Buying used by internet/phone ?

[encee]

Does anyone on here do this at all ?

Reason I ask is; being a bit of an old(ish) bugger, I still have this dyed-in-the-wool idea that I need to go and see a used car before I put even a deposit down on it.

What I`m being told though, especially by BMW AUC dealers, is that some people are prepared to put up a reasonable deposit over the phone/internet, and virtually buy the thing, subject to it being in the condition promised, once they arrive to collect it.

It seems a reasonable solution to me, as I find with the AUC website, that by the time you get the time to go and actually see something, it`s gone (usually over the phone !!)

Thoughts anyone ?

[Rustynuts]

I'm with you matey. I wouldn't buy anything without having a look at it. Computer gear excepted, though

[edo]

I would never agree to buying a car without seeing it, unless I was ordering new from a dealer (as I have just done).

What I often do is agree a price in principle (both private and garage). Words along the lines of "my budget is x below your asking price, if the car is as you say, I will give you X". Go and see the car and either walk away or do the deal as discussed (or negotiate more if other things/issues are aparent).

[encee]

[ QUOTE ]

I'm with you matey. I wouldn't buy anything without having a look at it. Computer gear excepted, though

[/ QUOTE ]

I know what you`re saying mate, and it still feels alien to me, not to see before you buy, but some of the stuff on the "coming soon" section of the AUC website is already gone when you ring up, so it must be true to a certain extent what the dealers say.

[kite]

I have put a depoit on a car that I saw on a website.

Phoned the dealer who was quite happy to refund the deposit if the car was no as discribed.

It also involved a short plane ride and the dealer picked me up from the airport. lovely drive home though.

[gizze]

I tend to buy all my cars like this, never give them more than £500 and make sure it is on the understanding that it is exactly as described.

I always use the "I will give you a depsoit now.." as a deal making tool, say you are ready to do a deal over the phone, offer around 10% less than they are asking and when they come back with a price you are happy with give them the deposit.

How old is the car you are looking at??

[Oli]

We sell approx 20 or so cars a month, and most of them by this method, a lot of the time selling vehicles that we havent even got in stock, and it works very well. As we personally go and source all our cars, I tell our customers that we would not buy the car, if we would not have it ourselves.

[encee]

[ QUOTE ]

I tend to buy all my cars like this, never give them more than £500 and make sure it is on the understanding that it is exactly as described.

I always use the "I will give you a depsoit now.." as a deal making tool, say you are ready to do a deal over the phone, offer around 10% less than they are asking and when they come back with a price you are happy with give them the deposit.

How old is the car you are looking at??

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks gIzzE.

From your posts on here, it would seem that you are quite "savvy" when it comes to dealing in cars, so I`m pleased that you`ve chipped in with the information that you buy like this frequently.

To be honest, I`ve not particularly seen anything as such, (although I`m looking for a used M3), but having looked at the AUC website tonight, in the "coming soon" section, I rang up about one, only to find out that it had been sold already; even before arriving at the dealer !!

Having a young family makes time at a premium for me at the moment, so I`ve been tending just to dismiss anything that`s not within say, 50 miles, but I started considering, only tonight (as above), that another option, that will open up a few doors for me, would be to do just what you`ve mentioned, ie; agree terms over the phone on a car I want, leave a deposit but tell them to PDI the car for when I arrive, and then if it`s in the agreed condition when I arrive, I can just drive the thing away.

As I say, with time at a premium, I can make one long trip to collect a car, but to have to make two, ie, one to go to view it and agree terms etc, and then to have to return to collect it, presents a problem to me.

[encee]

[ QUOTE ]

We sell approx 20 or so cars a month, and most of them by this method, a lot of the time selling vehicles that we havent even got in stock, and it works very well. As we personally go and source all our cars, I tell our customers that we would not buy the car, if we would not have it ourselves.

[/ QUOTE ]

Again, thanks for that Oli, as it`s very useful information to have, and reinforces what gIzzE says even more.

I`m grateful for the input of ALL contributors to the thread.

[peterb]

When I bought my MR2, it was 60 miles away, and I was going to travel to view it before making a decision. However, on the phone, the salesman advised me to place a deposit, which he told me was fully refundable.

When I arrived at the dealer, the story I was told was that a prospective purchaser had just been on a test drive, and was still on the forecourt making his decision. Apparently, my deposit had taken the decision out of his hands!