I am considering buying a new car from a local Lausanne dealership (e.g. Garage) and wanted to know if anyone can advise on whether the sticker price should be negotiated or taken "as is"? In the U.S., the way you approach this issue is on a dealer by dealer basis. It is not a secret which dealers price "as is" which do not.

Thanks!

The sticker price can usually be negotiated, but you'll get a better deal getting extras included in the price on the window, eg, sat nav, tinted windows, alloys, dvd player etc.

Thanks for the response.

I should have asked this in my original question but are there any websites that help to inform a buyer of the dealer cost? In the U.S. sites like www.edmunds.com provide this kind of info.

http://www.autoscout24.ch/

I asked my local VW dealer 'what he could offer' and he said 10% off all new VWs and 5% off new Audis....

I just bought a new Gallardo, dealer offered me 4% off without even asking...so I'd say discounts definately to be had whatever car you're buying

I think it depends on the garage. When we bought our Skoda, we told them we were paying cash and asked what kind of deal they could do. We received 4% discount, 'extras' and a mini Skoda bobby car for our son. Plus they gave us a great price for our trade in.

I own an apartment in Canton Bern and spend some time here and some in the Uk.If I buy a car here and register it on a Swiss reg.plate can anyone tell me if I would be allowed to drive it back and forth from Switzerland to the Uk.
As it would be registered in Switzerland I assume there would be no duty/vat payable in the UK ???
Don't know how long the Swiss insurance would be valid in the UK.
Any ideas please.

It depends what "some time" is...

A friend purchase a pretty hot BMW in Switzerland a few years ago ( he owned an apartment in the Vaud and was currently living in it) and tried to drive it back to the UK to see his parents. He was stopped at French customs on leaving Switzerland, his papers examined, and asked to pay TVA tax on the car. He refused and was then told if he drove off into the night he would be stopped by the French police and the car impounded. He tried to explain he was returning to Switzerland in a week and was willing to leave a credit card as security but the Custom's officer just laughed at him. In the end he had to turn round and go back to his Swiss home.

He was later told by a Solicitor in Geneva that he could have succeeded if he had had the correct papers but it would have cost him a lot of money toget them prepared. He suspected it was not worth it!

It also depends on your residential status in the UK. If you are a UK resident then VAT AND Duty will apply as soon as you hit british soil.

One other thing to check out is whether your employer has any kind of fleet discount. If you work for a big company then this is quite likely and dependent on your rank within the company you could qualify. As an example if you work for CS or UBS you will get between 8 and 15% off practically any reasonable make of car...

Unfortunately it doesn't cover extras like spoilers.

Not unless they come as standard, ie Porsche Turbo

As a semi-professional racing driver who also does some part-time modelling, I would't be seen dead with any spoiler lower than 1 metre.