How much are the Options? Xenon and GPS in particular?

[Corey_R]

thanks for the advice, though i must say my situation is a bit different.

i already have a driveaway price of 38500 for the base car (corp+ discount and some haggling)

Sorry if this offends you, but your situation is not different and Buzy_Robot's reply was correct.

Whilst you may have already negotiated a driveaway price of 38500, you now wish to change the configuration of the car. So your driveaway price negotiated is now invalid.

Margins of individual options vary. The margin would also vary per dealer, as each are franchises who have their own operating costs. In addition, since the options are applied at the factory and fitted as part of the "new car sale", the government doesn't view them as "options". They're part of the sale cost of the car and therefore are subject to applicable duties and taxes - including Luxury Car Tax (not applicable in your situation) and stamp duty - applicable here.

So as others have already said, don't focus on the individual option cost but the overall driveaway price.

This is especially the case if you're talking cars in stock. Cars with desireable options (and option combinations) are easier for the dealer to sell as they're in higher demand. People who aren't willing to wait 6 months for a car to be custom built will pay closer to full retail etc. So they are less likely to discount on that, to try and balance out for the discounts they do make for other customers, especially those who do wait the 6 months for specific orders.

Anyway... there are lots of threads just like this one scattered around the forums. Different cars, different options, but you'll find the advice from most people is the same... as per Buzy_Robot's reply.

[kimmik]

yeah i remember reading that article. it did mention that the AU dealers/mainoffices have very high markup, presumably due to low volume sales.

personally i dont think 30% off is a crazy idea - thats how i approach my negotiations. there's no such thing as too much discount! that's how i got the 1k off the corp+ discount. they blabbed on about how i'm being too greedy and i should think of the poorer people who are more deserving of the passat (serious...). i said, the corp+ discount is the price i can get from anywhere, at anytime, like an RRP, so if they wanted my business, they'd have to do better.

and voila, a couple of phonecalls later, 1k off.

my point is, despite what looks like a reasonable deal, e.g. $200 off the satnav, the dealers are trying to make you think its cheaper than it actually is. so when they make me think its cheap enough to send them broke, i'll ask for either time, or more discount.

i will never wholly accept the high AU price and just buy. if the markup is suspiciously high, even if others have paid more than the offer, i'll probably walk away.

[kleung]

thanks champ pmed you back. i suspected the gps wouldn't be so popular, having read about ppl installing it themselves for less than 1k instead of 2.5k lol

There's a surprising number of Passats going around with the nav unit fitted. And it is possible to get the RNS510 fitted yourself for significantly less than what VW are asking for it. A new RNS510 unit with the latest firmware and map data can be had from ebay for around the $1k mark. From there, as I understand it, it's more or less a plug and play thing. Pop out the existing RCD510, stick in the new RNS510. Then you need someone with access to a VAG-COM cable to make the appropriate software changes to enable integration with the MFD.

For that reason, I wouldn't get too hung up on the pricing of the nav option.

Xenons are a very expensive option - but they DO come with a nifty active cornering feature. They're not the brightest ones I've used though - the HID low beams on my previous Accord Euro were noticeably better.

[kimmik]

you'll find the advice from most people is the same... as per Buzy_Robot's reply.

that may be true, but only because no one here actually knows what the options cost to the dealer. no one could give any specific help regarding buying a vehicle with options.

i will take buzy-r and your advice, but as i said earlier, knowing the bottom price for these options will be the greatest help.

now that i have an idea of the bottom price on the basic car, suppose i know it costs the dealer 2k for the xenon lights, i could push for 2.2k on top of the base car's negotiated price.

i'm aware of the whole supply vs demand situation, where popular options may sell with higher margin than less popular options.

the more you know about running and cost break down of the purchase, the more bargaining power you have. there is no two way about that. this is ultimately the reason i made the original post. i suppose if no one really knows the bottom prices for these options, i will go back to the normal workup method, of pitting dealers against each other on the vehicle as a whole.



BTW thanks VAG N, got your second pm

[kimmik]

Xenons are a very expensive option - but they DO come with a nifty active cornering feature. They're not the brightest ones I've used though - the HID low beams on my previous Accord Euro were noticeably better.

i see. i'll check them out before committing to buy. will also check out the peugeot 508's satnav/xenons.

[VAG newbie]

they blabbed on about how i'm being too greedy and i should think of the poorer people who are more deserving of the passat (serious...).

i will never wholly accept the high AU price and just buy. if the markup is suspiciously high, even if others have paid more than the offer, i'll probably walk away.

That's funny! Did you tell them "yes, I am the poor guy who deserves a Passat, so that's why you need to give me more discount"?

Yes, walk away is the key. I guess it depends on how much you love the car. A lot of people, especially females, just can't hide their emotion and many are willing to pay RRP for the car. I know some one paid full RRP for a Camry! White one!

That's why I use car broker now, I always thought I was a good negotiator, but if it's a car I really love....the dealer can really see it through me.....sigh~~~

[Corey_R]

that may be true, but only because no one here actually knows what the options cost to the dealer. no one could give any specific help regarding buying a vehicle with options

Knowing how much the car, or the options, cost to the dealer is not relevant. Because you also don't know how much their land rates are, their telephone, gas, electricity bills. Maintenance, marketing costs, insurance, etc etc etc. Nor how much all of their wages are. Nor is that any of our business.

But the point is. The actual cost of the cars isn't the only factor in the costs of doing business.

[kimmik]

Knowing how much the car, or the options, cost to the dealer is not relevant.

you might find this a little offensive but.... you must be joking.

i appreciate you're the moderator, and i will give you credit for your experience, but that is the single most important piece of information you can have, when purchasing something!

its not the ONLY information you can have... never claimed that

maybe we can compromise on this brawl. i'll change my question to: "whats the lowest anyone has paid for a passat with these options?"

[Corey_R]

you might find this a little offensive but.... you must be joking.

i appreciate you're the moderator, and i will give you credit for your experience, but that is the single most important piece of information you can have, when purchasing something!

its not the ONLY information you can have... never claimed that

No, I'm not joking at all. Read the rest of my post. What good is knowing how much a dealer paid for options when you don't know how much the rest of their business costs are? It won't help you make an informed decision AT ALL. Therefore, it's not relevant.

[kimmik]

you must spend with a different approach to me. it may not be relevant to you, but it is relevant to me. i dont have much more to say.