Critique my plan please?

[105.4]

My Wife’s Citroen C5 is terminally ill. It just needs far too much money spending on it.

I have been trying to persuade her into a Citroen C6, but she loves the C5 estate too much. Therefore she wants to replace her knackered C5 with a fresher one.

Unfortunately I’m having to work 7 days a week, with my next scheduled day off at Easter, so I haven’t the time to go car shopping for her.

The plan…..

Find what appears to be a good C5, with decent MOT history, negotiate a price and buy it.

Get the vehicle delivered to our house, pay for a decent inspection, and if it’s a duffer, would I then be able to reject the vehicle under distance selling regs?

Usually I wouldn’t bother with this sort of thing. I’d go and inspect a car myself, but even my shortest days at work are 12 hours, (plus commuting).

If my idea is a stupid one, then please flame away. I’d rather ask a stupid question than make an assumption.

Cheers all

[E63eeeeee...]

Can you not get an inspection before you buy it? RAC (and I'm sure other people) used to do them.

[105.4]

E63eeeeee... said:

Can you not get an inspection before you buy it? RAC (and I'm sure other people) used to do them.

That was a consideration, but I’d be concerned about how much influence or persuasion the used car lot would have over the details of the AA / RAC report?

Or am I being paranoid?

[Roboticarm]

You could try using and independent mechanic to do a check, click mechanic are available across the UK
Any good dealer, confident in their stock will be fine with an inspection before purchase

[andrebar]

If you are going to pay for an inspection I’d certainly do that before buying rather than after. Far easier to find another car than deal with post purchase issues at a distance.

[105.4]

andrebar said:

If you are going to pay for an inspection I’d certainly do that before buying rather than after. Far easier to find another car than deal with post purchase issues at a distance.

Having never paid for such a service before, so you have any idea roughly how much inspections cost?

[andrebar]

105.4 said:

andrebar said:

If you are going to pay for an inspection I’d certainly do that before buying rather than after. Far easier to find another car than deal with post purchase issues at a distance.

Having never paid for such a service before, so you have any idea roughly how much inspections cost?

My dad used to pay nearly £200 but he tended to opt for the most thorough service on the menu. I’m like you & would do the inspecting myself which is why I see no sense paying someone else to do it after the car has been delivered.

[Flumpo]

105.4 said:

andrebar said:

If you are going to pay for an inspection I’d certainly do that before buying rather than after. Far easier to find another car than deal with post purchase issues at a distance.

Having never paid for such a service before, so you have any idea roughly how much inspections cost?

Aa do a mini and a major, from about £160 and £200 ish.

[NWMark]

Use Cazoo - 7 day return policy and it really is hassle free, my son bought a car from here and had an excellent experience way above our own expectations.

[DaveTheRave87]

Are you financing?

If you are, rejecting the car and cancelling the financing will show up on future credit reports.

[105.4]

DaveTheRave87 said:

Are you financing?

If you are, rejecting the car and cancelling the financing will show up on future credit reports.

Good and helpful point, but no. (looking in the £4500-£6000 range).

I didn’t know about the adverse credit effects though, so thanks for that tip.

[Dashnine]

105.4 said:

My Wife’s Citroen C5 is terminally ill. It just needs far too much money spending on it.

I have been trying to persuade her into a Citroen C6, but she loves the C5 estate too much. Therefore she wants to replace her knackered C5 with a fresher one.

Unfortunately I’m having to work 7 days a week, with my next scheduled day off at Easter, so I haven’t the time to go car shopping for her.

The plan…..

Find what appears to be a good C5, with decent MOT history, negotiate a price and buy it.

Get the vehicle delivered to our house, pay for a decent inspection, and if it’s a duffer, would I then be able to reject the vehicle under distance selling regs?

Usually I wouldn’t bother with this sort of thing. I’d go and inspect a car myself, but even my shortest days at work are 12 hours, (plus commuting).

If my idea is a stupid one, then please flame away. I’d rather ask a stupid question than make an assumption.

Cheers all

Just curious, and by all means tell me to butt out - but what job do you have that is 7 days a week with the apparent inability to take a day off until Easter? I'm not sure that've even legal unless by choice, in which case it's a matter of priorities!

[105.4]

Dashnine said:

Just curious, and by all means tell me to butt out - but what job do you have that is 7 days a week with the apparent inability to take a day off until Easter? I'm not sure that've even legal unless by choice, in which case it's a matter of priorities!

Courier.

[emperorburger]

For your quoted budget and given the age of the Citroen you may be looking at, I would have thought you would struggle to find a dealer willing to entertain you.

Just to add, would you be willing to pay for the transport costs to and from your house if you reject the vehicle. This is not comparable to returning a pair of undercrackers to Next.

Edited by emperorburger on Monday 16th January 11:05

[The Cardinal]

A car inspection will undoubtedly show things that need rectifying and / or thinking about for future remedy.

You don't say what age C5 you're looking at - a C5 Tourer could be 2004 to 2018 I think? But if both the seller is accurate in describing the car and you are reasonable in expecting less than perfection on a used car, then it should be ok.

It sounds as if you know your way around a C5 and so perhaps an alternative is to self-inspect and / or send it for a service with a trusted specialist?

[ChattingWham]

Mate... I can't help with your car issue but seven days a week of 12+ hour days for the next three months? That sounds absolutely brutal. Have an un-PH solidarity fistbump

[Watchthis]

DaveTheRave87 said:

Are you financing?

If you are, rejecting the car and cancelling the financing will show up on future credit reports.

Don't think that's accurate, having rejected one car and early terminating many others, stuff like that has never once shown up on my Experian or any other credit reports

[cpl_payne]

Just a thought and could be way off the mark here (no personal experience with this approach) but if you know a car dealer you trust perhaps you can ask them to source one for you?

[GreatGranny]

Seem to remember from previous threads you're around Sheffield/Worksop ish.

This is near Meadowhall and the reviews look good for the dealer.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301113...

No harm in giving them a call to see if they will allow an AA/RAC inspection before you proceed.

It would not be in the RAC/AA's interest to be influenced by the dealer when they inspect it.

[PositronicRay]

When I worked at a dealer the rac/aa inspections were very professional.

Almost too much detail, some buyers could have the jitters over a decent but not perfect used car.

Edited by PositronicRay on Monday 16th January 15:39