Big Motoring World -- thoughts?
Big Motoring World -- thoughts?
Author
Discussion

boxst

Original Poster:

3,806 posts

169 months

Tuesday 9th July 2024
quotequote all
I'm in need of s cheap-ish run-around and on PistonHeads, these guys seem to sell a lot of cars. Any experience of them?

Looking at this: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/16826245

Thanks for any comments.

stevemcs

9,986 posts

117 months

Tuesday 9th July 2024
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No to big motoring world and hell no to the juke.

boxst

Original Poster:

3,806 posts

169 months

Tuesday 9th July 2024
quotequote all
Thank you for the quick comment. I liked my Juke, I had one of the originals years ago and it was fine. Nothing went wrong with it. I have a Supra at the moment and need an additional little more family friendly car as I surprisingly just started a relationship.

stevemcs

9,986 posts

117 months

Tuesday 9th July 2024
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Personally I’d be looking for something like this

https://www.motorpoint.co.uk/vehicle-details/hyund...

Mr Sparkle

1,935 posts

194 months

Wednesday 10th July 2024
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Big Motoring World are to be avoided.
They are cheap but if you have a problem it will be a battle.

Chamon_Lee

3,948 posts

171 months

Wednesday 10th July 2024
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stevemcs said:
No to big motoring world and hell no to the juke.
Lolllllll

Op I would stay away.

RayDonovan

5,734 posts

239 months

Wednesday 10th July 2024
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I've not purchased from them, but even just looking round a car was a painful experience.

Utterly desperate to get you to sign, regardless of your situation. In fairness, the level of car prep was pretty decent, no significant cosmetic issues.

vikingaero

12,439 posts

193 months

Wednesday 10th July 2024
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Big and their persona is very much of their former CEO, Peter Waddell - the same culture is prevalent in Big Motoring World al the way down to the bottom. Big staff were once posting on PH pretending to be normal punters.

The set up is much like many car supermarkets - funnel you to sales advisors, get your data before you can look at cars, and they can hassle you later. Once you choose a car the upsell on finance, paint protection, GAP, tyre protection, and gold platinum warranties [sic].

If you see a car you like at Big and it's in good condition then buy it. Supply isn't brilliant on some cars/models/trim levels. If they get you to buy a £1499 warranteeee then remember that you can cancel within 14 days for a full refund. (I bought a car from Car Giant and they wouldn't budge on price. It was the car I wanted, but a few things niggled me such as missing aerial, a few dents that they said the car was priced at. So after a long stand off they agreed to a £300 reduction if I took out the 3 year warranty. I took it out, got the discount and cancelled the warranty the next day).

boxst

Original Poster:

3,806 posts

169 months

Wednesday 10th July 2024
quotequote all
Thank you for the replies. Not exactly glowing reviews. The question is probably more is it any safer than just buying a second hand car from a random?

(I’ve been lucky enough to only ever buy new cars)

vikingaero

12,439 posts

193 months

Wednesday 10th July 2024
quotequote all
boxst said:
Thank you for the replies. Not exactly glowing reviews. The question is probably more is it any safer than just buying a second hand car from a random?

(I’ve been lucky enough to only ever buy new cars)
I would say that it is safer than buying from a small random dealer. If you have a problem they will most likely take it back for repair/pay for repairs or buy it back. A couple of decades ago Car Giant (Great Trade Centre) were really cheap and were hard on repairs. Then with better consumer legislation, they had to jack their prices up to cover the cost of potential repairs. Your biggest weapon against large companies such as Big is to be be a PITA on social media.

I'm a fan of Car Giant and have bought 5 cars from them.

V 02

2,405 posts

84 months

Wednesday 10th July 2024
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vikingaero said:
I would say that it is safer than buying from a small random dealer. If you have a problem they will most likely take it back for repair/pay for repairs or buy it back. A couple of decades ago Car Giant (Great Trade Centre) were really cheap and were hard on repairs. Then with better consumer legislation, they had to jack their prices up to cover the cost of potential repairs. Your biggest weapon against large companies such as Big is to be be a PITA on social media.

I'm a fan of Car Giant and have bought 5 cars from them.
I'd echo CarGiant comments - my family have been buying from them for 25 years now, no problems.
I like their no pressure no haggle sales tactic.

Big Motoring World on the other hand - cowboy business that combines the worst of the car supermarket buying experience with the worst of the main dealer buying experience.

boxst

Original Poster:

3,806 posts

169 months

Wednesday 10th July 2024
quotequote all
Thank you. There is no Car Giant around here (Tunbridge wells area).

stevemcs

9,986 posts

117 months

Wednesday 10th July 2024
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Car Giant only have one site, but there prices are very keen.

Rayy

131 posts

165 months

Wednesday 10th July 2024
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They charge a hefty 'admin' fee of £300, added to the sticker price. Something to bear in mind.

V 02

2,405 posts

84 months

Wednesday 10th July 2024
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Rayy said:
They charge a hefty 'admin' fee of £300, added to the sticker price. Something to bear in mind.
You can haggle that off.

As another post above did

Jimjimhim

2,107 posts

24 months

Wednesday 10th July 2024
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Rayy said:
They charge a hefty 'admin' fee of £300, added to the sticker price. Something to bear in mind.
If the whole cost of the car is good then I don't see the issue with an admin charge.

ZX10R NIN

30,087 posts

149 months

Wednesday 10th July 2024
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They're no better or no worse than any other dealer, you have to judge the car not the (who'll be trying to up sell everything) sales person.

If the car is close to you go & view it, if it passes your checks & is a decent deal then buy it.

tr7v8

7,556 posts

252 months

Wednesday 10th July 2024
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I have a BMW near me. One of our neighbours worked for them & hated it. Some of the practices were sharp to say the least. I know of several who have bought cars with incomplete documentation & they've assured them that they'll send it on. They haven't and once you done the deal they go deaf!
Personally I would buy elsewhere.

ACCYSTAN

1,333 posts

145 months

Wednesday 10th July 2024
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If it’s too good to be true…

Don’t forget it’s a buyers market again, be fussy

boxst

Original Poster:

3,806 posts

169 months

Thursday 11th July 2024
quotequote all
Amazingly they wouldn’t budge. I have a very beaten up Argo to trade (they offered £600, probably fair enough) but they wouldn’t move from £10,700 - trade in.

I’ve never been not bartered with :-)