I had a chance to buy a car in Germany 5 times. Three times – used cars and twice – new. Comrade’s car moved from Germany to Russia with my help. And I ordered the current vehicle over the Internet at the factory. The experience has been extensive and varied. It’s time to share!
Having decided to buy a car in Germany, a potential buyer chooses from three options: buy a new car through an auto house, buy a used one from a reseller or search for a vehicle from advertisements from private traders.
Buying at an auto house
Buying a new car at a German auto house is simple. In a car dealership you need to point your finger at the model you like and the consultant will “collect” the order on the computer, asking the client for the information necessary for making a purchase. It is not a problem to agree on preliminary testing of the model you like. Auto houses provide potential customers with the opportunity to try a car on the road.
The necessary “filling” in the auto house will rarely be. If we are talking about German or European brands, 99% of orders will go to the factory. The car will be collected and, depending on preferences, taken to the auto house or allowed to pick it up from the manufacturer’s parking lot on your own. The process takes three months. It takes a long time between the order and the actual purchase. The auto house takes care of the registration of the car for a separate fee.
You can buy a new car online by ordering online on the website of an official distributor. So I bought a car from Volkswagen. It turned out to be 15% cheaper compared to the auto house. The choice of models and equipment for online purchase is limited. The manufacturer will send the “stuffed” car to be ordered through the auto house. It is easier to get a typical package. It is necessary to observe the offers on the official sites.
Discounts on the purchase of a new car at a German auto house
Those paying immediately and in cash receive a substantial discount on the full cost of the car. Really achieve a 10% discount or add additional equipment to the standard layout. There may not be enough money on hand. A car loan in a German bank will solve the problem and also a problem is there that is what is cheapest way to ship your car. You should not take a loan through an auto dealer. Then there will be no question of any discount. The seller is unlikely to issue a profitable loan. Auto house consultants are affiliated with certain banks. The choice of offers on the German loan market will certainly be more profitable. I do not recommend taking the offered insurance services together with the loan. It is better to compare insurance options and make a decision after getting more information.
Germans prefer to separate buying a car from taking out a loan. It is more profitable to borrow money for a car via the Internet for the required amount and come to a car dealership with cash. The seller will not know that the buyer has used the loan. It will be easier to get a discount.
In Germany, you can return the car to the seller
The Federal Court of Germany has legalized the return of new cars in which a defect was discovered during operation. If after contacting a car service the problem is not completely resolved, the seller cannot reject the request to replace the car.
The decision was made in the case of a Bavarian who bought a new BMW car in 2012 for 38,000 euros. Soon after the purchase of the car system, a warning was repeatedly shown: the clutch was overheated, the driver had to stop to let it cool down.
When, after several visits to the workshop, the warnings did not disappear, the man complained about replacing the car with a new vehicle to a car dealer. The latter refused, citing the fact that the clutch safely cooled while driving.
The plaintiff then went to the Regional Court of Nuremberg-Furth, which dismissed the claim. The Bavarian filed an appeal with the Supreme Court of the federal state. And here the solution turned out to be completely different: a car, the electronics of which constantly urges the driver to stop and wait for a long time without appropriate reason, “is not suitable for everyday use as a means of transportation.”
The case went to the German Supreme Court, which finally delivered a positive decision.
Purchase from car dealers
Buying a car from the factory is an expensive pleasure. After 3 years of operation, the vehicle in Germany loses 40% of the price. And on German roads, cars run for a long time. Novice drivers can use the option of buying a used car from their hands or from a used car dealer – Händler.
A seller, or rather a reseller, of used cars is an entrepreneur who buys or takes out private cars for sale. There are a lot of handlers in Germany. In the vicinity of the city, in the industrial zones, parking lots of used cars for dozens of places are visible. The Germans thus get rid of the broken cars. After an accident or collision, a car in Germany loses much value. When it not profitable to repair the car or you don’t want to, the car is sold to the handler. He fixes, washes and resells the vehicle with his own guarantee. In the event of a breakdown through no fault of the new owner, the handler makes repairs under warranty.
Buying a car from a handler will not be difficult. Sequence of actions: come to the parking lot, choose a car, conduct a test drive, bargain, pay money, pick up the purchase. By agreement, the handler drives the car to the specified address, supplying his own transit numbers in red.
Handler guarantee
Russian-speaking residents call a handler’s guarantee in Germany 2 concepts. Switching to German terminology solves the problem.
– guarantee . The law obliges the entrepreneur who resells the vehicle to provide a two-year guarantee to the buyer. What included in the depends on the date of manufacture of the car, mileage and other characteristics. The earlier the year of issue and the more mileage, the less the coverage of the surety. In the event of a breakdown, the customer has to check whether the covers the repair. If it turns out that it covers, then the handler pays for the repair.
Guarantee is a guarantee , an additional marketing ploy that distinguishes Auto handler from a private trader. What included in the guarantee, the validity period, the amount of payment, the entrepreneur comes up with himself as a measure to attract a client.
Entrepreneurs are not averse to “homestays” from the guarantee by entering ornate phrases into the purchase contract. But at least two years of warranty repairs when buying a car from a handler in Germany is established by law. Refuse to buy a car if the dealer avoids confirming the guarantee. It is pointless to insist on guarantees.
Buying a car in Germany from a private person
The price of a car from an entrepreneur and a private owner differs by several hundred euros. The handler spends time and resources on repairs and cleaning, plus he wants to make money. Buying a used car in Germany at a reasonable price means looking for ads from private owners. It is logical to start searching on the Internet. The ad contains a phone number. You should contact the seller and see the car. Advertisements in local newspapers and on blackboards in large shopping centers are outdated, but older Germans continue to use them.
When buying a car hand-held, a private buy / sell contract required. A sample can found on the Auto scout. It assumed that the seller takes care of the printing of the contract on his own. In Germany, there is a law: in the first six months, the seller of the car is responsible for the sold car. If it turns out that the seller has received the buyer, for example, by not informing that the car “broken” or by not mentioning a known breakdown, you will have to return some of the money back.
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