Wheeler Dealer- Should I steer clear?

Veloce

Hi people,

Just looking for a bit of advice. Came across a car i'm interested in on auto trader. Its being sold by a lad up North. It says on Auto Trader he was a dealer but from talking to him this evening it turns out he is just buying and selling a few cars himself. (he has a stock list of about 6-8 cars for sale atm)

I asked him to send me down some information on the car such as the service history booklet etc which he has sent to me and all looks in order.

He said he bought the car from the main dealer (where car was serviced throughout by the previous owner), so my understanding is that the previous owner has traded the car back to the garage where he originally bought the car to buy a new Giuletta.

The wheeler dealer himself is looking for £6,995 for the car. Reasonable enough including VRT.

i'm just kind of wondering why the car was bought from the dealership- obviously the wheeler dealer got a good price on it to sell it on for a margin? Perhaps something wrong with it? Or the dealership couldn't sell it?

Any advice to avoid me getting stung would be great.

si_guru

I'd say it is because most UK dealers don't want cars over 2 years old. Also if it is petrol 2.0 litre they deffo won't want it.

Veloce

si_guru wrote: »

I'd say it is because most UK dealers don't want cars over 2 years old. Also if it is petrol 2.0 litre they deffo won't want it.

Yeah its actually a 3.2 litre.

The wheeler dealer said he had one similiar before and actually sold it on to a dealership in London.

Would people here advise against buying a car from such a 'dealer'?

Big J

If there turns out to be a problem with the car after you have bought it it is likely to be much more difficult to get any comeback with someone selling like this compared to a main dealer with bricks and mortar premises. Then again the car would cost more from a "proper" dealership.

You pays yer money......

Nonoperational

If you decide to buy it treat it as a private sale and forget any mention of warranty etc. I wouldn't rule it out if all checks out.

I bought a 12 year old Celica off a similar sounding chap years ago, I only came across it as a friend asked me to check out a 4 or 5 year old Astra for me that he was thinking of buying off him. The guy got most of the yokes he sold on from a local main dealer, stuff they wouldn't retail themselves for whatever reason. The Astra was borderling retail material I reckon but this was in 2007 so height of the boom.

If the car is sound I wouldn't be at all worried about buying from such a lad

At the time of checking out the Astra I had no interest in buying the Celica as I was sale agreed on an Accord Coupe in Dublin, the chap told me once he made €4200 on the Celica he would break even as he had made money on the car he took it against. At the time SS2 Celica's were making over €5000 no bother. The buddy bought the Astra (I reckoned it was fine), two days later the garage in Dublin rang me to say the Accord had been stolen. Rang the other guy and asked him how much was the Celica, he asked me didn't he mention to me what he needed to make, I said you did, he let me have it for that. That car was mint and I sold it privately for €4800 9 months later after spending nothing on it only a service and two front tyres.

So all these part time wheeler dealers are not bad folk imo.

Anan1

Ring the service department of the dealer who looked after the car, see whether all the stamps match up (and whether everything due at each service was actually done).

RobAMerc

hi OP,

First things first I think the general jist on Motors is trust nobody and buy nothing unless its a gold plated steal from god himself ( even then don't trust him )

In my opinion go with your gut. If the guy has already gone through the trouble of sending you the service history and it all checks out and you have the car looked at by an indie pro or you know enough about them yourself to make a call on it - then why not go ahead.

Here in Ireland everyone expects to buy a car from a flashy showroom and then wonder why they have to pay over the odds for everything.

As for warranty - often you'll get written warranty from a 3rd party supplier. If not check out the price of getting one yourself and deduct it from the price and buy it yourself down south ( make sure the one you get from him include south ).

enjoy the 3.2 V6 - vnice :cool:

Anan1

RobAMerc wrote: »

hi OP,

First things first I think the general jist on Motors is trust nobody and buy nothing unless its a gold plated steal from god himself ( even then don't trust him )

In my opinion go with your gut. If the guy has already gone through the trouble of sending you the service history and it all checks out and you have the car looked at by an indie pro or you know enough about them yourself to make a call on it - then why not go ahead.

Here in Ireland everyone expects to buy a car from a flashy showroom and then wonder why they have to pay over the odds for everything.

As for warranty - often you'll get written warranty from a 3rd party supplier. If not check out the price of getting one yourself and deduct it from the price and buy it yourself down south ( make sure the one you get from him include south ).

enjoy the 3.2 V6 - vnice :cool:

This is sound advice. I just hate buying from any sort of a dealer myself, but hey, if it's the right car at the right price. Do do all your checks, though.

Veloce

Lads- thanks a mil for all your advice. Sound out.

Yes the guy was pretty good in sending the information to me: He sent a motor check report (dated today- but obviously I will do my own independent check), he sent me the MOT cert which is certified up to Aug 11, he also sent the service booklet stamped pages and an invoice for the last service which included waterpump/timing belt & tensioners!

Later this evening he gave me a call to see if I got the info and just to run through a few things and to let him know if I wanted to head up for a viewing. Apparently he used to work high level for Fiat / Alfa.

So pretty positive so far- but of course its still let the buyer beware.