Buying in England-Pulling the Trigger

paulisagayboy

Ok so from my previous posts you know i am looking at buying a car in England. I have decided to go for 2010 Insignia or Passat CC. Few problems with the Insignia putting me off but im ready to pull the trigger now. Heres my plan....let me know what you think

1. Find the car on Autotrader.co.uk

2. Make contact with the dealer and ask him for extra pics including under the hood. Bear in mind i know sweet **** all about engines but it maight make him think i do

3. Haggle my best price over the phone

4. Get the AA Vehicle check on the car -think this costs about 150 Pounds

5. If its all good, drive over and pick her up, drive her home

6. Sell my current Car (110bhp 06 tdi Focus for about 5000) and use this to pay the VRT

Now tell me the numerous holes in this plan!!!

Cheers
Ciaran

colm_mcm

The whole selling the car to pay the vrt could be the flaw.

Sell the focus now.

dmc17

When you drive over to pick her up, be sure to bring someone along with you to drive your car back

PLUG71

The AA check is worth every penny as they are very comprehensive.

Dont forget to do a history check and get the best one you can find.

Its possible to save time and a few pounds if you get a transport company to bring the car over for you, its approx €300 and they advertise on Donedeal I think.

Hope it goes well

bazz26

Personally, I'd still want to see/test drive the car before paying for it, I'd fancy a bit of a road trip home too.

slimjimmc

Don't forget to factor in motor insurance for the test drive (or ensure you have cover under dealer's policy) and the trip back, you can buy 1 or 2 day cover online in a matter of minutes. Make sure the policy covers you on this side of the pond for when you arrive here.

Expect to be scrutinised by the police since their ANPR is likely to show no tax or insurance so with this in mind leave yourself plenty of spare time to get to the ferry.

mullingar

paulisagayboy wrote: »

6. Sell my current Car (110bhp 06 tdi Focus for about 5000) and use this to pay the VRT

5k is a bit optimistic for an 8 year old Focus

Crimsonforce

Let me know where and how much your looking for the cc. Looking at getting one myself and haven't started looking yet!

bazz26

Mine will be going up for sale around this time next year if you can wait that long.

slimjimmc

mullingar wrote: »

5k is a bit optimistic for an 8 year old Focus

I had a quick check of carzone there and dealers are asking anything from 4600-7900.

paulisagayboy

slimjimmc wrote: »

Don't forget to factor in motor insurance for the test drive (or ensure you have cover under dealer's policy) and the trip back, you can buy 1 or 2 day cover online in a matter of minutes. Make sure the policy covers you on this side of the pond for when you arrive here.

Expect to be scrutinised by the police since their ANPR is likely to show no tax or insurance so with this in mind leave yourself plenty of spare time to get to the ferry.

Could I not just ring and transfer my insurance when over there. Would my policy cover me in engerland???

paulisagayboy

colm_mcm wrote: »

The whole selling the car to pay the vrt could be the flaw.

Sell the focus now.

I do have a month to do it plus a couple of weeks Grace. Plus I need a car so I think it's the best option. Cheers for the advice....

paulisagayboy

What about the log books lads.... Is it a bit different in the UK???

fricatus

Road tax in the UK is done a little differently from here (not sure of the details as to why), so the car will not necessarily be taxed when you pick it up.

The dealer may have a requirement that you tax it before you drive off - this was the case when I bought my Accord in Leicestershire a few years back. This was a headache because it was going to cost money and I didn't have a UK address.

In the end, I agreed to sign a letter from the garage stating that I was exporting the car to Ireland and was bringing it to the port. Not quite true, as I spent the afternoon in Oxford and stayed the weekend with a mate in London, but they were happy that they were covered. I had a ferry ticket and a copy of the letter that I planned to show to the coppers if I was stopped for any reason.

I would get the dealership to clarify the situation around road tax and agree a solution with them before you head over, so as to avoid such headaches.

kfog

paulisagayboy wrote: »

What about the log books lads.... Is it a bit different in the UK???

Make sure you get the full V5 cert from the seller, do not leave without it. Don't let them sent it to the DVLA or you will have a long wait trying to get it. Explain to the seller that you need this full cert to register the car here and that the DVLA will be notified that the car was exported when it is registered here.

slimjimmc

paulisagayboy wrote: »

Could I not just ring and transfer my insurance when over there. Would my policy cover me in engerland???

You could but what about your focus, you mentioned you planned on driving over so presumably that means taking your own car there and back. The other driver could drive it on their policy (if it allows) but it might only be 3rd party so you may not covered against the loss of your car. Of course, if someone else drives their car over and back then there's no conflict.

paulisagayboy

slimjimmc wrote: »

You could but what about your focus, you mentioned you planned on driving over so presumably that means taking your own car there and back. The other driver could drive it on their policy (if it allows) but it might only be 3rd party so you may not covered against the loss of your car. Of course, if someone else drives their car over and back then there's no conflict.

No I'm planning on flying over so focus is out of the equation as is a second driver!

mgbgt1978

kfog wrote: »

Make sure you get the full V5 cert from the seller, do not leave without it. Don't let them sent it to the DVLA or you will have a long wait trying to get it. Explain to the seller that you need this full cert to register the car here and that the DVLA will be notified that the car was exported when it is registered here.

Best advice on this thread.
Ask the dealer, when you ring them, if they have sold to an Irish guy before.
If they have then they should know the full V5 should be handed to you.

Most insurers will temporarily transfer you to a UK car (Liberty won't, you will have to do a permanent transfer and then transfer back upon your return.....only €40 or so ).

Don't go for the cheapest model on Autotrader, they are usually the cheapest on purpose for a reason.

Most Dealers will take a Credit card deposit over the phone to secure the car....but it's normally non-refundable unless you can show the car is very different to the description (although the AA check should sort that out).

Also, a great opportunity to buy stuff in the likes of Machine Mart etc, who don't ship to Ireland.

nogoodnamesleft

Make sure you include for the EUR/GBP exchange rate as the british economy is booming at the moment. The value of the Euro has been steadily dropping the last few months and is projected to get weaker by all accounts.

http://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/exchange/eurofxref/html/eurofxref-graph-gbp.en.html

Saying that though during the boom when I lived in Ireland and imported a UK car it was somewhere around 69p = 1 Euro and I still saved a few grand compared to dealer prices :eek:

slimjimmc

paulisagayboy wrote: »

No I'm planning on flying over so focus is out of the equation as is a second driver!

That would be a far better option, just make sure your insurer is primed and ready to do the switch over when requested.

(and perhaps edit pt.5 in post #1)

whiteshorts

There is a new crowd around that will give you a better exchange rate compared to the bank but I can't remember the name of it.

paulisagayboy

whiteshorts wrote: »

There is a new crowd around that will give you a better exchange rate compared to the bank but I can't remember the name of it.

This was helpful ðŸ˜........naaaaaaaat

paulisagayboy

slimjimmc wrote: »

That would be a far better option, just make sure your insurer is primed and ready to do the switch over when requested.

(and perhaps edit pt.5 in post #1)

Indeed ...... Touchè

whiteshorts

Transferring Smaller Amounts :
If you need to transfer smaller amounts of money to a bank account abroad – in a different currency you can use companies such as CurrencyFair or TransferWise .
These companies are “peer to peer” – they cut out the banks and for a small fee allow you to get exchange rates that are pretty close to the interbank rates. These are good for sending smaller regular payments to family abroad or for purchases in foreign currencies (cars etc) . You can use a debit card to send the money and get it converted to any one of dozens of different currencies. Sterling, US Dollars AUS Dollars and many more.

fricatus

whiteshorts wrote: »

There is a new crowd around that will give you a better exchange rate compared to the bank but I can't remember the name of it.

IIRC, I used Transfermate.

BnB

As well as getting the full V5 which is a must have and a mistake I made first time too.... the other thing I would say from the first time I went over is make sure you have a map or sat nav or something like that with you. You probably have it on your phone but just make sure. The first time I went over I ended up driving around the south of England in the middle of the night for an hour or two lost as bejaysus.

Also - You need to be able to pay for it in some manner that is instant - Otherwise you will have to wait for whatever payment method you are using to clear when you are over there. Unless of course you are going to buy and pay for it before you even travel on the strength of the AA check.

Personally I take cash. It's probably not ideal from a security point of view - But it gives you a bit more bargaining power. You can walk into someone's yard and wave it under their noses - Not literally - But you can say something like... I have £5k here in my pocket. I'll pay you straight away - Take the car with me - And it'll be all done and dusted in 10 minutes. That can often be particularly attractive to someone who is trying to sell a car privately and doesn't really have time for the messing about that often goes with it.

Finally, the last thing I'd say is don't get someone off Donedeal to collect it for you - You are going to collect your new car and you get to bring it on a road trip...... What's not to love about that.

groom

fricatus wrote: »

IIRC, I used Transfermate.

I've used Transfermate. I more regularly use XETrade. With all these FX companies though you need a sterling account to receive the funds.

paulisagayboy

So i have found the car, talked to the lad at the garage and he seems very genuine, it was a trade in from a local garage.

Now my plan all along was to get the AA vehicle check but this guy says he will MOT the cat and this is similar to the check but a lot cheaper. He is also giving me an Autoguard Warranty in the price which i can redeem at my local garage, i rang Autoguard and this is correct. So my question is, do i just bail on the Vehicle check and if anything is wrong, just use the warranty. I have a genuine good feeling about the car....

Harcrid

Personally I would never travel to the UK to buy a car without having a vehicle inspection carried out. While having an MOT is good it is not an indication of the cars general condition. For example what if the car is covered in scratches or dents? These are not MOT fail items. I am not familiar with AutoGuard but some of those third party warranty companies can be very difficult to work with and it can be difficult to get them to do repair work.

I find that the AA check is great piece of mind and can also give you some items to haggle on sometimes. Last thing I want to do is be fretting on a flight that a car may not be as good as I think it is just from speaking to dealer and looking at pictures.

bazz26

Warranty especially these third party warranties will not cover failures that have been determined to have been caused by lack of maintenance or abuse by the previous owner. They will also not cover things like suspension bits, timing belts, clutch, brakes, etc that might be due replacement. The MOT may not pick up on all of these things. While these type things are usually deemed wear and tear, they are a good negotiating point at the time of purchase with the seller.

Silvera

paulisagayboy wrote: »

So i have found the car, talked to the lad at the garage and he seems very genuine, it was a trade in from a local garage.

So the car has been sold from one garage to another?
If so, thats whats known as a 'trade sale'. While the car might be fine, I would be wary of such a car as inter-garage sales often take place due to high mileage, previous crash damage etc. Just clarify the situation before you go any further.
(N.B. - I worked in the motor trade for many years)

paulisagayboy

Silvera wrote: »

So the car has been sold from one garage to another?
If so, thats whats known as a 'trade sale'. While the car might be fine, I would be wary of such a car as inter-garage sales often take place due to high mileage, previous crash damage etc. Just clarify the situation before you go any further.
(N.B. - I worked in the motor trade for many years)

What happened was that the garage i was talking to got it in from a local toyota garage. They got it as a trade in but they dont sell on anyhting but toyotas so they sell it to local garages....i feel that the miles/car was genuine and i had ran a plate check and came back all good except there was some finance owed. I was talking to the Toyota garage and they had this settled and had a clearance letter and all so i was happy.

Unfortunately, i had decided to go ahead and buy, rang the garage to negotiaite a price but had made my mind up that i was buying even at sticker price.......he was with a customer so said he would ring me back......and you can see where this is heading.......that cutsomer test drove and put a deposit down immeaditayly.... gutted....so back to the drawing board im afraid....:mad::mad::mad:

corktina

Be careful of a garage trying to persuade you to accept a new MoT in lieu of an AA inspection. In the UK MoTs are done by garages and if this dealer is dodgy, could bear no relation to the state of the vehicle.

paulisagayboy

yeah had decided to go with the AA check as well, an extra 250 is nothing when your spending 10g's on the car....

paulisagayboy

So the trigger has been pulled....i found a car i liked,i will post up some pics but i have a question.... the dealer was offering an Autoprotect Warranty but he reckons when i VRT the car and change plates, that this will void the warranty so he reckons its not a goer. i contated them and am waitng for a call back to confirm.

I think i am gonna get the vehicle check for piece of mind, if people have had it done before, id love to know what you thought....

Finally i was looking at 3rd party warranty cmpanies, namely Mapfre and carprotect.ie. carprotect will only offer warranty after NCT so thats out but Mapfre will cover me from when i get to Ireland so touch wood, assuning the car doesnt blow up on the way back then i would seem to be covered. I am a bit dubious from reading other threads and the "existing problem" thing seems to have caught people out, but if it gets a clean bill of health from the AA, then that surely rules out any argument they could have about "pre existing problems".

Any Help is REALLY REALLY appreciated, i have deposit paid on the car but i can get this back if i choose in the next day not to go ahead with the sale so im not tied into to anything.....Cheers Guys

paulisagayboy

Its a SRI Nav 160 with 64000 miles and i paid £8600 for it Pics are attatched below....welcome any and all feedback, good or bad.... the colour isnt gonna be everyones cuppa but i like it....

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Drummerboy08

They're not SRi wheels unless its different spec that Ireland.

SRi got 18' wheels as standard, the wheels on your car are from an S Plus pack.

Based on Irish spec of course.

paulisagayboy

yeah i see your right but i would be putting new alloys on it myself so thats not an issue....unless this means its not actually an SRI but i ran the plates and its registered as a 160 sri nav, the interior is the same and it has tge nav, dont think they make navs that arent sri do they??

cheers for feedback tho

Drummerboy08

Yeah seats look like SRI alright.

MuppetCheck

UK SRIs often had the smaller wheels. I dunno whether the 18s were extra or fleets insisted on them or what.

bazz26

With the way Insignias go through those 18" tyres and the price of them I can see why large fleet managers would insist on smaller wheels.

Bizness

Why are you buying off a dealer? You are exporting the car to Ireland, so you have no comeback on the dealer warranty, unless you want to ship it back at considerable expense to the dealer if something goes wrong, i.e. transport, return ferry etc.

If I was you, I’d save myself up to a few grand by buying private in UK vs UK dealer, especially if you can haggle. This is what I have done with all my cars over the years, which I have brought in UK. Only thing is that it takes a bit more time and hassle with looking up autotrader etc, with possibly two trips to the UK, or else one extended trip. But I do know that there are plenty of private Insignia’s on auto-trader etc. With a dealer, you don’t know who was driving that car, or even what type of driving it was doing, e.g. city vs motorway etc.
You just need to be a good judge of character – you should be able to suss them out on the phone, make sure you meet him at his/her house and not a supermarket car-park etc, and start the car from cold, full service history, finance history etc etc. The AA check will give you peace of mind on finance history, crash cars and if you not up on cars and a genuine seller will not mind that, if he objects, walk away. Other criteria is he/she is the only owner (if buying a car only two/three yrs old, or else a very good genuine reason why two owners on the log-book).

If you go up the years, i.e. within 3 years, then you are covered with the manufacturer’s warranty Europe-wide and you have got a newer car with a European warranty for the price of an older non-European warranty dealer car. Just check that the manufacturer has the 3 yr Europe warranty, I know Mazda and BMW defo do, I think most manufacturers have at this stage. The car you buy though would have to have the servicing done at the main dealer up to now, and as per the recommended mileage – the seller should have the official stamps on the service book with the mileage or else ring the manufacturer with the reg plate to confirm, as it will all be held electronically.
The dealer is only a middle man after all, and some of the guys working in the dealers are only trained technicians, not real mechanics!
Just my tuppence!

paulisagayboy

atest update: advice needed


So the AA check was today and I got a call from the dealer to say that on the test drive, the car went into limp mode. When he plugged the car in he got a list of codes from the computer and I have attayched them. They are coming he reckons from the turbo actuator, which again he is replacing and has sent me pics.

I rang 2 Opel garages to see if this is a common fault and one said it wasn't and that if the actuator is replaced which it will be then there shouldn't be an issue. The other mentioned that he would sometimes replace the whole turbo system if This happened....anyone any intake on this??

The mechanic who carried out the inspection rang me and gave me the low down and said apart from this that the car was in good order and he would reccomwnd it. He mentioned that I should say it to the dealer that if anything happens with just the turbo system that he would pay for me to have it fixed in Ireland, for the next 3 months, if I get this I am pretty much. Covered.....

paulisagayboy

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