Buying a car online unseen and warranties.

johnny2007 said:
Lots of dealers only have a dozen or so cars on the go.
Last month I visited lots of them in search of a semi-decent ulez compliant car and I basically accepted that, despite the warranty promises, I was buying as seen.
Bigger dealers prices are at least 30% higher than smaller ones.
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Does that include an AA warranty bought from the dealer?
 
johnny2007 said:
In theory it's all true, but dealers sell under a limited company.
If they happen to sell you a lemon and refuse to refund you, when you start court proceedings they close the company and reopen under a different name.
So you'll be suing a defunct entity without any assets = more money down the drain.
Unless we're talking about a well established dealer holding hundred of cars and having been in business for years (Car giant for example)
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I just heard back from a company in Devon. It might be innocent but all the photos of Their different cars are all parked outside different houses. I would have thought they'd all be in on the same lot.
 
I just heard back from a company in Devon. It might be innocent but all the photos of Their different cars are all parked outside different houses.
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i have seen that before, and on a village green and a garage block - usually a guy working at home ......
 
johnny2007 said:
Read the terms and conditions of the AA warranty and be shocked.
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I can bear testament to that. When buying my last car from a dealer 4 years ago a 2 year AA warranty was included in the sale, but quite frankly it wasn't worth the paper it was printed on due to the T&C's.

The car had to be serviced every 6 months/6000m. with a VAT invoice to verify & the list of 'exclusions' to the cover provided was extensive!

'Oh & breakdown cover was also included .. just the basic fix-at-the-roadside/tow to a garage & only 1 call-out in a year.
 
johnny2007 said:
Lots of dealers only have a dozen or so cars on the go.
Last month I visited lots of them in search of a semi-decent ulez compliant car and I basically accepted that, despite the warranty promises, I was buying as seen.
Bigger dealers prices are at least 30% higher than smaller ones.
Click to expand...
I bought my current car from a main dealer, I had been looking at it & comparing with similar, i watched the price come down.
I went to the dealer, spoke to him, didnt bother test driving as it had warranty etc, we sorted an even better deal. I then asked about a price for my car (which I wasnt in at the time) he offered what i wanted we did the deal, collected the following week, he took my car for a drive rouind the block. Shook hands said 'thanks; & off i went. I think comparing on line was my winner.
I also did exactly the same with a car i bought as a present for my partner, with a different dealer.
I would defiantly do the same again.
I have way back in the day bought from an auction, never had a dud.
 
johnny2007 said:
Read the terms and conditions of the AA warranty and be shocked.
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That is a shock. I think a policy with them bought seperatly from a dealer costs£1000 a year unless I read it wrong.
I saw a dealer today using a company called warranties 2000. They have a high trust pilot score and it's a little over £100 a year.
 
Diyisfun said:
I bought my current car from a main dealer, I had been looking at it & comparing with similar, i watched the price come down.
I went to the dealer, spoke to him, didnt bother test driving as it had warranty etc, we sorted an even better deal. I then asked about a price for my car (which I wasnt in at the time) he offered what i wanted we did the deal, collected the following week, he took my car for a drive rouind the block. Shook hands said 'thanks; & off i went. I think comparing on line was my winner.
I also did exactly the same with a car i bought as a present for my partner, with a different dealer.
I would defiantly do the same again.
I have way back in the day bought from an auction, never had a dud.
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I also only had good experiences with auctions, however I see that BCA now adds buyers' fees to the auction price. They are pretty damn steep:

£ 500 car - £ 250 fees
£ 1 000 .. £ 398
£ 3 000 .. £ 521
 
mointainwalker said:
I also only had good experiences with auctions, however I see that BCA now adds buyers' fees to the auction price. They are pretty damn steep:

£ 500 car - £ 250 fees
£ 1 000 .. £ 398
£ 3 000 .. £ 521
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Bit steep considering they also charge the seller.
 
Diyisfun said:
Bit steep considering they also charge the seller.
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Not steep considering the energy and motoring costs in moving cars around. I don't think people appreciate the societal destruction europe and UK is going through.
 
I bought a car from BCA, the hammer was 4k and the private buyers fee £700. (Apparently there are people with trade accounts (much lower fees) who will bid for you and split the saving).

I don't think I saved much compared with a private sale or back street dealer but it turned out to be a very good car - one owner, FSH but just a bit too old to go on a main dealers forecourt.
 
cdbe said:
I bought a car from BCA, the hammer was 4k and the private buyers fee £700. (Apparently there are people with trade accounts (much lower fees) who will bid for you and split the saving).

I don't think I saved much compared with a private sale or back street dealer but it turned out to be a very good car - one owner, FSH but just a bit too old to go on a main dealers forecourt.
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I first found out about the fees watching a car-dealer's YT channel: the fees may be less but they are by no means low according to the numbers he quotes.
 
johnny2007 said:
In theory it's all true, but dealers sell under a limited company.
If they happen to sell you a lemon and refuse to refund you, when you start court proceedings they close the company and reopen under a different name.
So you'll be suing a defunct entity without any assets = more money down the drain.
Unless we're talking about a well established dealer holding hundred of cars and having been in business for years (Car giant for example)
Click to expand...
Buy with CC and use S.75?
 
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