Buying a nearly new car from main dealer

[shopper150]

I’m about to buy a nearly new car from a main dealer.
Having done this a few time before, I’m suddenly nervous and the dealer is on the other side of the country.

I’m primarily concerned about the possibility of previous accident damage etc.

Any mechanical issues would be covered by the manufacturers warranty.

Does anyone have any advice, or some things I could perhaps ask or check?

I’m a little nervous for some reason!

I’m not a body work expert and can’t take anyone with me to collect the vehicle. It’s a fairly high value car.

[alorotom]

Arrange for an independent inspection?

[M4cruiser]

There can be several reasons for pre-registered or nearly-new, and yes, damage is one of them, but sometimes it's sales targets, sometimes it's a model that's about to become obsolete.

[Spare tyre]

What make is it

I purchased a nearly new car, was ex hire car, didn’t have legit service history, got lied to continually, had three cars out of them before they realised they needed to stop telling lies to get a sale.

Other side of country makes it hard to iron out issues etc

[BT Summers]

As suggested above, I would buy locally.

Seen so many lies from dealers, especially previous owners, a rental car, a Range Rover that had seen heavy off road use and really bad paint work

If I had to try and sort it all out at arms length it would be a problem.


I have also seen an issue when a car bought elsewhere was taken to a dealer for servicing.

[ZX10R NIN]

shopper150 said:

I’m about to buy a nearly new car from a main dealer.
Having done this a few time before, I’m suddenly nervous and the dealer is on the other side of the country.

I’m primarily concerned about the possibility of previous accident damage etc.

Any mechanical issues would be covered by the manufacturers warranty.

Does anyone have any advice, or some things I could perhaps ask or check?

I’m a little nervous for some reason!

I’m not a body work expert and can’t take anyone with me to collect the vehicle. It’s a fairly high value car.

If you do a Vcheck it will tell you if the car you're looking has had any insurance work carried out.

[Mark V GTD]

shopper150 said:

I’m about to buy a nearly new car from a main dealer.

Have you personally seen this car or is this a 'distance sale'?

[shopper150]

It’s a Mercedes and I’ve paid a (refundable) deposit and I’m going to collect it in a couple of days. I could do with the before the weekend.

[Mark V GTD]

But have you actually viewed the vehicle yourself?

[shopper150]

No, I have not.

Edited by shopper150 on Saturday 17th April 20:04

[Trevor555]

shopper150 said:

I’m primarily concerned about the possibility of previous accident damage etc.

I’m not a body work expert and can’t take anyone with me to collect the vehicle. It’s a fairly high value car.

Have you asked them this?

Most garages will decline to commit by saying "we haven't owned the car from new so can't guarantee it" which is a fair comment.

But tell them this is your primary concern about buying a used car.

Someone at the garage (probably the valeter) should be able to tell if a car's had paintwork/accident damage.

If it's a high value car and you really want to know if it's been painted then you'll have to approach a local bodyshop to send an expert to look it over.

RAC/AA inspections won't always spot previous paint.

The are normally technician trained rather than bodyshop trained.

Whereabouts in the UK is the car?

Maybe someone on here could pop and see it if they're local?

[Twig62]

When you say "nearly new", how old is it and how many miles has it covered ? Are we talking pre reg with 5 miles on the clock or a year old with 15,000 miles ?

[anonymous-user]

What's your cut off point for accident damage? Many used cars will have had a paint touch up or a dent removed.

I can't imagine material accident damage and back as an approved used is common - though not impossible.

I suppose it depends what Merc it is for the probability factor of it being a risk. If it was an RS3 or Golf R in a backstreet dealer somewhere a bit iffy I'd be worried, but really what are the chances?

Also, I think it depends on dealer group.

[Mark V GTD]

shopper150 said:

No, I should not.

You mean "No I have not" looked at the car? If so then you need to do what Trevor suggests below - engage with them and ask these questions. Ask who the previous owner was (private, pre reg at that dealer, Merc 'staff' car etc). Do this in writing so there is come back if later shown to be incorrect.

You need to know as much as you can about it before travelling a long distance to collect it.

[shopper150]

Thanks all.
The car is in Perth, Scotland.
It’s done 8000 miles and is around 10 months old.
I haven’t asked specifically about accident damage, I will do so tomorrow. I did ask about the cars history, and was told by the salesman I was dealing with that he personally had taken this car in as a part ex because the seller needed a 7 seater and this it was immaculate and note a stone chip etc on it.

[shopper150]

ExcitableBoy said:

What's your cut off point for accident damage? Many used cars will have had a paint touch up or a dent removed.

I can't imagine material accident damage and back as an approved used is common - though not impossible.

I suppose it depends what Merc it is for the probability factor of it being a risk. If it was an RS3 or Golf R in a backstreet dealer somewhere a bit iffy I'd be worried, but really what are the chances?

Also, I think it depends on dealer group.

To be honest, I’m just feeling apprehensive about ‘botched’ bodywork. It’s an S Class so not a racers car!

[anonymous-user]

If you had said B Class, or GL-something I wouldn't have batted an eyelid. But how you go from needing an S class to a 7 seater in ten months is a bit of a weird one.

Is 8k miles is a lot to do in 10 months in an S class during lockdown? I don't know.

If its a "K" registered its likely a demo/staff. If its black on black diesel it might have been a chauffeur car bought right at the start of an unlucky time to buy a chauffeur car. I wonder if the 7 seater he replaced it with is a Vito .

[loskie]

8000m will likely be ex hire car. If Arnold Clark as many Scottish Garages are I would say walk away NO NO NO RUN away. Ask direct questions by email and if answers not satisfactory drop the enquiries.

Of course PH covers a big area so someone may be willing to take a look.

If a long way away your contract is with that garage so do you really want to have to go back there to sort issues out?

[shopper150]

It’s not a K prefix ex-Merc corporate car.

I may try and see if I can get a local bodyshop to meet me at the dealer

[Lester H]

I worked in the trade at an independent. Two points emerged about main dealers , the first that their cars are not invariably immaculate, and like new.The second is more reassuring....if a car is obviously second rate, they will pass it down the ‘food chain’ This is why main dealer stock is marginally above the car supermarket stuff in quality and cost ,generally. Whether it’s worth the extra can be debated, and will have been, for years. To end on a cliche, if you want to know where the car has been, you will need to buy new, even though the majority of dealers are not crooks.Reading some more posts: ex-hire need not be bad at all, just pick carefully, also part of my family is in Portobello and they suggest that Arnold C is no worse than rival dealership groups.

Edited by Lester H on Saturday 17th April 20:30