Am I expecting the impossible?

[Camper Mouse]

I'm ready to place my order for a new Ocean. I've only spoken to a couple of dealers so far and both have been a bit vague over the question of a discount. One expected me to commit to placing an order before he would even discuss! Did he really think I would order from him with no firm price?

They have both said the vehicles are in high demand so they don't do much with discounts. I just want someone to give me a price so that I can place my order. Is that too much to ask?

I will call and email a few other dealers tomorow and see how I get on, but am I being unrealistic to expect anything off the price? Is it better to wait and order later in the year? Has anyone who ordered in the last few weeks been able to get a discount? Any advice gratefully received, thanks in advance

 

[Stoneybroke]

Guy at Preston gave me a good discount from the off 7+% - have you tried there yet?

 

[WillH]

Give Guy a call - he's a top guy

 

[Steve39]

Ordered about 3 weeks ago. Not unrealistic to expect a discount but not all dealers will offer a good one. Guy at Preston is always mentioned for good reason...but others matched him.

Also bear in mind how good the dealer seems, both knowledge and responsiveness.

Finally order times. Make sure you specifically ask the dealers to confirm they have allocation. If they do your order goes straight through...if not you literally have to wait for your order to get allocation. This was the single best bit of advice I got from this forum. There might be other factors but my order seems to be progressing quickly.

I went with Carrs in Exeter, best balance of all the above.

 

[Steve39]

CM, just realised I recommended a few dealers to you in another thread, including Exeter and Preston. Are they who you've tried?

If you're getting a nil response from there it might be a question of tactics.

I think the way to go is sound knowledgeable, say something like you've done the research and your ready to buy, send a spec in (using option codes from the price list), ask them to give you a quote.

If they come back not offering much, ring them and say that's disappointing compared to others. If they ask what others are offering say something north of 5%.

 

[Camper Mouse]

Thanks guys, very helpful. I was getting worried that there was no room for discounts at all.

I will try Exeter and Preston first thing tomorrow. I had foolishly hoped that my more local dealers might be ok, but I guess I'm going to have to be prepared to travel in order to get a good discount.

 

[Steve39]

If you have to travel to pick it up just make a trip of it. It may take me a couple of days to make my way back to Bristol from Exeter!

 

[WillH]

I'm sure there's a few good dealers nationwide.My recent experience(the last few weeks)looking at either brand new or ex demo Oceans was not positive.No response at all from some-email or telephone enquiries.Dealers entering into negotiations then unadvertising vehicles for them to then be readvertised once I didn't take the bait-then a derisory £500 discount off a new one 'as they can sell every one they get at list and there is a long waiting list' .

In the end the local dealer-Guy in Preston proved to be the best and most knowledgable about what can be a complicated vehicle to order-making sense of the inaccurate configurator and price list.

 

[Mark Garrett]

CM - I note that you're also in Berkshire.

I can recommend Mike at Eurovans in Crawley - did the whole thing over the phone/email - very knowledgeable, has been selling vans for either 15 or 25 years. Ironically, I then went to meet him after the ink was dry!

I got 7.5% - looking likely that it will be sub 4 months from order to collection too

 

[Jay586]

Liverpool are ok, they operate a high volume, lower margin model, more so than even their sister branches. They get vans in in batches and sell them as pre-reg, tho I got mine before they had regged it so I'm the first owner. Think I just got lucky tho. Very busy with the commercial side. Depends if you're after a deal or a particular spec, tho.

 

[whistlingdogg]

Just placed an order with Guy from Preston. We've had many phone calls and email exchanges. He replied back with answers to all my questions very quickly. Knowledgable and friendly. We live over 200 miles away and will make our first trip the pickup ru


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[Alied]

Just placed an order with Guy from Preston. We've had many phone calls and email exchanges. He replied back with answers to all my questions very quickly. Knowledgable and friendly. We live over 200 miles away and will make our first trip the pickup ru


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I bought my Beach from Guy at Preston. Lovely chap to deal with.

 

[GrannyJen]

Sorry to be a bit blunt...

but

you know what you want, you copy it to an email. you send to every dealer that is listed by VW, you go to whom provides the best deal, end of story.

Half the fun of owning a Cali is to buy it off a dealer 400 miles away and spend a month driving it home.... via Russia, Sweden and Zimbabwe even if you did pick it up in Southend

 

[Jay586]

Guy told me to PDF the configuration off the VW website, there is a little button on there that pdfs, then email it.

I sent it to a few dealers, not all replied! (-:

 

[larrylamb]

+1 for Guy, no fuss, no bulls*t, send him the spec he will give you good price. Very knowledgeable and has travelled/camped in a Cali too.

 

[Jason wallace]

+1 for guy just had feedback on my spec Inc a couple of options no longer availiable in MY18.....and he did a good price without being pressed.

 

[oryx white]

The other tactic is a ring round to see if anyone has a demo or a customer return, cancelled order etc - if you are willing to take something that's not got you first on the V5. Allow yourself a morning to do it - just get the list of dealers off the VW website and start calling. Just say you are about to place an order but are doing a ring round to see if anyone already has a vehicle that meets your spec. Saved us about £6k.

You'll also get a good view of who's keen to sell you a new one at a discount.

Good luck.

 

[Camper Mouse]

And my order is in! Thanks for all the useful advice above. I went through Carrs of Exeter in the end.

 

[Steve39]

Great news. Hope you got the good deal you were after.

What did they say about wait times? They told me 4-6 months but I'm currently on unconfirmed build week 32 (wc 7 Aug). So ahead of expectations.

I wonder if I should ask for commission for the referral

 

[Jay20cali]

Matt at smg tonbridge
Really really helpful guy.. went out of his way to beat any price I had had, also guy at Preston really clued up on his Californias inc the standard spec changes on the my18s..

 

[Camper Mouse]

Great news. Hope you got the good deal you were after.

What did they say about wait times? They told me 4-6 months but I'm currently on unconfirmed build week 32 (wc 7 Aug). So ahead of expectations.

I wonder if I should ask for commission for the referral

I've been told a max 6 month wait, but dealer hopeful that it will arrive earlier. I'm happy, as will be quicker than the 8-9 months I had prepared myself for.

No harm in asking for commission

 

[Steve39]

Mine is being built next week (ordered 14/6) according to VWCS. So should get my hands on it sometime in September.

I think Carrs do a good job of managing expectations...I'd much rather that than over promising / under delivering.

 

[Jay20cali]

Just placed an order with Guy from Preston. We've had many phone calls and email exchanges. He replied back with answers to all my questions very quickly. Knowledgable and friendly. We live over 200 miles away and will make our first trip the pickup ru


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Hiya
we ordered from guy at the end of July, I see you ordered a few weeks before us.do you have a confirmed build date yet??
Cheers Jason

 

[Solis]

Hiya
we ordered from guy at the end of July, I see you ordered a few weeks before us.do you have a confirmed build date yet??
Cheers Jason

Can you possibly provide contact details for Guy direct, email preferred, if not direct number. Also, Exeter contact. Thanks.

 

[Solis]

Hiya
we ordered from guy at the end of July, I see you ordered a few weeks before us.do you have a confirmed build date yet??
Cheers Jason

Can you possibly provide contact details for Guy direct, email preferred, if not direct number. Also, Exeter contact. Thanks.