The BMW 2002 is an iconic car, an originator of the brand’s reputation as the “Ultimate Driving Machine.” Built from 1968 to 1972, the landmark model begat decades of Bavarian sports sedans. Now, an example of one of the rarest 2002 variants is coming up for auction in Munich.
Over 420,000 BMW 2002s were made in total, but the 1972 BMW 2002 Cabriolet being auctioned by RM Sotheby’s is one of just 200 built. Stuttgart’s Karosserie Baur was responsible for the conversions, which were initially done with the 2002’s 1.6-liter predecessor, the BMW 1600-2. Baur’s partnership with BMW goes back to the 1950s, and the cars were officially sold through BMW dealers in Germany.
However, Baur had plans to build what they called a Top Cabriolet, which had a fixed frame and pillars and a removable roof section. In essence, it was a targa top, except Porsche owned the copyright to the Targa name. So when Baur switched over to building 2002s in 1971, production of the full droptop continued for only eight months before the switch to the Top Cabriolet. Over 2,300 of those were made. As such, the true convertible 2002 Cabriolet is the rarest of the 02 series cars made by Baur.
Though the motor made only 99 horsepower, the 2002 weighs just a tad over 2,000 pounds. The stout M10 engine and its descendants would go on to power generations of BMW cars, including BMW’s Formula 1 cars and endurance prototypes. With a fully independent suspension at all four corners at a time when most cars were still solid axle, the 2002 proved to be a nimble, fun to drive runabout.
Its styling was part of the Neue Klasse designs that would inform everything from E9s to E28s to E30s. This family of cars was the first to incorporate the Hofmeister kink C-pillars as well, a design cue that’s appeared on BMWs for nearly 60 years now. Even though the Cabriolet is absent a C-pillar, the fabric top still retains a hint of that dogleg shape.
The yellow example was completed on March 31, 1971. The current seller, who owns a large BMW collection, bought it in 2015 and it’s been on display since. Immaculate as it may be, it would be prudent for the next buyer to check the mechanicals thoroughly before driving it. The car has no reserve and is expected to sell between $51,000 and $72,000. Given the fact that the U.S. dollar is trading extremely favorably against many currencies right now, it may be the perfect time to add this rare gem to your collection. RM Sotheby’s Munich auction begins November 26.
Following Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt acknowledgement that the UK was in recession during last week’s Autumn Statement Mad Devs chief executive David Boyce is keen to highlight the need for car retailers to keep their customers close through challenging economic times.
Read on to hear why the automotive software solutions company boss believes a over-arching view of dealership customers will be key to maintaining loyalty, and profitability, in the months and years to come.
Hold your customers close.
All the signs point to a tough winter for automotive dealers due to rising energy bills, weakening consumer demand and ongoing problems with the supply of new and used vehicles.
In this market, it’s essential that dealers do all they can to hang on to customers after they walk out of the showroom.
Too often, the relationship between dealer and buyer is transactional, with little structure put in place to build longer-term brand loyalty.
Existing customers provide the lowest cost source of revenue with aftersales, add-on sales and the ability to upgrade a vehicle providing valuable sources of income in a tightening economy.
Technology can help to structure communication more effectively and create a stickier relationship.
For example, creating a shared digital space can help to drive customer insight.
At the same time, additional purchases can be triggered with customer surveys, service reminders, online service bookings and vehicle valuation.
The technology is available today to allow dealers to become the one-stop point for all their customers’ mobility needs.
Giving customers a central point to manage their service schedules, invoicing, insurance and any relevant video content will bring them back to the brand and create a longer lasting and more meaningful relationship.
Data can be used to trigger sales opportunities. Allow customers to value their own vehicles and suggest alternatives available to them at a similar price point.
The commercial case is clear. Investing more in each customer relationship will pay dividends by increasing revenue while lowering the cost per sale.
It is helpful to use the customer lifetime value model, which is a projection of the typical revenue a customer will provide over the course of their relationship with a business.
A lifetime value assessment of a customer’s worth will influence budgeting for marketing, technology, profitability, and many financial decisions.
It’s a crucial factor in revenue forecasting because every additional customer increases income both each month and during their anticipated lifetime.
Allocating resources to current customers is a crucial area where lifetime value may be used. You can devote more resources to acquiring and maintaining particular clients after you segment your customers.
Depending on the stage of the customer lifecycle, customers with a high value should receive additional resources, especially if they are close to the cycle’s conclusion with a chance for renewal.
Long-term profitability will be supported if you can enhance the lifetime value of new customers while decreasing churn. In order to lower churn, it is advised that you create a retention plan powered by data and technology. Aim to put yourself in the pocket of each customer and be a part of their daily lives.
Both the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) and the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) have called for urgent action from the government to support dealers through the coming challenging period. There is no doubt that all help will be welcome to manage issues that are beyond dealers’ control.
However, there are steps that dealers can take now to take advantage of digital transformation. To get closer to customers and build longer-lasting, more profitable relationships that also deliver a better ownership experience.
The goal of technology over the past ten years has been to transform how people work. The goal of technology over the next ten years will be to alter your business model.
Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or “Alexa, open Autoblog” to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives.
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I love taking photos in car event environments bustling with people. It gives everything in frame life, and always enhances the storytelling.
But sometimes, an opportunity to focus solely on the cars arises. The lovely bunch organising the last UK modified car show of the year, Ultimate Stance, allowed me to do just that by granting late Saturday evening access before the show officially opened on Sunday morning. Ultimate Stance is known for attracting huge crowds, so this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
Ultimate Stance is the sister show to the UK’s show season opener, Ultimate Dubs, which you may have seen coverage of on Speedhunters in the past. Having the same organisers and the same venue, there is some obvious cross-pollination of the two events.
The all-original MK1 Caddy parked up in Telford International Centre’s main lobby was incredible, as was the 1954 right-hand drive Barn Door. The owners of the Bus were the last in and still setting up for Sunday when I arrived.
Admittedly, I have written about VWs a lot this year already, so seeing as there are no make or model restrictions for Ultimate Stance, we’ll focus on the other stuff this time around.
After the small Ultimate Dubs section, the entrance hall stretched out with a tease of what you could expect inside. There’s not any sort of brand discrimination here, but as the name suggests, stance is compulsory.
Apart from security, these gents getting some RC practice in would be the last people I’d really see for the rest of my time at the show on Saturday evening. From here on out, I had Ultimate Stance all to myself.
The first hall greeted me with a line up of cars headed by this black EG-series Honda Civic. The smoothed bay was a sign of things to come, as I’d find a lot of builds with an emphasis on the engine bay as I made my way around. Nearly everything on display was a full-on show car.
Including these little things…
We all know a child’s earliest years have a huge influence on the rest of their upbringing. I’m happy to see the Speedhunters influence is here and setting future car builders on the right path!
I’ve seen all sorts of wheel setups over the years, but retrofitted McLaren 720S wheels are not something I expected to see any time soon.
If OEM is less your thing, you might appreciate a single-piece sporty Japanese wheel instead. Motorsport heritage overload in this sector, with these RAYS Volk Racing TE37s being king of the castle for most.
I think my highlight of this hall had to be the fully carbon-Kevlar, Mazda three-rotor-powered Corvette.
Built by Axel Pedro Hildebrand and debuted at the Goodwood Festival of Speed hill climb earlier this year, the Corvette is a true purpose-built drift car. I managed to catch it entering, and I can comfortably claim it’s one of the loudest cars I’ve ever heard. It shook the ground I was standing on.
The ‘Vette is topped off with a Garrett turbo on the inside and Blitz 003 wheels on the outside, making it a great example of a crazy vision getting pushed into an extreme, real outcome.
Parked next to it was Joseph Barber’s BMW E30. It’s a totally different kettle of fish to the Corvette but, if anything, showcases the range of stuff on show across just one of four halls at Ultimate Stance.
There’s a long hallway at the venue which allows you to cut across two halls, and every year this spot is home to some real show-quality metal. For 2022, the organisers dedicated it to a line of Porsches.
In my last Speedhunters piece – a visit to Dub Club – there was a car in the background of my photos that a few of you wanted to see more of. Your wish is my command!
Yup, an HKS-liveried Škoda Octavia estate, built by Andy Cowley and inspired by the ’90s liveries seen in the JTCC (Japanese Touring Car Championship). Check out the fitment on that rear aero disk.
Bonus points to whoever can tell me where the wheels on this buggy came from…
Moving back into the halls now. I quickly found myself drawn over to the lowrider section, hosted by the Tru Rydaz group. Amongst the more traditional Cadillacs on show was this EF-series Honda Civic sedan.
This is a crazy little thing with an unmatchable attitude and one of the wildest paint jobs I’ve seen on a show car. Whilst I was looking at this car, for a split second I was transported from Telford to Southern California.
The overall standard of the cars inside the venue was superb. One thing that stood out to me though was the general colours of cars on show: Bright, glossy hues are in on the more extravagant builds. It seems if people are changing the colour of their car, be it with paint or a wrap, they’ll lean in favour of the bright blues, yellows, etc. Where have all the dark metallic cars gone?
Moving over to the front of the main stage, the main attraction for me here was a Lamborghini Gallardo. The childhood poster car for a lot of people around my age, these have all but vanished from the roads in the last couple of years, so seeing a Gallardo today is a much bigger deal compared to the modern supercars for me. I don’t think I’d ever seen a bagged one before Ultimate Dubs.
Here’s a real throwback to the ’90s and early-’00s British modified car scene. I’m always weirdly drawn in by these time capsule builds. I find that all of these Max Power-era cars are genuinely very different from each other, standing out in ways that contemporary builds haven’t fully figured out yet.
There were some great cars in these halls, but when it comes to personal preference, there’s a specific place in the venue that you’re likely to find me.
This place is known as the VIP hall, a carpeted area that always delivers in terms of quality and intrigue.
There were two standouts for me in this section this year, the first being Jamie Rogers’ Jaguar XJ6.
I’m a sucker for a big, luxurious barge. When you think of this category of car, you naturally jump to the S Class Mercedes-Benz or an LS Lexus. Recently, Netflix released its new season of The Crown, focusing on the British royal family, and these Jags are all over every episode. It’s easy to forget that Jags were used to transport some of the world’s most high-profile people around Britain during the ’80s and ’90s.
I actually briefly got my camera out on Sunday too, managing to capture some of the in-between moments in the VIP hall. Like I said, this was the place to find me all weekend.
The second car I wanted to focus on is Michael Scullin’s Ford Sierra on hydraulic suspension. Having driven the car from Northern Ireland, Michael was telling me about the dynamics of the Saab B204 he has under the bonnet. As you can see, it’s attached to a giant turbo, which at the moment lags quite a bit until the boost hits and you’re whacked with 500-odd bhp all at once through the rear wheels. What a crazy setup.
Fortunately, I had managed to just wrap up taking photos in the VIP hall when a notice came over the public announcement system: “Could all remaining media please make their way to the nearest exit, the venue is closing for the night.”
It was pretty surreal walking about numerous halls with my camera, having a chance to appreciate the details of all the cars for myself. It made me appreciate the hustle and bustle of it all a little bit more, whilst also giving me an insight into the cars I wouldn’t usually go looking around with a group of friends during a busy show day.
As always with my show coverage, I’ll leave you with an extended album – see you all at the next one!
WILMINGTON, Del. — Elon Musk has taken on Detroit’s automakers, short-sellers and securities regulators. This week, the Tesla chief executive is set to square off in court against an unlikely foe — a thrash metal drummer who hopes to strip Musk of his $56 billion pay.
The trial will pit the world’s richest person against one of the electric carmaker’s smallest investors, Richard Tornetta, who held just nine shares when he sued in 2018.
Tornetta sued Musk and the Tesla board on behalf of the company in what is known as a shareholder derivative lawsuit. If successful, Musk’s 2018 package of stock grants will be rescinded, benefiting Tesla. Tornetta is not seeking damages for himself.
Historically, cases brought by investors with a near-meaningless economic stake in the litigation have been criticized by business groups as “nuisance suits.” Such lawsuits often end quickly in a non-monetary settlement and a payment to the attorneys representing the plaintiff.
“This case looks different,” said Jessica Erickson, a professor at University of Richmond School of Law who has specialized in shareholder litigation.
Tornetta’s case survived a motion to dismiss in 2019 and is heading to a weeklong trial beginning on Monday in Wilmington, Delaware that will feature live testimony from Musk, who last month bought Twitter for $44 billion.
The pay package was widely criticized and California’s teachers retirement system known as CalSTRS was among the investors who voted against it.
Legal experts said such large shareholders are unlikely to sue because it might invite blowback from Musk and cut off access to management.
CalSTRS declined to comment.
It is unclear why Tornetta brought the case. He did not respond to a request for comment, and his attorneys declined to comment.
Tornetta’s company creates aftermarket audio gear for car-customizing enthusiasts. He posts light-hearted videos online with his company co-founder about their gadgets or mishaps, including Tornetta describing how he torched his eyebrows.
Tornetta also turns up in videos drumming at the legendary former New York club CBGB with his now-defunct metal band “Dawn of Correction,” which described its sound as “a swift kick to the face with a steel-toed work boot.”
Tenfold rise in stock price
Tornetta’s lawsuit alleges Musk dictated the pay package’s terms to a board of directors beholden to the billionaire and claims it was then put to a vote of shareholders who were misled about the difficulty of reaching certain targets.
The disputed pay package allows Musk to buy 1% of Tesla’s stock at a deep discount each time escalating performance and financial targets are met; otherwise Musk gets nothing. Tesla has hit 11 of the 12 targets as its value ballooned briefly to more than $1 trillion from $50 billion, according to court papers.
Musk and the directors argue in court filings that the package kept Musk focused on Tesla during a difficult period and led to a 10-fold rise in the stock price.
Attorneys who handle cases like Tornetta’s are not paid by the plaintiff. If the lawsuit is successful, they will ask the judge to order the defendant to pay their fees, which could be in the millions of dollars. It is unclear how much the law firms might seek if Tornetta prevails.
Tornetta and his lawyers at Friedman Oster and Tejtel; Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann; and Andrews and Springer have stuck with the case for four years, hired experts and conducted more than a dozen depositions.
Tornetta is also a plaintiff in another case that survived a motion to dismiss and is heading to trial next year, challenging the sale of Pandora Media Inc to Sirius XM Holdings Inc.
Lawmakers and judges have hoped for decades to encourage the largest investors like Vanguard to take the lead on shareholder class actions and derivative lawsuits like Tornetta’s, without much luck.
“Mutual funds might want to bring cases sometimes, but they need a relationship with management,” said Sean Griffith, a professor at Fordham Corporate Law Center. “They might be happy to have other people doing it on their behalf.”
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In 1975, Toyota, Mazda and Datsun each offered Americans four different car models. Even Fiat had three different models to sell here that year, but the only car American Honda dealers carried at that time was the Civic. The following model year, Honda introduced a brand-new car that was bigger, better-equipped, and more powerful than the tiny Civic: the Accord. Those first-generation 1976-1980 Accords sold like mad, turning the America Honda Motor Company into a major automotive player on our shores. Here’s one of those history-laden Accords, finally retired at age 42 in a Denver self-service car graveyard.
For the first couple of years, the Accord was available here just as a three-door hatchback. For 1978, the Accord four-door sedan appeared, ready to do battle with cramped rear-wheel-drive four-doors.
The first-generation Accords were powered by Honda’s CVCC-equippedE-series four-cylinder engines. This one has a 1.75-liter version, sending 72 horsepower to the front wheels. That doesn’t sound like much, but this car’s curb weight was a mere 2,130 pounds (about the same as a new 78-horse Mitsubishi Mirage and about 1,000 pounds lighter than the 2022 Accord). By 1980 standards, the Accord was reasonably quick.
The CVCC system ran so clean that Honda didn’t need to put a catalytic converter on this car. That meant that 1980 Accord owners could run cheap leaded gas (which remained available for on-highway use here through 1995). This is a 49-state car, not legal for sale new in California or at elevations above 4,000 feet (1,280 feet lower than the car’s current parking spot).
The CVCC system, which involved separate rich/lean combustion chambers and a puzzling two-in-one carburetor, became unworkably complex by the middle 1980s. In 1980, the vacuum-hose tangle hadn’t become too intimidating (compared to the “Map of the Universe” rigs of 1985). CVCC was still the envy of the automotive world, though electronic fuel injection would soon shove it aside.
You wouldn’t know it from this car, which baked in the sun for decades before coming here, but the first-generation Accord’s interior was very nice for one found in such an affordable car.
The 1980 Accord sedan’s list of standard features was impressive for the time. Power steering, tachometer, clock, trip odometer, intermittent wipers, tinted glass, remote side mirror, and tinted glass were all included at no extra cost. Those orange rectangles below the odometer are the maintenance-reminder indicators, which the shop was supposed to reset after servicing (few did).
This one even has air conditioning and what may be the original AM/FM/cassette radio.
A five-speed manual transmission — reasonably sporty hardware for 1980 — was standard equipment, and that’s what’s in this car. The weird two-speed Hondamatic transmission was still offered, though Honda introduced a true three-speed automatic in the Accord that year (new Civics with Hondamatics were available here all the way through 1983).
This pinstriping appears to have been applied early in the car’s life. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a factory option.
These cars were extremely rust-prone, though this once doesn’t have horrible rot in the usual places. The sun burned the paint off in spots and rain and snow did their work while this car sat in a field or driveway for at least 20 years.
The MSRP on this car was $6,515, or about $24,810 in 2022 dollars. The Volkswagen Dasher (known as the Passat elsewhere at the time) was the 1980 competitor most mechanically similar to the Accord, and it cost $7,790 for a five-door hatchback. Toyota’s Corolla sedan was a bit smaller and its rear-wheel-drive layout gave it a claustrophobia-inducing interior, but you could buy it for just $4,298. Meanwhile, the roomier Chevy Citation compact sedan could be purchased for just $5,378 with a V6 engine.
I think the 51,772 miles showing on this car’s odometer might be the true final mileage reading, because it takes many years for an interior to get this nuked.
As the world is getting bigger, so must Honda.
In its homeland, the Accord was considered a substantial luxury car. Starting with the 1982 model year, many US-market Accords would be built in Ohio.
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Bristol Street Motors’ newly promoted Derby Nissan branch manager has told women starting out on a career in automotive to “just got for it”.
Vikki Brooks has worked her way up through the ranks at the car retail group’s AM100-ranked owner Vertu Motors since starting her career as an apprentice aged 18.
And, after progressing through new and used business car manager and new car sales manager roles into her new position she is keen to inspire a new generation of women to drive their careers forward.
Brooks, who has also graduated from Vertu’s leadership development programme, said: “I am pleased and proud to be leading the team at Bristol Street Motors Derby Nissan.
“The support I have received from management and colleagues during my seven years has been fantastic. I am very grateful to work for a forward-thinking company that values its workforce.
“Within Bristol Street Motors, there are so many opportunities and policies in place to ensure that all colleagues have the work-life balance they need. There’s also fantastic training and development courses available.
“Although still male dominated, the industry is changing rapidly; to any woman who is interested in starting a career in the automotive industry, just go for it.”
Bristol Street Motors’ Nissan dealership on Sir Frank Whittle Road, Derby, was one of the Japanese carmaker’s first franchised dealerships to receive a corporate identity (CI) upgrade recently.
It is part of a network which is embracing electrification with the 2022 introduction of new Juke and Qashqai E-Power hybrids and the Ariya SUV.
Commenting on Brooks’ appointment, Vertu chief executive Robert Forrester said: “We are delighted to have Vikki as our newest branch manager. It’s great to see the growing number of women who want to build a career in the automotive industry, and Vikki has set a great example of what can be achieved, seizing opportunities, and making the most of the company’s support.”
Andrew Humberstone, managing director of Nissan GB, added: “People are the most valuable asset of our company so it’s great to celebrate Vikki’s appointment to her new role and we wish her every success in her career.”
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The media suits typically send a reporter with a camera and mic to get a shot of the gas price on the sign at the station, and then coach some woman—it’s usually a woman, for a sympathetic impression—to say words to the effect that she has to choose between gas and shoes for her kids.
Reacting like Pavlov’s dogs, the American public becomes hysterical about gas prices, and they need someone to blame. It might be the government, which for many is the default bad guy responsible for every vicissitude of life. Or the Arab sheiks, who are not exactly popular. Or Big Oil execs, whose sensitivity to public needs is demonstrated by bragging about how they are giving back to the American people by paying dividends to shareholders at a time of record profits.
No sane American is going to go to bat for Mohammed bin Salman or Vladimir Putin or the CEO of Exxon, and in fact they deserve all the opprobrium they get and more. But why do incensed American consumers go out of their way to add to the incomes of these oligarchs?
People had a choice, and over the years they have opted for larger, less fuel-efficient vehicles. Perhaps they need all those pickups for work: maybe there is a vast number of farmers, ranchers, and contractors out there.
Except there isn’t. According to the Washington Post, “once the auto companies realized the rural market for pickups was saturated, ‘they still needed to sell more trucks. So they really start[ed] to turn to targeting the suburban white man.'” The pickup trucks for this demographic were hardly essential work tools: “75 percent of truck owners use their truck for towing one time a year or less (meaning, never). Nearly 70 percent of truck owners go off-road one time a year or less. And a full 35 percent of truck owners use their truck for hauling…once a year or less.” Among the attributes buyers desired was “to present a tough image.”
Only 70% of Virginians surveyed believe people who consume marijuana are a danger to others when they are behind the wheel.
Photo: Canva
More than one in 10 Virginians have driven at least once a month in the past year after using marijuana, according to a recent survey conducted by Stratacomm.
The consulting firm collected 783 responses from a demographically diverse group of Virginians aged 16 and older. The aim was to explore attitudes and behavior around marijuana usage, specifically as it relates to driving.
The findings are concerning and indicate a lack of knowledge about the dangers of drugged driving. For example, only 26% of respondents said driving under the influence of marijuana was extremely dangerous as compared with nearly half (49%) who said the same about driving after imbibing in alcohol.
Moreover, 70% of those surveyed believe people who consume marijuana are a danger to others when they are behind the wheel. In fact, 30% see a benefit in drugged driving — claiming that marijuana users tend to drive slower and are usually safer drivers.
As for the prevalence of marijuana use in Virginia, the findings showed that nearly half of Virginians, or 46%, have used marijuana — with three in 10 of those using the drug within the past week.
When asked where they used marijuana in the past three months, the majority (85%) said at home. That was followed by someone else’s house (36%), at an outdoor venue (23%), and in my vehicle (22%) — which ranked in fourth place, but ahead of at a bar (11%) or at a concert (8%).
Virginia’s pot users don’t appear to be overly concerned with getting behind the wheel after imbibing. While 54% of users claim they always have a sober ride plan, almost one-quarter — 23% — say they rarely or never have a plan.
The survey indicates the need for educational messaging about the dangers of drugged driving. When asked to choose the most trustworthy source of information about marijuana use and driving, 26% of Virginians chose law enforcement officers.
While 21% cited the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority, only 9% and 8% said they’d trust most in the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and the Virginia Department of Transportation, respectively. Even fewer — a mere 3% — selected schools and teachers as their most trusted source of information on marijuana and driving.
Drugged driving remains a problem and appears to be a growing danger on the nation’s roadways as states continue to legalize recreational marijuana. One study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, for example, found that five states that legalized retail sales saw a 6% increase in injury crash rates.
Buying a luxury vehicle that has been used may be a daunting experience because you truly never know how the previous owners treated it. The entire point of a luxury car is to have the best comfort, ride, and amenities that money can buy.
The only way to ensure that you do not end up with a lemon is to follow the tips for getting the best deal on a used luxury vehicle below, and always make sure that the dealer you are going through understands that you are the one in control of the transaction. If they push too hard, walk away and go to the next dealership on your list.
Mechanic – Always take the prospective car to a reputable mechanic you trust. Even if the car lot employees have gone over the car and made a detailed list of things wrong with it, take it to one that will not be biased in any way.
Lease – Find out if the luxury car you are looking at was returned on an expired lease. These are the best cars to purchase used because, during the time of the leasing contract, the people driving the car would have to repair any issues and not go over the set mileage limits without having to pay some serious amounts of cash to cover them. For the most part, a leased car is the best-used car that money can buy.
Certified – Check around for a dealership that offers precertified preowned cars. This means they have personnel on staff that has gone through an extensive checklist to ensure everything that should be working on the car is. This is an excellent way to ensure you access used luxury vehicles in top shape. Even with this, though, always take the car to a mechanic of your own.
Details – Before you go down to the lot, do some research. Go through a site like consumers report and review the options that you have available to you. Find the one that works best for your needs and has good safety ratings. Go through some of the owner reviews and go down to the car lot you plan to buy the luxury car from, armed with the knowledge to get a bargain.
Use Your Mechanics Review – If the mechanic finds any issues that need to be addressed, you can use them to haggle the price. Many times if the problems are documented by another professional in the area, the salespeople will be willing to knock off some of the price they are asking so you can use that money to make the needed repairs.
Negotiate – Have your best negotiating outfit on because when you go to the car lot, the sticker prices in the window are not set in stone. They are the asking price, but you can almost always negotiate with them to get the price down a little. Never pay the sticker price on a car because it is usually an inflated price because they expect people to try and get it lowered.
Buying a used luxury car is not something you should approach lightly because it is an expensive car that you expect to be in good shape. If you go through a reputable car lot, you should not have any problems, but when you are talking about a used version of any type of car, there could be underlying problems, depending on how the previous owners treated it.
A mechanic can find some of the major issues that may be present, but it is always possible for them to miss something that may show up a couple of months after you buy it. Do the research, get the vehicle checked out, and be prepared to make any repairs that may happen to come up.
Bristol Street Motors’ Nissan dealership on Sir Frank Whittle Road, Derby, was one of the Japanese carmaker’s first franchised dealerships to receive
