Purchasing a car from a dealer that isn't local - options?

[Dan 80]

Hi all,

I'm after a bit of advice from anyone that may have been in the same situation as myself.

Short story is that I'm looking at buying a BMW approved 1 series coupe. I went to my local dealer yesterday who didn't have anything suitable in stock but they said that they could source me a car from another dealer within their 'group'. They have found a car at another dealers which looked ok so I have arranged to have a test drive of a similar car tomorrow at my local dealer and subject to that being ok and the numbers being right they will sell me the car and get it delivered to their premises.

All of this sounded fine until I did a bit more research tonight and have found another car - exactly the same spec as the one they showed me but a thousand pounds cheaper with 13,000 less miles. The problem is that this car is based in Leeds (I'm in South Wales) and is not part of my local dealers 'group'

Does this then mean that if I want the car it is going to mean a 500 round trip to Leeds? If this is the only option then I'll have to do it but I have a couple of questions:

• Is there no way of getting BMW to get the Leeds car to South Wales? I am presuming because of the dealer franchises being different they won't play ball even though all I am trying to do is by the best car available from BMW UK?

• If I do have to go to Leeds can it all be sorted out in 1 trip? If I phone the dealer, agree a price etc and tell them I'll be up on x date and provided the car looks and drives ok (which it should do if it is BMW approved) then I'll drive it away that day or does it not work like this? Do they need time to 'prep' the car which they won't do unless it is sold?

Apologies for the long post but like I said if anyone has been in a similar situation (or works for BMW) and can advise then I would be most grateful.

Thanks,

Dan

[xreyuk]

You'll have to go to Leeds. Most places like to do a service before they let the car go, but you could explain the situation and they might do one before you get there. Or, just tell them you want to take the car immediately.

[E31Shrew]

Few years ago I bought a car from a Reg Vardy in Sunderland. I live in Shrewsbury, so a fair distance away. Had an XK8 to trade in so gave him a pretty good description of the car and then met him about 50 miles away and swapped over. All very painless. Have you called the dealer in Leeds?
I do some deliveries for MINI now and often deliver over 250 miles away, when they've been bought online.

[SLCZ3]

Test drive a "similar car" how does that convince you that the "real" car is suitable???

[Dan 80]

SLCZ3 said:

Test drive a "similar car" how does that convince you that the "real" car is suitable???

It doesn't but having never driven this particular model of car it may convince me that the "real" car is not suitable at all. I wouldn't buy the real car without a test drive but I'm coming from a 2 litre petrol 5 door hatchback in to a 2 litre diesel 2 door coupe. After test driving the similar car I may hate it and it might be back to the drawing board..

Thanks for all the replies - looks like a trip to Leeds is my only option which is a bit annoying but will be worth it in the end I suppose..

[Snowboy]

SLCZ3 said:

Test drive a "similar car" how does that convince you that the "real" car is suitable???

From a BMW dealership a 2 year old 320 with options XYZ and 20k miles will be 99% the same as any other 320 with options XYZ and 20k miles.

Their quality control is pretty damned good, and any problems with the car will be fixed up to and including replacing worn seats, wheels, and body panels.

You do pay a premium from a BMW dealership, but the car you receive really is as good as new.

So, test driving a car in one dealer and ordering from another is quite sensible.

[UnderTheRadar]

Snowboy said:

SLCZ3 said:

Test drive a "similar car" how does that convince you that the "real" car is suitable???

From a BMW dealership a 2 year old 320 with options XYZ and 20k miles will be 99% the same as any other 320 with options XYZ and 20k miles.

Their quality control is pretty damned good, and any problems with the car will be fixed up to and including replacing worn seats, wheels, and body panels.

You do pay a premium from a BMW dealership, but the car you receive really is as good as new.

So, test driving a car in one dealer and ordering from another is quite sensible.

I'd suggest you need to drive the actual car. I drove some dodgy Toyotas from dealers and Toyota generally come above BMW in customer satisafaction. I'm a bit confused about the buying unseen thing. When I was considering buying a bike from a chain but the bike was 100 miles from me they said they would bring it to the local shop.

[Snowboy]

UnderTheRadar said:

I'd suggest you need to drive the actual car.

In the case of an older vehicle I absolutely agree.
But with a 1-3 year old car from a ‘premium’ dealer there will be no difference at all.

People buy brand new cars all the time without test driving them.
They just drive the demonstrator then make an order.

The chances are that when you ‘buy’ a car from a distant dealer there will be an option for a short test drive before final conformation.
But the dealer knows that the car is OK, so they know you won’t reject it.

[Ranger 6]

Dan 80 said:

* Is there no way of getting BMW to get the Leeds car to South Wales? I am presuming because of the dealer franchises being different they won't play ball even though all I am trying to do is by the best car available from BMW UK?

No, you're buying from a dealer not from BMW UK. The dealers are individual companies - they will only move cars in between sites in their own group.

Dan 80 said:

* If I do have to go to Leeds can it all be sorted out in 1 trip? If I phone the dealer, agree a price etc and tell them I'll be up on x date and provided the car looks and drives ok (which it should do if it is BMW approved) then I'll drive it away that day or does it not work like this? Do they need time to 'prep' the car which they won't do unless it is sold?

Yes, I did this when buying my X3. The car I found was a good spec but little up on miles but £3.5k cheaper than my local dealer. You will need to give them a deposit before they will do any prep and you will need to be realistic when viewing and finalising.

What I did...

• Found it over the AUC site and contacted the dealer.
• Sent them detailed photos of my p/ex and agreed a price - obviously the whole price/condition 'thing' worked both ways as I trusted them to give me the best description of the new car and they trusted me to give them the most honest appraisal of my p/ex.
• Agreed a deal over the phone and paid a deposit (£1000) - all subject to satisfactory approval on collection
• Dealer prepared car and completed private reg transfer, taxed it etc.
• Went to Scotland (from Berkshire) to collect it and do the deal.
• Dealer checked mine - I checked theirs.
• Both parties agreed no financial changes to pre-agreed prices completed deal and I drove home
• AUC warranty covered a couple of issues which came up during the 500 mile drive home

All good and have now done 11k miles since Not all dealers are shysters or used cars lemons. The BMW warranty is very good and worth getting.

HTH

[David87]

I bought my Focus RS in March from a Ford dealer in Wigan because none of the ones around here (Essex) had something suitable. Phoned up, asked lots of questions, made it clear I would be travelling a long way and that if that car wasn't as good as they said, I wouldn't be impressed. Drove up that weekend, found the car to be bang on, did the expensive part and drove home in my new Focus. Easy!

That said, in 2002 my Dad bought a lightly used E46 M3 (their demonstrator) from a BMW dealer in Carlisle. Again, he asked lots of questions because it was a long way away and they promised it was as-new. He said he'd have it and they put the car on a low-loader one Friday morning and drove it all the way down here for free. Car was also as described. Even easier!

[Simond S]

I have bought a few cars from Cooper Durham. They deliver them to my home on a trailor and do all the paperwork at the same time.

If the car isnt exactly as expected I would refuse to accept them, and they know this. I think it is almost a better way to buy as you are on your turf and not being blinkered by clever lighting and sales talk.

The dealer is 340 miles away, so plenty of photo's and a full honest appraisal for both the new car and the px.

On my last BMW this saved me over £10k!