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When people decide to buy a used car, they are faced with buying one from either a private seller or a car dealer. Although most people in Britain have had success with buying from both types of car seller, an increasing amount of folks have trouble with cars that are purchased from private sellers. A […]
When people decide to buy a used car, they are faced with buying one from either a private seller or a car dealer. Although most people in Britain have had success with buying from both types of car seller, an increasing amount of folks have trouble with cars that are purchased from private sellers.
A friend of mine once bought a car from a private seller which looked pretty immaculate from the outside, and a quick glance over the engine bay revealed nothing glaringly obvious about any problems.
After paying the seller for the car, she managed to drive the car about a mile down the road before it broke down (luckily she managed to limp the car into a filling station forecourt).
There was an unceremonious draining of coolant from the back of the engine, and after waiting a considerable amount of time for a breakdown firm to arrive, it was determined that some radiator hoses had badly perished.
She was obviously upset at the time, because it was a car she had her heart set on buying and when she contacted the buyer they quite clearly did not care that this had happened, nor did they offer to help or compensate her in some way.
I was rather annoyed at this, because when the car was repaired by a local garage she was told that the hoses had been leaking for a while but attempts had been made by the seller to cover up the fact that they were leaking (electrical tape wrapped around them)!
Anyway, if you want to make sure that you don’t end up with a dodgy motor like my friend did, stick with buying from a dealer rather than a private seller. Here’s why:
1. They have an obligation to put things right
Unlike with private sellers where cars as “sold as seen”, car dealers such as WLMG dealers have an obligation to ensure that the cars they sell are warranted for a period of time.
2. A record of the sale is kept
Car dealers will provide you with a receipt of any money that you pay for the purchase of a car, whereas you are unlikely to get this with private sellers.
3. Choice of cars
If you view a car and decide you don’t like it, there are many alternative cars that you can choose to buy from car dealers.
4. Finance
Sometimes raising a large sum of money to buy a car can be impossible to do, so if you have your heart set on a particular car for sale, you can finance it and drive away the same day!
5. Cars will be above board
Car dealers will only ever sell cars to members of the public that have not been reported stolen, written off or have outstanding finance attached to them.
6. Value-added services
A private seller will offer no value-added services, whereas car dealers often advertise the fact that they can service and maintain your car for you, for added peace of mind.
7. You can trade your car in
If you have any existing car, you could trade it in for one that a car dealer is selling which you are interested in buying.
