Car Supermarkets - What If It Goes Wrong

singingsister

A close friend of mine is lending me £4000 to buy a new car. We've decided on a corsa. (needs to be automatic - and would like to get as new as I can for the money)

what do people think of this one?
http://www.carcraft.co.uk/CarDetail.aspx?carID=658976&categoryID=0

My main worry about getting from a car supermarket, is the horror stories about aftercare. What if they tell you for example it's got a new cambelt, but 3 months later the cambelt goes? What recourse do you have with them?

Markyt

Do not touch carcraft. Overpriced rubbish.

singingsister

really?! how come?!!!!

dnc1781

....just search "CARCRAFT" on here,......... you'll soon see!

Better to look at:
-motorpoint.co.uk
-mh2k.com
-trade-sales.co.uk

b33r

I went in last year cus I was passing, had no intention of buying but darn they make it bloody hard for you to leave without a car! They seemed to choose a vehicle I had walked by and "started the paper-work" all to my bemusement. I haggled two grand off it and got them to give me 500 more than market value for my car. Then I told them I had no intention of buying and left. If they can instantly knock two and a half grand off and still expect to make a profit then how overpriced must it be to begin with?!?!

oldagetraveller

I've experienced the poor service and after care? from one of these establishments and would NOT recommend using one.
My daughter bought a Corsa from one and the car was presented in a dangerous condition, their so callesd pre delivery inspection had obviously not been carried out. They were totally unconcerened and presented the check sheet, obviously filled in after my challenge.
I also bought a Peugeot 307 from the same place and subsequently found out it had been accident damaged and repaired which I'm sure they new about but lied to me pre sale assuriing that it wasn't. There was also a problem with wind noise from a door mirror and rather than fit the missing foam packing which cost pennies (this is how I first suspected all was not as it seemed) they filled the space behind the mirror with some kind of silicone sealer after it being brought to their attention!!
The Corsa sale should have rung the alarm bells I know but gave then benefit of doubt and second chance regrettably.
Oh, it's Hilton Garage in Derbyshire - they have received accolades and recommendation from Autocar I think - don't know how or why?
Sorry for the long post and rant!
Also heard similar sorry tales of Carcraft - so beware.

jonnypb

with a bit of haggling and phoning round you get get very similar deals from local dealerships who will give you better aftercare service

once you buy from a car supermarket they couldn't care less about you if the car goes wrong

i've got a deal from a local ford dealer and also got a quote from a well know car supermarket and the local ford dealer who was 10 miles down the road as oppose to 150 miles was only £60 more for a very similar car

TheImportanceOfBeingIdle

If you intend to buy from carcraft, stop outside the entrance, find a grate and throw all 4 grand down it. Carcraft aren't renowned for customer service and decent cars.

plane_boy2000

Pllllleeaaaaassssssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeee dont go to carcraft. The only reason these people make money is people keep going back to be ripped off.

As other have said your local dealer will probably be able to match any deal they offer you. There main purpose is to sell finance to individuals who would have difficulty else where so the cars are way overpriced. The sucker with no credit rating will pay as he is drawn in.

louidog

I have to say that a few people I know seem to be lucky with cars from these supermarket places....unless they are not telling me the whole truth! These places just seem to offer very high mileage, thrashed ex rep cars often bought at car auctions to sell on to the unsuspecting public!

I once went to buy a car at the supermarket place in Acton and decided on a RAC test costing £200 as I wasn't totally sure about them. I am so glad I did as the car was so dangerous the RAC man refused to carry out the test. Needless to say, I didn't buy the car! I would advise you to pay a little more, use a dealership from a well known make and sit back knowing you have made the right choice should anything decide to go wrong! Mind you, in saying that not all dealerships offer good back up either!

DealDrivers_company_representative

Ask yourself: where do all the cars go that customers shove onto dealers as unwanted part exchanges ...and ex rentals, cancelled fleet orders, over-production unpopular stock?!

Franchised dealers can rarely sell them off their own forecourts due to mileage/brand/condition/terrible spec'/obsolete models etc so they are sold in batches to the forecourts of non-franchised dealers and car supermarkets.

At the end of the day you are buying a used car so you take risk it will last and won't have a previous history. You're buying a used car from a non-franchised sales forecourt.

The 'car supermarket' label phenomenon seems to have fooled britains car buyers into thinking it is a new way to buy a car...they are just big shiny dealership-lookalikes, enhanced from the old '70's world of lock up compounds for used car bargains. They purport to look and feel like franchised dealerships but they are just used-car lots. Keep your expectations at a sensible level and remember you aren't buying from main dealers...get a warranty offer in writing and don't be pressured. Get the car HPI checked before signing anything.

Used car sales people can smell a soft target at 500 paces.

It's like buying anything old/used/already owned somewhere....'buyer beware', do all your homework and make a decision based on that with a sensible mix of gut instinct and price comparisons to hand.