is it me or are second hand dealers cheaper than private sellers these days?

unholyangel

If you're buying private, may as well buy from auction. Just either know what to look for yourself or take someone who does.

At least with a dealer, if you pay by credit card then you're covered with section 75. You have contractual rights (although that doesn't mean you're entitled to a perfect as good as new car....a £1000 x year old car is still a £1000 x year old car) when buying from a dealer that you don't get from a private seller.

Some private sellers don't seem to realise this, see dealers offering for x and so think they can sell for x. Who knows, maybe they can....only worth what someone will pay etc.

Begsey

unholyangel wrote: »

If you're buying private, may as well buy from auction. Just either know what to look for yourself or take someone who does.

Last time I bought from auction the £850 hammer price ended up being around £1200 and it was a pup.
Last car I bought was from a garage, around £5-800 cheaper than similar cars.
As they done the timing belt, rear bushes, new brakes all round, to me that was another £700ish of a saving.

unholyangel

Begsey wrote: »

Last time I bought from auction the £850 hammer price ended up being around £1200 and it was a pup.
Last car I bought was from a garage, around £5-800 cheaper than similar cars.
As they done the timing belt, rear bushes, new brakes all round, to me that was another £700ish of a saving.

So you didn't do your homework first then?

The cars are usually listed online before hand. Then before the actual auction you walk round and take a look at the ones you like and pay attention to the ones all the dealers avoid (where do you think they get their stock? ).

Also (doesn't apply to just auctions though) look at what common faults that make/model has. And be prepared to walk away empty handed if you don't find something that ticks all the boxes.

AdrianC

[quote=[Deleted User];discussion/5975102]I'm in the market for an under £1000 car, and surprised to see more adverts from second hand dealers (px-to-clear whatever that means) and lower prices, than what I see from private sellers? Is this normal?[/QUOTE]"PX to clear" simply means that it's a car the dealer's taken in as part exchange on something they've sold, but don't really want to clean and put on their forecourt. They just want it out the way.

It won't have been prepped, and it won't have any more comeback on the supplier than the bare minimum statutory protection - which on a <£1k car is minimal. If nobody buys it in a fairly short time, they'll either shove it to an auction or the scrappy, without a second thought...

Or it may be an utter dog they've already had to absorb a rejection on, and are trying to punt it off...

Herzlos

"PX to clear" means they don't think it's worth cleaning up to sell on, or that they know it's a dog and are hoping you think it'll come with less rights.