I do it whenever I can when I buy something private or for business. There are several strategies depending on the type of shops (large retail chain vs. privately owned shop):
- Keep the price but get something more for free: winter tyres with the car, or several packs of DVD when buying a DVD-burner
- I bought a nice designer table + 6 chairs: negociated 25% discount if paid in cash.
- Item on display should be always 10-15% less than a brand new one in original package.
- for second hand cars I give preference to private seller, I avoid dealers. Possibility to haggle is much higher.

In reference to haggling for cars etc., I fully agree that it seems that dealers are definitely positioning themselves to haggle from the asking price. They probably have an amazing day, when somebody doesn't haggle. Through my work here in Zurich, and through lots of others I am sure, fleet discounts are available (private buyer, just discounts offered to staff) - and to put this into some perspective.... they give 14% off all new BMW models, 11% (I think) of VW models, and even up to 30% of some models of Citroen.... along with many other random percentages for other models and temporary offers here and there. My colleague went armed with this "fleet discount" offer, and the dealer even offered him slightly MORE off not to do it through the work offer, clearly he didn't make out of it quite as well as he could do himself.
You don't get if you don't ask.

Hello


Does anyone know what the invoice prices (what the dealer pays) for cars here in CH? I want to try to go into a dealer with more information than I have right now. Is there an equivalent of Edmunds (USA site) that has all the details?

http://www.edmunds.com/new-cars/




regards

The more I look into this - the more I find that new stock of used cars - has bugger all haggle room over here.

New cars - yes - plenty of space
Used cars (new stock) - nope
Used cars (old stock) - some haggling.

I know this is an old post but will continue here anyway

Reading through the haggling advice but no where does it mention how long the car has been advertised for will have an impact?

Looking at Comparis.ch one can see for how long cars have been advertised, unless removed and re-entered!

I can also see that in some instances a price was first set to e.g. CHF 26'500 (Porsche 996) and a week later up to CHF 29'500. Is this in fact an invitation to haggle or could it just be a honest mistake? I have seen quite a few of these going up and down a few CHF 1'000s so in my mind it must mean that the seller is showing some willingness to strike a deal?!?!

Well I'm not sure if that's true. I have been haggling a bit over the purchase of a car, and the dealers I've spoken to have chosen to not reply to my emails. And its not that my offers are unreasonable, but they won't even say "no we can't do that". I'm thinking they could be playing a trick and testing my patience thinking that I'm going to end up taking on their initial offer, but considering today's economical environment, I'm surprised that dealers are not trying a little more to make a sale. Who knows, perhaps they are selling like crazy and making loads of money, but whenever I go to the dealerships they barely do anything aside from giving you a catalog.

My daughter just bought her first new car, a new Hyundai i30 and beat the garage down by almost 8000€'s.
So haggling works, or maybe fluttering eyelids, anyway I am gonna let her haggle for my next car.

Thought the brand new Hyundai i30 only costs 8000€.. so you got the car for free?

Exactly.

Nope, around twenty.

Yeah. I think a few Swiss people do think all foreigners are rich, and should pay premium rates for everything just for being allowed in the country. Obviously many foreigners *are* rich but that's no excuse for this behaviour.

My husband did some haggling over a new car (reimported) and got it down a few thousand franks. It seemed to be culturally perfectly acceptable.

I just confirmed that it is perfectly acceptable to haggle.... don't know if there's a difference between the Swiss German speaking side and the French speakers, but I'm trying to buy a new car in Bern, and the dealer just sent me a response with a counteroffer after leaving me on the dark for 2 days.... funny thing is that he emailed me the counteroffer on Sunday! Thought nobody worked on Sundays!

Some input from me: went to a dealer to see a used car. Although I won't buy the car (due to the fact that the oil level was below minimum for who knows how long and the engine sounded like a diesel) I tried to haggle about the price. I got exactly zero off! The guy wouldn't budge on the price or throwing in something for the same price at least, even after I told him that I'd already seen newer cars priced lower (same make and model).

This particular car has been sitting in his lot for almost a year now, so I thought the timing was good for haggling, but I guess depreciation is an unknown concept here?..

the best way to haggle is to leave the showroom floor and have a Russian friend come in immediately afterward to look at the same car, just leave your handy on and wait for the call from the salesperson.

I went to a shop near Luzern (run by a Swiss owner) to buy a BMC 2012 SL01 race bike with Ultegra Di2. They discounted it by 20% but I know they could do more. It was tagged down to 3599chf. I asked if that was their best price and they said yes.

Today I went to a more local store, and asked about the same bike. I got the very last one, identical to the one I saw yesterday, but for 3219chf. Big difference. I am always prepared to walk away on big ticket items.

I'll try this on the next one, I actually have one russian friend. Might even spice it up with some polish friends while I'm at it.

How is the electronic gear system? Can it be used on a flat-handlebar bike? My research (ie google) suggests not.

We got a 500ch reduction and winter tyres for our reduction when we bought our car. We mentioned that we would pay in cash, the guy hesitated and then whooppee!! Anyhow, I have a Sony car stereo to sell if anyone is interested,
willing to negotiate, potential buyers can haggle

It is awesome..amazingly precise, quick, robust and no cable stretch. The battery is good for around 2000km. Unfortunately the system hasn't been adapted for flat-bars yets.

Just saw another car I wanted to buy from a private seller a few months ago. The car was in ok shape, however there was a strange noise coming from the cambelt area so that'd probably have to be done. The seller was asking 15k at the time, I proposed him 14k because of the upcoming service and cambelt, which he declined.

Now the car is being sold online by a dealer for 13k...makes you wonder how much the original seller got for it. I guess he should've taken my 14k