Buying a scooter

Yes, thats right folks you heard it here first.

I am planning on buying a scooter to be able to commute to my work and back.
I want a cheap but new scooter so the warranty and all that gubbins is there.

I have chosen a Piaggio Zip 100 which retails at 1299.
My question is this: When we all buy a car or bike from new, there a degree of haggling to be had by a few hundred quid or even a grand if your lucky on the asking price as the salesmen has so much he can knock off before he starts to make a loss.

Ie: Car New £9999, Car is worth 7500, so there is about 1500 the salesman has in profit which he can lower if it means a sale.

Then how much can a salesman roughly remove off the asking price of a 1300 quid scooter?? Would it be a matter of pennies, few pounds or a few hundred quid?

Yeah I did exactly the same thing. I live about 2 miles (max) from where I work and most of my journey is through town, so a 50cc unrestricted phut phut works perfectly !! £3.46 brims the tank and lasts 6 weeks and £15 p.a. to tax it !! - virtually free transport (in this day and age !!??) that gets me to work through the traffic quicker and and SV or even a fireblade for that matter.
I bought a Piaggio NRG from e bay for £500 and never looked back !!
Discounts ? Get what you can there's plenty out there after your hard earned cash !!

[BillyC]

Originally Posted by DanDare

Then how much can a salesman roughly remove off the asking price of a 1300 quid scooter?? Would it be a matter of pennies, few pounds or a few hundred quid?

I would guess a little, but probably not much - £100 may be.

But you have to ask yourself, why should he? If he's not going to make a living by selling the bike to you, then he might as well not bother - the next person through the door will probably be happy to pay the marked price. I shouldn't think servicing costs on scoots are worth much.

Originally Posted by Banus

I live about 2 miles (max) from

Did you not think about cycling? Even more free!

Haggling, ooo, err. Is there a right way? However, if you don't ask, you don't get. As long as you're giving the right signals ("I really want to buy this bike from you"), don't be afraid to make a silly offer and work from there. Make your mind up what you want to pay and if you can't get near it, don't be afraid to walk. Most salesmen don't like to miss a sale for the sake of a few quids, partuclarly at the end of a month (check the date...). I'm not an expert and if I wanted a scooter (heaven forbid :P ), I'd probably tell him I was willing to pay £900, with a year's tax, a full tank of petrol and the first service for free. Oh and a new pair of boots and gloves thrown in. So, he'll say no, and hopefully then come back with a counter offer, and so it goes on. If he says, "£1299, that's the price", say "cheerio". But that's me.

Originally Posted by BillyC

I would guess a little, but probably not much - £100 may be.

But you have to ask yourself, why should he? If he's not going to make a living by selling the bike to you, then he might as well not bother - the next person through the door will probably be happy to pay the marked price. I shouldn't think servicing costs on scoots are worth much.

What BillyC said, except you also have to think that sales people have to meet a certain quota.

With that in mind, go shopping around the middle of the month, ask questions, get your face seen in a few shops and get them to know you're interested in buying a new machine. Don't buy anything though, unless the sales people are stupid & make an incredible offer to keep you walking out the door.

Come back towards the end of the month, with enough cash to pay the asking price outright. This is when the sales quota's usually start hitting home, and the managers are on their back. Also, you'll be buying at the end of summer time, when sales are traditionally low.

If I were in your situation, I'd be asking them what their best offer is, then offering them something below that & stating you'll be paying in the hard stuff. Their 'best offer' is usally pretty far from it.

At the end of the day, if the price isn't to your liking, walk. Obviously they need to get paid, but they can cut their commision to make a sale, and they get a basic wage before commision anyway. Don't feel guilty about bartering a deal.

My brother swapped his car not long ago, for the exact same model, but 2years newer. He did it as his wife was expecting a baby, and wanted more than two doors. He went to the dealership he bought the car from, and started off with a £15k asking price and a £8k 'generous offer' from the dealer for his wheels. He haggled, they wouldn't play ball, so he walked. He got to the edge of the forecourt and got called back. He ended up giving them the keys to his car, and £1500. He drove the new car away that day.

And yes, I've worked in sales, granted not bike sales, but it's all the same game.

[timwilky]

For 2 miles, I would rather jog it, than be seen dead on a scooter.

Oh the shame of even contemplating riding a fart powered bean can. Get a proper bike.

Originally Posted by timwilky

For 2 miles, I would rather jog it, than be seen dead on a scooter.

Oh the shame of even contemplating riding a f*rt powered bean can. Get a proper bike.

I agree with that in principal, but if they were willing to sell me a sccoter with free kit included, and a very illegally tinted visor, all for £5, I'd think seriously about it.

Thanks for all the replies.

I think some said it correctly that at such a small amount its sometimes not worth the hassle, but knocking anything off it or including something like a helmet or alike would be an added bonus.

I suppose unless you try, you'll never know.

I was aiming to get it at the end of Sept hoping then they might be down on their sales target.

For the record the scooter is for me to be able to go at a moments notice when I start on Duty for the Retained Fire Service next month. I live and work just over a mile from the station but the route in both ways is always full of traffic. I need to be able to nip in and out to get to the station on time on a shout.

If I use the car, I risk getting stuck in traffic, plus it leaves the misssus without a motor. A push bike is just that little too long. The SV isn't practical for that sort of use.

Originally Posted by timwilky

For 2 miles, I would rather jog it, than be seen dead on a scooter.

Oh the shame of even contemplating riding a f*rt powered bean can. Get a proper bike.

I think he has!