What is the farthest you have travelled to pick up a car ?

[rasto]

I'm looking through the classifieds at the moment and have found a car that fits my criteria. The only issue is that I am in Surrey and the car in question is almost as far north as you can go in this country ! Initially I discounted it because of this, however the thought of the road trip involved in bringing it home and the chance to get to know it over a range of road types actually started to make it more appealing.

So, I'm sure there must be others on here with some interesting tales to tell of long distance purchases and the journey home.

[kambites]

For me, about 150 miles (driving the car back from Birmingham to Southampton).

For the father in law, about 2200 miles (driving the car from Southampton to Yambol, Bulgaria).

[illmonkey]

Probably 200 miles. A old neighbour drove a old Italian thing back from Italy without viewing before hand.

Road trip, sounds fun, get a mate to come along. Might be worth seeing if a helpful local (to the car) will take a look over it for you? Or maybe get a AA inspection or something similar.

[MysteryLemon]

When living at my parents in London, I purchased cars from both Edinburgh and Glasgow.

[Captain Muppet]

400 miles to look at it, another 200 miles to pick it up (we met half way).

[Krikkit]

From home in Lancashire to Sevenoaks, Kent - 270 miles according to Google maps. Worth it though.

[GTIR]

Not me but I sold a Ford Escort (1989) to a couple who flew to Cambridge from the Isle of Skye and drove back in one night. That's 558 miles.

Nuts.



ETA I bought a 95 Range Rover from deepest Wales. Bloody drunken EBay purchase.

Edited by GTIR on Thursday 4th April 10:17

[Loplop]

Went to Brighton to pickup a Corrado. From Merseyside.

There's two options really:

1. Make a weekend out of it. We went to pickup the Corrado coinciding with a race meet in Arlington that we were going to anyway. Picked up the Corrado, went to the race meet, had a couple of days holiday.

2. Speak to anyone you know and can trust in the locale of the car. We know lots of people that are traveling up and down the country for one reason or another, so sometimes a quick call asking them if they can drop a car off is all it takes.

[Gilhooligan]

I bought a car from a guy in maidenhead, I live in Edinburgh. Bought a 49 quid easy jet ticket and drove the car back. Managed to recuperate the fuel and flight money by knocking the guy down a bit. When I look back it was a bit risky, I didn't even check the oil! Although he said he had been using it as a daily driver at th time.

[MGZRod]

Flew from Aberdeen to Birmingham to buy my 200SX then drove it back. That was quite a long journey

Never stopped smiling though, was brilliant fun.

[CrisW]

Personally Blackburn from South London.

I remember in the '80s my father travelling to Germany to buy a (new I think) Golf. I have a feeling it was a Mark 2 GTI 16v and was RHD.

[Papa Hotel]

460-ish miles. Lived in Germany, picking car up in Brighton. I made that trip for two cars.

[CAPP0]

I live in Kent and my Defender was for sale in Liverpool. Several phone calls and a ton of photos later, I told the seller that I'd buy it if he'd meet me halfway (geographically!) and he said yes. Trailered it back from the Midlands.

[LADANIVA]

Leeds to Gottenburg Sweden to pick up a new SAAB.

Flew out drove back, the very long way, Sweden, ferry Germany, to Holland Belgium and France over on Tunnel home

[JonnyFive]

Personally, 150 miles. Surrey > Birmingham.

Finished work at 1pm, straight up to Birmingham.. Liked the car, bought it and drove back an hour later. So 300 miles.

Work, 450 miles. Surrey > Edinburgh.

7:30am flight from Heathrow to Edinburgh, taxi to the dealership. Wait at Dealership for the car, checked it, drove around Edinburgh for a little bit then drove back. Got back about 9pm in the end. Long day, but good fun!

[Yiliterate]

290 miles each way (as the crow flies) - Sussex to Cumbria...

[martin mrt]

Aberdeen to London to pick up a £300 mk3 Golf GTI 16v

Flew to Gatwick on the first flight from Aberdeen and I was home by tea time.

[Colonial]

1200kms.

Flew from Sydney to Melbourne. Train to 50k out of Melbourne then drove home.

[Jimmy No Hands]

Not terribly far. Been to London twice for a car (From Yorkshire) and once drove to Milton Keynes to view a really misrepresented car, left within five minutes.

[g3org3y]

From London to Scotland for the E30 Cabrio.

Flew up to Prestwick, car was in East Kilbride (~ 400 miles). Loitered around Loch Lomond and drove back the next day. No break downs!