My Tescocars buying experience

callumlondon

There’s been a lot of talk in the car sales industry about Tesco launching their online used car sales business known as Tescocars.

I was interested in the concept, especially as I was looking for a car and didn’t have an existing car to get to dealerships for viewings and test drives. I couldn’t find any reviews or opinions online about Tescocars, so I’ve summarised my experience for the benefit of anyone who’s considering buying a used car online.

9 May: I wanted a 08 or newer Ford Focus hatchback with less than 30,000 miles. A search of the Tescocars website showed plenty of suitable matches, all with an earliest availability of 30 May. The prices were competitive, being slightly cheaper than car supermarkets and about £1k less than main dealers. I selected the car and paid the £99 holding fee by credit card.

10 May: I received a phonecall from a Tescocars salesperson explaining that she would be my account manager throughout the process and the car I’d selected finished its lease on May 12. She said she’d contact me next week with an update.

17 May: I received an email from the account manager letting me know the car had arrived at the Tescocars Birmingham depot and was undergoing a defleeting process, and I’d receive a further update within a week.

26 May: I sent an email to the account manager enquiring about the status of the car (as it had an earliest delivery date of May 30). Received an out of office response, so I emailed the alternative contact provided.

27 May: No response to my email, so I phoned Tescocars and was told told they are based in Brighton, although the cars are in Birmingham, but their system said the car was expected for delivery on June 2.

1 June: Still hadn’t heard anything further from Tescocars, or received the vehicle inspection report and test drive video, so I contacted Tescocars by phone and was told the report would be with me that day.

2 June: I reviewed the vehicle inspection report, and found it to be nowhere near as comprehensive as I thought it would be. It was simply a checklist of items (brakes, exhaust, lights etc..) with an N/A against each item. The video test drive was 30 seconds of a mechanic sitting in the car, commenting he couldn’t take the car for a longer test drive due to lack of fuel, but didn’t find anything wrong during his short drive.

The body inspection showed a small scratch on the driver side door, and an included photograph.

3 June: I was satisfied with the vehicle report (knowing there was a 7 day money back guarantee on the car) and requested delivery for 8 June: I was given the bank account details for Tescocars, and
asked to transfer the full payment to the account. The cars don’t come with any road tax, so I had to take the 7 day free Aviva insurance offered, and pay the road tax, £149 delivery fee and £15 admin fee by credit card.

4 June: I received automated emails from Tescocars offering air conditioning disinfecting, extended RAC platinum warranty and floor mats, none of which I was interested in.

6 June: I received a phone call from someone at Tescocars asking if I wanted to extend the one month RAC warranty prior to purchase, saving myself £50. A quick search online for RAC extended warranties suggested they’re not worth the paper they’re printed on, so I declined the offer.

7 June: I had booked a PM delivery, but the delivery person phoned on the evening before delivery to ask if he could deliver the car at 7:30AM instead. I agreed.

8 June: The car was delivered at the agreed time, by a person who’d driven the car down from Birmingham the day before (so there were a few more miles on the clock than advertised). He pointed out the minor scratch on the door and we gave the vehicle a walk around inspection before I signed to accept delivery.

I was disappointed to find no log books (ie owners manual and service history log not the buyers half of the V5 certificate) were included, only a computer printout of a service log, which could have been made up.

I also discovered even the included one month RAC warranty had a massive list of exclusions, and a limit of £500 per repair.

Overall I was pleased with the condition of the car, very clean interior - much better than I was expecting for a three year old car, although including all the fees and charges it was no cheaper than buying from a dealership (with some negotiating) or a car supermarket.

Would I buy from Tescocars again? Now that I’m able to drive to dealerships, probably not.

Would I recommend a friend use Tescocars? If they aren’t in a hurry and want a car delivered to their door, then maybe.

s_b

thank you for communicating your experience
to be honest im amazed a 30 second video is all you get
i would love a link to see it

callumlondon

No problem. Hopefully sharing my experience helps others to make an informed decsision.

I didn't know this at the time, but you can see the type of mechanical inspection report and video that's supplied by searching for cars which are available for immediate delivery, as I suspect these are cars which have been ordered, but then declined by the purchaser for whatever reason, so all the photos/videos etc.. have been done.

Here's a link to one. Click on the "RAC Report" tab and scroll down:

te*co*ars.com/cars/ford/focus/586677/ford-focus-hatchback-18-titanium-5dr/

I've had to modify the link slightly as I'm not allowed to post links here. If the above isn't permitted, please remove it.

jase1

Does sound like Tesco are running their business along very similar lines to my experience with Autoquake. If the car is cheap enough, I'd do the same again (I paid £3500 for a 3-year-old Focus estate, similar to what such a car might fetch at auction). But, as you say, the service doesn't compare to a main dealer, although I'd trust outfits like this much more than some dodgy back-street dealer such as the one I believe alcan runs....

s_b

thanks for the link callumlondon
saw the video very unimpressed but at least at the end they do explain that they get them on a ramp but to be honest they will be inspected anyway because they will need an mot so i wonder if they do both jobs together

NeverAgain_2

I recall Tesco formed Tescocars after buying another business which was in liquidation - might have been Autoquake.

The OP makes a good point about the service appealing most to those unable to look around local dealers.

KingElvis

NeverAgain wrote: »

I recall Tesco formed Tescocars after buying another business which was in liquidation - might have been Autoquake.

The OP makes a good point about the service appealing most to those unable to look around local dealers.

Sounds awfully like the "autoquake" way of doing business, buying ex fleet cars, polishing a turd and then flogging on for at least the balance of the cost of the car minus the fleet rental already paid.....

I had experience of their cold portacabins in Leeds and just got my money back pronto.

callumlondon

I think Carsite is the company which Tescocars aquired. My credit card statement for the initial handling fee was billed as "Carsite" and on the insurance covernote it showed the dealer as "Carsite (Trading as Tescocars)".

jase1

Yes, Carsite was a similar company (more expensive but with better stock as I recall) that had the RAC video idea on its site. I looked at the site a few times before deciding that the only cars in my price range were (admittedly good value) 2 year old Daewoo Tacumas and left alone.

photome

Callum, you mentioned no logbook.

I drive a company/lease car and I have no idea where the logbook is, they are not in the cars when we get them.

I dont know if they are ever updated or put back in to the car when it is sold.

Just a thought as to why you didnt get one

redbiro

The videos quiet funny:rotfl: