buying from a dealer..
For many who have had bad experiences in the past, the used car dealer
resides just above double glazing salesmen and estate agents in the All Time List of
Bad Guys, and in some cases rightly so. However in the motor trade, as in all aspects of
commerce, there are good and bad operators. Nowadays where the customer is king, a garage
with a bad reputation will struggle to survive. The best tip is to go on personal
recommendation. If you keep hearing good things about a particular dealer then the chances
are you too will be properly looked after. Conversely one horror story from a mate doesn't
necessarily mean a particular garage is the devil's spawn either. Membership of one of the
trade organisations can also be an indication of a garage's professionalism, but it is
definitely not a guarantee. Check out the MVRA (Motor Vehicle Repairers Association) for
example, who operate a fair arbitration service between customer and garage, for when the
deal goes completely pear shaped.
Yes, by buying from a used car specialist you are giving a deserving cause a
modest(!) profit, but there are many other advantages in buying from a dealer - such as
extended choice, part
exchange facilities, HPI checks, finance and warranties. Most importantly the consumer
does have some form of redress if things go awry. This position is a positive luxury
compared with the buyer's exposure when buying privately or at an auction.
A good tip is to check out the way the cars are presented on the dealer's
forecourt. Are they clean inside and out? Did it start first time or was the battery flat?
Flat tyres and wheel trims damaged or missing are all indicators that the dealer doesn't
have a huge amount of pride in his stock. If the garage can't even get basic preparation
right - then take your money elsewhere.
And don't think that you will get a better car at at bigger dealer. You may get a
broader choice but sadly with some of the large dealer groups I could mention the only
professional element is the advertising. Don't ignore the smaller operator - you will
probably get a better welcome from a guy who relies on 20 to 30 nicely prepared cars on
his pitch for his livelihood - not to mention a better car.
But after all this if you are still unsure, then take along a mate who has some
mechanical knowledge to check out your choice. Or better still get an independent
mechanical check of the type carried out by the AA, RAC or Green Flag. It's not too
expensive, it could save you a fortune and if the dealer is straight and/or confident in
his stock, he won't be too alarmed.
Finally please remember, wherever you buy from - if a deal seems just
too good to be true - then it probably is.
If you are of a sceptical
disposition or just don't believe anything written by a car salesman then check out those
squeaky clean people at the Office of Fair Trading. Their web site can be found at www.oft.gov.uk/html/cars/home.htm
and they are duty bound not to tell fibs.
