General: Buying an XC90 This week

[Patrick lince]

Having been deliberating purchasing an XC90 and having just lost my trusty Citroen in an insurance write off due to the recent floods, we decided upon buying an XC90 D5 SE Geartronic with Winter pack and metallic paint.

Our local dealer was able to source one this week and quoted £34,900.

I tried the usual brokers such as Drive the deal who although quoting good prices were unable to get their hands on a vehicle.

I eventually posted a requirement on www.autoebid.com whereby I commited to buying a car at a reserve price of £32,154 and the aution price of £377 should I get a bid that matched my exact requirements and price. This is a simple reverse auction where dealers bid to get your business within a designated time frame, in my case 2 days!!!

I stipulated a 2008MY D5 SE Geartronic in shadow blue for immediate delivery. Ionly added winter pack as an option. I did not expect to be sucessful but as the process wouldn't cost me anything if not , I had nothing to lose.

On the first day I had three bids including a bid at the exact price and spec, but titanium grey instead of my prefered colour. I still have today to see how the auction pans out but if nothing else comes up I will definately take the car offered.

I am very happy with the autoebid site and considering my request for immediate delivery I am very happy with the price achieved so far, with possible further reductions today.

Hopefully I will be an XC90 owner within the week. I will post updates on how things progress with the purchase for the information of any other prospective purchasers.

[Patrick lince]

Latest update today of a further bid by a dealer for the exact match of my requirement, available in three weeks.......price is £30, 855 plus autoebid fee of £362.55 which gives me the car at £31217.55.

[Patrick lince]

My local dealer has now come back to me and having advised him of the price I have been given, has got within £20 of the quoted price, which is £3,600 less than the price quoted to me on Sunday when I was assured that there was no way they could go any cheaper!!!!!!

[Patrick lince]

Bought the car priced at £31,217, including the Autoebid fee. Within half an hour of clicking on the 'proceed' button I had a call from Mill Garages of Sunderland confirming my order, arranging for registration and insurance details etc and advising me of a delivery date in approximately ten days time. They were very helpful and I had not realised that the price quoted was including delivery via transporter to my door.

The process was painless, the Autoebid site easy to use and risk free in that if my requirements were not met, I didn't have to pay anything.

I would thoroughly recommend the site and the service which has given me a discount on list price of about £6,800.

[Patrick lince]

Well a week on from my last post and my car arrives at my home address in the morning. All arrangements have gone smoothly and the whole process from first placing my requirement to receiving my car has been 11 days, which I think is splendid.

Many of the regular users in this forum have assisted me in making an informed decision to purchase an XC90 and to you all I am extremely grateful.

I shall place some pics of my (ooops our) new pride and joy in due course.

[Patrick lince]

Here is my adorable XC90 just after this afternoons wash and polish, I hope I have worked this right as I am a bit of a dinosaur with the digital camera!!!

[T5R+]

Patrick

Thanks for the useful insight - will try it in a few weeks time when looking for a replacement V70.