If you don't buy from an dodgy dealer, you'll be fine! (Peugeot 206 GTi)

Member Name: jvickers

Product:	Peugeot 206 GTi
Date:	19/12/00 (1547 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Sleek, Slender, Great looks, Perfect Interior, Apears to be reliable, Handling, 3rd gear torque!

Disadvantages: Too many squeeks from a poor build, Pedals are closed for people with big feet!, poor visability from rear window,If your car generates problems, they will be about for ever!

I purchased my 206Gti as brand new in September of this year, from a supposedly reputable Peugeot dealership in Lincolnshire. As you should all be well aware, 206's are in in high demand, but don't let this distract you that the Peugeot dealership is in greater need of your business than you are of buying a car from them - any dealership will sell you a car, but few will be reasonable about how much discount they will give! All 206 GTi's have a 5% markup in the price from scratch!

For example, I went to one garage, and they would give no discount on the price of a new Gti (£14,500), and even wanted to charge the full price for the (mandatory!) SP Kit and other extras (About £700). They were even off the pace with the price they were allowing for part exchange (£7100 for my 97R 106Gti!). They also offered finance, as I don't have any real cash, only virtual borrowed money! I looked into this. They wanted a rate of 9%!!! for the loan. They blamed all this on "demand" for the 206, even though I was ordering the car 3 months in advance of the September registration.

So, off I went to the next dealership and got the car for a cool flat £14,000, and got the extras at trade price (saving about £300). They also offered £7,800 for my Gti in part exchange. Worked it out yet? about £1500 saving! They also offered finace at 7%!!!

Being cheeky I tried a third dealer, and got to a stalemate as they wouldn't beat the quote I got from the second dealer. In the end, and two phone calls later, they budged on the finace rate to 5%. I battled the second and thrid dealers off against each other until I got the best rate possible - 3.75%.

Since then, I have had numerous problems, mainly due to the demand for the GTI. All the hard work looked in vain when they kept telling me different dates for it's arrival. One minute it would be August, the next, September, sometimes they didn't know. In the end I told them to ei
ther give me an exact date, or they could keep the car - 14th September they said.

So?, you may be asking what is the point of reading all this?? Well the answer is, be careful!!! Dealers are desperate for their sales at the moment, especially after the bottom has fallen out of the used car market. Get at least three quotes, and don't give up playing them off against each other until you have got the best deal!!!!

After this when you have signed on the dotted line with your hard cash (or in my case - virtual!), make sure that they give you a definate date, else they will keep changing the dates, and you could be really stuffed! especially if you are selling your car privately!! Peugeot UK seem to have a lack of communication with the French Mother company.

And Finally, if the dealership gives you any false information about the whereabouts of your prize car, phone the Peugeot UK Customer Services, they will soon make the dealership take note of your concerns!!

PS. When I finally got the car it was great, and if you are undecided - buy one!

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