Best online sites to browse used cars

now3d

AdrianC wrote: »

No, they aren't.
Click on "Visit Website", and you go to the dealer's own website.
https://www.expomotors.co.uk/used-cars/volkswagen-tiguan-2-0-tdi-sport-4motion-5dr-slough-201912045046536


Trim the URL down to this bit. BTW, the ad number includes the date the ad went live - 4th Dec in this case - so you can see what's going a bit stale on a forecourt...
Everything after the question mark is simply the search parameters you gave to Autotrader - including your home postcode.

There's really no need to restrict your search to a 10 mile radius. Apart from the minor detail that cars are portable, 10 miles excludes several large conurbations near you - including Reading. It includes some of Uxbridge, but goes no further inside the M25 than that.
https://www.freemaptools.com/radius-from-uk-postcode.htm

increasing the area is a good tip.

I just checked 25 motor dealers who were advertising on autotrader. They were all incorporated within 3 years.

Then I moved over the area to Reading, found one good one there I'll follow up with.

now3d

forgotmyname wrote: »

You need to keep looking. Purchased my current car from an Advert on Autotrader. High miles and a low price, dealer had been trading for a very long time.

Rural location, family run. Even though the car was high miles and i inspected it fully they still gave me a warranty which was unexpected and as it turned out not required anyway.

If your looking at lots of £5k cars and then find one thats way cheaper then you need to be super wary...


Big firms use Autotrader, find the car you like and click see their other stock. Selling 3 cheap broken cars then move on to the next car.

Hello, Many thanks. Yes I guess it's just more searching (7 years ago I never needed to exclude so many adverts by new motor traders). Maybe UK market has changed. I did as you said, and called a rural village garage, they have some cars in £10k range. Maybe it was just my price expectation that is out. I don't know how I managed to buy a reliable Audi A4 7 years ago for £4k! I am tempted to put a mileage & age filter, that would exclude the motor dealers who only seem to focus on old cars ...

Thank you again

AdrianC

now3d wrote: »

You sound confused.

I guess I was hoping for more insightful comments. But anyway, I will share some information about their website hosted by autotrader. Doubt you will accept it.

$ host https://www.expomotors.co.uk
https://www.expomotors.co.uk is an alias for dealer-websites-proxy.elb.autotrader.co.uk.
dealer-websites-proxy.elb.autotrader.co.uk has address 193.243.130.185

Does it particularly matter? Autotrader, as well as advertising services, provide web hosting to used car dealers.
https://trade.autotrader.co.uk/products/dealer-websites

now3d

AdrianC wrote: »

Does it particularly matter? Autotrader, as well as advertising services, provide web hosting to used car dealers.
https://trade.autotrader.co.uk/products/dealer-websites

Sounded like someone was asking about it. Felt like they didn't understand.

Herzlos

now3d wrote: »

There must be motor traders selling who have been around for 10+ years selling used cars under £5000 ?

There were, but a lot have given up because there's not much profit to make at £5000 and a lot of competition from cowboys.


Wherever you buy a car from, it could have problems. Approved used at least has some checks and possibly a better warranty - So you'd be looking at a Ford Galaxy from a Ford dealership, but prepare to pay a bit more for it.


Most dealerships will have some stock at £5k or under if you ask them, but many will just send those off to auction where they will be bought by a smaller dealer.



Look at the cars carefully, get them inspected, and don't worry too much about the dealer unless it's got a bad reputation or feels dodgy.

now3d

Herzlos wrote: »

There were, but a lot have given up because there's not much profit to make at £5000 and a lot of competition from cowboys.


Wherever you buy a car from, it could have problems. Approved used at least has some checks and possibly a better warranty - So you'd be looking at a Ford Galaxy from a Ford dealership, but prepare to pay a bit more for it.


Most dealerships will have some stock at £5k or under if you ask them, but many will just send those off to auction where they will be bought by a smaller dealer.



Look at the cars carefully, get them inspected, and don't worry too much about the dealer unless it's got a bad reputation or feels dodgy.

Hello Herzlos, Many thanks for your reply.

Yes, another good independent car trader I bought a different Audi from has now closed, he said not profit. Feels like these Cowboys have saturated the market, and consumers get a raw deal from them. It's a shame, but market trend is pushing quality dealers out of the space.

Yes, I could look at them myself, but I also need to find a qualified garage locally to the car if I am to convince a motor dealer to let me put it on diagnostics at a garage.

eg the car that got me started on this thread, bought with 12 month MOT, all checked out, HPI clear, lowish miles 100k, from a reliable manufacturer. After 1hr on dual carriageway after purchase, various faults. I did ask a local reputable garage and it was £180 to take a look, and a 4 week wait! Just imagine if I tried to get motor trader to do this before purchase!

I called VW Main dealer in a town, the cheapest they have is £12k. Anything with more than 50k miles they don't bother with, straight to auction.

now3d

Here is an example of a motor trader that might simply close and disappear. Accounts already overdue, they only incorporated in 2017

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202001035769413
Bravo Motorcars Ltd
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/10562418

Autotrader doesn't care what motor traders advertise on their platform.

loskie

why should they care?

Mercdriver

now3d wrote: »

Here is an example of a motor trader that might simply close and disappear. Accounts already overdue, they only incorporated in 2017

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202001035769413
Bravo Motorcars Ltd
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/10562418

Autotrader doesn't care what motor traders advertise on their platform.

What exactly do you have against Autotrader? It's like a vendetta. It is out of their remit to check accounts. They are a commercial organisation, not a regulator. You are responsible for making your buying decisions in the most secure way for your own benefit. Autotrader merely take ads from companies and individuals. They are generally more secure than gumtree, ebay etc where there are many scams.

As a buyer you have a responsibility to yourself to do checks. Since Autotrader aren't selling the cars, they have no legal responsibility to you.

now3d

Mercdriver wrote: »

What exactly do you have against Autotrader? It's like a vendetta. It is out of their remit to check accounts. They are a commercial organisation, not a regulator. You are responsible for making your buying decisions in the most secure way for your own benefit. Autotrader merely take ads from companies and individuals. They are generally more secure than gumtree, ebay etc where there are many scams.

As a buyer you have a responsibility to yourself to do checks. Since Autotrader aren't selling the cars, they have no legal responsibility to you.

Quite surprised to read your reply.

Autotrader have a scam team. There are other adverts when the company has even been struck off! Where the FCA licence has been removed.

Ultimately it is in autotrader's interest to provide a legitimate marketplace, same as ebay. But you're welcome to believe Autotrader can keep the cowboy wild west style motor dealers adverts