Advice needed! How much to pay?

[Efcjimbo]

Right guys, help needed. How much should I offer for this nicely spec’d A3 2.0 TDI with B&O, tinted windows and heated seats. 

I’m thinking £14,300. What’s your thoughts?

See link below with full spec
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201908241481552

[Magnet]

Hello J,

Have you actually viewed the car and all it’s documentation, and are satisfied with its service history, number of owners, accident damage checks etc. 

Kind regards,

Gareth.

[Efcjimbo]

No, just looking for some advice based on the ad assuming that it’s a end of lease car with service history and no damage.

[Magnet]

Hello J,

Not sure how you can assume anything about anything you don’t know.

It just seems strange to me that you are seriously contemplating spending a considerable amount of money to buy this car - effectively sight unseen - and are concerned about a very small % of that outlay as a reduction.

Sorry J, it’s possibly me, but in excess of £14,000 to buy something which you have only seen a photo of and a very brief description, seems a bit of a gamble too far. Well for me anyway. Other may have different views. 

Kind regards,

Gareth.

[cliffcoggin]

I'd agree with Gareth that to value a car unseen would be foolish. No matter what assurances the salesmen and the paperwork and the photographs may suggest, nothing beats actually seeing and driving the car to get an idea of its condition. That's not to say the documentation should be ignored, rather it should confirm ones own impressions not replace them.

[Efcjimbo]

Thanks for the taking time Gents. I won’t be buying anything unseen. I’m a big boy.

 

I was looking for guide pricing advice from some Audi experts .ie

Typical A3 SLine, 2016, facelift, 37k miles

Part exchange guide price £10860

Private sale guide price £12290

For dealer price add 20%

This spec add 10%

Buying in N.I. Add £200

If car is sound. A fair price should be starting £14k - £14.5 max. 

 

This is the kind of advice I was looking for. Reassurance from people in the know or have been testing the market lately. I take it this forum is mostly new car buyers and just experts in PCP pricing. No need to be concerned for me. Thanks for your thoughts.

[cliffcoggin]

17 hours ago, Efcjimbo said:

Reassurance from people in the know or have been testing the market lately. I take it this forum is mostly new car buyers and just experts in PCP pricing.

On the contrary, if you look back at previous posts here you'll see that most queries are about diagnosis or modifications to second-hand cars. Sorry you have got the wrong impression.

If Glass's guide still in operation that may give you a clue.

[Magnet]

Hello J,

Please do not get the impression that this forum doesn’t want to offer reasonable advice, but I would defend anyone’s opinion that it is virtually impossible to precisely value a specific c£15K car to within a +/- £500. In my experience, cars are seldom bought absolutely on price, and there will be situations where where a potential buyer would not be interested in a specifically spec’d example - if they were to ‘give it away’ so to speak. Alternatively, there will be vehicles which would entice a buyer to ‘pay over the odds’. 

Anyway, you seem well equipped - in terms of figures- to enter into price negotiations on a specific vehicle of interest, and all I can suggest is that you do that at the time you actually find the car you simply want to own. The negotiations will depend on the way you intend to finance this purchase, and that has more influence over minor price reductions than might be thought. Cash is no longer king, but finance (with salesman’s commission) is. Only you will discover what will be an acceptable ‘discount’ when you are sealing the deal, and that discount will vary from example to example, and indeed other factors for the same example at another time - e.g. how long it’s been on stock etc. 

Good luck with your intended purchase J, but it might be worth remembering the saying that quality remains long after the price has been forgotten. Also, there’s far more to be concerned about with the purchase of a secondhand vehicle that the absolute price itself. 

Good luck in concluding a good deal.

Kind regards,

Gareth.