Best online sites to browse used cars

now3d

Hello

I've been looking at CarGiant, and Stoneacre, but they are all coming out as £19,000 or more... even "clearance" eg Ford Galaxy.

Could I ask if there are any market leading sites for used cars?

I got sold a lemon recently via autotrader.. so now I'm heading for bigger firms..
Thanks!

Mercdriver

now3d wrote: »

Hello

I've been looking at CarGiant, and Stoneacre, but they are all coming out as £19,000 or more... even "clearance" eg Ford Galaxy.

Could I ask if there are any market leading sites for used cars?

I got sold a lemon recently via autotrader.. so now I'm heading for bigger firms..
Thanks!

As fat as I know, Autotrader don't sell cars, they sell ads for people selling cars and both the above advertise with Autotrader.

forgotmyname

Both Cargiant and Stoneacre use Autotrader....

A search is likely to lead to Autotrader and Ebay as the top 2 results.

If they are all £19k or more then thats the going rate and cheap ones should be treated with suspicion.

loskie

"ford Direct"

https://www.ford.co.uk/shop/price-and-locate/approved-used/approved-used-cars

AdrianC

now3d wrote: »

I've been looking at CarGiant, and Stoneacre, but they are all coming out as £19,000 or more... even "clearance" eg Ford Galaxy.

They won't be priced significantly above the market for any given car - if you want a cheaper car, look at something inherently cheaper (older/smaller/poorer condition).

Could I ask if there are any market leading sites for used cars?

Autotrader.

I got sold a lemon recently via autotrader.. so now I'm heading for bigger firms..

OK, you're confused between an ad site and a dealer. If you'd found that car through your local paper, would you be swearing off buying cars from ads in the local paper? Same thing.

AT is definitely the market leader - just about everybody's cars are there. Filter by budget, by distance, by car type or by make/model. Then do your own filtering by actual vendor...

now3d

Many thanks for your replies.

Sorry if my post wasn't clear.

Yes, I bought from a motor dealer. I found that motor dealer via the advert they had placed on Autotrader.
Back to my new search. I've been looking through autotrader, and I often find that the motor dealers who advertise on autotrader in price bracket under £5000 have not been trading for very long, they haven't ever even filed their accounts with Companies House. Take this one Spring Cars LTD

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201912135305261?postcode=w21ng&seller-type=trade&model=GALAXY&sort=price-asc&advertising-location=at_cars&make=FORD&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&radius=10&page=1

Incorporated Aug 2018
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/11516730


Therefore, I wanted to find some market leaders, and buy form them.

Many thanks for the approved used Ford, will check them!

now3d

I recall back in 2004 I bought a very good Mondeo with 140k miles, 5 years old £1700 from a private seller. Served me very well for 5 years. Back in 2012 I bought a very good 10 year old Audi A4 for £4000 from a motor dealer who advertised on Autotrader, again it worked out well, only routine maintenance.

I couldn't find a feedback filter on Autotrader, is there not one? I'd like to view only motor traders with 50+ positive feedback

AdrianC

now3d wrote: »

Back to my new search. I've been looking through autotrader, and I often find that the motor dealers who advertise on autotrader in price bracket under £5000 have not been trading for very long

Two minutes ago, you were looking at £19k cars. Now you're worrying about people flogging ones for a quarter of that.

How much are you actually looking to spend?

now3d wrote: »

I couldn't find a feedback filter on Autotrader, is there not one? I'd like to view only motor traders with 50+ positive feedback

This isn't eBay.

Yes, there's star reviews. But they're pretty damn meaningless, really.

now3d

AdrianC wrote: »

Two minutes ago, you were looking at £19k cars. Now you're worrying about people flogging ones for a quarter of that.

How much are you actually looking to spend?


This isn't eBay.

Yes, there's star reviews. But they're pretty damn meaningless, really.

Maybe you misread my messages. I posted saying Cargiant etc were listing at £19k, maybe you misunderstand, I don't want to pay that.

My budget was again, up to £5k. But I'd buy a £2k car if it was in good condition and with an MOT.


I am posting on the forum to share experience, make a wise choice.

now3d

Could anyone share the market leading competitors to CarGiant, Stoneacre ?

AdrianC

now3d wrote: »

Maybe you misread my messages. I posted saying Cargiant etc were listing at £19k, maybe you misunderstand, I don't want to pay that.

My budget was again, up to £5k.

Ooookay. If you want a £5k car, why are you looking at £19k ones? Yes, the big supermarkets have near-new cars at four times your budget. They also have cheaper ones. Cargiant are listing 40+ <£6k cars. They may be newer and smaller than you're after, of course. Most of their stock is near-new.

But I'd buy a £2k car if it was in good condition and with an MOT.

Honestly, I think you need to narrow your criteria down a bit. There's a hell of a lot of used cars out there.

STOP FOCUSSING ON THE BIG CHAIN DEALERSHIPS. Buy the car, not the vendor. Frankly, most of the pile-em-high brigade are not going to be where the value is, and they CERTAINLY aren't where the customer service is. They're just punting out as much tin as they can, usually with questionable marketing and certainly with bare minimum aftersale.
And, at the £2k end of the market, buy private.