've made the effort to come to look at!😠

15 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Yes, it's all about finance plans these days. But they're not going to sell me one of those if they can't even be a*sed to demonstrate the car I've made the effort to come to look at!😠

I approached two dealers, one who is 15 mins from home and only 5 mins from where I work. Another who is 1-1.5hrs drive away.

One of them told me I couldn't test drive the new ST they had "because they were trying to keep the miles off it", the other said of course no problem take it out on your own for as long as you'd like, here's keys, plenty of fuel in there.

Guess which one I bought from.

we doing 100+ vehicles  a day at the moment so they must be hiding somewhere! 

1 hour ago, alexp999 said:

I approached two dealers, one who is 15 mins from home and only 5 mins from where I work. Another who is 1-1.5hrs drive away.

One of them told me I couldn't test drive the new ST they had "because they were trying to keep the miles off it", the other said of course no problem take it out on your own for as long as you'd like, here's keys, plenty of fuel in there.

Guess which one I bought from.

Wait...so they wouldn't demonstrate the demonstrator to you?  Were you at least allowed to sit in it and make car noises?  

 

2 hours ago, alexp999 said:

I approached two dealers, one who is 15 mins from home and only 5 mins from where I work. Another who is 1-1.5hrs drive away.

One of them told me I couldn't test drive the new ST they had "because they were trying to keep the miles off it", the other said of course no problem take it out on your own for as long as you'd like, here's keys, plenty of fuel in there.

Guess which one I bought from.

WTF!?? A dealer who doesn't want to sell cars I suppose....

2 hours ago, alexp999 said:

Guess which one I bought from.

Ermmmm............, now let me think??😀

My local Ford places are actually not too bad, at least they've made the effort to sell me a car on several occasions!

22 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Ermmmm............, now let me think??😀

My local Ford places are actually not too bad, at least they've made the effort to sell me a car on several occasions!

I still get it serviced at my local, the service team are still the same as when they were independent, but it's joined a (admittedly small) group and all sales people have changed and it's just not the same there on that side now.

3 hours ago, alexp999 said:

I still get it serviced at my local, the service team are still the same as when they were independent, but it's joined a (admittedly small) group and all sales people have changed and it's just not the same there on that side now.

Yes, it's sad when that happens. I had 2 Audis from my local dealer when they were independent and were really good, now they're part of a big group and as I mentioned above, don't seem to be bothered.  The better of my 2 nearest Ford dealers is still family owned, which has given me an extra reason to consider Ford, but I can't see them continuing independent much longer the way the world is going. I remember seeing somewhere Ford were considering changing the sales model so new sales would be dealt with online or at pure sales hubs, leaving some smaller dealers in the network to handle servicing and sell Ford Direct cars. My local mostly does that anyway, but not heard any more on the subject lately.

I could see that happening in Rugby.   We got both our cars from the Allen Ford branch there, and they do a great deal of service work and used car sales but new sales are very low.  They don't have the full range for you to view.   Like a lot of people we might go to the Cov or Leamington branches next time.

On 11/28/2019 at 10:15 AM, alexp999 said:

I approached two dealers, one who is 15 mins from home and only 5 mins from where I work. Another who is 1-1.5hrs drive away.

One of them told me I couldn't test drive the new ST they had "because they were trying to keep the miles off it", the other said of course no problem take it out on your own for as long as you'd like, here's keys, plenty of fuel in there.

Guess which one I bought from.

Lol with that kind of logic they'll never sell the damn car... People only buy cars after test driving them (okay with the exception of my mum who bought her car without even taking it on a drive)

Crazy that they let you go on a test drive by yourself though! I bet you really hammered it 😂 Did you negotiate any money off the price?

When I was test driving mine a few months back, I definitely took the salesman for a ride lol

My Mrs is a bit like your Mum - have to push her into taking a drive, she's just not a car person.

I've had quite a few solo test drives over the years, often without asking, but as I mentioned earlier in the thread they seem a bit reluctant to offer test drives at present. I've mentioned elsewhere my recent unsatisfactory visit to BMW to look at the new 1-Series. They'd  parked their only example outside and it was facing into dazzling low sun that day, so you couldn't see the dash/instruments properly. The sales(?) person wouldn't even turn it round for me as I "wasn't intending to place an immediate order"!

I don't mind accompanied test drives with a good salesperson, if you can find them. It does amuse me now that I'm getting - ahem - more mature, that they seem to think you're going to drive really slowly, they soon learn!😀

 

12 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

I've had quite a few solo test drives over the years, often without asking...

I mean, that makes it sound like your TWOC'ing them, maybe you were meant to wait for a salesmen!  

 

I hate test drives, as said previously I don't take them any more, don't learn anything from them as I get myself into such a state!  The one and only dealer test drive I went on was the Mk2.5 Focus though...the dealer just took a copy of my licence and handed me the keys, didn't even watch me out past all of the much newer, more valuable cars or through their very tight gates!!  And coming from a skinny 306, the Mk2 Focus felt so wide lol! 😮  

I've got an interesting question though...do you guys instantly like a new/different car?  I find I hate any 'new' car for the first few miles as it all feels so weird and different.  I never have understand people driving a car and instantly falling for it!

 

19 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

I mean, that makes it sound like your TWOC'ing them, maybe you were meant to wait for a salesmen!  

 

Lol, you could read it that way! I meant they'd offered without my having to ask, but the way things seem to be at the moment I might try TWOCing as the only way to actually get to drive something!😀

35 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

I've got an interesting question though...do you guys instantly like a new/different car?  I find I hate any 'new' car for the first few miles as it all feels so weird and different.  I never have understand people driving a car and instantly falling for it!

 

That's a very good question. The main reason I do test drives is to try out the driving position - if I feel uncomfortable on the test drive chances are I'm not going to get on with it - and to see if there's anything else that really puts me off. I discovered ages ago that for example, VW group cars seem to suit, Fords aren't bad, BMWs have always been a no-no (at least in rwd form which is why I want to try the new fwd 1-series).

As far as new cars (as in, cars new to me) go, it's a bit like new shoes with me - hate them at first, then (hopefully) you get really comfortable with them. But no, I can't remember ever instantly falling in love, though (still talking cars here, btw!)

18 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

My Mrs is a bit like your Mum - have to push her into taking a drive, she's just not a car person.

I've had quite a few solo test drives over the years, often without asking, but as I mentioned earlier in the thread they seem a bit reluctant to offer test drives at present. I've mentioned elsewhere my recent unsatisfactory visit to BMW to look at the new 1-Series. They'd  parked their only example outside and it was facing into dazzling low sun that day, so you couldn't see the dash/instruments properly. The sales(?) person wouldn't even turn it round for me as I "wasn't intending to place an immediate order"!

I don't mind accompanied test drives with a good salesperson, if you can find them. It does amuse me now that I'm getting - ahem - more mature, that they seem to think you're going to drive really slowly, they soon learn!😀

 

Most women just tend to pick cars based on the look lol... It wasn't even my mum that bought the car, I did for her (and haggled with all the dealers in the area and got a decent deal)

BMW... Never had a good experience at a BMW dealer before, they all seem so uninterested in selling (at least to me). Was like trying to pull teeth. 

Never liked the cars either, so overrated. Test drove a 2015 4-series (420i) before buying my Mondeo and hated it. Horrible ride quality, ugly dashboard and overly dark and very basic interior. Wasn't that quick either.

6 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

I mean, that makes it sound like your TWOC'ing them, maybe you were meant to wait for a salesmen!  

 

I hate test drives, as said previously I don't take them any more, don't learn anything from them as I get myself into such a state!  The one and only dealer test drive I went on was the Mk2.5 Focus though...the dealer just took a copy of my licence and handed me the keys, didn't even watch me out past all of the much newer, more valuable cars or through their very tight gates!!  And coming from a skinny 306, the Mk2 Focus felt so wide lol! 😮  

I've got an interesting question though...do you guys instantly like a new/different car?  I find I hate any 'new' car for the first few miles as it all feels so weird and different.  I never have understand people driving a car and instantly falling for it!

 

With mine I didn't feel any 'attachment' to it during the test-drive... In fact the car felt very 'clinical'... Even questioned myself when I was making the money transfer. But as soon as I had bought it, it felt like it was mine, and the 2hr drive home was a great feeling.

On 11/28/2019 at 8:55 AM, TomsFocus said:

Sales (well, lease/finance/motability) are booming round here now, lost count of the number of 69 plates I saw on a 20 minute daytime walk on Tuesday!  😮  At least one per street, presumably there's a lot more in the evening when those that work 9-5s are home too!  Mostly SUVs sadly, but there are a few hatches and the odd saloon too.

I imagine a majority of the motability cars are the bigger SUV's just to give the higher seat to get into, and bigger space for wheelchairs and other aids. My sister will be after a new one soon, maybe will get a 69 plate!

8 minutes ago, Micro said:

I imagine a majority of the motability cars are the bigger SUV's just to give the higher seat to get into, and bigger space for wheelchairs and other aids. My sister will be after a new one soon, maybe will get a 69 plate!

Yeah that's true.  Although I'm seeing a lot of nice SUVs which I don't think will be available on motability...Audi Q5s, Jag F-Paces and Range Rovers etc!  Also seen 3 separate 69 plate Golf GTis just this morning...  Where's this austerity I keep hearing about!?

Very few Ford's interestingly though... especially considering I live between 2 Ford dealers!

I stopped by one MD yesterday to see if they had any decent Black Friday deals on used Ford's...they didn't, they're all mid teens for the used Focus'!! 😮

Also got my eye drawn into their unregistered compound by this...I'm gonna have to buy an orange car at some point!