Dealers Greed?

[Fudge]

Having enjoyed VW Campers for over 30 years and on our second California which we just all love including our dog.
I’m shocked by VW Hereford currently asking £45,950 for a 11 plate 4 motion Cal with 32k I think. This is just pure greed and possibly stopping others from embracing the experience if they have a budget of 30-40k.
We all know they hold there value but I’ve checked with dealer and they tell me the price is correct.
Appreciate your comments.

 

[Victor]

The problem is people will pay that price, I was looking at a few in the classified section on here the other day and had a chuckle to myself and said "they would be lucky" low and behold a week later they were both sold.

It's like selling a house, if the right person is looking at the fight time they will sell.

 

[Taff7996]

That's the problem with supply and demand

I think I'm right in stating that Germany only allow about 800 Cali's to be sold each year in UK

So you have a limited supply and a strong demand

You could always look at a converted 2011 T6, I've seen one advertised for 40k

Personally if I could afford it I'd always go for a Cali

 

[Meoncoast]

only worth what someone will pay. I would loose the 4 motion and get a nearly new t6 for not a lot more or a Brach and add a pod

 

[Adamvanman]

That's the problem with supply and demand

I think I'm right in stating that Germany only allow about 800 Cali's to be sold each year in UK

So you have a limited supply and a strong demand

You could always look at a converted 2011 T6, I've seen one advertised for 40k

Personally if I could afford it I'd always go for a Cali

You hit the nail on the head, the 800 unit per year quota has been there for over five years now it drives the dealers mad as some say they could sell their allocation three fold.

 

[westfalia]

Having enjoyed VW Campers for over 30 years and on our second California which we just all love including our dog.
I’m shocked by VW Hereford currently asking £45,950 for a 11 plate 4 motion Cal with 32k I think. This is just pure greed and possibly stopping others from embracing the experience if they have a budget of 30-40k.
We all know they hold there value but I’ve checked with dealer and they tell me the price is correct.
Appreciate your comments.

Some of the prices are crazy, that is what put us off trading in for a newer model.
I think mine is the the best thing that i ever bought, i´m gonna keep it forever.
When it eventually dies i think i might take the wheels off it and plant it in the garden.
Air b´nb or garden office.

 

[Jay586]

And if you were on the other side of the deal, would you give up 5/10k when you can get it easily?

Scarcity is the main driver of higher prices, just as it is with houses. Had this argument when a neighbour wanted us to sell our house to them under market value, got quite nasty but the house sold at the value we'd put on it...I'm sure if the roles were reversed, they wouldn't have passed up 5k.

Someone got a bargain on here last week, so if you want one, look for a seller needing a quick sale or the dealers with lower margins & high volume. They can afford to discount more, as they sell more. If you only sell one or two a quarter, you need it to make more money.

 

[GrannyJen]

and ...

on the other side of the fence...

I popped into the same people that sold me Albert, on Friday. There in the showroom a 150 blue motion DSG Ocean, demo..... pre-registered, not a lot of goodies "Hello Jen, want to do a deal? Special price for this one.... drive away before November 1st"...

Tempted, as I am looking, ..... "Albert's outside. Go and do an Appraisal".

15 minutes later "you can take it away for £30,000". I thought that I had misheard. "£13,000?"

"No, £30,000".

"How much are you giving me for Albert?"

Well, for a 63 plate 180 DSG 4 Motion with alcantara and a few nice bits, 43,000 miles, new cam belt and virtually new tyres ... .... £28,000.....

I am sure you can all imagine my response.

When I come to sell whoever buys will have complete honesty from me as to Albert's history, and in return for an honest price also they will have to be someone who will love him to bits. I suspect that will not include the dealer that I visited on Friday.

 

[Pete Wilkins]

and ...

on the other side of the fence...

I popped into the same people that sold me Albert, on Friday. There in the showroom a 150 blue motion DSG Ocean, demo..... pre-registered, not a lot of goodies "Hello Jen, want to do a deal? Special price for this one.... drive away before November 1st"...

Tempted, as I am looking, ..... "Albert's outside. Go and do an Appraisal".

15 minutes later "you can take it away for £30,000". I thought that I had misheard. "£13,000?"

"No, £30,000".

"How much are you giving me for Albert?"

Well, for a 63 plate 180 DSG 4 Motion with alcantara and a few nice bits, 43,000 miles, new cam belt and virtually new tyres ... .... £28,000.....

I am sure you can all imagine my response.

When I come to sell whoever buys will have complete honesty from me as to Albert's history, and in return for an honest price also they will have to be someone who will love him to bits. I suspect that will not include the dealer that I visited on Friday.

That is well under what Albert is worth I hope you told them what they can do with the offer

 

[GrannyJen]

That is well under what Albert is worth I hope you told them what they can do with the offer

By chance I had received a revised offer from we buy any crap that morning. About £8600 more than there offer. I managed a smile when I showed them the text.

 

[pjm-84]

we buy any crap

That made laugh. Their office in Southampton is next to mine so we're good neighbours. Sold them my Fiat 500. They gave me a great price, which was £900 more than I paid for it.

Well, not selling my Cali anytime soon. VW had a chance and it was like pulling teeth, so gave up and bought a 16 plate JCW Mini to replace the Fiat and my motorbike.

With all the price rises VW can keep them and then pre-register them when they don't hit their targets. It's an interesting watch.

 

[MattBW]

The companies do often have the dealers over a barrel with new vehicles. They don't make much money on new cars now, so its all finance and insurance that brings them their commission. That no doubt influences their second hand pricing too, they probably make more money on second hand than new I wager.

 

[frenchie]

to my mind years of low interest rates has lead to people taking out finance deals on cars etc that any right minded person would run from. I have watched over the past few years prices on most things just rising out of control. I watched the UK news yesterday and it was on about some white goods company selling to people on hp who could not pay it back. they had one woman on benefits who was moaning that she had 2tvs, I x box and 2 beds from this company and it was a worry about the payments. we live in an age of must haves. a mate of mine just forked out 800 pounds on a phone. Know wonder car dealers rub their hands when some fool walks in and don't want to know cash buyers. the sooner the bank rates rise the better. anyway back to work now but home this weekend for a few days. F