The program is not very popular in Russia and the CIS countries. However, this is not due to its functions and characteristics, but to insufficient dissemination of information about it. In this connection, a limited number of motorists are aware of Trade-In.
The essence of the program is to purchase a new car by selling an old car dealership. Payments for an old car partially offset the cost of the purchased one. Thanks to this scheme of work, the owner of a used car no longer needs to take care of all the problems associated with the sale on his own, no need to look for a potential buyer.
If all the documents for the car are in order, the sale and purchase transaction can be completed in one day. Participants of the program are offered for sale not only new cars, but also used vehicles that were previously purchased from other owners.
Execution of a transaction under the Trade-In program involves the following actions.
- Choose a car dealership where you plan to purchase a new car. Find out if the business is a member of the program.
- Drive the car to the salon for inspection: a comprehensive assessment of the vehicle (TC) is carried out, the market value is determined (taking into account the service life, the need for repairs, etc.). After the assessment, the representative of the salon announces the price that the company can offer for the car.
- Decide on the choice of a new car that you would like to purchase.
- Negotiate the terms of purchase and draw up documents for a car from a car dealership.
In order to take part in the program, the following documents must be provided to the salon: passport, power of attorney (if not the owner of the vehicle applies), all documents for the car and keys.
Machine evaluation features
So that the representatives of the car dealership do not have any complaints about the car being sold, you need to make sure that everything is in order with the vehicle from the point of view of legality. Therefore, for his part, the owner must check whether he has unpaid fines and other questions from the traffic police officers.
In turn, the salon begins the assessment of the car with a legal check.
The following items are checked:
- if the vehicle is hijacked;
- absence in the lists of the seized property;
- whether the car is on the bank pledge lists and in car pawnshops (read how to get it).
Due diligence guarantees the safety of the vehicle purchase not only by the salon, but also by the subsequent buyer.
Then the technical characteristics of the vehicle and its condition are assessed. Cars in emergency condition are not allowed to participate in the program. A vehicle with significant malfunctions is also not purchased by the salon. Some cosmetic defects or minor malfunctions are easily eliminated by the company's car service and are only relevant when calculating the cost of a car.
The remaining points that are taken into account in the assessment are: the operating time of the machine, the brand, the popularity of the model, the country of manufacture. The cost of the repair (if necessary) is deducted from the amount received.
Interested in the question, is it possible to buy a car at? Read the detailed article of our specialist.
For more information about that, you can find out by reading the article of our expert.
Vehicle requirements
Car dealerships take care of buying a good car at a bargain price for themselves. Therefore, certain requirements are imposed on cars that wish to take part in the program:
- age and mileage: from 5 to 10 years old; up to 100 thousand km;
- lack of technical faults;
- presentable appearance;
- popularity in the market.
Precautionary measures
Since the cases of fraud in the automotive sector in our country have become more frequent, the following items need to be clarified before buying a new car.
- Who is the owner of the vehicle - the dealer or the previous owner.
- Was the vehicle purchased on credit?
- All doubtful positions in the contract must be discussed and clarified. You should especially carefully study the issue of the provision and the duration of the warranty.
- It is recommended to exchange cars in salons that are official dealers of this brand in the country.
Advantages and disadvantages
From a legal point of view, the sale and purchase of a car in a car dealership is safer than buying it "by hand". But like other programs, "Trade-In" has its pluses and minuses that must be taken into account.
The advantages are as follows.
- Time spent on sale and purchase: contacting a participating salon guarantees the speed of resolving the issue. Often the issue is resolved within one day. Less often it takes longer.
- Simplicity of the procedure: the owner of the car is only obliged to provide the vehicle for inspection by the representatives of the company. The car dealership, in turn, takes care of all the activities: inspection and assessment of the car, paperwork.
- Possibility of choice: salons-participants of "Trade-In" offer a choice of cars of different classes, brands and models. This makes it easy to find a car within your means.
The disadvantages of "Trade-In" include the following nuances.
- Age restrictions of the vehicle (service life): if the car is older than 10 years, then the chances of its purchase by the salon are practically reduced to zero.
- Restrictions regarding the technical condition of the vehicle: cars with significant defects and breakdowns, after serious accidents and with high mileage are not allowed to participate in the program (read about).
- Underestimated car cost: the estimated cost of a vehicle in a car dealership may differ significantly from what you can be offered on the car market. However, only the salon can provide the chances of its quick acquisition.
Classic trade-in
Every third new car is purchased today through trade-in, says Oleg Moseev, president of the Russian Automobile Dealers Association (ROAD). According to him, the share of transactions in the more expensive segment is higher than in the mass segment. This is due to the peculiarities of trade-in. Among its advantages are the efficiency of the transaction and its transparency. The dealer's appraisal of the car and the execution of the transaction take several hours, and the car owner can immediately purchase a new car by paying the difference.
However, the convenience of the transaction has a downside: the dealer values the car below its real market value. Sergei Kanaev, President of the Federation of Car Owners of Russia, says that by selling his car through the trade-in system, a client of a car dealership loses 15-20% of its value. And if we are talking about the mass segment, then not all owners are ready to lose even a part of the possible benefit.
Andrey Karlov believes that the discount depends on the brand of the car. If these are popular mass brands that are leaders in sales (for example, KIA, Hyundai, Mazda), then the underestimation of the cost will be 5-15%, and if we are talking about rare or unpopular cars (for example, Jaguar or SAAB), up to 30% ... At the same time, he notes that every year the gap between the price on the market "at hand" and the value at which the car is estimated by dealers is narrowing. “Trade-in has reached volumes that allow this segment to influence the used car market. 10-20% of all cars in the secondary market are sold by trade-in, ”he says.
The dealer will agree to buy not every car, but only one that can then be easily sold. According to ROAD estimates, on average, every third car owner who wants to make a trade-in is rejected. “Dealers will agree to work with a car that is less than ten years old, has a transparent history (that is, it was not, for example, pledged or was not the subject of litigation), has one or two owners and is accompanied by documents on regular inspection and maintenance in a car service, ”says Oleg Moseev.
One of the main reasons for the refusal in a trade-in deal is the "twisting" of the mileage - a scam that understates the actual mileage before the sale, dealers say. The ROAD President advises not to do this, since it is quite easy to check what mileage the car had before.
The owner of a right-hand drive car is also likely to be refused the deal.
If we are talking about an exchange within the framework of one brand (such a service is offered by official dealers), then the salon will be less picky about the technical characteristics and service life of the car - it does not want to lose a client of this particular brand and is ready to offer him bonuses and discounts on a new car purchased by trade-in, for example, a discount on comprehensive insurance or free service in the service.
Exchange of square meters
Trade-in deals also exist in the real estate sector - developers began to practice this scheme against the backdrop of market stagnation after the 2008 financial crisis. Due to the fall in demand, apartment owners could not sell their old housing, and, accordingly, they did not have the opportunity to purchase a new apartment with the proceeds.
“The trade-in scheme assumes that the developer buys out the existing apartment from the client, but with a discount of about 20%. Then he sells real estate at the market price, which makes up his income, "says Natalya Shatalina, General Director of Miel-Novostroyki.
Trade-in relieves the owner of the apartment from the worries of its implementation, since the developer immediately gives the client the money, without waiting for the resale of the apartment. The main disadvantage of the scheme is that the client loses part of the market value of his property. In the current economic realities, the scheme turned out to be unprofitable for developers as well. “To sell the buyer's apartment, the developer must have a staff who will be involved in the sale of the secondary housing. This is unprofitable, especially against the background of a decrease in the cost of apartments and an increase in the duration of their exposure, ”says Natalya Shatalina.
At the same time, trade-in implies certain requirements for the apartment that the client wants to sell. For example, in order for a developer to buy it out, it must be fully owned by one person, that is, transactions with shares of apartments, as a rule, are not considered. Also, the company will not buy out an apartment located in another city.
According to the head of the analytical center "Indicators of the real estate market irn.ru" Oleg Repchenko, if a developer declares that he offers a trade-in service, today it is most often implied that his real estate department is ready to take over the sale of the buyer's apartment, after which a transaction will be carried out on buying an apartment in a new building. Currently, according to him, approximately every tenth apartment in a new building is purchased using this scheme.
Unlike the classic trade-in, in this case the old apartment is sold without a discount (at market value), but the client will receive the money only after the apartment is sold (according to Oleg Repchenko, the average exposure period of an apartment today is three months). In this case, the developers assign to the party to the transaction a reservation for an apartment at a fixed price (usually for two to three months, less often for six months).
“The plus for the client is that he turns to one agency, all the processes related to both the sale and the purchase take place within the agency - a new apartment is registered for him and the sale of the existing housing is actually guaranteed,” says Natalya Shatalina.
But at the time of signing the contract with the developer, the client will most likely have to make an advance payment for a new apartment (approximately 10% of the cost). And for services for the sale of an apartment you will have to pay a fee (approximately 3-4%).
As in the classic trade-in, the developer will not agree to make a deal for every apartment. According to Repchenko, developers are more willing to take on liquid options - inexpensive odnushka and kopeck piece with good transport accessibility.
Progress discount
The “old goods in exchange for new” scheme began to be used by retail chains as well.
According to Elena Naumchik, co-founder of the Association of Customer Loyalty and Customer Centricity (CLIK), most often, chains specializing in electronics offer to buy goods in trade-in. “The need for such promotions is due to the fact that the client has a product that he is already dissatisfied with (out of fashion or outdated technically) and he wants to make room for a new one,” she says.
Networks that accept old things in exchange for new ones value the goods brought by the buyer below its real market value. “For example, the cost of the received smartphone is estimated by a special program and assigned in accordance with the prices for the used equipment on the official international markets for mobile devices,” the press service of the Svyaznoy network said.
In one of the networks selling electronics, owners of iPhone 7 Plus 256 Gb can get a 30% discount on the purchase of an iPhone X with the same amount of memory under the trade-in program.
The price of a new gadget is 87 thousand rubles, that is, the company estimates a used gadget at about 26 thousand rubles. The average price when selling such a smartphone from hand, according to advertisements on the Internet, is about 40 thousand rubles.
A rational discount cannot exceed 20-30% of the selling price of a product, marketers say. “The discounts are on average lower than the profit when selling on the market“ from hand to hand, ”admits Valery Andreeva, the official representative of the M.Video chain, noting that there is still a demand for such shares.
In retail, trade-in applies mainly to smartphones as the most frequently replaced gadgets. If you look at other categories of goods, notes Elena Naumchik, in most cases the chains do not offer a hot product, but get rid of things that are in excess in the warehouse.
The terms of the deal depend on the particular network. Some stores accept any technique in any condition, while others accept only certain categories of goods. As a rule, within the framework of promotions, stores exchange goods within one category, that is, it will not work to change a gadget for a refrigerator.
But this scheme also has its advantages. Valeria Andreeva notes that trade-in is a convenient format for a deal “here and now”, ensures its transparency and security, including with regard to the protection of personal data that could remain on an old smartphone. Specialists of chain stores promise that all data of the previous owner will be deleted and will not fall into the wrong hands.
In the case of a trade-in in retail stores, the client receives satisfaction not only from the fact that he purchased a product at a discount, albeit a small one, but also from the fact that he got rid of the old thing, experts say. The psychological factor here may be stronger than the rational desire to get a big discount.
Sooner or later, every car owner thinks about purchasing a new vehicle. As a rule, it is bought impulsively. An inexperienced driver makes few demands on the car. Having traveled for only a few months, everyone strives to acquire a more comfortable one that is ideal for movement in specific conditions. To buy a new car, you have to sell the old one. This is usually a fairly lengthy process. The "Trade in" service helps to save time. Reviews show that it is provided in almost every car dealership.
What it is?
Many car dealerships accept used vehicles against new vehicles. Such a program is convenient for both the buyer and the seller. Thus, car dealerships are rapidly increasing sales, and customers save time and nerves, entrusting the sale of their car to specialists. All that the buyer needs to do is to choose the right model of the car, and hand the old vehicle and the documents for it to the salon. The difference in cost will have to be paid on the spot. The specialists of the car dealership completely take on the troubles of evaluating the old model. Many companies offer the "Trade in" service. Reviews of independent experts show that it is undesirable to trust your car to the first salon you see. Organizations may rate a vehicle in different ways. It is worth looking for more favorable conditions.
The Trade In program is also convenient because in the salon you can buy a used car with a full package of documents. This is a vehicle that another car owner left in exchange for a new one. There is a guarantee that the machine is in good technical condition and will be able to serve for many more years. But it is impossible to be sure that the transport purchased under the ad is completely serviceable. Car dealerships receive cars with properly executed documents and without a criminal record. Such transport has never been in an accident. There is only one downside. You will have to overpay a little for a used car that entered the Trade In program.
What cars are accepted under the "Trade In" program?
Experts' reviews show that absolutely any vehicle that is in good technical condition can be exchanged. Each salon has its own criteria for the selection of used cars. The most interesting are liquid models, the age of which does not exceed 10 years. The car should not be beaten or painted. External data is the first thing the evaluator will pay attention to. The salon will not purchase a vehicle that is not popular among car owners. The company takes the car in order to resell it in the future. And the sooner this is done, the better.
Particular attention is paid to the documents when the vehicle arrives through the Trade In system. They should be in perfect order. The slightest inaccuracy may be a reason for refusing to accept the vehicle. In most cases, salons accept cars that have already been deregistered. This saves time and also avoids the paperwork when reselling. But cars with registration can also be accepted. True, in this case, a forensic analysis is required beforehand. Cars that are listed in theft will never accept the Trade In program. Experts' reviews show that if any suspicions are detected, law enforcement agencies are immediately involved in the work.
The original cost of the vehicle does not matter. The salons accept both expensive cars and economy class cars. It all depends on the assortment offered by a particular salon. If an organization sells only domestic cars, most likely, foreign cars will not be accepted.
Vehicle appraisal
The most troubling question for most car owners is the valuation of a used vehicle. How much will they give for such a car in the salon? You shouldn't count on big money. What is Trade In in a car dealership? Reviews show that the specialists of the organization take on the work of preparing the vehicle for resale. For this, they can significantly reduce the cost of the model. In addition, the salon buys a car in order to make money on it in the future. No organization will operate at a loss.
Several factors affect the final cost of a used car. This is the technical condition, age, external data, demand for a specific model on the market. During the first year of operation, any car loses on average 20% of its original value. For each subsequent year, another 10% is withdrawn. This means that a car that has been on the move for more than 4 years will cost half the price, even if it is in good technical condition. If the transport is bit or crashed, the price will be even lower. And significantly lower than the market value will be the "Trade in" rating. Reviews show that it will be more profitable to sell a car on your own. But! The salon takes care of all the hassle. Everyone decides for himself what it is better to save on - on time or on finances.
In order to be produced on more favorable terms, you should first replace worn-out parts, as well as pay attention to the appearance of the machine. This can be done at the nearest service station.
If a car dealership is interested in selling a new vehicle, the market value of a used car may be offered. This means that the client can change the old car only for the one offered by the salon. If you do not take advantage of such an offer, the price of a used car can immediately drop by 20-30%.
Saving time or money?
So, as you might have guessed, the "Trade In" system helps to significantly save time. Reviews show that it will take only a few hours to exchange an old car for a new one. All you need to do is drive an old car to the salon. Next, the machine will be evaluated, removed from the register, checked documents, and issued a new vehicle. There is no need to constantly be in the salon. During the procedure, the client can go away on business. At the end of the working day, you will have to visit the salon again to sign the documents.
Selling a car on your own will certainly be more profitable financially. But this is only at first glance. In order to sell a vehicle for a decent price, you will have to undergo a technical inspection, replace old parts with new ones, spend money on advertising. As a result, the sale under the Trade in program (Moscow) may turn out to be more profitable. Reviews show that large car dealerships slightly reduce the cost of cars that are less than 10 years old. If the car is in good technical condition, is popular in the market, it can be exchanged on favorable terms. By the evening, the driver can get behind the wheel of a new vehicle.
Most car owners cannot pay enough attention to selling their car. During working hours, it is not always possible to meet with a person who is interested in buying. But on weekends, the "Trade in" service may be offered in car dealerships. Reviews show that most often the purchase of vehicles is carried out on weekends and holidays. This enables clients to leisurely choose a new model and think over the terms of the Trade In service.
above all
There are a huge number of cases of deception that are based on buying and selling cars. By posting a used car advertisement on one of the bulletin boards, it's easy to get caught up in the scammers. Also, one cannot be sure that a vehicle purchased from hands fully meets the stated technical requirements. The car could be drowned or bit. In the worst case, the vehicle has a criminal record. This is completely excluded if the vehicle is sold under the Trade In program. Reviews show that the specialists of the car dealership carefully check the car against the databases. Much attention is also paid to technical inspection.
In order to exchange an old car for a new one, it is not at all necessary to have a large amount of money. You only have to pay the difference. In some cases, it does not even reach 1000 USD. e. In addition, almost all car dealerships work by bank transfer. Money can be debited through the terminal installed at the checkout. Buying a car in the car market can only be done with cash. And carrying a large amount of money with you is already unsafe in itself.
Purchase on credit
The Trade In program offers many interesting possibilities. Reviews show that you can buy a new car, even if there is no finance. Many salons cooperate with leading banks. Thanks to this, the difference between the old and new vehicle is issued on credit. The salons are interested in sales. Therefore, the interest on the loan is the lowest. In some cases, you can even arrange for an interest-free installment plan. To sign the contract, you only need to provide an identification code and a passport.
You can also buy a used car on credit under the Trade in program (Kirov). Reviews show that people with low income are most often used. It is possible to purchase a vehicle at a minimum monthly cost. After all, a used car itself is inexpensive. Payments can be split over 5 years. By concluding an agreement, the client undertakes to pay only 100-200 USD. e. per month.
Major misconceptions
On the territory of Russia, the Trade In program is not yet widespread enough. Most car owners prefer to go the old way. They sell their vehicle, and with the proceeds they make a new purchase. There are a number of misconceptions associated with the Trade In program. Many believe that it is possible to offer the salon a used car, which was previously also purchased on a "Trade In" basis. This is not true. Absolutely all vehicles that meet the basic requirements are accepted for sale. It must be a liquid car with a full package of documents and in good technical condition.
It is not necessary to purchase a new car under the Trade In program (Ufa). Reviews show that in almost every salon there is an opportunity for a simple sale. If you do not want to purchase a new vehicle, you can offer a used car to the salon and immediately receive money for it on the spot. At the same time, you need to be prepared for the fact that the assessment of the car will be 20-30% lower.
Disadvantages of the "Trade in" system
A low rating for a used car is one of the biggest disadvantages of the program. Salons take a car in order to further sell it at market value. This means that you will not have to count on great benefits. Along with this, the car owner gets the opportunity to sell his vehicle here and now. Many people prefer to save time rather than finances. The car can be sold in "Trade in" as quickly as possible. Reviews show that the whole procedure takes only 2-3 hours.
Another significant drawback is the limited choice. The salon can offer a small assortment under the "Trade in" ("Kia") program. Reviews show that most buyers come with pre-existing packaging requirements. Their salon may not always satisfy. Cars under the "Trade in" program are not available on request. It remains to wait for the desired model to appear in the salon, and only then conclude a deal.
There are more and more offers on the market for the exchange of old electronics for new devices. In October, the Trade-in program for smartphones, the M.Video network. In the summer, Apple has a similar service for iPhone owners, at the same time the DamProdam service is the first online MacBook exchange in Russia.
The Village decided to figure out where and how to rent an outdated smartphone or laptop in order to save money on buying a new one.
What is Trade-in and how it works
Trade-in is a program to exchange old devices for a discount when buying a new one. The amount of the discount depends on the model, technical and external condition of the device.
For the first time Trade-in came to Russia in 2010 - in the form of a recycling program for used cars. The owner of the car handed it over for recycling, and in return received a discount on the purchase of a new car.
6 Trade-in services for the exchange of smartphones, laptops and tablets
Apple officially launched its own exchange program back in 2013, but it only reached us in the implementation of Svyaznoy and re: Store this summer.
WHAT CAN I RENT
what to exchange for
conditions
TERMS OF PROMOTION
Indefinite
place of action
In all offices of the Svyaznoy network, with the exception of Kaliningrad
WHAT CAN I RENT
iPhone 4, 4S, 5, 5S, 6/6 Plus, 6S / 6S Plus, 7/7 Plus, SE, 8, 8 Plus
Action cameras brands: GoPro, AEE, Contour, Garmin, Kodak, Midland, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Samsung, SJCAM, Sony, Xiaomi, YI, Smarterra cameras supporting 4K video resolution
what to exchange for
iPhone 6/6 Plus, 6S / 6S Plus, 7/7 Plus, SE, 8, 8 Plus
GoPro HERO 6 Black
conditions
The amount of the discount is determined by a special program and depends on the technical and external condition of the smartphone, as well as on the current prices. Maximum discount - 30%
When returning an old action camera, a discount of 3000 rubles is provided when buying a new GoPro HERO 6 Black video camera
TERMS OF PROMOTION
Indefinite
place of action
The promotion is valid when buying in retail stores of the network and when ordering in the online store
notes: Only iPhones purchased at official Apple centers in Russia are accepted under the program. A device purchased even from a licensed store in China or the United States will not be accepted. All data from the phone will be erased, and the device itself will be restored to factory settings. The assembled iPhones will be taken out of Russia for further resale.
The requirements for the appearance of the handset being handed over are quite strict: the device should not have chips, cracks, or deep scratches. Small scratches or abrasions on the case are considered acceptable.
WHAT CAN I RENT
what to exchange for
iPhone 6/6 Plus, 6S / 6S Plus, 7/7 Plus, SE, 8, 8 Plus
MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro
conditions
The site has an online calculation indicating the amount of the surcharge
TERMS OF PROMOTION
Indefinitely
place of action
Now the service is provided only in Moscow. In the near future, the service plans to earn all over Russia
notes: Before the exchange, the client must untie his iCloud from his smartphone. The service offers not only to exchange, but also to sell the old device. At the same time, the technique is accepted in any condition, even with a broken screen, and regardless of the country where the device was purchased. For payment, the courier arrives at any place convenient for the client.
WHAT CAN I RENT
iPhone 5S, 6/6 Plus, 6S / 6S Plus, 7/7 Plus, SE, 8, 8 Plus
what to exchange for
iPhone 6/6 Plus, 6S / 6S Plus, 7/7 Plus, SE, 8, 8 Plus
Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S7, S7 Edge, S8, S8 +, A3, A5 and A7 2016-2017 editions
conditions
The discount will be from 2,500 to 32 thousand rubles, depending on the device being handed over
TERMS OF PROMOTION
place of action
All around Russia
notes: Phones are accepted in working order and without serious damage. The discount for the promotion is summed up with other discounts. A smartphone can also be purchased on credit. The sizes of discounts for specific models can be found.
I was inspired to write this article by a story told by our leader Dmitry Izvekov. Thinking about a replacement for his 2007 Land Rover Freelander II, he turned to one of the Land Rover dealerships, where the manager of the used cars department offered to buy his car for ... 300 thousand rubles, while the average market price is 7- a summer car with a diesel engine and "automatic" ranged from 700-800 thousand.
Frankly, I was confused. It is known that in "trade-in" cars are bought a little cheaper than the average market price, and sold - a little more expensive. Everything is clear, the salons do business, and the client gets rid of the need to post ads, wait for customer calls, then waste time selling and reissuing ... But for the announced purchase price to be half the market average is already arrogance.
Test subject
Soon the opportunity turned up to check how fair dealerships are, on our own experience. To understand this, it was necessary to have a car that I know thoroughly: what are its advantages and disadvantages and how much it really costs. Agree, this is more correct than comparing with the "average temperature in the hospital", that is, at the average prices on free classifieds portals.
A fortunate opportunity presented itself: a friend bought a Volvo S80, and she attracted me as an assistant. For almost a month we "hunted" for a car in the range of 700 thousand rubles, not very old and that certainly with one owner and a transparent service history. After a series of unsuccessful negotiations and meetings, what was sought was found: a chic beige S80 of 2008 with dealer service in a SwedMobil car center and a mileage of 70 thousand, which was confirmed by a service book and a service manager in the salon itself. Having found a painted over scratch on the door, the "dead" ignition unit of the gas-discharge lamp of the left headlight, a few more minor flaws and taking into account the need to urgently change all the belts, we bargained 15 thousand from the original 700. As a result, a strong and well-groomed representative of the Swedish business turned out to be in the hands of the happy girl -class for 685 thousand rubles. This is what I tried to "sell" in a trade-in.
Test purchase: "Autobiography"
For the experiment, I chose a dealership cluster on Pulkovskoye Highway, near the St. Petersburg airport. And one of them - the same "Autobiography", where Dmitry was offered 300 thousand for the 7-year-old "Friel". Well, let's start with them. Moreover, in addition to Land Rover, they sell Volvo.
Salon "Autobiography"
The staff were charming. The administrator met at the entrance and escorted to the manager. He made out the sale, but seeing that I was hesitantly walking around, he paid attention to me, politely introduced himself and, after listening to my "presentation" of the car, voiced: "Focus on 500 thousand rubles. We will put it on the lift, we will see, of course, but the price will be something like this. " Valeriy (that was the name of the manager) also noted that if I just hand over the car to trade-in and don't buy a new Volvo from them, the price will turn out to be 50 thousand less. No attempts were made to conduct at least a cursory inspection: the employee was not interested in either the completed service book, or the car itself, which was parked right there, 20 meters away. Although I know from myself that a more or less experienced seller of used cars can immediately understand a lot about the car from the documents and appearance. No lifts or servicemen are needed here. So, in "Autobiography" the price differed by 185 thousand rubles. Not twice as low in the market, but nevertheless.
Test purchase: "Eurosib Mazda Pulkovo"
"Eurosib Mazda Pulkovo"
Somewhat puzzled, I made my way to a nearby Mazda showroom. They did not meet at the door (tea, not premium!), But the sales manager of used cars was also free. After listening to the data on the car, he quickly clicked the mouse on his computer and offered to buy our Volvo S80 for 500-550 thousand. With the proviso that the final price will be announced to me only after they have examined the car at the service station and consulted with the neighbors from Volvo. Such is the cooperation! Needless to say, both the car and the documents for it remained unclaimed again. Well, that's better! A certain range of prices appeared and a theoretical chance to win an extra 50 thousand rubles on the sale. By the way, the "fine" for not buying a new Mazda, but simply selling my Volvo to the salon, turned out to be lower here: only 20-30 thousand.
Test purchase: "R-Motors"
Salon "R-Motors"
To consolidate the passed, I walked another fifty meters to the dealership selling General Motors products. And there the manager for the same car offers already "in the region of 600 thousand", having previously spent a minute on the study of the range of Volvo S80 on the well-known site for the sale of used cars. Again, no preliminary "smotrin", the promise to determine the final price after detailed diagnostics and a warning to "throw off" 30 thousand from the price if I decide to refuse to buy Opel, Chevrolet or Cadillac in their showroom.
So where does the price come from?
A small "field" investigation did not bring any clarity. I realized that not all salons offer extortionate prices, and some of the proposals sound so that one can already think about them. But there must be some kind of system here, right? The experts of the automotive market came to the rescue. Some agreed to comment on the issue openly, others asked not to give their real names and surnames so as not to lose their jobs, and we went to meet them."As a rule, car dealerships form prices for used cars being bought out based on average market trends and prices for specific cars, taking into account the deduction of the margin component of car dealerships. Dealers also include costs and risks in the difference between the market price and the trade-in price. Risks associated with stagnation of trade-in cars at the sites, also in a good showroom for their sale, a specially trained manager and a place for storing such cars are needed. "
By the way, apparently, express monitoring of Internet sites and real offers is the only reliable tool for determining the estimated cost of a car. So, if a trade-in manager climbed onto a free classifieds site, don't rush to accuse him of incompetence.
Dmitry Yarygin, leading analyst of AUTOSTAT agency
"There are special software products that help dealers determine the price of cars, but in the current conditions of rapid price changes, they can only be used with an adjustment for the market situation."
If we take fairly popular cars, then the difference between the purchase price and the sale price is not so great. The opposite indicates that the dealer is "wrong."
"The manager looks on the Internet how much such a car costs on the market (that is, for how much the client could sell this car himself) and simply subtracts 10-20% from this price. Of course, there is no dependence on the" coolness "of the brand. There is the audacity and financial problems of a particular dealer. So if the appraisal of the car does not fit into any acceptable framework, you should know: the dealer has financial problems. The lower the appraised value, the more serious the financial problems. "
But what do the representatives of car dealerships themselves say about pricing, to whom we could not help but give a word. In short, they consider the purchase price to be quite realistic and fair.
Vladimir, specialist of the trade-in department of the AutoGermes car dealership (Moscow)
Alexey, specialist of the trade-in department of the auto center "Maximum-Honda"
"The price is set at the discretion of the specialist who accepts the car. He can accept it at the maximum market price. Technical flaws, external defects, accidents affect the cost reduction. It is not a fact that the car will be sold for the money the seller wants to get."
Denis Kuzmichev, head of the trade-in department of the "ROLF" company (St. Petersburg)
“Many people generally confuse the concept of the market price with the desired value. It is obvious that a client who decides to sell a car first looks at similar ads. the real selling price of the car, it is much lower, because during the sale process discounts are always made within the framework of bargaining. "
The managers of the trade-in department themselves rarely make really big money. The flow of funds goes to the management and to the company's budget, but not to the seller's own pocket.
Vladislav Martinkevich, former employee of a multi-brand dealer service (the name has been changed for security reasons, - editor's note)
"150 thousand is the salary of the head of the department, and we must not forget to add his secretary's iPhone here. Managers have a small salary (and sometimes even without it) and bonuses depending on the number of cars sold, the plan fulfilled, etc. All transactions carried out officially under contracts, money - through the cashier. Any fraud with the client, extra charge, etc. depends on the specific person hired in the department. In my memory, yes, there was a case when a department manager sold a car "past the cash register" of the company and disappeared. I do not know his fate, but in any case it is already a criminal article. "
At the same time, few people complain about the working conditions in trade-in. Moreover, they hold on to this work with all their might, including because the possibilities of side income still remain.
Sergey Krasnov, an active employee of one of the dealerships (the name has been changed for security reasons - editor's note)
"There are many options. The simplest thing is to trade in accessories. Let's say a client's car comes with winter tires or a rack for bicycles. The manager can easily take it all for himself and resell it - no one will notice. There is also a scheme with an independent buyout. For example, it comes a client with a very good car - a three-year-old with an honest run of 30 thousand kilometers in perfect condition, which will be torn off in the secondary market with his hands. Bypassing the cashier. He takes the car for himself and sells it in a week, making good money on it. However, now ordinary employees are paid good bonuses. The state subsidizes discounts for trade-in, so the income has grown significantly. "
In general, in our harsh conditions, everyone survives as best they can. Dealer managers are demanding profits, and employees are looking for opportunities to enrich themselves "locally." By the way, analysts do not exclude that in the future the salons' margin may decrease. But this obviously will not happen soon.
Mikhail Chaplygin, project manager Auto-dealer.ru-Petersburg
"In the future, if dealers convince customers that it is profitable to buy used cars from them, and more buyers will go, then willy-nilly, purchase prices will have to be raised. After all, whoever has more choice of cars will be in favor. of course. "
What happens to the trade car in the showroom?
Only in a conversation with insiders I was able to understand why none of the managers in the showrooms went to see our Volvo S80 with its service book and purchase orders. A lot of clients come, but there is also enough work. They are already working with those who are mentally ready to give the car cheaper.
Vladislav Martinkevich, former employee of a multi-brand dealer service (the name has been changed for security reasons, - editor's note)
"If the client's amount immediately indicated by 10-20% below the market does not suit the client, what is the point of wasting time inspecting the car. may fall even more. "
It is worth noting that the car dealership is not interested in buying out emergency cars, somehow putting them on the move and selling them. A reputation in this business also costs money. Mainly private resellers and "gray dealers" are engaged in the restoration of substandard conditions.
Vladislav Martinkevich, former employee of a multi-brand dealer service (the name has been changed for security reasons, - editor's note)
"As for the condition and pre-sale preparation, then again everything depends on the specific dealer. Large and self-respecting companies, of course, do not twist the speedometer and handicraft" shamming ". They will not even take open rubbish for nothing. then they are usually eliminated during pre-sale preparation, especially if the car is one of the brands that the dealer sells (for his car and spare parts, and service work, of course, goes at cost price). Then the final price can be stated higher, and the fat is higher. Cars with serious defects are usually not repaired and sold like this.They are both taken into trade-in at the lowest possible price (minus the full cost of repairs at the dealership), and are also sold for inexpensive. , the disadvantage is this, that's why the price is the same. If you want to take it and do it, if you don't want it, don't take it. Very often, by the way, such machines are bought by dealers, somehow counterfeited in garages and only then passed off as "candy". Well, as for the incomprehensible, yesterday opened dealers of some unknown Chinese brand, there can be anything you like. And twisting the odometer, and remanufactured junk, and substandard imports. "
