Buying Used Car From Dealer Over The Phone - Would You?

[EViS]

Arnold Clarke, a national chain of dealers have a used car for sale on the other side of the country, Scotland to be exact. It's a 66 plate with under 7,000 miles, plenty of photos and a video walk-around. They would be willing to deliver it to a (fairly) local branch of theirs, but we would need to pay for the car up front. I could take a cheap flight to view the car, but it would then mean a 9 hour drive back.

I'm pretty hesitant buying a car without seeing it in person and taking it for a drive, but then again, this is barely a year old and from a large dealer which gives me some more confidence. Would you part with your hard earned to save yourself the 'hassle' of a flight and very long drive back, but with the risk you could end up with an absolute lemon and more grief?

[EViS]

matchmaker said:

What branch?

It's the Kirkcaldy branch, 30min north of Edinburgh.

Edited by EViS on Saturday 24th June 15:15

[EViS]

Rick101 said:

A very specialist dealer who I've had previous experience with and continue to have an unblemished reputation, probably.

Arnold Clarke. NOT A CHANCE

JZZ30 said:

I have bought unseen and would do again if I got a good feeling speaking to a specialist dealer.

I wouldn't buy from Arnold Clark full stop.

Butter Face said:

A friend of mine spoke to me about a car from AC last year, asked it it was a good price etc, which it was, so he flew from Cornwall to Glasgow to pick up a 'bargain' and got there finding that all 4 wheels are kerbed and rear bumper is a different shade.

imagineifyeswill said:

I certainly wouldnt buy a car from Arnold Shark (not a typo) without seeing and testing thoroughly first.

Oh dear! What's the story with Arnold Clark and what makes them worse than any other dealer? Am I being naiive that a fairly new and extremely low mileage car may not be what it seems?

Edited by EViS on Saturday 24th June 16:49

[EViS]

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)?

[EViS]

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?

[EViS]

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?