Travelling long distance to view cars
Discussion
Hi,
I generally don't travel more than about 20 miles when looking for cars, but I've been waiting for a car of the right spec for over a year. One has finally come up for sale which ticks all the boxes (the price is a bit high, but I'm hoping to negotiate this down a bit), but it's 130 miles away. I'm planning on travelling down sometime this week. There's a lot of high-resolution photos and it seems to be a reputable dealer, so hopefully there won't be any nasty surprises when I get there! I don't want a wasted journey, but I'm prepared to walk away if I don't get the deal I'm looking for or if the car has any issues not stated in the advert.
Anyone got any horror stories with similar circumstances? Or good stories? Some people say I'm mad but I think it's worth a few hours of travelling to find the right car, especially considering I'd be spending around £10k!
I generally don't travel more than about 20 miles when looking for cars, but I've been waiting for a car of the right spec for over a year. One has finally come up for sale which ticks all the boxes (the price is a bit high, but I'm hoping to negotiate this down a bit), but it's 130 miles away. I'm planning on travelling down sometime this week. There's a lot of high-resolution photos and it seems to be a reputable dealer, so hopefully there won't be any nasty surprises when I get there! I don't want a wasted journey, but I'm prepared to walk away if I don't get the deal I'm looking for or if the car has any issues not stated in the advert.
Anyone got any horror stories with similar circumstances? Or good stories? Some people say I'm mad but I think it's worth a few hours of travelling to find the right car, especially considering I'd be spending around £10k!
Out of the last 7 cars i've had, three of those have been bought from long distances away.
I always had a good idea whether the car would be good or a dog, saying that i've travelled for two hours to see a car, to discover its a very bad example and to walk straight away.
If you're into cars, you dont mind driving, so its nothing lost.
The best examples of cars i bought are usually quite far away.
I always had a good idea whether the car would be good or a dog, saying that i've travelled for two hours to see a car, to discover its a very bad example and to walk straight away.
If you're into cars, you dont mind driving, so its nothing lost.
The best examples of cars i bought are usually quite far away.
Hi,
Do your homework before you leave, I have travelled to the UK (Im from Ireland) with my father on many occasions to bring home cars. And so far every car has been perfect.
Brought home lots of different vehicles, from Mk1 and Mk2 Escorts to a Mk1 Mondeo and Cougar and even a Massey Ferguson 135.
Do a HPI check, ask lots of questions, examine the photos well, do a Google search on the dealer and find out if there is any horror stories.
And if the car turns out not to be what you want, be prepared to walk away.
HTH
Out of interest what kind of car is it ?
Do your homework before you leave, I have travelled to the UK (Im from Ireland) with my father on many occasions to bring home cars. And so far every car has been perfect.
Brought home lots of different vehicles, from Mk1 and Mk2 Escorts to a Mk1 Mondeo and Cougar and even a Massey Ferguson 135.
Do a HPI check, ask lots of questions, examine the photos well, do a Google search on the dealer and find out if there is any horror stories.
And if the car turns out not to be what you want, be prepared to walk away.
HTH
Out of interest what kind of car is it ?
Had a guy travel from Inverness (I'm in Notts) to look at a car I was selling a few years ago. He got a mate to drive him down. Looks at car and decides he wants it but doesn't want to pay the asking price so tries to haggle.
I may not be the world's greatest negotiator but I'm figuring I have the upper hand here. After he'd borrowed just about every penny his mates had on them he got to leave with the car. I don't think his mates were best pleased, especially as there was a discussion on how they were going to pay for petrol to get back. I did knock £50 off as they didn't have enough cash on them.
I may not be the world's greatest negotiator but I'm figuring I have the upper hand here. After he'd borrowed just about every penny his mates had on them he got to leave with the car. I don't think his mates were best pleased, especially as there was a discussion on how they were going to pay for petrol to get back. I did knock £50 off as they didn't have enough cash on them.
All I can tell you is a lot of people travel a fair way to see me and buy cars.
These days when we can find the exact car we want anywhere in the country it may involve some travelling.
Speak to the dealer over the phone. Ask some specific questions about the car, you will also get a feel for the people you will be dealing with.
In truth you will only really know about the car, until you are standing in front of it. It will help if you have seen a few others of similar age/mileage/price, as this is the only real and fair reference to compare if the car is good bad or average.
If you have been waiting for a specific spec, and not been to see any others, your expectations might be a little high?
As for the deal/price. I would wait until you are there, seen it, like it enough to want to buy it, and are in a deal striking position. Negotiation over the phone is always hard. Personally I never talk price until the buyer is here. Sometimes I know I have a rare car which is nice, and well priced, and I wont give any discount, because I know I will sell it soon anyway.
Again be realistic. Are there any better value alternatives? if not you might to pay what is being asked, or very close to it.
Obviously I know my point of view as a dealer is different to most people on here who are buyers, but I hope it helps anyway.
These days when we can find the exact car we want anywhere in the country it may involve some travelling.
Speak to the dealer over the phone. Ask some specific questions about the car, you will also get a feel for the people you will be dealing with.
In truth you will only really know about the car, until you are standing in front of it. It will help if you have seen a few others of similar age/mileage/price, as this is the only real and fair reference to compare if the car is good bad or average.
If you have been waiting for a specific spec, and not been to see any others, your expectations might be a little high?
As for the deal/price. I would wait until you are there, seen it, like it enough to want to buy it, and are in a deal striking position. Negotiation over the phone is always hard. Personally I never talk price until the buyer is here. Sometimes I know I have a rare car which is nice, and well priced, and I wont give any discount, because I know I will sell it soon anyway.
Again be realistic. Are there any better value alternatives? if not you might to pay what is being asked, or very close to it.
Obviously I know my point of view as a dealer is different to most people on here who are buyers, but I hope it helps anyway.
Sometimes you just have to go and hope its fine unfortunately, but if you find the seller has lied I'd be looking for them to cover costs. As said, get as much info as possible before going, HPI checks, extra photos and so on. I did tons of research before going to see my 172 in salisbury about 80 miles away. I emailed the seller asking if it had mods, the condition of the interior etc. All was fine and I bought it, first I went to see!
Worth traveling in my opinion for the right car... but I would add the following....
Make an appointment to see the car in advance, but don't tell the seller how far you are coming... otherwise they have the upper hand negotiating. confirm before you leave that you will be there at such and such a time.
If you can do the deal there and then, saves coming back. most dealers will take a debit card payment there and then. Ask if the car is prepared for sale though... (don't do what I did last time and forget to transfer the money! My bank dug me out though, over the phone, very impressed....)
Dont turn up on foot... I had a bloke come 150 mile on the train to view a car, I picked him up from the station. I told him the price was none negotiable before he came... he looked at the car, said he wanted it and offered me £500 less than the asking price... he got the cash out. I said no... he tried and tried until in the end I got angry and told him he had two choices, get in the car and I would take him to the station, or it was the number 57 bus! it was a quiet drive back to the station!
Make an appointment to see the car in advance, but don't tell the seller how far you are coming... otherwise they have the upper hand negotiating. confirm before you leave that you will be there at such and such a time.
If you can do the deal there and then, saves coming back. most dealers will take a debit card payment there and then. Ask if the car is prepared for sale though... (don't do what I did last time and forget to transfer the money! My bank dug me out though, over the phone, very impressed....)
Dont turn up on foot... I had a bloke come 150 mile on the train to view a car, I picked him up from the station. I told him the price was none negotiable before he came... he looked at the car, said he wanted it and offered me £500 less than the asking price... he got the cash out. I said no... he tried and tried until in the end I got angry and told him he had two choices, get in the car and I would take him to the station, or it was the number 57 bus! it was a quiet drive back to the station!
Drove from Lands End to Leeds and back to pick up my Clio 182.
It came up on eBay, looked in reallllllly good condition, full Renault service history and the guy accepted an offer within my budget... I said I'd come up the next day.
Had it 6 months it's not skipped a beat. Nothings gone wrong at all.
The only risk is if you get there and it's a dog, but that's where a good advert with lots of photos comes in handy. Also it lowers your haggling position as the seller knows you've come a long way and will be reluctant to leave empty handed. Apart from that... I don't get why people seem so opposed to it.
It came up on eBay, looked in reallllllly good condition, full Renault service history and the guy accepted an offer within my budget... I said I'd come up the next day.
Had it 6 months it's not skipped a beat. Nothings gone wrong at all.
The only risk is if you get there and it's a dog, but that's where a good advert with lots of photos comes in handy. Also it lowers your haggling position as the seller knows you've come a long way and will be reluctant to leave empty handed. Apart from that... I don't get why people seem so opposed to it.
Edited by blambert on Tuesday 28th December 15:55
My last two cars have been bought from a long way away. I'm currently based in Glasgow. One came from Manchester; the other Inverness. Both private sales. Both went perfectly.
The key, I think, is establishing a dialogue with the seller before travelling. If they are willing to speak to you about the car over the phone and photograph the bits *you* want photographed (for one, this was under the rear arches due to the nature of the way that particular model gets crashed and then badly repaired...) then it seems to work.
My pattern seems to have become:
1) Establish dialogue and "sound out" seller and the back story.
2) Travel to view one weekend.
3) Negotiate price over the next week.
4) Travel to finalise the deal / make payment and drive home the next weekend.
The key, I think, is establishing a dialogue with the seller before travelling. If they are willing to speak to you about the car over the phone and photograph the bits *you* want photographed (for one, this was under the rear arches due to the nature of the way that particular model gets crashed and then badly repaired...) then it seems to work.
My pattern seems to have become:
1) Establish dialogue and "sound out" seller and the back story.
2) Travel to view one weekend.
3) Negotiate price over the next week.
4) Travel to finalise the deal / make payment and drive home the next weekend.
I live in stoke on trent and of the last 4 cars i have bought 2 were london and 1 was near gatwick all of which i caught the train and drove them home and 1 was from edinburgh so i flew there and drove home.I saw lots of photos and asked plenty of questions and had them all hpi'd and never had any problems.
I have always found that if you really have found what you want it is worth travelling especially if you treat it like a day out,and what is a day when it could give you years of fun?
I have always found that if you really have found what you want it is worth travelling especially if you treat it like a day out,and what is a day when it could give you years of fun?
I travelled 140 miles to view my latest car, practically on a whim. I'd been searching the classifieds for a few weeks to find the right one and it popped up. Phone call in the morning, had a chat about and arranged to head down in the afternoon. It was just what I was looking for so drove home in it that evening
Second time I've done it too, maybe I've been lucky but IMO it's all about research and sniffing out whether the seller is a bulls
tter or not. If it had turned out to be a wreck I would've been mildly annoyed, but I think it's always worth a punt for such a big purchase.
Second time I've done it too, maybe I've been lucky but IMO it's all about research and sniffing out whether the seller is a bulls
tter or not. If it had turned out to be a wreck I would've been mildly annoyed, but I think it's always worth a punt for such a big purchase.Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff