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Thread: Car auctions and you?

  1. #1
    Diamond Member tec0's Avatar
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    Car auctions and you?

    Yes we know they exist and for good damn reason, the second hand car market is basically just a collection of overpriced vehicles and for most of us owning a second hand vehicle is like owning rabies...

    So I did what every respectable person would do, I went to find me-self a good deal on a second hand vehicle that is acceptable AKA “as cheap as you can get it” Now to my shock and utter dismay I found that this is indeed not the truth and lifeblood that drives the car auctions “or at least the one that I did go to”

    Now you look at a little car with some potential but the bumper is broken and the bonnet looked like if it was used by tap-dances. So naturally you would expect to pay anything from R30000 to R40000 because it is a good little car and it is “relatively fixable”

    Well not so because this little ruined car was marked at R62000 and unannounced to us is that the asking price is also “the reserve price” and my research showed that the exact same model of car “in better shape” will set you back R72000.

    So for your R10000 discount you get to fix the paint on the car the bumper and whatever other faults there is yourself. And because it is an auctioned car you don’t get a warrantee and or any assistance other then someone pointing you to the front door.

    At the auction itself, the car will start at R8000 more or less under the asking price then if the car gets bid on the price will go up to the asking price and perhaps over the asking price but there will be a no sale if the car’s reserve aka asking price is not met! So you end up spending a lot of time trying to get something cheaper that is just NOT cheaper!!!

    It is in my opinion that car auctions is actually a good place to buy very expensive car “over R100000” for a bit less but if you are looking for that elusive cheap small car I am sorry to say you are better off just going to the car dealer because it is exactly the same thing when it comes to small cars... “Meaning a small car at auction will cost you more!!! Then a standard second-hand car”

    So when you are at an auction you can get lucky but!!! It has been my experience that you will probably spend a LOT more to fix the damn thing up then the R10000 you have saved on your deal “on a small car”

    What about big expensive cars?? Well yes you can get a nice expensive R300000 for R200000 or only a R100000, however go do your homework. These big expensive cars use big expensive parts that will add to the total price and it can escalate in a very dramatic fashion. “Also remember that most of those big expensive cars need their main service done on them”

    So my advice is DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!!
    peace is a state of mind
    Disclaimer: everything written by me can be considered as fictional.

  2. Thank given for this post:

    Dave A (24-Mar-10), daveob (24-Mar-10)

  3. #2
    Diamond Member tec0's Avatar
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    The car Salesmen.

    I went shopping for that elusive car “the one you can actually afford” and when I walked in at the car dealers they had a new tactic. No more prices on any of the cars. Yes not a single car had any indication of its cost. So the Salesmen walked up to me and asked me if I am interested? I told him how can I be if I don’t know what the cost is??

    So he said there are no prices on the car because then it would allow to sales person to give the information. So basically, you have no way in knowing if what he says is even true because he has no piece of paper or even any other facts, other than him shooting his mouth off.

    Sadly I left the salesperson because I wanted to know the price of the car and some basic info like kilometres and service record. I was not interested his stories...

    Is no pricing just another way to blind you of the truth...? Now the no pricing thing was found at our local Toyota Dealer, Ford Dealer, GM Dealer and Hyundai Dealer. The only people brave enough to put prices on their second hand cars was McCarthy Volkswagen. << And they are NOT cheap!! )

    So I was wondering if this “no pricing phenomena” could be found outside Mpumalanga?
    peace is a state of mind
    Disclaimer: everything written by me can be considered as fictional.

  4. Thanks given for this post:

    Dave A (25-Mar-10)

  5. #3
    Email problem daveob's Avatar
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    Also seen this on KZN South Coast
    Watching the ships passing by.

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    Gold Member twinscythe12332's Avatar
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    It's a pretty good marketing strategy really. Instead of looking at what you can afford, you look at what takes your fancy. As you say though, the sales person could be taking a figure out of thin air. This may or may not be good for bargaining though.

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    Diamond Member wynn's Avatar
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    Tell him to get his book with the trade prices in and show you that he is correct in what he is pricing, then if you fancy anything make an offer, he can only turn you down.
    "Nobody who has succeeded has not failed along the way"
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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    There is an upside - it's a clear sign that they're willing to negotiate. Get your technique right and you could end up with a fair bargain.

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    Diamond Member tec0's Avatar
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    Well I had an interesting day at Opel.

    About 3 years ago or so my dad got himself an Opel and as an extra he had an alarm system installed. Well one of the door’s locking system was always “buggy” but every-time the car went for a crevice we complained about it and nothing was done.

    So, in the end just stop working now he will be billed to have it fixed but when it was under warrantee Opel refused to correct there error. However once the door is fixed and my dad is billed for the work he will no longer use this particular Opel approved dealer because there integrity is worth less than nothing.

    I just really hope they do a good job...
    peace is a state of mind
    Disclaimer: everything written by me can be considered as fictional.

  10. #8
    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    It's not the dealer - it's General Motors.

    We had an issue with the factory fitted brake shoes on an Opel Corsa Utility yesterday. GM are paying for the springs, but refuse to pay for the brake shoes because it's a wearing part. The fact that the brake linings are being replaced because they've cracked up (problem with the brake lining material), not because there is any significant wear, seems to escape them.

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    Diamond Member tec0's Avatar
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    What I normally do when a car get’s serviced starts with what quality parts they are using. If the breaks themselves are of “bad quality” just tell them that you are not happy with the quality because of A and B and if they have a problem with it then you want prove that there parts is approved parts. “Get paper work!!!!” Then all you do is submit a quarry along with photos and the warn breaks to the SABS. << If you want to go that far)

    Inform them that you “suspect” that your vehicle was fitted with inferior parts. Also inform them that it IS the breaking system will be influenced and that there is a saviour health and safety risk involved. << Find out if it is going to cost you anything )

    The SABS will then be able to inform you if there is a problem or not. If there is a problem then take their findings along with all the other paper work and inform the media like carte blanche and the consumer council. Stress the severity of NOT HAVING BREAKS and open a case file.

    Why do all this?? Well it comes down to liability. If your vehicle that you use is not fitted with correct breaks then your employee that uses the vehicle runs a risk and may be injured not to mention if someone else got inured!!! Then there is going to be hell to pay. There is going to be investigations, inquiries and finger pointing.

    Now if you did everything “humanly possible” to A>> Investigate a possible problem B>> Got prove that the quality was NOT inferior. Then someone else is going to have to explain why the brakes failed. So it is worth doing this right and protect your employees. “Because you ARE protecting yourself in the process”

    Now you don’t have to do everything that is stated here, however to get paperwork on your breaks and everything else is a GOOD habit because if something goes wrong you can fall back on the paperwork “ALWAYS”
    peace is a state of mind
    Disclaimer: everything written by me can be considered as fictional.

  12. #10
    Diamond Member tec0's Avatar
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    So what is the real deal when it comes to cars? When I spoke to the car dealer he told me the price of a good second hand in question was about R65000 but there is an additional cost involve of about R3000 and then you have to cover the next service that will set you back another R2600. Thus the real price of the car is R70600 but it doesn’t stop there... No you also have to add a service plan and that will set you back about R5000 depending on the service plan.

    Note that the car’s electronics is not under warrantee and that it is not included in any service plan. So if the car doesn’t have a original radio in it “leave it alone because you will have no joy” So basically the car in question will set you back R75600 and the new car will set you back R86000 “depending on the dealer” and you will get a 5 year plan “if you are lucky” with your R86000 new car.

    Now another car dealer wanted to give me a 2005 VW golf mk1 for about R50000 now this car was in emasculate condition but on closer inspection I found that the doors didn’t line up properly “it is barely noticeable” but it is fact. When I asked if the car was in an accident the sales men ignored my question. When I asked for the paperwork he where "unable" to show it to me. And I must say this was a really clean car and I was almost set on buying it.

    Yet when you go to Botswana you can pick up a good car for R40000 to R45000 and it will hold you for a long time. The thing is South Africa have BMW VW and Ford still our pricing on second hand cars is deliberately high.

    “Case and point” A second hand VW Polo 2009 model will set you back R100000 but the a new VW Polo will set you back more or less R101000 “more or less”. Still the second hand Polo has airbags and extras the new Polo have nothing! Yes not even a car radio and the new Polo still uses the old engine! "also no airbags on the new Polo It is an optional extra"

    Now for dose of you that do work for Eskom knows that Eskom is pushing contractors to use cars with a minimum of two airbags. Thankfully this is not fully implemented yet. Thus the Polo is out classed by smaller cheaper cars that cost about R80000 to about R94000 and is with a lot of free extras like airbags radio Air-conditioning and central-locking.

    My advice is look at the following:

    .a> Hidden cost “car registration, extras, and optional warrantees”
    .b> Parts availability “imports can become expensive”
    .c> Technology “new type engine kW output is the engine a new generation engine”

    .d> what does the warrantee cover? “You will find that in most cars the electrical system is covered for only 1 to 2 years. “Ouch!”

    .e> Insurance cost! “Yes you will pay more if your car is considered high risk. And it just shows you how full of BS insurance companies are”

    peace is a state of mind
    Disclaimer: everything written by me can be considered as fictional.

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