General > General Technical Chat
Is it difficult to buy a car in Australia?
Halcyon:
--- Quote from: VK5RC on September 29, 2018, 08:27:58 pm ---Cadogan's 'job' is 'selling' youtube videos plus his car retailing side business. He is a car seller so he is also 'your enemy'.
--- End quote ---
I'm not sure if it was an attempt at a joke (context doesn't always translate well over text) but just to be clear, John Cadogan isn't a car salesman, he's a journalist. He makes the same money off his services regardless if you buy a BMW or Volvo, or choose to opt for a Ford Mustang death-trap, a Subaru shitbox or a Mercedes Benz with defective AWD.
He is very much bang-for-buck but that doesn't cloud his judgement if something is faulty, dangerous, defective or under-engineered, you can't polish a turd (so to speak). The majority of his target audience are wanting a decent car which ticks a lot of boxes for the lowest possible price. They generally aren't the people buying high-end, luxury vehicles.
Many of his videos are what I would call basic "common knowledge" when it comes to vehicle servicing and repairs, such as, how to tighten wheel nuts or how not to mistreat your AWD system. So many people just don't understand the basics.
sokoloff:
--- Quote from: razberik on September 29, 2018, 06:22:18 pm ---What :o The entire process with negotiating price is totally strange to me.
In place where I live, the cars have their prices on stickers like anything else - milk or bread in grocery or washing machine in electronics store.
I can open car brand website, configure the vehicle with desired options, print this configuration with calculated price and bring it to the dealer - I receive it and the price is final.
--- End quote ---
Well, there are window stickers and prices here, too, but I’ve never paid anywhere close to the sticker price on the two new cars I’ve bought in my life. So, if you want to make it easy and don’t care how much you pay, you can surely buy a car like it just has a price and you pay that or don’t get the car. You’ll also likely pay thousands more than I would for the same end result.
Brumby:
--- Quote from: sokoloff on September 30, 2018, 12:01:03 am ---
--- Quote from: razberik on September 29, 2018, 06:22:18 pm ---What :o The entire process with negotiating price is totally strange to me.
In place where I live, the cars have their prices on stickers like anything else - milk or bread in grocery or washing machine in electronics store.
I can open car brand website, configure the vehicle with desired options, print this configuration with calculated price and bring it to the dealer - I receive it and the price is final.
--- End quote ---
Well, there are window stickers and prices here, too, but I’ve never paid anywhere close to the sticker price on the two new cars I’ve bought in my life. So, if you want to make it easy and don’t care how much you pay, you can surely buy a car like it just has a price and you pay that or don’t get the car. You’ll also likely pay thousands more than I would for the same end result.
--- End quote ---
This is where cultural differences can play a part. If you come from an environment where haggling is an alien concept, then trying to do so will be rather offensive. Alternatively, if you come from an environment where it is expected - and you don't - then the vendor may feel guilty and give you something extra. (I saw this in a video I watched last night). In Australia, it's not all that common in formal retail settings - but for big ticket items, it is not unexpected.
When criticising people on taking or not taking certain approaches in various situations, we must be careful to consider such differences.
Halcyon:
--- Quote from: Brumby on September 30, 2018, 03:43:54 am ---This is where cultural differences can play a part. If you come from an environment where haggling is an alien concept, then trying to do so will be rather offensive. Alternatively, if you come from an environment where it is expected - and you don't - then the vendor may feel guilty and give you something extra. (I saw this in a video I watched last night). In Australia, it's not all that common in formal retail settings - but for big ticket items, it is not unexpected.
When criticising people on taking or not taking certain approaches in various situations, we must be careful to consider such differences.
--- End quote ---
Absolutely. For example "tipping" in Australia isn't all that common (or expected). The most common place to tip someone is at a restaurant, but by that stage, you're probably well "lubricated" and don't mind anyway.
I've never tipped anyone at a hotel or similar, nor have I felt the need to.
sokoloff:
--- Quote from: Brumby on September 30, 2018, 03:43:54 am ---
--- Quote from: sokoloff on September 30, 2018, 12:01:03 am ---
--- Quote from: razberik on September 29, 2018, 06:22:18 pm ---What :o The entire process with negotiating price is totally strange to me.
In place where I live, the cars have their prices on stickers like anything else - milk or bread in grocery or washing machine in electronics store.
I can open car brand website, configure the vehicle with desired options, print this configuration with calculated price and bring it to the dealer - I receive it and the price is final.
--- End quote ---
Well, there are window stickers and prices here, too, but I’ve never paid anywhere close to the sticker price on the two new cars I’ve bought in my life. So, if you want to make it easy and don’t care how much you pay, you can surely buy a car like it just has a price and you pay that or don’t get the car. You’ll also likely pay thousands more than I would for the same end result.
--- End quote ---
This is where cultural differences can play a part. If you come from an environment where haggling is an alien concept, then trying to do so will be rather offensive. Alternatively, if you come from an environment where it is expected - and you don't - then the vendor may feel guilty and give you something extra. (I saw this in a video I watched last night). In Australia, it's not all that common in formal retail settings - but for big ticket items, it is not unexpected.
When criticising people on taking or not taking certain approaches in various situations, we must be careful to consider such differences.
--- End quote ---
I don't believe I levied criticism in the text above.
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