Buying Up North

Big Nelly

Hi Guys

Looking to buy a couple of cars up North, dont ask why but just am. Was wondering is there any good websites for Northern cars only. Know about Autotrader but looking for a bigger selection! thanks

Mc-BigE

haven't used him before, he advertises on carzone a lot.

http://www.olivercoreygarages.co.uk/

Terrontress

What sort of a car are you after?

yop

I bought off Dean in Coreys, found him very decent to deal with, family run business so you end up meeting his Dad and his ma brings you out the tea!!!

el tel

Mc-BigE wrote:

haven't used him before, he advertises on carzone a lot.

http://www.olivercoreygarages.co.uk/

It seems he's letting his cars all go for free at the moment too:D

ediied to add: don't think there's anything covering NI with a bigger selection than Autotrader.

xabi

Big Nelly wrote:

Hi Guys

Looking to buy a couple of cars up North, dont ask why but just am. Was wondering is there any good websites for Northern cars only. Know about Autotrader but looking for a bigger selection! thanks

www.autotrader.co.uk enter a NI Post Code and off you go.

JHMEG

Big Nelly wrote:

Know about Autotrader but looking for a bigger selection! thanks

AFAIK, that's it. There is nothing better. Bear in mind that NI is a very very small market compared to GB or even RoI.

xabi

from past experience using autotrader.co.uk with NI details has more of a selection that autotrader.ie with NI details for some reason.

Everyone uses Autotrader in the north. It has the best selection.

Neilw

yop wrote:

I bought off Dean in Coreys, found him very decent to deal with, family run business so you end up meeting his Dad and his ma brings you out the tea!!!

Bought a car off Dean myself, called up he handed me the keys and said take her for a spin and come back whenever you want!

When I went to pick up the car it was all nice and clean, I took it for a drive to make sure everything was ok and when I returned they insisted on cleaning it again because it got a few splashes from wet roads

It's good to see a garage thats kept so tidy and nothing is hidden from the customer.

Neil.

marco_polo

If you are willing to take a chance I bought a 03 Ford Focus Zetec (hb 1.6 2700 miles) at an auction up north last year.

Cost me €5500 and I had to pay €3000 in vrt to take it home. I reckon the same car last year would have set me back aprox €12000-12500 down here. That meant if anything went wrong I could spend up to €4500 euro repairing it and still break even . Haven't had a single problem with it since though. :cool:

Tipsy Mac

marco_polo wrote:

If you are willing to take a chance I bought a 03 Ford Focus Zetec (hb 1.6 2700 miles) at an auction up north last year.

Great deal, was it from a website you spotted the auction or is it one held regularly? I'd be interested in heading up to see what's on offer.

MaxFlower

marco_polo wrote:

If you are willing to take a chance I bought a 03 Ford Focus Zetec (hb 1.6 2700 miles) at an auction up north last year.

Which one. I am mad to try an auction for myself and I reckon I'll end up in Norn Iron as its just to much hassel to travel to the UK.

marco_polo wrote:

Cost me €5500 and I had to pay €3000 in vrt to take it home. I reckon the same car last year would have set me back aprox €12000-12500 down here. That meant if anything went wrong I could spend up to €4500 euro repairing it and still break even . Haven't had a single problem with it since though. :cool:

My logic also!:D

Big Nelly

Well here is what I am looking at:

Number 1: mate have an avensis, had Passats before that and an Golf before that, is looking for a sporty car, had the sports model of the Passat(6 speed gear box etc) but wants something more, I think you woul dget better cars up the North/UK for less than over here, any idea's on sporty cars that have room for the golf clubs in boot

Number 2: Audi A3, met blue, cream interior, sun roof 02

yop

marco_polo wrote:

If you are willing to take a chance I bought a 03 Ford Focus Zetec (hb 1.6 2700 miles) at an auction up north last year.

Cost me €5500 and I had to pay €3000 in vrt to take it home. I reckon the same car last year would have set me back aprox €12000-12500 down here. That meant if anything went wrong I could spend up to €4500 euro repairing it and still break even . Haven't had a single problem with it since though. :cool:

Where was the auction lad? What sort of setup have they and whats the process? do you get anytime to check over the car? Is there any comeback, I suspect it is "sold as seen".

Terrontress

There seems to be a massive fan club for Corey's on here!

They'd be a bit out of the way if you are coming from the east coast.

A better idea may be Morgan's of Warrenpoint www.morgancars.net if you are looking for something a bit more upmarket.

For auctions, the best bet up North is Wilsons www.wilsonsauctions.com

They hold them alternating nights in Mallusk and Portadown. Both are very simple to get to from the east coast. Mallusk maybe more so, even though it is more northerley as it is motorway all the way. Portadown, you have the choice of heading up to Sprucefield and then heading back down the M1 or else heading cross country from Banbridge.

yop

Terrontress wrote:

There seems to be a massive fan club for Corey's on here!

They'd be a bit out of the way if you are coming from the east coast.

A better idea may be Morgan's of Warrenpoint www.morgancars.net if you are looking for something a bit more upmarket.

For auctions, the best bet up North is Wilsons www.wilsonsauctions.com

They hold them alternating nights in Mallusk and Portadown. Both are very simple to get to from the east coast. Mallusk maybe more so, even though it is more northerley as it is motorway all the way. Portadown, you have the choice of heading up to Sprucefield and then heading back down the M1 or else heading cross country from Banbridge.

Thanks for that, ask a stupid question, but is there anyway of knowing the opening or reserve prices on these motors?

On Corey, I suppose, word of mouth and experience is as good as anything, I got a bit sick of the Salesman BS which I found down here, as well as not getting as much for your money, I just found Coreys very genuine and the fact that everyone involved is "Family" means they have extra reason to make sure what they sell is good.
Even the young lad(about 12) driving each car in, washing it, hoovering it and waxing it!! I have been to garages here in Mayo where the cars are on the court, flat tyres, sweet rappers in the back seats, just not good enough.

Terrontress

The best thing to do is just to go along and get a feel for it once or twice. Even go to their auction in Dublin first of all, then one in the North and then after that, take the plunge and buy.

To prevent time wasters they make you put down a non-refundable deposit in order to be able to make a bid.

This is annoying if you don't buy anything but if you do buy something then it is good because some moron with a half idea of buying something can't push up the price by a few grand, just because he feels like it.

Some of the cars which come through flash up a light behind "Sold as seen" so I presume there is some form of rudimentary guarantee that the cars are covered by.

Apparently it is quite common for the battery to go dead in a car while it is waiting to be auctioned and they are quite often pushed into the auction hall. This puts people off and there are a few bargains to be had there.

yop

I remember them pushing the motors in alright in Windsors on the Belgard road, u could see the "non-informeds" faces dropping!!

marco_polo

Sorry lad should have mentioned the name it was the Wilson Auctions in Portadown where I bought my focus.

It costs about €500 to get a bidding card if I recall correctly, fully refundable if you do not buy anything. You can look over the cars in the yard before the auction but no test drives or detailed inspections or anything like that, they just get driven in, bid on and then driven out again within 30 seconds. It is buy as you see. I believe that they guarantee stuff like the transmission and a few basic items but nothing comprehensive. However it is a very well organised and professional setup, no Arthur Daly's to be found here.

There are no guide prices for cars or anything, I believe because they would be next to useless, some cars attract a good few bids, others barely get one, even for very similar cars. This is due to the fact that people drift in and out as the day goes on.

The stock is generally of a pretty high standard, alot of repossesed cars from renault financial services and the like. Mine was from a UK lease scheme for disabled drivers, basically they provide a new car for disabled users on the scheme every three years and the old one gets flogged off.

The bidders are mostly dealers so they woun't push the prices too high if they sense someone is a private buyer - they are there purely for the good deals not interested in any bidding wars. Bear in mind you only have till 12pm the next day to pay for the car so if you go have some finance arrranged and a budget in mind. It is an option well worth considering if you are looking to save money, but of course as it is an auction is is not without some associated risk.

Big Nelly

Terrontress wrote:

The best thing to do is just to go along and get a feel for it once or twice. Even go to their auction in Dublin first of all, then one in the North and then after that, take the plunge and buy.

To prevent time wasters they make you put down a non-refundable deposit in order to be able to make a bid.

This is annoying if you don't buy anything but if you do buy something then it is good because some moron with a half idea of buying something can't push up the price by a few grand, just because he feels like it.

Some of the cars which come through flash up a light behind "Sold as seen" so I presume there is some form of rudimentary guarantee that the cars are covered by.

Apparently it is quite common for the battery to go dead in a car while it is waiting to be auctioned and they are quite often pushed into the auction hall. This puts people off and there are a few bargains to be had there.

Im not 15, I have bought and sold more cars than you have had hot dinners:p

Terrontress

Big Nelly wrote:

Im not 15, I have bought and sold more cars than you have had hot dinners:p

Where was the auction lad? What sort of setup have they and whats the process? do you get anytime to check over the car? Is there any comeback, I suspect it is "sold as seen".

This was what I was responding to.

I would not doubt your experience in the motor trade Big Nelly. It is obviously much superior to mine, having only purchased four vehicles in my lifetime, but there was a question asked and I gave an answer.

Sorry if this threatens your sense of superiority in car purchasing.