Second hand cars and the London effect?

bouicca21

As a result of a response to an earlier post about buying a secondhand car, I have been using autotrader to get some valuations.

I'm curious because I have noticed that used cars for sale from local dealers (i.e. in the London area) seem to be regularly up at a price roughly £1,000 over the top good condition autotrader valuation. Once one gets further out the prices are congruent with the top end of the autotrader valuation.

Is there really a London effect? Is it worth, as it were, getting on my bike and visiting a provincial dealer?

DUTR

Well unless you are on a £1000/day, then yes it can well be worth it.

fred246

When I last bought a car I went to Derby for it. It so happened that the first branch of Motorpoint was there. I wondered if the local dealers had to compete with the car supermarket so they were cheaper. I generally decided though that prices got cheaper as you moved North.

EssexExile

It's best to move up here, then you can buy from a local dealer & it won't be too far to go back if there are problems.:)

fred246

Can you please be quiet EssexExile. We need to keep the Londoners in London so we can keep our lovely standard of living here up North.

Saf_789

I agree, as somebody who knows a car salesman well, i can say he regularly buys cars from here (manchester/leeds) and takes them down to sell in London. Automatic cars are worth more money down there so if you are after an Auto, shop up north for a decent saving.

bouicca21

Oh, those replies actually made me laugh out loud. Unfortunately a combination of work and family prevent me from moving to the land of clogs and whippets, despite the attractions of house prices and scenery.

But if it is really true that cars are cheaper too, I might visit ...

MysteryMe

If you are buying from a main dealer offering a manufacturers warranty then you can take the car back to your local dealer.


I bought my Toyota in Derby, there is a large Toyota plant nearby so loads of them about. I travelled from Essex and saved a over a grand for £50 fuel cost.

reeac

It would be nice to know whether there are regional variations in rates of wear and tear in cars. Eg due to traffic congestion and so more stop/start driving or climatic differences, muddy rural roads etc affecting bodywork deterioration. Manufacturers might have such info via main dealers but they probably wouldn't divulge.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Well a London car will have heavier transmission and brake wear than one used on the open road, and if its been driven round Park Royal regularly will probably have 4 broken springs, worn out dampers and a damaged underbody due to the third world road surfaces with pot holes you could vanish into never to be seen again.

However it won't have seen much in the way of winter salt over its life, unlike a car that's spent its life in the Highlands which will be rotten underneath.

Not all areas outside cities have cheaper cars, Norfolk in particular has always been expensive for cars.

The problem with travelling a long way to buy is that it isn't a once only trip, you are relying on honest descriptions in adverts, sadly all too few sellers are honest, though its never deliberate of course its a feature of the autofill function mate innit.

Easier for those with some car knowledge not to get caught out with a pup from afar.

bigjl

I actively avoid cars that have been used round London when buying.

London cars are usually in a shocking state due to the roads.

Brake wear is irrelevant as they are quick and cheap to sort.

But the suspension will be worn, bodywork damage is commonplace. With the number of speedbumps and road tables there are (and potholes) even the bodyshell itself will suffer.