Would you buy a car from a private buyer?

Wishywashy74

Its been around 20 years since I've purchased a car from a private seller so asking for advice.

I'm looking for a 2nd hand car around £18k and I've seen a car that is exactly what I want on eBay via a private seller. Its has full dealer service history, all paperwork, has the extended dealers warranty and a price I'd be happy with.

If I was to go view the car and providing I could have a drive or at least be in the car for a test drive then I'd be looking to make an offer on the basis of getting a full hpi check and would very likely have an independent inspection completed on the car.

Seeing as I've never bought a private deal for 20 years is there anything else I should look out for?

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Wishywashy74 said:

Its been around 20 years since I've purchased a car from a private seller so asking for advice.

I'm looking for a 2nd hand car around £18k and I've seen a car that is exactly what I want on eBay via a private seller. Its has full dealer service history, all paperwork, has the extended dealers warranty and a price I'd be happy with.

If I was to go view the car and providing I could have a drive or at least be in the car for a test drive then I'd be looking to make an offer on the basis of getting a full hpi check and would very likely have an independent inspection completed on the car.

Seeing as I've never bought a private deal for 20 years is there anything else I should look out for?

For that sort of money I wouldn’t.  I would be to worried about a big bill round the corner. 

 

CliveOfIndia

There's nothing intrinsically wrong with buying privately, I've done it myself numerous times over the years.

The biggest "danger", if you want to look at it that way, is that you have no come-back whatsoever - well, unless the seller deliberately lies to you, and even then you're going to have a hard time proving anything.  Let's say you test drive the car, you're happy, you drive it away then the head gasket blows after 5 miles - tough luck.

A proper HPI check is a must when buying privately.  A professional inspection is a very good investment (whether from the RAC, the AA, or an independent mechanic who you trust).

Aside from that, follow the usual guidance for buying privately.  Drive to the seller's house to meet them, don't meet in a lay-by or the local Tesco car park - you're trying (as best as you can) to satisfy yourself that they're a genuine private seller, not a trader masquerading as a private individual.

Make sure you take the car for a really decent test drive, on different sorts of roads - motorway, round town, etc.  Does it run smoothly right from the off when it's cold, is it OK when it's warmed up?

Check for obvious fluid or oil leaks, check that everything works - aircon, electric windows, radio/CD player/whatever, check every single switch on the dashboard.  There are loads of electrical fault that can happen which don't make the car dangerous, wouldn't be checked on an MOT, but can be really annoying if they don't work.  There are dozens of "lists" online of things to check when buying second-hand.

Check the MOT history - that can give you some clue as to any previous problems, and also how well it's been looked after.  If lots of MOT have failed, then been fixed and passed, that can indicate the person doesn't really car much about the car - "Ah, just see what's wrong with it, get it fixed and that'll do for another year".  Conversely, a nice history of straight passes, or with just minor advisories, can show that the person looks after their car, notices when things need doing and gets them sorted straight away.  OK, that's a bit of a generalisation, but hopefully you get the idea.

But essentially, the important points are:

(a) Make sure, as best as you're able, that it really is a genuine private seller.

(b) Do a HPI check (make sure you use the genuine HPI website)

(c) Give it a really thorough test drive

(d) Get a professional inspection if you want an added extra peace of mind

Make sure that you're actually insured to drive the car when you take it for a test drive - read the small print on your own and the seller's insurance policies carefully.  And establish how you're going to pay for it - bank transfer is usually the simplest and safest, but agree beforehand on a method that's acceptable to you both.

jimjames

All sounds reasonable. Before going I'd check that the V5 has the seller's address on it so it's not a trader but if everything checks out you could get a good deal. I've bought privately in that range without issues. With the prices of cars going up the price point at which you buy privately will increase too. Just make sure the car actually exists before you pay anything for it, even a holding deposit - so many scams where accounts are compromised and a good eBay profile doesn't actually reflect the person running the account.

You may well find less cars available privately for over £10k as many buyers will be using PCP or finance which is more difficult to arrange. If you can be a cash buyer then it could be an advantage for you. (not literal cash but that you have funds available)

born_again

HPI it before you go..
Check MOT before you go.

eschaton

I’d be very wary at that price range. 

I’ve only sold two cars privately. 1st away back in 1994 and I done the buyer up like a kipper. It was low value so not all bad. 

The other in 2009 was a 3.5 year old car. People believe whatever you tell them about service history. 

Beyond that I’ve traded a car in under manufacturers warranty that needed a new engine that the warranty wouldn’t cover, long story. 

I’ve also traded a car just under 3 years old that had a £7k accident repair. Not recorded as car wasn’t written off. 

As a private buyer, you really have zero comeback. 

Dave_5150

I don't buy private anymore. Potential repair bills are way to high these days to risk no warranty.

Arklight

I'd buy a car up to about £4k from a private seller (and have done) but not for £18k. For a cheap car, almost everything's going to the dealer, but for £18k you're not paying that much of a markup - and it's arguably worth all the consumer protection you get on such a big purchase.

For me, I'm not actually that worried about mechanical failure rather than being ripped off. Knowing my luck I'd transfer them all that money then the police would stop me 100 metres down the road to say the car was stolen. 

Then I'd go back to their house and the front would fall down because it was just made of cardboard.

Or I'd transfer all the money and they'd claim it hadn't gone through. So I'd go back the next day and find they'd left the country.

Mildly_Miffed

I'm going to go against the grain.

I absolutely would. In fact, I'd prefer to. (I think I've only ever bought two cars from dealers...)

You get a feeling about the previous owner. Are they somebody who understands about maintenance etc, or a bare-minimum person? 

Sure, you don't get any comeback - but you say it's got the balance of a dealer warranty. And how often do we get threads about used car dealers that won't stand by any kind of come-back?

Last used vehicle I bought, I sat in the guy's living room and did a bank transfer over the web. He got confirmation it'd arrived, and I drove off.

Nobbie1967

I bought private for £20k in April. Did the checks, gave the car a thorough going over and went with him to the bank, filled in the docs and then drove the car home. I could tell the guy was genuine, more than happy to show ID and proof of address. All tallied with the V5. Car has been brilliant.

My friend spent £25k at a dealer and the engine siezed 7 months later. No comeback, had to fork out £5k for a 2nd hand engine.

A car with a manufacturers warranty seems a pretty safe bet as long as all the docs tie up.

Herzlos

Realistically, a lot of dealers don't provide much warranty anyway so I'd happily buy from a private seller as long as the vibe was right.

By that I mean they seem genuine, know about the car, seem to have looked after it and are the actual owner (as per V5) and not a driveway dealer. I'd much rather buy from a considerate and enthusiastic owner than a dealer that took a trade in.

At that price range, a seller should be willing to arrange for the car to get an inspection - either via the AA/RAC or a garage you can agree on, paid for by yourself of course.