Car brokers

[IanC]

People in the UK often use car brokers and sometimes get massive discounts on the list price. Have any of you folks used a car broker and how did it work out? Are there any in WA or is it just an Eastern States thing?
I am not planning on getting a new car but my 17 year old BA won't last forever so I would like to be well prepared if it does suddenly die.

[burnz]

a lot on here hate him because he rubbishes ford, he also rubbishes holden..
https://autoexpert.com.au/

but in my opinion he's knows what he's talking about..
dunno if he does the west coast.

[Fairlane 500]

Plenty of them double dip, they charge the buyer to find a car for them
then they often get a sling back from the dealer when the car is paid for.

I have been in the trade since 1974 & seen some very dubious people who have not got the money or
for some other reason do the broking thing.

One absolute dudder ex used car salesman who I know went into doing this after not being able to hold down a job anywhere for more than five minutes.
One day I heard him boasting that it was easy to sign up & charge people up front to get them a car
then, after they had paid him it did not matter if he found them a car because he had been paid anyway.

If he he did find them a car it was generally from a mate who would pay him a commission on top
& the customer normally felt that after paying the broker they should buy from him
otherwise they had thrown away their money.

Most of them can get people finance which gives them another brokerage commission & sell you an extended warranty which they also can make over $1,000 profit from selling.

No point in deliberately paying someone else to be a middle man.

They are only in it for themselves, they do not handle any liability or warranty.

It is easy money if they can suck people in.

[.:4:.]

My old boss used to use a car broker. For work cars he would say what he wanted with what options, then get the best deal from wherever and pay the extra for transport down to sydney. So for example my old ranger was bought new from central coast ford as it was a much better deal then locally, then put on a car carrier and dropped off to the office at alexandria. For his own personal cars its a little different. So again he says what he wants, but then has an upper budget. The budget is a lot higher then for low spec commercials. Years ago he wanted a spec'd out Porsche cayanne. The broker couldnt find one anywhere in the budget, but came back with the option of a fully optioned twin turbo v8 bmw x6. So thats what my boss bought. Again, not from a local dealer but still way cheaper which more then payed for the transport to his house and the transport back for his trade in, a ve2 clubsport r8 wagon. So obviously you have to pay a broker, but if you dont have the time to shop about for the best deals, its an option. And i was never privvy to the info of who he uses. Its probably not financially viable if you are buying just one average priced car, but if you buy 2 or 3 like a company does then it makes more sence getting the discounts on all of them at once then paying for transport.

[pwr4ce]

I’ve used car brokers in the past
No cost to me for the service. Always got me a better deal than I could do myself

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by pwr4ce

I’ve used car brokers in the past
No cost to me for the service. Always got me a better deal than I could do myself

The "car broker" didn't work for nothing, so by definition you have paid for the service.
The question of "getting a better deal" is subjective.
Again, by definition, you couldhave got a better deal yourself. ie the same deal, less the broker's commission. The question then is whether you felt capable of handling that negotiation. If not, then yes, using a broker worked for you.

Its the same as paying for any service. Again, by definition, most of the time we pay for a service its because we can't or won't do it ourselves. I'll change out taps or washers myself, but if I need a new tap put in, or piping repairs, I get a licensed plumber. If I'm sick I pay a doctor, etc.