Buying/selling cars in the coming weeks...

T

True-Blue

Veteran
 Bristol/Bath
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Has anyone got a view on the practicalities of buying and selling cars in the coming weeks/months?

I’m hopefully looking at a car tomorrow, but just thinking about how serious this lockdown might get.

I fully appreciate it’s not a major concern, not being able to travel to buy a car that is, but wondered if anyone had a view...
 
I think if you're buying you can go in with your size 9's and offer 20% below asking. My guess would be the car market will take a hammering over the next 12 months.
 
Angelus666 said:
I think if you're buying you can go in with your size 9's and offer 20% below asking. My guess would be the car market will take a hammering over the next 12 months.
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Yes, I think you’re right in terms of values.... but I’m more thinking about if we’ll get to the point seen in China/Italy were travel restrictions mean physically going to view/buy a car may become difficult.... I mean, it could hardly be classed as essential travel.
 
Angelus666 said:
I think if you're buying you can go in with your size 9's and offer 20% below asking. My guess would be the car market will take a hammering over the next 12 months.
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This is so true & couldn't be more of a buyers market right now .
Literally just got in from a 7 hr roundtrip to Oxford with my lad to collect a A45 AMG he has bought from a dealer there .
He was a cash buyer & first made contact with them around 10 days ago with car up at £22500 fully prepped , serviced , warrantied as you would expect with a big dealership
Anyway he showed strong interest , got all info & pics then simply left them with " yes i'm interested & at £19500 happy to secure with a deposit "
Over the space of 6 days they came back 3 times initially at £21k before finally agreeing to his offer of £19500 ( & they had brimmed the tank plus had the car detailed too which was a nice surprise for us :) )
That is pretty much private sale money & a good £4k below what similar dealers are offering similar cars for so right now Mr Blue id say no matter what car , what budget just follow it up as you would any other time , make your bid then step away , if it happens then crack on , the world will keep spinning long after this virus will so i wouldn't let that hold you back :thumbsup:
 

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It seems it’s a buyers Market for anything that isn’t toilet rolls, paracetamol, face masks & non-perishable food!

I’m lucky, I live in a nice area but we have to drive to a ‘different’ area for supermarkets, only a few miles...

The Asda & Tesco’s are sold out of anything useful... went to M&S, plenty of toilet rolls (2 packets per customer - sensible) paracetamol the lot... seems ‘the locals’ don’t even realise M&S exists even though it’s less than half a mile from ASDA!
 
jimbo1958 said:
Stunning deal on the Merc Andy. Bet your lads chuffed. :thumbsup:
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Angelus666 said:
That’s a cracking bargain. Those things are absolute A to B weapons...is it fun to drive?
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Marketplace isn't exactly short of these cars right now but the blue paint with aero kit sub 50k are very rare so easy enough to compare like for like & this is the cheapest on like for like basis
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202002267758283?onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&sort=price-asc&model=A%20CLASS&price-from=22500&postcode=bb120hr&radius=1500&advertising-location=at_cars&zero-to-60=TO_5&page=2

as for the "fun to drive" :? i did 75 miles in it coming home , its not as good a car all round as the 2014 Golf R he just sold with 40k on for £19k :cry: i haven't told him that & doubt he will read it on here but i think he will realise it for himself pretty soon , maybe unfair to compare the two as he had modded the Golf to 400bhp with decat , remap & a full Milltek exhaust so it was quite a machine but in my hour behind the wheel found the Merc lacked the robust & indestructible feel of the Golf , just my opinion of course , i hope he's pleased with it :) he seemed chuffed & the thing someone wants with a new motor is anyone throwing negatives over it :(
In truth i was happy to get back in my F11 & do the last 75 miles in a comfy cruiser :oops:
 
New car sales will most likely plummet which means second hand values might start firming up in months to come.

Just ensure the interior is steam cleaned before the test drive :)

Tim.
 
That's a shame, but not too surprised...I've rarely enjoyed a 4wd car to drive. The TTRS went last month as it was fast, but I never felt the desire to drive it fast, just too planted and too boring. I guess at the price he paid he will be able to flip out of it without losing too much if it doesn't hit the spot.

As for new car sales, these won't plummet per se, they'll just throw massive discounts at them and 0% interest across the range to try and get the numbers they've missed back. All of which will hurt the used car market even more so. :(
 
TitanTim said:
New car sales will most likely plummet which means second hand values might start firming up in months to come.

Just ensure the interior is steam cleaned before the test drive :)

Tim.
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Angelus666 said:
That's a shame, but not too surprised...I've rarely enjoyed a 4wd car to drive. The TTRS went last month as it was fast, but I never felt the desire to drive it fast, just too planted and too boring. I guess at the price he paid he will be able to flip out of it without losing too much if it doesn't hit the spot.

As for new car sales, these won't plummet per se, they'll just throw massive discounts at them and 0% interest across the range to try and get the numbers they've missed back. All of which will hurt the used car market even more so. :(
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I think I’m more inclined to agree with the second viewpoint here, I can’t see anyway second hand car values are going to do anything other than drop... especially 2 seater cars!

There will be significant numbers of people in this country currently who will have to delay retirement as a result of what’s going on, very unlikely to see a quick rebound in the markets. Personally, I think this will pan out to be worse than the 30’s the way things are going... sadly :cry:
 
Yepp maybe you're right, way things are going new or second hand cars will figure way down the pecking under toilet rolls and who going to afford a car with no job :cry:

Tim.
 
I can't help thinking it might be a great time to buy but selling is likely to be a real challenge, especially if the car is a 2 seater!

But buying and selling cars will probably be the least of our problems for quite a while. :(
 
I bought my son a car and myself one .....just a few weeks ago , before this virus really took off I must have been mad :?
 
With the measures Boris looks to be being forced to bring in I can effectively see the second hand car market being ‘under curfew’ in the very near future.

Some of the photo’s from seaside towns and national parks are frankly ridiculous.... I don’t know what the average IQ is in the uk, but I’m guessing it’s low :headbang:
 
i'm not expecting a lot of interest in mine at the moment... people have got better things to spend a couple of thousand pounds on.

And besides, with my wife now working from home, she thinks it might be a good thing to have a second car available. plus, she doesnt really want to encourage visitors to our house right now!

So yeah, have taken down my ebay sale, will put it up again in 3 months time when hopefully things are looking a little better.
 
Well.... if I’d just paid to advertise a car on autotrader I be a bit miffed :headbang:

Looks like the used car market will be in lockdown along with everything else for at least the next three weeks.

Least of our worries as a nation.
 
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