Buying a used car

[FurbleSocks]

The car I want is about 6 hours away. I only want to make one trip to buy it and bring it home.

I appreciate there's the financial side so I will negotiate over the phone and get the price in writing.

What actually needs to happen on the day to prepare it to be mine? I know I'll have to tax and insure it on the day but I can make those phone calls so I'm happy that will get done.

How long will I have to be there for it to be mine and ready to drive away? This determines how quickly I can make the round trip.

I've been looking for about 2.5 years hence being prepared to go so far (train).

Bumping for the lunchtime crowd

If insured, taxed and paid for 30 mins max I would say

I bought a brand new car a couple of years ago, went on train and drove home.

I would arrange an independent mechanic through the aa or similar, in the area where you are buying to check the car over before you make the journey, that way you know it won’t be a wasted trip and when you get there, just 30 min to tax/insure check over before drive home.
I’d also check that the warranty allowed the car to be fixed local to you and not void if it wasn’t returned to where you bought it from if any faults appear.
Also pay on credit card, even just the holding deposit to strengthen your consumer rights.

Great advice thank you.

The spanner in the works might be your banks security system.

We once spent an hour outside the house of someone we'd just bought a car from because we'd sent the money but it was stuck in security checks.

Are you buying from a dealer or an individual? If the latter arrange for someone from the AA to check the car as if you buy it and it breaks the next day there is no way to get money back. Also check the car yourself including inside the engine.

If buying from a dealer check if they can send car down to a branch in your area. If not then be prepared to haggle and check the paperwork eg our guy said there was a 3 year no questions asked guarantee on the car but ‘forgot’ to out that on the paperwork until I reminded him.

If dealer then take 2 forms if ID including passport, bank details, etc but if is a dealer phone and ask whats needed.

If you’re paying cash check the bank is hoing to let yoh withdraw that much. If paying by bank transfer ask your bank what the procedures are for that amount - they may need to do money laundering checks or something

There's a lot of variables on this
Private seller or dealer
Have you got motor insurance already?

I bought one back in the summer, very specific make/model I was looking for for my dad.

I studied the photos, checked the DVLA MOT history for mileage and any potential issues in the advisories, messaged the private seller asking a few questions.
3-4 hour drive to get there, my DH came with me rather than me going up on the train.
I asked him how he wanted to be paid, it was about £2k.
Got cash out the day before as that was what he wanted.
Car was fine, after I'd had a quick test drive round the block I paid him and we transferred ownership online there and then. Then I rang up my dads insurance company (he'd already given authority to them), switched policy over to the new car and then I came home. As others have said that took about 30 minutes.

If you've no car insurance already, setting up a new policy will take longer.

It's a dealer and I'm planning to pay by credit card. I've bought a used car before but it has always been a 2 part process. See it one time. Pick it up the next. I'm not sure why it can't all be done in one trip?

It probably can if you know what you're buying and have agreed a price on advance. Only issue would be if they've misrepresented it in some way

I don't see why you couldn't do this but you'd need to discuss it with them in advance so that it really is ready to drive away on the assumption that you'll be buying it there and then. If they've got good reasons for not being able to do that then at least you know beforehand.

It depends how organised the dealer is. You can arrange your insurance before you go; tax is done by the dealer, that's it really. I have never spent more then an hour in a showroom; usually less.

Is it possible to travel up by train & book a cheap hotel overnight? Even if you get there first thing there are many variables that can cause annoying delays. My sister is in the market for a new car & has found that a lot of dealerships take the deposit & then allow a least a few days for "prep" before collection. It would be worth contacting the dealership & asking if they can do all the necessary within the day. I'd its a chain of dealerships they should be able to arrange to have the car delivered to your nearest dealership after you've paid a deposit. I would definately be getting it looked over by someone knowledgeable.

Check the dealer will accept a credit card. I tried this recently (when my car loan was delayed) and they would only accept up to £500 on a credit card.

Thanks everyone. I just wanted to check if there was a legal or 'real' reason a car can't be driven away on the day if I get my ducks in a row (check car, get insurance, check credit card/cash payment).