Seen a Fiat 500 £1000 cheaper than the dealer who wouldn't budge an inch today on price.
Same age, spec and actually slightly lower mileage from within the same sales group (their Scottish arm).
It's 150 miles away from me.
Quite happy to drive up there but anyone bought over the phone? And had the car delivered?
Bought a car today from a dealer in Glasgow (I'm in NW). Going up on the train next week and salesman will meet me at the station and take me to the dealership.
After the formalities I drive home in my new toy. Did it a couple of years ago with a newish Golf also. Simple.
Did you go up and view the car beforehand?
Done it several times with success. Best one was literally a call to the number on eBay to pay the cost. Picked it up the following and day and to date it's one of the best cars I've ever (and still have) had.
I had a glitch with one off a dealer a couple of years back; I think he was horrified it got thru his checks and he got me a better spec one in A1 condition in now time. So long as the vendor has a reputation to uphold.....
Generally this works ok. I usually did this through ebay during my bangernomics period. So long as the warranty is good (obviously not applicable to ebay) and it is as advertised, all should be ok.
Usual rules apply: don't pick it up when its raining or dark. Pay at least £100 on a credit card to get section 75 protection and ask to see the HPI output.
It's not from Arnold Clark is it? That might tip it against: they have a terrible reputation within fiat dealers. A real bunch of scum.
Do you know that British cycling members get a pretty good discount off fiats?
Usually motorbikes for me, I've bought 15+ in the last few years without ever seeing them in advance, money paid by card/transfer in advance and couriered down to me.
I've not yet been disappointed.
If it's part of the same big group they should bring the car to you. Ie to the local dealership.
yep, twice,(didn't view car till day) but only from dealers with track records and history and google complaints/reviews searches completed ok (and companies house)
buy a return rail ticket it's (*usually/if you're lucky)pence more than a single, get a fully detailed spec in writing up front and make purchase dependent on a decent test drive and check against spec and I never paid a deposit etc it was phone on day to confirm they still had car and get them to hold the car till say 2pm, turn up, drive, view then buy/haggle or walk
Did it a few years ago.
I went to a local dealer looking for a SH Civic. He didn't have the spec I needed but almost sold me on one in the used Honda network. I went home to think about it. Found that exact car was somewhere in the Midlands, called up and bought it £1500 cheaper than I would have got it at home.
Salesman picked me up from the station and I drove home.
Did you go up and view the car beforehand?
No, not even seen pics yet. But I'm buying from an official dealer and the car is coming with 2.5 years of warranty.
Pics and video being sent over today.
I do this alot as it allows you to chose the spec you want and at the best price combo. Who would say no to £1,000 for a days work (effectively)?
My current car- Drove my PX from Manchester to Bridport near Bournemouth.
Basically did alot of phone calls and emails with pics etc to ensure the deal was 99.9% and I was sure before setting off.
My PX (previous buy)- got a one way first class train ticket from Manchester to Ayr for £57 (first class!).
I'd echo about Arnold Clark though- from experience of viewing cars with them in multiple franchises they'll tell you what you want to hear, assure you and then hope they can sweep you through the process/you'll relent as you've travelled a fair way when you get there.
Only once as a long distance sale backfired- private sale. Seller completely lied about the condition of the car. I jumped straight in the hire car and drove home. I think he was hoping I'd knock a couple of hundred off and just take it (HG issue spotted).
My current car- Drove my PX from Manchester to Bridport near Bournemouth.
There's a lot to be said for having a long drive in a newly bought car. If it's a car you're proud of then you'll enjoy the time in it and it gives you a good chance to see if there's anything not as it should be.
Much better than driving 5 miles from the local dealership.
True 😀
Plus round our area most of the cars seem to have patchy service history etc.
Flew from Southampton to Edinburgh with my son to pick up my VW Transporter from a private seller. A bit of a leap of faith but the price and mileage were the best being advetised at the time and the seller seemed genuine over the phone. My wife liked the colour too. Three years on I don't regret it.
I did this but when I posted about it on here I got such a ribbing ???
Possibly because we know you and your history with cars Renton 😉
We need reform you Renton 😀
A few years ago I found a car at a dealer in Scotland (I was in Salisbury at the time) with a few thousand miles on it. I paid my deposit. Just before I was due to go and collect it the dealership called and told me that, on checking the car, it had far more miles than they told me. They gave me a brand new car for the same price. I was impressed.
My wife subsequently drove into the back of another car in it at about 5mph and wrote it off...
We bought our last Grand Picasso like that, saw it on the web site, rang them up and did the deal over the phone. Car was delivered to work the following week on a transporter and they took our old car away. All worked perfect.
We bought our last Grand Picasso like that, saw it on the web site, rang them up and did the deal over the phone. Car was delivered to work the following week on a transporter and they took our old car away. All worked perfect.
That almost sounds like the leap of trust that I did with my Picasso in Scotland. Ebay, bought, not driven, nothing. All on a hunch. Just turned up- paid and drove off. That could have bitten!
Interestingly Scotland seems to be the place to buy your car 🙂
The first time we did it we had a great day, first class up to Glasgow (thanks BIL) and an enjoyable drive back through some fantastic coountryside.
Of course next Friday when I go again it might be peeing down 🙁
I find the opposite to be true sharkbait.
It seems to be quite expensive up here compared to down south.
Not really a leap of trust, came from LMC Citroen. 5 months old with 900 miles on it.
Ah mine was, sold as a PX disposal by a Citroen dealer.
Bought a Fiat 500 today. Off to get it next week.
Saved myself over £1400 compared to the local dealer who wouldn't budge an inch!!
What spec, colour, extras?
1.2 lounge. Volare Blue. Less than 2000 miles on the clock. Panoramic roof.
Nice! Kind of similar to the Abarth Legends blue.
You know with a bit of shuffling you can get two bikes in the back of one?
Enjoy!
Bought the current mazda from Oldbury, some 60 miles away and only having seen it on the interweb! Went to fetch it, checked it over. Few teething problems which they sorted all I had to do was drive it back over, they gave me a courtesy car and some fuel then when the work was done they fetched the courtesy car and dropped mine off.