Garage selling car for customer, private or trade sale?

Del2005

I'm looking at cars and some I've looked at have been garages selling cars for customers. I haven't seen any I liked yet, but it got me thinking.

My thinking is that this is a trade sale as I'll only be dealing with the garage and should therefore still have consumer rights.

Or is it the worst of both worlds? Higher dealer price and classed as a private sale with no come back.

Worst of both worlds.

-Chris-

Will you be signing an order form with the dealer?
If you make out a cheque to pay for the car, would it say the dealer's name on it or the private owner's?
What do they say if you ask about warranty?
Are they taking your trade-in?

I'd say the answers to these questions should tell you whether you're buying privately or as a consumer, and you should be adjusting the pricing accordingly.

mickdw

Id be pretty sure you will be asked to make cheque out to car owner and it will be a private sale.
I know alot of the main dealers will stick a car up on carzone for a good customer who wants to sell private if they have a new car on order from them. There are many decent (and good value) cars to be had this way. If the car was a 1 owner and being sold for a new one at about 3 years old and it was a main dealer who had the private sale ad, it could certainly be a genuine car but there would be no comeback.

Reloc8

Came across this recently on a car I liked - rang up about it, was told they were selling for a customer. Head guy said he had put the thing up on carzone for the punter as the punter was a longstanding customer.

Got in touch with owner - turned out he had shifted it already - but at least the garage (well known) were straight up with what the sale was.


In any event, it should be completely obvious whether your transaction is with the dealer or not by the paperwork accompanying sale.

E.g. if it appears you are not getting a receipt/relevant warranty documents from the dealer slow down and get clarity on what the purchase is, i.e. private or dealer. If it turns out its private, i.e. they won't receipt you from the dealer, STOP !. You still have the same rights on such a purchase as in a straightforward purchase from dealer even where you don't actually realise the dealer is considering it as a private but you will be put to massive inconvenience and probable expense if/when you try and assert them.


If you really like the car and are happy with a private sale, ask to be put in touch with the owner and negotiate with them directly (and do your motorcheck.ie or equivalent on the car).

If they won't put you in direct contact with the owner (and verify for your own comfort that it is the owner you're talking to - registration document etc) walk away - they're too dodgy to deal with.

Never hand over money for a car except to the person you are buying the car from, i.e. current owner.

Reloc8

Reloc8 wrote: »

If you really like the car and are happy with a private sale, ask to be put in touch with the owner and negotiate with them directly (and do your motorcheck.ie or equivalent on the car).

If they won't put you in direct contact with the owner (and verify for your own comfort that it is the owner you're talking to - registration document etc) walk away - they're too dodgy to deal with.

Most folks selling their car through a dealer don't want to be negotiating