The Car Dealership Experience

I hate negotiating at car dealerships, partly because I simply don't feel confident at playing along with them in their little game. I visited the only Smart Car dealership in Northern Ireland this morning, mainly to get a trade-in price for the roadster.

The roadster is in excellent condition. Its mileage is half that for a car of its age; furthermore, it is regularly serviced. Why would I sell it? That is a good and fair question: For a start, I do mostly urban driving and the roadster's performance is lively, so I might manage 22-23 mpg. The most I have ever managed has been 41 mpg. Agnew's had a good look at it and offered me about one thousand pounds less for my car than it is worth. According to Glass's Guide, the dealer's bible, that is.

I've paid £3.50 for a proper Glass's valuation; and you get five varying prices for this fee: Trade-in Excellent; trade-in average; trade-in below average; dealer retail; and private sale.

They are tighter than me! That explains, of course, why Agnew's are such a successful dealership amongst other factors.

Another option would be to sell my car privately, which I am unenthusiastic about. According to Glass's, I ought to get about £2,000 more for the car doing it this way, than trading it in with the dealership.

Agnew's may well improve their offer but there is a considerable gap in what they are offering and what it's worth - according to the car bible.