to buy a car from a garage that's 3+ hours drive away from where I live?

[zipzap]

Not really sure - any advice appreciated!

Have found a great deal on a car (needed, old one on last legs and needs replacing) but it's from a garage that is at least 3 hours drive away and doesn't have a train station in the town - so pretty inconvenient to get to.

I was thinking I would suck it up to buy the car and get the good saving compared with buying locally but talking to my personal doomsmonger mum I'm now worried as she says that it will need to go back to that particular garage (as opposed to any local one that is for that particular make of car) for the first 3 years of services and if anything goes wrong with it.

Hoping nothing will go wrong with it of course but now worried that if something did I would have to get the car 160 miles away, a feat even more difficult if it doesn't work!

So am I worrying about nothing or is this something that I should be worried about?

I've tried googling about the difficulties of buying a car off the internet if you don't have a dealer attached or nearby but can't find anything useful so thought I would turn to MN instead to see if anyone can help...

many thanks!

OK... right... am a bit of a petrol head and member of motoring forums.

First... does this garage offer you any kinda warranty on this car you fancy?

Second... how old is this car?

If car is older than about 3 or 4 years, then you WILL be taking it back under warranty for one thing or another.

How convenient will that be?

What make of car is it? What model is it? have you looked on motoring forums about that particular make/models little 'isshoos'?

Thanks for that thelunnar66 - much appreciated. My dad was brilliant at this sort of stuff when he was alive but dh not into motors and so no sounding board for these sort of things any more.

Not sure about the warranty - think it has a 3 year one. But the car is pretty much new - just delivery milage and is half price as one of the last of an old model, new version recently been introduced. and garage seems to have got a job lot from a fleet supplier to get rid of hence good deal that can't replicate locally.

Car is for a second car rather than main family car so won't be getting loads of use. hence more swayed by the fantastic deal (have seen some that cost more second hand with plenty of mileage and fewer features on than this)

Have looked on sites like what car, top gear and honest john, car gets a reasonable review, fairly safe and reliable but loses points for being expensive. But as we would be getting such a cheap deal that is not quite such a factor in putting us off!

Delivery milage only... Very Good.

What is make and model? (don't touch anything French)

vauxhall meriva semi automatic...

Vauxhall have wheel balancing and tracking ishoos... do a long test drive on dual carriageway or motorway... take it up to 70 mph and some.

But as it is a new car, I would check out if you can take it to a local dealership with its warranty.

thank you for that - will see if I can do long /fast test drive and will ask about warranty locally.

Now off to bed, hadn't realised it was quite so late, going to be useless at test driving if I am to tired to stay awake!

thanks again

If it's under 3 years you should be able to take it any Vauxhall garage and get it serviced, and then after warranty any garage.

Is it an import?

Vauxhall Merivas are good little cars, cheap to insure.