Tips on buying a new Alfa Romeo

Sourcing your new Alfa Romeo is a bit more involving than just popping down to your local dealer and putting your money down, then choosing the colour.

The dealers will give discounts, you can get parallel imports and grey imports, then you could buy for cash, credit, loan or lease hire, then if you are in business there is the question of emissions; it's all a bit of a nightmare. So here is a little guide on things to do when buying a new car.

Getting a new car is a very nice experience but getting the best deal can be somewhat fraught. The salesman is trained to make as much money out of you as possible and he will use all sorts of different tricks to make you close the deal and get a deposit.

The best defence against being tripped up is preparation. Go get the brochures and road test the models you are interested in buying, decide the model, colour and trim level and then ring 4 or 5 different outlets and see what they are prepared to do on price then go in person to the 2 or 3 cheapest quotes you get by phoning about and haggle face to face, make sure you get a name on the phone and go to visit them personally. If you have travelled a long way, tell them as it makes them aware that you are serious and make them aware that you have a number of other options.

Then you have to get the lowest price, and if you have a part exchange remember it is the total price you pay that is important not how much they give you as a part exchange for your car. It is very easy to fall into the 'my car is not worth that much' trap and forget how much you are spending in total.

Once you have haggled them down as far as you can get them to put it in writing and it's off to the next dealer to do the same. Your starting point is the price the first dealer gave you and see how far you can get. Remember when you get to what you think is their bottom line, it's always worth getting them to throw some mats, a key ring or any other extra you can think of to bring the value up.

Once you have found the dealers best price it is worth spending a few hours on the internet checking what the car supermarkets and specialist importers can do, but be aware that the specification may not be identical on their stock so you may have to order the car (and wait a long time for delivery) as well as putting a deposit down, it is advisable to do this on a credit card as the extra protection this gives you is worth having as these companies tend not to have the financial back up of the main dealer. If the internet price is lower it is worth going back to the dealer you have already got a price from and seeing if they are willing to match the internet price and some dealers may even contact the importer to see if they can get a better price themselves but they will only do this if you have a good rapport with them and you have the other quotes for your new car in writing. Make sure that you're aware of the Block Exemption Regulations 2002, the legislation that allows you to buy and service your new car from whomever you want, as some salesmen exploit the general ignorance about this new law.

If you are buying on credit be aware that you can haggle on interest rates, do not simply accept the first deal the garage give you as it is usually exorbitant and it is worth comparing what rate your bank will give you as they can also be competitive.

When your new car arrives make sure that you check it over thoroughly as there may well be marks on the bodywork from storage or transportation and the garage will not repair these if you go back a week later as they'll think that you have made them. Also, check that all the options you have ordered are on the car as it has been known for things like mats to have been left out. Once all this is over you can go and enjoy your new car but remember that it is advisable to check your oil, water and tyre pressures regularly, the car may be new but it still needs maintenance.

JP

Related Links: Servicing Alfas under warranty | Alfa Romeo Insurance Advice | Fixed Price Servicing