Drive the Deal/ Carwow

[AGB]

Just weighing up options at the moment to see whats available.

Only used Carwow before, not Drive the Deal. Using Carwow to spec up the car, wait for the offers from dealers and go from there. However, yesterday I priced up a car via Drive the Deal, registered my inquiry for a finance quote and received a phone call a few hours later with figures. I asked for this to be emailed across to me, hoping to be able to go into a dealership and show them. The chap on the phone said its only a verbal offer and they wont email out the quote.

Where did I go wrong? See loads of people before using Drive the Deal and walking into Dealerships with quotes

DTD are a brokerage so an intermediary thus rely on a dealer for fulfilment. They may not be able to fulfil if a dealer withdraws and I talk from experience. I've dealt with Robin at DTD several times, he isn't pushy.

Dealers know the price level at DTD so the 'we could never do that' or 'you'd have to produce a written offer on VW letterhead' lines are simply tactics. I had a price match to DTD through the same dealer group after dealer 1 said it wasn't group policy to match DTD. Dealer 2 told me he is in the business of selling cars and tries to make his customers happy. Dealer 2 has my order.

Also factor end of month and quarter end as times to negotiate a deal. Sales targets are sales targets after all.

PM me if you want my dealer contacts, I have two I use who are reasonable guys and won't mess you around.

[kmpowell]

It's easy to get into the mindset that all VW dealers should act/be the same, but it's not the "Dealer" that sets the margins and targets on their cars, it's the dealer overarching 'Group' and how the individual dealership is performing (end of month etc etc). The bigger the group (Inchcape, Lookers etc), the bigger the discount available and more wiggle room they have, due to their bigger turnover. You are less likely together a great deal at a small local dealer than you are at a big group owned dealer. That's not to say you won't get one, but it's less likely.

I have 3 VW dealers closer to me than the dealer I eventually purchased from, but they are all smaller groups (Marshall, Motorline, Driftbridge) so they wouldn't match and/or beat the Carwow quote I took in (shown in person on my phone) to the Inchcape dealer.

The important thing to remember is if you are buying new then you do NOT need to take in any finance quote, because VWFS finance figures are fixed, the only variables are your deposit, OTR price of the car and any p/x you may have. All the dealer needs is the "cash price" (after discount) being offered, and a screenshot is suffice.

Personally I don't like DTD, they muddy the waters for consumer buyers in thinking they are getting consumer deals, when in reality the vast majority of customers are fed into their business/fleet service. I know it doesn't make any difference for the end costumer, but as this thread has proven, it sets expectations that cannot be matched/beaten by regular dealers. A salesman who earns a couple of hundred quid from a car is not going to want to waste his time on somebody wanting something that leaves him hardly anything.

Carwow is the best indicator of what a consumer can achieve, and still get the proper new car buying experience. I could have saved another £200 going through DTD, but I chose not. I went onto Carwow, specced my car and got the quotes, went into the dealers and asked them if they could/would match, and I didn't play games. The dealer who matched it got my business, and they offered the free servicing as the sweetener. I was honest, they were honest, job done.

 

[fredgroves]

I loved my experience with DTD.

Good price, no BS, no haggling. Just the keenest price in one go and dealing with the supplying dealer was just perfect - kinda what you would expect from someone geared up to sell large quantities of VW.

Easiest new car pickup I've ever done - and I've done plenty over the years.

I don't want silk car covers, flowers, champagne... I just want to check over my new car myself, ask any questions that I have regarding immediate operation and get out.

[clarky92]

Thanks for all the replies and advice

After all that, I went onto Carwow again and managed to find a dealer within 50 miles of my location who can get within £200 of the DTD quote! Its showing as 15.8% off list price.

Looking for a stock spec which meets my requirements. Sounds like they are desperate to register cars before 29th when the tariff is applied. The dealer is able to search UK wide for stock cars, never had that before. Only ever been told by dealers they can search within their own group.

[Exonian]

As ever, some great advice on here.

Plenty of opinions and options.

There are, thankfully, so many different ways of purchasing now.

DtD are handy as a benchmark for more or less the maximum discount (for VW’s at least) and as others have said its good to actually support them or they’ll eventually fold and other dealers will be able to afford to drop less with that competition gone (in theory anyway, I’m sure in our society some bright spark will spot an opening with a simple but clever idea).

DtD are perfect for those that don’t wish to dispose of their old car through the trade.

Where the likes of CarWow come in is the actual cost to change can be as good or even better if you factor in a part exchange. Obviously with a bit of effort and time invested you can usually better any part Ex deal by selling your current car yourself and then buying from a fleet dept like DtD dealers generally use.
I’ve become lazy over the years and tend to part Ex my cars now for sheer lack of hassle. Years of dealing with tyre kickers and snake like small traders has put me off private selling. I worked in the trade for a short time as a youngster and grew to despise many small traders and unrealistic retail customers.

CarWow dealers I’ve found can offer very good discounts and top part Ex prices too keeping the actual cost to change competitive with DtD et al.
I’ve never used DtD but wouldn’t hesitate to if the deal was right for me but have found on my last two purchases of new cars (run out mk7 GTD in 2017 and new Ibiza FR in 2018 for my son) that CarWow prices beat DtD and the Ibiza was an in stock car too which was perfect.

It requires a bit of effort and time invested which to me is far more fun and satisfying than a chintzy cover over the car and some contrived pomp and ceremony.
Then again I’m a cynical customer who has a history of turning over cars quite often and do get that to some people the handover process is a big deal as a car isn’t exactly a cheap purchase or done quite as frequently as some idiot like myself.

[clarky92]

Deal done, got them to £150 within the DTD price.

Collecting Saturday

GTI Performance
5 Door
DSG
Black
MY19 build (Keyless, Reverse Camera and Lane Assist)

No other options as Im more than happy with the standard build, means its also very cheap which matters for me 

Should see me through until the MK8 GTI or R has been out for a year and the discounts start opening up.

[hog_hedge]

Deal done, got them to £150 within the DTD price.

Collecting Saturday

GTI Performance
5 Door
DSG
Black
MY19 build (Keyless, Reverse Camera and Lane Assist)

No other options as Im more than happy with the standard build, means its also very cheap which matters for me 

Should see me through until the MK8 GTI or R has been out for a year and the discounts start opening up.

Congrats! The standard build is just right after the MY19 additions. How come you're replacing your current 7.5? (If you don't mind me asking)

[roger20]

I used DTD and very pleased with the whole experience, and quite happy to go 200 miles+ to collect. Car was immaculately presented, the handover was excellent and I had a follow up call several days later asking if I was happy.

Local dealers couldn't or wouldn't get anywhere near and seemed to deliberately put a confusing spin on finance figures with ridiculous GAP insurance quotes. CarWow didn't get remotely close for a GTi but were competitive for an R Line for my son. 

DTD sets a benchmark as to what is achievable and the ONLY advantage to me of trying for a local deal was to shorten the collection journey. Got a full tank of petrol included because DTD would have delivered to my home. 

[Peter_S]

AGB, “PM me if you want my dealer contacts, I have two I use who are reasonable guys and won't mess you around.” I’ll make a note of that. 

Thanks to you and all the others for sharing this experience and advice with us.

Peter_S

[Mark V GTD]

Totally agree with Roger20 - mirrors my own experience with DTD. Would use again without hesitation.