Choosing a Dealer

[giddleberry]

Hi Guys,
Wondering if there is any downside to buying a car from a dealer that isn't near where I live?

Do you generally get cheaper service costs from the dealer you purchase the car from? Any other argument for or against?

Sorry about the stupid question but I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything.

Thanks

[xblode]

I was wondering this too.

I have a dealer about 20 minutes away from me but I ended up buying the car from a dealer who's a good 1 hour drive away.

After I bought the car, I joked with the sales guy that I needed to use my passport to get that far out. He told me that when it came time to get it serviced, to give them a call after talking to the dealer near me.

Basically, "get a price and we'll hopefully make it worth your while to come out here so we keep your business".

I'll give it a crack in about 10 months.

[lawsy82]

Hi Guys,
Wondering if there is any downside to buying a car from a dealer that isn't near where I live?

Do you generally get cheaper service costs from the dealer you purchase the car from? Any other argument for or against?

Sorry about the stupid question but I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything.

Thanks

I dont see a problem - Im buying my GTI Golf from Sydney ( I live in Brisbane)

[Flipper Dog]

Doesn’t matter where you initially purchase your car from, when it comes time to servicing you will still need to shop around if you want to obtain the best price for their service.
Just because you purchased your car from one dealer does not mean in 15,000km/1 year time they will remember you.

You need to take into account the time you will use going out of your way over any dollars you may save, however if the closest dealer has a reputation of poor service then that’s a different story.

From my pass buying experience the best purchase price was 100km out of my way, the closest dealer for servicing almost next door to work; but hopeless; and the best service 30km in the other direction. So I take the day off, pre book a loan car and enjoy the local area.

On another point there is no additional dollars worth in your log book if you purchase and service your car at the one dealer, come trade-in time all they look at is if your have had the car service in accordance with manufactures recommendations. Just went down that road!

[Doug VeeDub]

Buy from the cheapest with best service wherever they are.

Do people really go to dealers for (expensive) servicing? I always use my local trusted mechanic to service my new cars and only go to dealers for warranty issues (rare, if at all).

[KWICKS]

My local multi-franchise dealer offers free loan cars to customers who purchased from them for warranty and service work (and car washes but I'd tell them not to!), and charges $35 for this to customers of other dealers.

This was still not enough incentive to use the delaer for service though. YMMV.

[blutopless2]

it wouldn't matter to me where i bought from as i dont go near a dealer unless its warranty work.

[Rob Burns]

There are advantages to going to a dealer for service. The biggest one is that you have a good service history with VW dealers (doesn't have to be the same one) then VW will be willing to do overwarranty repairs on cars that are out of warranty (Generally as long as the car is out by less than 18 months).
While you might save a couple of hundred dollars on servicing you'll end up paying more when your A/C compressor craps itself and throws metal throughout the A/C system require replacement of the Compressor, condensor, Dryer and TX valve.

[Tux]

Even though I live on the north side of Sydney I have ordered mine through the Central Coast dealership which is over an hour away. The local dealers didn't offer a good deal at all even though I said I had no trade in.

I haven't even met the salesman I'm buying through (who happens to be part of this group btw) but when I test drove the GTI his manager and co workers treated me very well. I think that's what it comes down to. We all want a good deal but we also want to be treated well and not like someone who is just imposing on their time.

When I bought my Mini I lived about an hour from the dealership and, to be honest, I was treated like crap most of the time by their service department. I could never recommend them to anyone and never did.

In my experience servicing costs at dealerships can vary by hundreds sometimes. (I know that it the case with BMW) I'm willing to make a day of it and travel if the quality of workmanship and value for money is there.