DEATH OF THE SALESMAN?
NO-haggle car sales are coming to a host of manufacturers within the next two years. Alfa Romeo and DS have already set a timeline for their introduction in mid-2023, and Volkswagen, Mercedes, Audi and Volvo are also looking to make the switch next year to a new way of selling their models.
Why the change? It’s because a slew of brands are switching from the traditional franchised dealership model to one called an agency agreement, which will in effect ensure there’s a single, fixed price across all dealers, whether they are showroom-based or online.
Buying a new car should be a simple task, but in reality it’s often very far from that once you get beyond the shortlist. Finding out how much a car will cost you is the first big hurdle. Yes, there are manufacturer recommended list prices, but almost every private new-car buyer uses one sort of finance scheme or another and thinks more about the monthly payment than the headline cost of the car. After all, what does it matter if a vehicle’s list price is £29,999, when all
