buying a car from bradford
Discussion
I was scrolling through AutoTrader earlier for an older 1 series diesel coupe.
Found one I like, decent price too. Only thing is that it's from a small time dealer in Bradford (have to call for appointment etc).
Does the stigma/stereotype about buying cars from Bradford still exist these days... or is that a thing of the past?
Found one I like, decent price too. Only thing is that it's from a small time dealer in Bradford (have to call for appointment etc).
Does the stigma/stereotype about buying cars from Bradford still exist these days... or is that a thing of the past?
I would say it's no different to buying ANY car from ANYWHERE.
You probably need to be a bit more careful if buying from Bradford because it's a scummy area so the chances of buying a scummy car are therefore higher. If the seller turns out to be some kind of wannabe DelBoy then leave quickly. On the other hand, if the price is right and you know what to look for then you might get a decent car for a decent price.
Last car I bought from Bradford was a Nissan Primera GT (must be about 20 years ago). It was a decent car, the seller lived on a farm on the outskirts of Bradford, he had a whole barn full of decent low-mileage cars. It was great, I regretted selling it
You probably need to be a bit more careful if buying from Bradford because it's a scummy area so the chances of buying a scummy car are therefore higher. If the seller turns out to be some kind of wannabe DelBoy then leave quickly. On the other hand, if the price is right and you know what to look for then you might get a decent car for a decent price.
Last car I bought from Bradford was a Nissan Primera GT (must be about 20 years ago). It was a decent car, the seller lived on a farm on the outskirts of Bradford, he had a whole barn full of decent low-mileage cars. It was great, I regretted selling it

Depends on rarity vs risk vs price I suppose.
I live in Hull, would I travel for a mundane car, no why bother.
However bought my TVR from London as, at the time it was the only one I could find.
That said, I would be going to Bradford, Birmingham (or most major cities) expecting to be done over!!
It's just a reflection of the way things are.
If you're buying a BMW M5 for £1000 however, I'd be worried.
I live in Hull, would I travel for a mundane car, no why bother.
However bought my TVR from London as, at the time it was the only one I could find.
That said, I would be going to Bradford, Birmingham (or most major cities) expecting to be done over!!
It's just a reflection of the way things are.
If you're buying a BMW M5 for £1000 however, I'd be worried.
Not only is a it a scummy area but it's an area especially renowned for (all forms of) vehicle crime and vehicle fraud, added to the fact that there are already a number of very notorious but seemingly ''legit'' car dealers operating there and it's a big no from me.
(unless possibly we're talking a shed for throwaway money)
(unless possibly we're talking a shed for throwaway money)
Very personal this but all I will say is I have a number of places I wouldn’t buy from for various reasons.
Yes we all go to buy the car not the area however I learn an awful lot from the person/residence/area I am purchasing a car from, stands to reason that a lot of online sellers/dealers park their cars in front the big fares of a fancy house but when you turn up to view it they are squirrels away in a miserable looking industrial estate.
Go with your gut instinct but like has already been mentioned there is enough of a reason for you to have posted this thread in the first place - be patient and the right car will come along.
Si
Yes we all go to buy the car not the area however I learn an awful lot from the person/residence/area I am purchasing a car from, stands to reason that a lot of online sellers/dealers park their cars in front the big fares of a fancy house but when you turn up to view it they are squirrels away in a miserable looking industrial estate.
Go with your gut instinct but like has already been mentioned there is enough of a reason for you to have posted this thread in the first place - be patient and the right car will come along.
Si
I live in Leeds which is basically the city next to Bradford and I spend a significant amount of time working in Bradford.
My own view is I would never buy a car in Bradford unless it was from a main dealer network, private dealers not a hope in hell.
I would expect you will have no come back on the purchase whatsoever should anything go wrong,
I lump Keighley in the same category too, I have personal experience buying a car there when I was young and stupid and lost most of my money on the purchase.
My own view is I would never buy a car in Bradford unless it was from a main dealer network, private dealers not a hope in hell.
I would expect you will have no come back on the purchase whatsoever should anything go wrong,
I lump Keighley in the same category too, I have personal experience buying a car there when I was young and stupid and lost most of my money on the purchase.
Some of us actually live in Bradford there's only certain areas that are best avoided as with most large cities/towns. I once went to look at a 2 owner peugeot 206 quite new at the time up north yorkshire small village big house with its own access road car had been in bad front end smash chassis leg straightened with oxy, air condensor missing,the pipes hammered flat etc car was hpi clear I just had to walk away. My point is you can buy a turd from anybody anywhere. That peugeot is still the worst car i've viewed ever in 22 years of driving.
Jamescrs said:
I live in Leeds which is basically the city next to Bradford and I spend a significant amount of time working in Bradford.
My own view is I would never buy a car in Bradford unless it was from a main dealer network, private dealers not a hope in hell.
I would expect you will have no come back on the purchase whatsoever should anything go wrong,
I lump Keighley in the same category too, I have personal experience buying a car there when I was young and stupid and lost most of my money on the purchase.
Pretty much the same as large parts of Leeds then? Probably the worst car I've ever owned was bought in Moorley.My own view is I would never buy a car in Bradford unless it was from a main dealer network, private dealers not a hope in hell.
I would expect you will have no come back on the purchase whatsoever should anything go wrong,
I lump Keighley in the same category too, I have personal experience buying a car there when I was young and stupid and lost most of my money on the purchase.
The only way you really find out is to go there, and if it looks like the right car then you sometimes need to take that chance.
My 1st BMW Z4 Coupe was over 60 miles away in Portsmouth, which has its less salubrious areas! But I found a gem, in a nice area so it was worth the trip.
Whereas a Fiat I looked at in the 70s just down the road in Streatham on a "bomb-site" car lot was a POS. But a few months later I looked at a car in Holloway that was exactly as described - so I bought it.
I'm too old to be too tech-savvy but could you get the postcode, go to Rightmove or similar and have a look at "streetview"?
My 1st BMW Z4 Coupe was over 60 miles away in Portsmouth, which has its less salubrious areas! But I found a gem, in a nice area so it was worth the trip.
Whereas a Fiat I looked at in the 70s just down the road in Streatham on a "bomb-site" car lot was a POS. But a few months later I looked at a car in Holloway that was exactly as described - so I bought it.

I'm too old to be too tech-savvy but could you get the postcode, go to Rightmove or similar and have a look at "streetview"?
anonymous said:
[redacted]
So, by your reckoning its not only poor people that are dishonest but also those who rent their homes ?For balance I bought from a run down area of Bradford a few years back. Muslim guy, private house, very hospitable family (into their cricket and keen on education). Turned out to be one of the best cars I've owned, no issues or hidden surprises.
Contrast that with the worst deal of my car buying history - 'Posh' performance car dealer sells me an aesthetically lovely but utterly f
ked Audi All-road Bi-Turbo with a Mickey Mouse Warranty then lies, promises and wriggles for weeks....loans me a car that turns out to be uninsured (as pointed out to me by Hampshire's finest - oops)....makes excuses, 'goes on holiday'.....before eventually relenting to the pressure and putting me back into my PX 740i Sport with a dollop of cash to compensate.I never again bought from the trade.
The stereotypes associated with the area aside, the amount of steep hills and roads in the area is enough to f
k any clutch/gearbox so would put me off if it was the type of car I’d travel anywhere in the country to buy.... in the same way I wouldn’t be keen on a lower than age mileage 1 owner car from central London.
k any clutch/gearbox so would put me off if it was the type of car I’d travel anywhere in the country to buy.... in the same way I wouldn’t be keen on a lower than age mileage 1 owner car from central London.Edited by Black_S3 on Wednesday 24th April 01:34
Unless you have personally owned a car from new or know who has nobody has a clue how its been treated. I don't know anyone who has had or clutch or gearbox replaced because of the hills round Bradford. I have owned a few that originated from Scotland and they were horrible underneath.
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