The Logistics of Buying a Car

[RMJ891]

I am posting it on the RS3 forum because (i) I will be looking at a car approximately at the price of an RS3 (e.g. RS3 saloon, TT-RS); and (ii) it's one of the busier areas, with people who are / have recently gone through the purchase process.

I bought my first ever car (S1), and of course it's simple enough: just save the cash, order, keep saving and pay as big a deposit as you want a week before collection to set your monthly payments.

My question is: how does it work when you already have a car? In particular:

- When do they value your existing car?
- Are you allowed to keep your existing car for the 4-6 months it takes for your new one to arrive?
- Does the same apply if you're crossing brands, e.g. coming to Audi from a different brand or moving away from Audi?
- Do you have to time it with when your insurance ends to avoid being stung, or can you transfer?

I'd like to swap cars regularly, but cannot afford to be paying for two at a time...

Thanks in advance for your insights!

 

[josedebardi]

- When do they value your existing car?
When you go in to order the new car they will give you a trade price for the existing, and may guarantee if for 2-3 months if you are lucky. But normally they will want to give a trade price at the point of trade/collection though.

- Are you allowed to keep your existing car for the 4-6 months it takes for your new one to arrive?
Yes, you just keep paying the finance on it as normal.

- Does the same apply if you're crossing brands, e.g. coming to Audi from a different brand or moving away from Audi?
If you stick 'in-brand' you will get a much better trade price and hopefully some loyalty discount, but you can technically do it cross-brand, it's just not normally worth it unless the trade-in vehicle is a £1000 end of its useful life car.

- Do you have to time it with when your insurance ends to avoid being stung, or can you transfer?
That is up to your insurer, I usually find it's more cost effective to cancel the policy and get the rebate, and start a new one. Changing the car mid policy they always hike the price on the new one compared to a new quote (but if you present them with a new quote from their own website they will sometime match it).

 

[RMJ891]

Thanks Jose - so it sounds like you might get stung if you have a long lead time on the car, as you just don't know how much you'll get for it. Certainly makes planning the finances difficult!

I guess it'd be possible to get £500 down, place an order, then you could cancel in 2-3 months' time once there is 2-3 months' lead time left and you can get a fixed valuation.

Damn, cars are an expensive obsession!

 

[josedebardi]

Damn, cars are an expensive obsession!

YEP!!

 

[Daniel McCormick]

My dealer said they would give me whatever 'webuyanycar.com' said it was worth for my dearly loved 350Z. **** that.

I sold it privately for ££££'s more and waved cash in their face. Far stronger position to negotiate from, although I get your comment about lead times. Took me twice as long to sell my car as I thought though.

Also; easy to switch vehicle during the year of your insurance policy, no hassle.

Good luck

 

[CraigI]

My dealer said they would give me whatever 'webuyanycar.com' said it was worth for my dearly loved 350Z. **** that.

I sold it privately for ££££'s more and waved cash in their face. Far stronger position to negotiate from, although I get your comment about lead times. Took me twice as long to sell my car as I thought though.

Also; easy to switch vehicle during the year of your insurance policy, no hassle.

Good luck

I find you get better deals taking finance.
Even if you have cash, buy the car on finance, get the additional dealer contribution of £1000 for taking finance or whatever it is (often more) then pay off the finance in the first 14 days of taking it.
No brainer if you are going to get more cash off.

 

[Daniel McCormick]

Sorry, should of been clearer... I was PX'ing the 350Z for the deposit as I wanted to keep the monthly payments down. Obviously worth far less than a new RS3..

I am considering buying the car out at some point as the resale value far higher than the guaranteed buy back value

 

[AndyB-S3]

Whenever I swap cars I just keep same insurance policy going and change car details, when I traded from A1 to S3 it only cost me £20 and I was 5months into policy..

Craig , That is the best way to go tbh. I got a dealer contribution and 2 free services when taking finance,, albeit on a used car.. then cancelled on day 5. Worked out way better than just paying the cash difference when traded my A1 in.

 

[Snake Pliskin]

For my last 4 Audi's I have always agreed a fixed price for my part ex - even if the new car is not due for 6 months.
This is always part of the deal for me as I do not want to be negotiating a part ex price when my new car arrives, as you are in a much weaker position then - and this way I have always smashed the prices offered by we buy any car or the like.

They can accuratley work out the value of the car in 6 months and I have a good idea of the likely depreciation.
After a bit of negoatiation we always reach a mutually agreeable price.
I then get to run around in my current car for 6 months and know exactly what the price to change will be for the new car.

As Craig mentions, I usually take the Audi finance (if the rate is competitive) and contributions that come with it which sweetens the deal for me (and the Dealer wants the Finance too).