Buying Used Car From Dealer Over The Phone - Would You?
Discussion
I would say I'd never buy a car without test driving it and checking over everything, but the first drive of the car I have now is when I was driving home in it.
I put a deposit on the phone and drove just over an hour to get there, the plan was to test drive but some paper work messed up and I ended up being in a rush to get back so I just took it, they did sell all decent hot hatches and prestige/supercars so I was more at ease than say doing that with Arnold Clarke
Turned out ok though!
I put a deposit on the phone and drove just over an hour to get there, the plan was to test drive but some paper work messed up and I ended up being in a rush to get back so I just took it, they did sell all decent hot hatches and prestige/supercars so I was more at ease than say doing that with Arnold Clarke
Turned out ok though!
Im in the market for a new car and I look at cars that Arnold Clark have on a regular basis. When I view them in person I'm disappointed about their presentation. One that sticks in my mind was a few years back they had a BMW 520d for sale. When I looked at it all panels had scratches And could tell it wasn't looked after. They had replaced the tyres on it with budget ones too. That car had 21k on the clock.
Go up and view it in person.
Go up and view it in person.
Arnold Clark... massive outfit that started with one car. Does everything in huge volumes. Keenly priced. Proportional high number of bad apples so Daily Mail / compo types seem to target them, sometimes fairly, sometimes not. Same as any large network... will have good guys and bad guys, will have good cars and bad cars. Ignore the s
te online, make your own mind up based on experience, don't be a sheep and jump on a bandwagon. Might be the best purchasing experience ever, might be the worst. Edinburgh is a stunning place to visit, Kirkcaldy... less so. Don't allow this to turn into a Arnold Clark bashing exercise. My old dear bought a car from Kirkcaldy Mazda, great salesman, car was perfect, aftershaves were superb, still is and still are.
te online, make your own mind up based on experience, don't be a sheep and jump on a bandwagon. Might be the best purchasing experience ever, might be the worst. Edinburgh is a stunning place to visit, Kirkcaldy... less so. Don't allow this to turn into a Arnold Clark bashing exercise. My old dear bought a car from Kirkcaldy Mazda, great salesman, car was perfect, aftershaves were superb, still is and still are. I Bought a used car from Arnold Clarke last year. Saw it online, had a couple of telephone calls with the salesperson, flew to Glasgow, was picked up at the airport by a Arnold Clarke driver and was brought to the branch - Linwood Citroen. Car was perfect as described, funds were transferred online, and I drove it home. Honestly couldn't find fault with Arnold Clarke. I think they are running a promotion at the minute where if you test drive a car you get a free stay in a hotel.
The salesman sent me a 7 minute video walkthrough of the v40 yesterday. It looks immaculate other than a small amount of kerbing to both front alloys (which he zoomed in onto). I followed this up with an email asking specifically whether there were any other scuffs and a history of the car. He responded by saying that there are no other marks, the car was bought by Arnold Clarke from Motability and is currently being used by his service manager as she required an automatic due to a knee op, (so he says, although in his defence he couldn't send me a video over the weekend as she was not at work and had the car with her). The car had no modifications undertaken by Motability and is now taxed with the DVLA.
Why would Motabiliy have a top spec v40 with a mid-sized engine as opposed to a basic spec'd car? And why would they have sold it on within a year (it's a 66 plate)?
Why would Motabiliy have a top spec v40 with a mid-sized engine as opposed to a basic spec'd car? And why would they have sold it on within a year (it's a 66 plate)?
I have done in the past with no issues. But I would never do it with AC. I've had far too many bad experiences when dealing with them. Saying that, I would still buy from them in the future. They are the cheapest, but atleast i know to go in with my eyes wide open.
Recently my brother bought a 6 month old 3 series from them. It needed a few bits and pieces tidied up, and as part of the deal it was agreed the issues would be sorted. True to form on the day of pick up nothing had been done.
Luckily my brother stayed local to the branch so it wasn't an issue for him to refuse to take the car. He did get it a few days later with the work completed. The chances of him getting the issues sorted if he had left with the car at first time of asking. Slim to none.
Recently my brother bought a 6 month old 3 series from them. It needed a few bits and pieces tidied up, and as part of the deal it was agreed the issues would be sorted. True to form on the day of pick up nothing had been done.
Luckily my brother stayed local to the branch so it wasn't an issue for him to refuse to take the car. He did get it a few days later with the work completed. The chances of him getting the issues sorted if he had left with the car at first time of asking. Slim to none.
EViS said:
The salesman sent me a 7 minute video walkthrough of the v40 yesterday. It looks immaculate other than a small amount of kerbing to both front alloys (which he zoomed in onto). I followed this up with an email asking specifically whether there were any other scuffs and a history of the car. He responded by saying that there are no other marks, the car was bought by Arnold Clarke from Motability and is currently being used by his service manager as she required an automatic due to a knee op, (so he says, although in his defence he couldn't send me a video over the weekend as she was not at work and had the car with her). The car had no modifications undertaken by Motability and is now taxed with the DVLA.
Why would Motabiliy have a top spec v40 with a mid-sized engine as opposed to a basic spec'd car? And why would they have sold it on within a year (it's a 66 plate)?
Motability customers can choose what they want within reason so it's not that unusual.Why would Motabiliy have a top spec v40 with a mid-sized engine as opposed to a basic spec'd car? And why would they have sold it on within a year (it's a 66 plate)?
They also die/get reassessed and lose their cars so the story stands up!
Terzo123 said:
Recently my brother bought a 6 month old 3 series from them. It needed a few bits and pieces tidied up, and as part of the deal it was agreed the issues would be sorted. True to form on the day of pick up nothing had been done.
Luckily my brother stayed local to the branch so it wasn't an issue for him to refuse to take the car. He did get it a few days later with the work completed. The chances of him getting the issues sorted if he had left with the car at first time of asking. Slim to none.
What "bits and pieces" would a 6 month old car need tidying up? I'd expect that to be immaculate, no?Luckily my brother stayed local to the branch so it wasn't an issue for him to refuse to take the car. He did get it a few days later with the work completed. The chances of him getting the issues sorted if he had left with the car at first time of asking. Slim to none.
EViS said:
Terzo123 said:
Recently my brother bought a 6 month old 3 series from them. It needed a few bits and pieces tidied up, and as part of the deal it was agreed the issues would be sorted. True to form on the day of pick up nothing had been done.
Luckily my brother stayed local to the branch so it wasn't an issue for him to refuse to take the car. He did get it a few days later with the work completed. The chances of him getting the issues sorted if he had left with the car at first time of asking. Slim to none.
What "bits and pieces" would a 6 month old car need tidying up? I'd expect that to be immaculate, no?Luckily my brother stayed local to the branch so it wasn't an issue for him to refuse to take the car. He did get it a few days later with the work completed. The chances of him getting the issues sorted if he had left with the car at first time of asking. Slim to none.
Get in writing that it hasn't been smoked in or used to carry dogs (that was quite a lesson!)
I have had lots of experience of buying over the phone for my parents..mostly good. a few small mishaps..
1 A Merc that turned up from a main Saab dealer (retailed by them) with worn and illegal rear tyres
2. Another Merc that was bought from a Merc Main dealer in Chichester that had horribly refurbed wheels, 1 faulty tyre, worn brake pads and discs and overspray on the bootlid - Horrible people to deal with and put me off main merc dealers for life
3. A new Audi TT for my sister..got her a great deal...didn't realise that Sat Nav is an option on 30k GBP cars! Still a great deal but she is still upset (even though she does 3k miles a year to the same place everyday
)
I have had lots of experience of buying over the phone for my parents..mostly good. a few small mishaps..
1 A Merc that turned up from a main Saab dealer (retailed by them) with worn and illegal rear tyres
2. Another Merc that was bought from a Merc Main dealer in Chichester that had horribly refurbed wheels, 1 faulty tyre, worn brake pads and discs and overspray on the bootlid - Horrible people to deal with and put me off main merc dealers for life
3. A new Audi TT for my sister..got her a great deal...didn't realise that Sat Nav is an option on 30k GBP cars! Still a great deal but she is still upset (even though she does 3k miles a year to the same place everyday
)Yes I would buy a car over the phone but with conditions, it's bodywork and paint being as described, correct spec, history being checked and confirmed...and price of course.
But having dealt with two Arnold Clark dealers at the weekend there is no way I'd buy a car from them with any confidence, one dealer thought a Pro-Ceed GT was the make of a car and the other after an hours drive told me they had a car in stock (Scotland) when in fact it was in England...WTF.
But having dealt with two Arnold Clark dealers at the weekend there is no way I'd buy a car from them with any confidence, one dealer thought a Pro-Ceed GT was the make of a car and the other after an hours drive told me they had a car in stock (Scotland) when in fact it was in England...WTF.
I've just bought a Yeti over the phone, 3 years old, Skoda used approved.
I needed a tow car, wanted a higher power 140 or 170, 4x4 and a good spec.
Searched within 100 miles and had a choice of two neither of which ticked all my boxes, so just said sod it and searched national and found exactly what I was after.
A few phone calls and some e mailed photos and it was delivered a few days later, pretty happy really, OK theres a bit of damage inside one of the door shuts where some ones shut the seat belt in, and its sporting some nice Landsail tyres on the front which I could have negotiated on had I been there, but neither would have stopped me buying it.
I should add that living on the edge of the world in Lowestoft does make buying cars a royal PITA as when you do a 100 mile search radius about 75% of the area is sea! and most of the rest is fields.
I needed a tow car, wanted a higher power 140 or 170, 4x4 and a good spec.
Searched within 100 miles and had a choice of two neither of which ticked all my boxes, so just said sod it and searched national and found exactly what I was after.
A few phone calls and some e mailed photos and it was delivered a few days later, pretty happy really, OK theres a bit of damage inside one of the door shuts where some ones shut the seat belt in, and its sporting some nice Landsail tyres on the front which I could have negotiated on had I been there, but neither would have stopped me buying it.
I should add that living on the edge of the world in Lowestoft does make buying cars a royal PITA as when you do a 100 mile search radius about 75% of the area is sea! and most of the rest is fields.
http://www.srkcars.co.uk/audi-a6-avant-3.0tdi-quat...
I'm thinking about buying this over the phone and travelling 170 odd miles to go get it
The website is really quite impressive....as is the spec of the car!!
I'm thinking about buying this over the phone and travelling 170 odd miles to go get it
The website is really quite impressive....as is the spec of the car!!
dave_s13 said:
http://www.srkcars.co.uk/audi-a6-avant-3.0tdi-quat...
I'm thinking about buying this over the phone and travelling 170 odd miles to go get it
The website is really quite impressive....as is the spec of the car!!
Surely if you're going to pick it up yourself, you wouldn't purchase it over the phone per se, as in make any payments?I'm thinking about buying this over the phone and travelling 170 odd miles to go get it
The website is really quite impressive....as is the spec of the car!!
EViS said:
dave_s13 said:
http://www.srkcars.co.uk/audi-a6-avant-3.0tdi-quat...
I'm thinking about buying this over the phone and travelling 170 odd miles to go get it
The website is really quite impressive....as is the spec of the car!!
Surely if you're going to pick it up yourself, you wouldn't purchase it over the phone per se, as in make any payments?I'm thinking about buying this over the phone and travelling 170 odd miles to go get it
The website is really quite impressive....as is the spec of the car!!
dave_s13 said:
http://www.srkcars.co.uk/audi-a6-avant-3.0tdi-quat...
I'm thinking about buying this over the phone and travelling 170 odd miles to go get it
The website is really quite impressive....as is the spec of the car!!
That's a lovely looking car. Not a fan of Audi's but I do like these. Anyway, I wouldn't think twice about driving 170 miles if there was a good chance I'd be driving away in a car that I was after. I'm thinking about buying this over the phone and travelling 170 odd miles to go get it
The website is really quite impressive....as is the spec of the car!!
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