Anyone bought a car from BCA Blackbushe or Enfield?

shininghero

Hi there,

Has anyone actually bagged a bargain motor from either Blackbushe or Enfield through BCA auctions, or are prices inflated by the public who get the 'auction fever' or the auctioneers taking invisible bids off the wall? Or should I be looking into Wimbledon or elsewhere?

I need to get a relatiely new large estate (>5 years old) as my wife is due twins in 2 months but I can't afford dealer prices and I simply don't want to pay top dollars for something that I can (hopefully) get it much cheaper. I read some previous posts here that some traders are on this forum and if they are still around, I'd really appreciate if they could do a search on the trader search facility for me:)
thanks in advance!

Keith

I bought our day to day car from Enfield in 2006, it's sailed through 2 MOTs so far and has only required minor work this year after it's turned 70k, 30k miles in our possesion.

I've also bought a stinker from there which didn't make it to the roundabout to join the M25.

If you go don't buy from the general section but stick to the Village Car's, etc trade ins, they don't supply crap to the auction as it goes against their company name.

Good luck.

shininghero

Thanks Keith. I heard that you can't even poke around the engine bay, let along sit in it or start the engine. Is that so? Also, would I be able to check the service book/invoices before the auction?
Most importantly, did you get a sizeable bargain?

marlot

You can look around the outside of the cars as much as you like, but you get very little time to check anything inside or mechanical. I'd suggest going along for at least 2 sales beforehand to get the feel of things, or consider using a professional auction buyer (eg. Joe Dowd) to buy for you. As private buyers pay a higher fee rate than trade, a buyer may not cost you very much extra.

harveybobbles

It's very ginger...

Anyway, most auctioneers have a good laugh when they spot a private buyer stood in the ring. Usually taking bids off the wall, floor, private man, floor, private man, then throwing in the word deisel then quickly getting the next bid in.
Don't take Parkers Guide with you, try to blend in with the rest of us!
A few other things to watch out for as a private buyer are all the fees for this, fees for that, fees ontop of the fees. I'm unsure what they are for the private folk tho!

vansboy

GingerCar, you're not supposed to advertise your business interests in this manner, on Martins site, perhaps you'd like to remove the link & change it a bit!!??

& to answert the OP, both Blackbushe & Enfield are 2 of BCA's top sites, for RETAIL customers, but at each end of the market.

If you study the entries, with a bit of intuition, you'll see Enfield will have a much higher proprtion of budget priced/banger range of cars - usually within smaller dealer 'branded' sections, of the sale. (Village Cars are an example). These will be as near to a (slight) chance of getting a cheap car.

Their fleet direct sections, are more of a mixed lot, but you will find this is where the fleets of much higher mileage stock, is disposed of. Anything over 80000miles, at the end of it's lease (usually 3 years) gets sent to Enfield.There will be some scruffy cars, too, but will still have had a run through the valeting bay, so you'll see the damage before you bid!

As for Blackbushe - what can I say? If you look at the que of non-account cash buyers, lining up to pay, you'll be lucky to grab a bargain, But you will find pretty much the best selection of direct from fleet, choice, in the South East.

But don't expect to save a BIG fortune!!

www.honestjohn.co.uk has lots hints n tips on car buying & if you see the NEWS page, on his site, he does Auction Reports (usually Blackbushe) once a week, so you get a guage of prices & whats what!!

VB

shininghero

Thanks for the response harveybobbles and vansboy. How do you rate Wimbledon Mannheim? do you think it is worth me taking out a subsciption to BCA's Auction View? admittedly I am looking for a rare car...maybe try an ex-Motability car???

harveybobbles

BCA has a larger selection.
I only ever use Mannheim when BCA aint got anything I'm after.
The only Mannheim I bother with is Coventry.

If you're after a large estate, try a Mondeo, Vectra, Passat or Accord Tourer. Very capatious things. And wont cost the earth either.

vansboy

I always find Wimbledon hard work - not enough choice & not easy for me to get to!

Motability sales just about every week in blackbushe, so Auctionview will find you something worth looking at - & save some petrol & wasted journeys!

VB

EddietheEagle

Hi, I bought my ford mondeo at BCA Enfield early last year. I wouldn't say it was "bargain of the century" but I would say it was a good 700 quid cheaper (inc the fees) than I could have bought it privately or from a used dealer for.

On the day i went, there seemed to be crowds swarming around the "prestige" German cars (BMW's, Mercs and the like) and they seemed to go for ludicrous money. My humble ford went near the end and created little interest, I was just bidding against this old guy with a beard!

Touch wood I'm extremely happy with the car, I've racked up over 10k miles and only had to splash out on a service & wiper blades. Even drove it to south france last summer with no probs.

They all say it but have a price and don't go a penny over. Make sure you go along with a sensible mate to stop you driving back in a 1978 rolls or something stupid! My car was from a big fleet, can't remember the name now though

RAC do status checks for a fiver now.

shininghero

if buying from BCA, will I be able to look thru the service books/invoices prior to auction, or are auction centres too busy to be dealing with the likes of me?

PS. I definitely want to get a Mondeo, Accord, Avensis, V70, A6 or Passat....with a budget of 7/8000...