Pre-purchase advice and debate required.

[tinter]

Hi,
My son (19 with new licence) and I have been looking around for some time to buy an Astra CD auto hatch with abs and twin airbag model.

The problem we have come up with is the disparity between buying new where Holden have huge subsidies on just superceded models like the Classic and the similar private/car yard used Astras.

In as much as 99% of the cases, private vehicles are dearer than brand new that can be bought straight out of the showroom.
When we take into account full warranty from day 1, no mileage, no use, full reg, brand new everything for "$24K driveaway" without even any haggling.....then tell us the answer.

My question is......Is it that private sellers are not up to speed with what Holden are doing or are sellers sitting on their used cars forever? I think it a case of both!
Even a couple of grand off a private is not even close IMHO.

What are your thoughts please? I do know that the new car sales guys we speak to at different dealerships all say that buyers check out the used cars for Astra and then walk over to the new car showroom and for a thousand or so extra but a new one and the used guys are spitting chips. This is also affecting private sales as well like us being in the same position to buy.

Hear from you later,
Rob.

[Turblue]

Interesting topic. We are in the throws of buying a car too. And we have noticed the same thing.

Basically we have decided to buy new, as the price variation is minimal. One salesman offered us the 3 year warranty above the factory balance. Nice. Until I saw the quote, and that warranty was $1000. I bought my car with 6 year mechanical warranty. The extra three were listed on the receipt as a gift.

Buy new, and negotiate.

And the most important thing is, do not buy anything unless you are happy with the deal. If you are unhappy with the deal, you will never really enjoy the car.

[tinter]

That's our feelings too Turblue but there are just so many out there for sale privately that one wonders how they would ever sell them.
Rob.

[frankie9fingers]

Coz everyone ends up bitting the bullet and trading them in. I enquired about an Asrta Turbo the other day and they were only going to offer $12k to $14k. I would actually get more from my insurance if something were to happen god forbid... If they could match that then yeah alot more people would trade cars in without having to go through the hassles of a private sale.

[imay]

I think that private/second hand sellers haven't quite got up to speed on what a second hand Astra is REALLY worth, now that Holden's have undercut them to blazes and are selling these Classic models for LESS than what I paid for my CD new! I paid a couple of thou more for my CD with AC, ABS and TC than a similar Classic CD model sells for today.
So . . . buy new and negotiate, haggle, threaten.
A mate of mine has just ordered a new SV6 Commodore and I'm amazed at what discounts he got, not only the car itself, but the accessories he's ordered fitted by Holden's, the dealer delivery, a full tank of fuel, HSV clothing . . . even a bunch of flowers when he and his wife go to pick up the car! It's all there on the inventory. And all that from a model the dealers don't even need to push!
The last thing these guys want is for you to leave the showroom and go next door and start looking at a Focus, Golf, Megaine, Pug . . .
Plenty of options out there at the moment!

[Degen-Astra]

Its an odd market with the Astra's right now.

If i had of sold my previous Astra City privatley with -
-15 inch alloys
-Aircon
-CD
-Fog lights
I could have got about 15-17k for it if i had of sold it privately. I tend to think the few extra grand to buy a new model from one that is 2-4 years old and has the same technology/components does play a part in people able to/willing to commit to a bigger finicial commitment.

When I was actually looking for this car I was looking at spending 17k on a used car. After weighing up the costs of such things that I would need to replace on a car that was 3 years old (tyres, brakes - pads/rotors) a car that was 3 yrs old with no warranty and needed parts replaced soon after purchasing played a part in my decision. So I managed to squeeze a few more grand and bought the Astra City.

[jch75]

Well from my experience and I have changed over a few cars over the past two years, if you go to www.redbook.com.au, you get a good indication of what your car is worth (or the price you will get rather). If you go to carpoint.com.au, look up private used car prices, they are way above..............all makes and models.............its called wishful thinking.

I had a car for only a couple of months and lost 5 grand straight away. Of course I tried to sell it for more than what the online price suggested.

[OPL-20T]

when i was buying my car i was dealing with 5 diff car dealers and i got ALL my options i wanted and i got the price from $46,000 to $42,000 drive away for my SRi-T.including sav nav system. :)

[Mr T]

Only thing with the classic is that it doesn't have the abs that you want. As well as other features.

The value of astras was ridiculously high for years because of the high demand and people not having the money to buy new. Now the tables have turned, but this is only in the last 6 months or so. So there may still be some peole out of touch.

[tinter]

Guys,
The private market is way out of touch with actual selling prices.
Holden have absolutely crucified the value of the just superceded Astra in the used car world.
They want to sell cars, that's their game and they can afford to crash and burn a model that may very well run along side the new car for awhile. With all the other competitors snapping at their heels, they have to be competitive.

And it is definately a case where Astras bought today are cheaper than they were 2 years ago like imay has said.
By the way, the Classic can be optioned up with a safety pack for a $1000 that gives TC, ABS, Windows, and dual ABg's.

Rob.

[R3N]

The private market is way out of touch with actual selling prices.


I agree, the people who have bought theirs new a couple of years ago would have paid heaps (CD sedan was close to 30k 2 years ago?) and they are not willing to lose so much on the price even though new ones are going for so much less.

The thing that comes to mind when buying brand new is the warranty (5-6 years all up) and the fact that you need not worry about the history (eg. past owner flogging it since new, cold running etc) buying new is hassle-free and risk-free in terms of the condition of the car. Also you got bargaining power for loads of options, try to see if they'll throw in the safety pack for free, or free paint protectant or floor mats etc.

[journo]

I am a bit late but there is another small consideration.

Firstly the value of the Oz dollar has rissen this year... hense the price drop (in Australian Dollars); also

Some one else alluded to this... a new Classic may cost (asking price) the same as a 2nd hand CD but the CD was much more expensive than the classic (or the then city? model) so naturally will have a higher resale -- eg a two year old commodore calais would possibly still have an asking price the same as a new stock commodore.

Screw the price down as far as possible and DO NOT LOOK AT NEW CAR ADDS for at least two years after you buy... it will only serve to torment you.
Best of luck.

[ss hatch]

I have to agree here. As Iam looking for an astra for my wife,I made a few phone calls.
Anyway rang a Holden dealer offering a 01 cd hatch auto average klm,no advertised price, so asked the price 20,990 i was told,too which I asked what a new classic was worth,not his department was the response, and asked if that was within my budget. I told him I thought the price was over the top to which he told me not for a cd as he was hanging up the phone.
How does he ever expect to sell anything like that?
compare this to a 03 City at another yard for $16000 40,000klm and still room to move if not tradeing in, How can this dealer be up to speed on prices and the other so far behind.

I know it sucks to loose money on a car you buy new or near new but thats the way it goes ( and the next buyer will be the same) and it gets worse as new models come out.

And to think that 20990 CD was probably traded for 15,000

My 2c worth