I've been looking around for a couple of weeks for another car. Bit the bullet today and drove up the A1 to Motorpoint - what a revelation.
I can buy the same model and year for a couple of grand less than local main dealer. Both seem to source them from Enterprise and Motorpoint bother to prep them so they're clean and presentable, unlike the main dealer.
Now all I've got to do is decide what colour I want.
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Make sure the car has not missed the mileage/time for the 1st service...warranty is voided if this happens.
What are you looking to buy?
Last edited by: Falkirk Bairn on Fri 3 Oct 14 at 20:17
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I'm onto that. I'm rejecting anything over one year/10K miles. I've seen many that have a service stamp, but various sales-folk/story tellers tell me the warranty's intact, but won't give me a definitive answer when I ask them for a statement confirming that in writing.
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Also worth checking if the first service was done where. Some of the hire cos will get the first service done anywhere just to get a stamp in the book, but that may cause warranty problems in the future
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You may have to ain't for the V5, not that that would bother me, buying from a large company like Motorpoint. I mean it won't exactly be a surprise if the first registered keeper turns out to be a hire company, will it?
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Dont think you will have to wait for the V5 - I think that's only really an issue with pre reg stuff where they are trying to hide the length of ownership
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Are these sellers coshe? There must be a reason why prices are lower.
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Mostly volume, and rapid turnover so low unit stocking costs. They will try to sell you high margin extras such as gap insurance, extended warranty, and paint protection I expect, and that will be part of their business model - but the buyer can resist those.
I think they are mostly pretty good value but I wonder what some of the cars look like up close. Mostly ex short term hire I should think, but not necessarily any more of a worry than any second hand car would be.
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They're selling fairly new cars, cars the manufacturer's network don't want, have chosen not too retail for whatever reason.
The car might be just as good as what main dealer would retail, it might have a few minor trim or kit defects. You're paying less, take your time with your inspection and you could pick up a bargain, alternatively you could end up with a Friday afternoon/Monday morning car.
If it hasn't been serviced in the dealer network then you can't really expect the manufacturer to bend over backwards if there are issues, they'll do what they have to and nothing more which is as you'd expect. If you've chosen too avoid the dealer network for the purchase and servicing then you're not what they'd call a loyal customer.
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I'm impressed enough to make a second visit tomorrow.
The cars I'm looking at from Motorpoint and main dealer all seem to be ex Enterprise hire cars. I guess they go through auction. Its just that the cars at Motorpoint are seriously cheaper and far better prepared - they're clean!
One I'm particularly interested in is only six months old with less than 8K on the clock. The first service is due at one year/10K miles, so it can go straight into the main dealer service network. I'm assured it's a UK sourced and UK spec car and the balance of the manufacturer's five year warranty applies. The same car would be £2k more at a main dealer!
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I have bought two cars from Motorpoint and the FiL one.
I purchased a Kia Ceed - the slightly offbeat 2 litre Diesel - and a year old Diesel Toyota Yaris.
Both were excellent value, prepared to a high standard and have been fantastic cars. The Motorpoint experience was better than I have received from "prestige" dealers such as Stratstone or Vindis.
BUT
The cars are a bit cheaper than the going rate because some of them are a little less perfect than you will find in the main dealers OR are a bit offbeat. My Yaris was my 2nd choice as when I turned up to collect my first choice I rejected it because the paint was oddly flat on one side suggest some sort of accident repair.
The FiL bought a Note which was excellent.
I would gladly buy another from them. Always check their site when considering a new car.
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For what it's worth, some years ago I bought a Mondeo diesel estate from Ford Direct. Six months old at the time with 6000 miles. Ex Hertz as it turned out. Fab car to which I added over 100,000 miles without problems. Huge saving on price, I want to remember I paid just over £10,000 for a model which had I bought it new, would have been £18k + at the time even with a good deal.
So I guess what I'm saying is, it doesn't necessarrily follow that an ex renter will be problematic and can be a steal. If you've found something you like and the price is right, it'll probably do very nicely.
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I have bought 3 x ex day rental cars, 2 x knowing this and 1 x duped by a large Scottish Retail Chain. All 3 x cars were great - covered the miles and only problems were sorted by the manufacturer warranty early on in the ownership.
I have bought 2 x brand new cars from Motorpoint, 2007 & 2012, both imports with 10 miles on the clock. Only issues were
1) Xtrail had flat tyres - 2.0BAR read as 20 psi - pumped them up and all was well
2) CRV 55 psi all round - obviously PDI'd but the tyres inflated as the cars could lie in a compound.
Let some aair out and all was well.
Both cars are fine - neither car has needed any warranty work in 3 years so i cannot comment on how easy or otherwise this would be. On each occasion I saved about £5,000 against the cheapest dealer Icould find.
CRV cost me £20,333 less T/I of £7,100 = £13,233
Cheapest Franchise £25,000 - £7,000 = £18,000
One Glasgow dealer wanted £19,800 cash + my trade-in
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>> So I guess what I'm saying is, it doesn't necessarrily follow that an ex renter
>> will be problematic and can be a steal. If you've found something you like and
>> the price is right, it'll probably do very nicely.
Nicole bought (under my guidance) a high mile (12k) 6 months old Clio ex renter. She then kept it for a further 6 years and 60k trouble free miles, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another renter.
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The only car I've made money on was an ex-rental.
Three Nova SRi came in to my local NetworkQ garage two with 12k, one on 6k, all 6 months old, all priced @ £5.5k. I took the 6k car ran it up too 21k over 9 months and sold it for £6,800.
The one and only car I've ever made money on and it was a Vauxhall.
At the time the new list price was about £10.5k
Last edited by: gmac on Sat 4 Oct 14 at 22:53
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My current Hyundai was an ex hire car when I bought it second hand from Arnold Clark.
However prior to buying it, I had went into an office of the hire company who were able to tell me everything that they knew about the car (was a long tern hire car, had been re-charged for some stone chip repairs, no service been done.
Of course that is not any guarantee that the rentor hasn't damaged it and repaired it under their own insurance!
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I bought it! Ex Thrifty car hire, six months old and 8K miles. Now all I've got to do is get it home.
Motorpoint give five days insurance, but I'll still have to tax it. I originally intended to park it in my garage until I flogged my old one. That'll mean I'll have to insure it (and have two cars taxed and insured) or SORN it and I suppose get a refund of the RFL I just purchased less a month. My other option is to get it transported (not cheap). Unless anyone can come up with another solution?
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>>yeah but WOT IS IT!
Sorry, been out cleaning the old one ready for sale. It's a '14 reg (03/14), Toyota Yaris Icon, 5-door, manual, 1.3L petrol in silver with 8k miles for £9100.
Last edited by: bathtub tom on Sun 5 Oct 14 at 20:05
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>> >>yeah but WOT IS IT!
>>
>> Sorry, been out cleaning the old one ready for sale. It's a '14 reg (03/14),
>> Toyota Yaris Icon, 5-door, manual, 1.3L petrol in silver with 8k miles for £9100.
>>
Nice one, my new motor is a 14 reg Yaris Icon plus 5 door 1.4 diesel.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sun 5 Oct 14 at 20:15
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>>Nice one, my new motor is a 14 reg Yaris Icon plus 5 door 1.4 diesel.
I've got to sort out a spare wheel too!
Does a full size one fit the well?
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>> Does a full size one fit the well?
>>
I have just had a look, only room for a space saver with the standard boot floor. There is a raised floor, you can see the pads it sits on, the standard floor will not fit in the raised position. The spare wheel kit consists of the wheel and tyre, wheel spanner, jack and handle, and jack cover, the jack is stored under the front passenger seat. It costs £95.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sun 5 Oct 14 at 20:45
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>> >> Does a full size one fit the well?
>> >>
>>
>> I have just had a look, only room for a space saver with the standard
>> boot floor. ..........
>>
I have just watched a video of a look around an American Yaris. It has a full sized spare wheel, the diameter of the wheel is too big to fit in the boot recess and it is raised at the front. It did have the raised boot floor which looked far more substantial (covered plywood or similar) than the flimsy UK floor which needs the support of the steel beneath. My spare is a 17" space saver pram wheel with a low profile tyre, the car has 15" wheels with 65 aspect tyres.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 7 Oct 14 at 13:40
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"My other option is to get it transported (not cheap). "
How much were quoted Tom?
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>>How much were quoted Tom?
Around the £70 mark from those with insurance cover. Other quotes were less from those without adequate insurance.
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>> Around the £70 mark from those with insurance cover.
Per hour or total? Sounds good if it's £70 total.
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I've other options open to me. I could get a bus and train, or there's a family member who owes me a few favours that's looking most likely.
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>> I've other options open to me. I could get a bus and train, or there's
>> a family member who owes me a few favours that's looking most likely.
I picked up the boss's new car from Sheffield back in June. First class train from Luton Airport Parkway was £19 with my senior railcard:) About the same as the petrol for the journey back. I hoofed it 2 miles from Sheffield station on a brisk morning.
Three mile walk from Peterbuggah station to Motorpoint, buses don't look very helpful!
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Best buy was for my daughter.Fiat panda 1.2 plus airco new for five and a halve thousand pound.Same car here for seven and a halve thousand.
I was chuffed for her she has the car for five years still running nice regular serviced.Long drive down south to pick the car up.
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I would not hesitate to use Motorpoint, and have only had good experiences.
I have bought two cars from them to give to staff as company cars (S40 Volvo and Vauxhall Insignia) and one for my wife (VW Eos). Excellent pricing - way cheaper than a dealer would have been - even after haggling.
Service excellent.
Would certainly use again.
On all occasions I had to travel some distance to get there, but not an issue, and test drives all sorted out for me.
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Last second hand car we (daughter) bought we used Motorpoint to beat down the dealer's price to the same level.
Benefit was the dealer car was the only Focus we had seen in the colour she wanted that didn't have a wet carpet - not that I told the dealer that.
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>>Last second hand car we (daughter) bought we used Motorpoint to beat down the dealer's price to the same level.
Tried that, but the dealer wasn't playing. Between £500 and £2K difference.
I'm starting to go off Motorpoint. I rang to say I'd collect the car on Friday and they told me they had no appointments available for the morning.
I reckon I can get to see my GP easier.
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I have had no dealings with Motorpoint. If you have no p/ex can you get a discount off the marked price, and do you get a decent test drive?
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From my experience of them a few years ago;
Test drive; 1 mile perhaps 2 "round the block" was all that was possible
Discounts; NO but you should also factor in to have to wait and eventually see (waste about 1 hour of your life that you will not get back) a "business manager" who will try to sell you their finance and every conceivable package or service you can imagine.
Also it seemed that once you signed the deal they lost all interest in you, it was difficult to get the pickup sorted, paperwork that you were told would be found (service print outs etc were not) I guess they just move on to the next bright eyed punter.
As always
Mark
Last edited by: Mark on Wed 8 Oct 14 at 20:58
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You can get a small discount sometimes. My ex boss was a northerner and never wanted to pay full price for anything.
He saw a seat there and after much backwards and forwards they refused to give anything off, so he walked.
Couple of days later they called to ask if he had thought any more about it and agreed to a small amount off as it was then end of the month, but deal had to be done that weekend - think it was £200 from memory, so not a lot, but allowed him to stick to his principles!
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I went in late Sept 2007. X-Trail (new car -old model)
Original deal was £15,500 inc charges of £200 (Cleaning, admin etc) for car less £2,000T/I.
2 hours later it was £15,500 - T/I £2,200, Full Tank of diesel(60Ltrs), £60 allowance for Nissan mats, No cleaning/admin (I said it's fine as it is) - in the end it was some £13,100 +/- so saved some £400.
Sept 2012 CRV (new) old model
Similar discussions £20,550 less £7K T/I
Became £13,100 + T/I, no cleaning charge as car was not 100% - some pre-del wax in places. Full tank, £80 off for Honda mats. In the end the car had almost a full tank 50L which I thought was them trying it on - complained and they agreed to £15.00 compensation.
Visa Debit card on the table and a deal to be done before Month End!
Some £400 in 1.5 hours OFF.
Salesman/Sales Manager were pi$$ed off a bit but then I bought a car 2 x on the initial visit - no humming /hawing and repeatedly calling in over many weeks.
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I know a couple of people who've failed to negotiate anything recently, despite walking away. No back-up calls either. I didn't bother trying as I've bought for £2K less than main dealer price (nearly £4K less than main dealer's window price!) or got a car that's two years younger than the main dealer's negotiated price.
I picked up the Yaris this PM, quite a quick, painless procedure. There was a £100 admin/prep charge on top that they had mentioned, still a cheap deal to me. They wouldn't give me the V5 details to tax it before I collected it and I suspected they might try another admin charge there, but they didn't - I was prepared to go to the nearest PO if they did!
Quite a firm/jiggly ride and more susceptible to cross winds than the old Almera. I noticed the rain beaded and rolled up the 'screen at anything above 60MPH, making the wiper (singular) almost redundant.
I'll have to sit down and RTFM (I've seen smaller bibles) to find out how everything works!
Last edited by: bathtub tom on Fri 10 Oct 14 at 17:22
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I think any chance of negotiation with them is probably down to individual sites performance for the month and targets, so if they are hitting target no deal to be done.
May also depend on how long its been in stock
Last edited by: mikeyb on Fri 10 Oct 14 at 20:22
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Motorpoint - Falkirk Bairn
