I'm sure many here won't lament their passing, but I got a good deal from them, as did members of my family. Feel for the 500 made redundant today, and any customers that have lost cash.
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/carcraft-closes-rochdale-jobs-live-9154882
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Feel sorry for the staff, but didn't realise they were still going. Nearest one to me is in South Wales, and was originally a family owned outfit called Empress - they sold out to carcraft for something stupid like £20m.
Empresses business model was very similar to carcraft - poor motors being sold at inflated prices hidden in weekly finance models to people who couldn't really afford it.
A few years back Motorpoint opened up along the same road, and I had assumed that carcraft had folded, or shut up shop
I see that the administrators also mentioned the poor reputation as one of the reasons for failure.
Last edited by: mikeyb on Fri 1 May 15 at 15:28
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Use to feature quite often on Watchdog.....
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They sold finance, not cars - even going back to the 70s and 80s they had a rotten reputation - even in the trade itself.
Built up the business by dodgy pricing/minimum PX on Yugos, FSO etc., IIRC.
Last edited by: Roger. on Sun 3 May 15 at 12:49
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What was that programme on the telly called where two people swapped jobs and lifestyles for a month?
Two car salesmen, one upmarket in West London, one down market in south Wales. Not suggesting the outfit in Wales was dodgy, but the first answer, even if the question hadn't actually been asked, seemed to be "it's £xx per month".
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>> "it's £xx per month".
That seems to be the way all cars are advertised these days. Doesn't anyone save up and pay cash any more?
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>> That seems to be the way all cars are advertised these days. Doesn't anyone save
>> up and pay cash any more?
If you can get 0% finance, its just the same as saving isn't it?
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>> If you can get 0% finance, its just the same as saving isn't it?
Good point, but it never seems to be available on cars that interest me.
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If you live within your means the cash accumulates, no need to "save".
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>> If you live within your means the cash accumulates, no need to "save".
>>
Try buying a house with that philosophy, unless you're a lottery winner or you play for Man United.
Nothing wrong with debt if the repayments are within your means.
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>> Nothing wrong with debt if the repayments are within your means.
Money Saving Expert philosophy says "debt is not bad, only bad debt is bad" :o)
blog.moneysavingexpert.com/2006/08/03/is-debt-bad-no-only-bad-debt-is-bad/
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>> If you live within your means the cash accumulates, no need to "save".
>>
Accumulate / save. Much of a muchness.
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Who wants to live within their means? Credit makes the world go round. Spend for tomorrow we die!
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>> Who wants to live within their means? Credit makes the world go round. Spend for
>> tomorrow we die!
>>
And possibly spend our last years living off the state. I don't think so.
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Care homes take credit cards.
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>> And possibly spend our last years living off the state. I don't think so.
Try paying nursing home fess privately. They are jacked up so you subsidise the state ones.
Far better to run out of money and let the state pay. If you've lost your marbles by then, it makes perfect sense.
Last edited by: VxFan on Sun 3 May 15 at 18:59
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>>
>> If you can get 0% finance, its just the same as saving isn't it?
>>
It depends on the deal. For example. A car may listed at £20,000 and 0% finance. If you take this deal you pay the full amount plus any fees (you know the sort of thing, £100 "admin" fees and the like).
If you negotiate with cash, you might get the car for, say, £17,500.
OTOH if the dealer likes you face, the dealer MIGHT drop the £20,000 to £17,500 and still offer 0% finance. But you are more likely to get a result with cash.
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>> the dealer MIGHT drop the £20,000 to £17,500 and still offer 0% finance.
I guess that online brokers , such as DTD, will offer a competitive price, plus the manufacturers 0% finance when available.
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I took out a loan to buy the Panda because I got sick of spending a fortune on repairing old bangers which I bought for cash.
Just had its five year MOT and service, cost me just £150. I am planning of keeping it at least another two years. I think if you have a good credit history credit is still very easy to get an with the great finance deals offered on new cars there is not as much need for places like Carcraft.
I have had a friend who once visited Carcraft, said the sales pressure was intimidating and they were trying to sell him alone before he even looked at any cars.
Personally foe me I think my car buying strategy is to buy brand new cheap cars and keep them for about 6-8 years.
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>>I took out a loan to buy the Panda because I got sick of spending a fortune on repairing old bangers which I bought for cash
I am currently having debates with my 20 year old daughter on this subject. Still at uni, wants her own car. Has a part time job in an office and about 4k in savings (from bank of mum and dad).
She wants to spend £4k on a car to get as good and as new as possible whereas I am saying get one at £1 or £2k and have money left over for repairs. No matter how young or old the car is you need a contingency for new tyres, an exhaust, a new wing mirror etc.
Don't think we are seeing eye to eye on this one at all and she has also hinted about getting a student loan to help fund as she doesn't need to pay it off until she is earning decent money. I pointed out the downside of that is that she would then probably be paying off a car that was dead and she would have another car loan as well!
My first car was a £600 mark 2 Escort!
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Get her to check out the cost of insurance first. If she's still at uni the it could be eye-watering.
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Been driving for a couple of years now so the quotes are around the 5-600 mark for 1.0 / 1.2 cars
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>>She wants to spend £4k on a car to get as good and as new as possible whereas I am saying get one at £1 or £2k and have money left over for repairs.
'Spect you're right. But how much trouble can she get herself into on the car? Some, for sure, but probably not that much. And it might work out well.
Although I'd try to edge her away from the student loan if I could, not that the student loan itself is a bad idea, but it can be setting a precedent for credit a bit young.
I reckon it is the right of a young person to make financially daft decisions and blow their own money unwisely, doubly so if they've accumulated the dosh themselves.
Its the credit stuff they need to be advised against.
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>>
>> My first car was a £600 mark 2 Escort!
>>
1929 Riley 9 Monaco fabric bodied...one owner.. Bought in 1967 for £30...
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Triumph Herald convertible 948cc with twin SU's bought for 30 sovs in 1972.
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>>I have had a friend who once visited Carcraft, said the sales pressure was intimidating and they were trying to sell him alone before he even looked at any cars.
I find it difficult to understand how much we need to protect people from their own dumb decisions, and how much we should give them the freedom to screw up as much as they like.
AFAIUI, Carcraft sold overpriced cars on overpriced credit to people who had been turned down everywhere else (or at least thought they would be).
The chances are that the majority of those people should not have done that deal; either they were able to achieve better somewhere else, or they should have understood why they couldn't.
However, how much should the state get involved in that other than making damned sure the rates and costs are well publicised?
Ditto for these payday loans Wonga style.
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I was browsing a Brighthouse window while waiting for Mrs ON, prices and interest rates were eye watering. I have not darkened Carcrafts doorstep but they sound similar.
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Unlike others on here I have used Car craft. I paid cash for my old Focus, and there was no undue pressure to use finance. They did get me to buy a warranty, but that also turned out to be a blessing when the power steering pump sprang a leak, as the whole main dealer cost of replacing it was covered without quibble.
I was originally attracted to Carcraft because I knew they would take my old 306 in partex, which was far from certain at other dealers given its condition. They scrapped it, as it was never re-taxed according to DVLA.
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>> If you negotiate with cash, you might get the car for, say, £17,500.
>>
>> OTOH if the dealer likes you face, the dealer MIGHT drop the £20,000 to £17,500
>> and still offer 0% finance. But you are more likely to get a result with
>> cash.
>>
Not so much these days - more money in selling extras such as finance.
FIL got a better deal on his new Leon by taking finance - he tried the "I'm a cash buyer" line and dealer told him that put him at a disadvantage. Better deal offered on finance and advised to pay it off after he took delivery
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>> Better deal offered on finance and advised to pay it off after he took delivery
I was told a while back by a friend who regularly buys new cars, that that does not always work.
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I visited one of those car supermarkets once. On the main lot the hucksters wouldn't leave you alone. I assumed they were freelances working on margin judging by their desperate, driven demeanour.
It was more peaceful and the jalopies were more interesting in the fenced-off separate banger section. I like all cars but in the end didn't fancy any of them enough to find the courage to buy it.
Being hustled puts iron in my soul. Do the other wimps here have the same experience?
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I quite enjoy the banter. At one time my job was training sales people. I've written reams of papers on the subject and been in the front line of selling at all levels all my working life.
I'd count myself an expert on that subject if little else, so when I encounter an enthusiastic but clumsily inexperienced over pushy practitioner I take a fiendish delight in making them work quite hard while remaining excruciatingly polite and apparently naively cooperative.
Some classics to watch for. The phone call the sales person has to take on their mobile while he or she is showing you a car you're a bit interested in, it's always from someone enquiring about the same car right? They are coming to see it in half an hour of course. Yeah right ! That's actually one of his colleagues watching you from the office on the phone.
The "I'll have to ask the boss", sure you do ! There is no "boss", not in the office they disappear into anyway. That's just so they can hide behind a fictitious senior persons decision. Ask to speak to the boss, they won't be available because they don't exist.
All good fun.
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If the whole buying experience was more pleasant then I may think about changing more often or not using a broker.
On a positive note the Lexus experience was OK. Nice coffee, no pressure, sales guy who really knew the product, and was able to do the whole deal from part ex to price negotiation without having to leave his desk or "ask his boss"
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>> sales guy who really knew the product
So many don't have a clue though. Not that they're trying to manipulate the punter: just that they're stupid and ignorant and don't give a damn. There are few things more annoying.
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>>The "I'll have to ask the boss"
We once had a salesman around to give a quote for replacement windows. He was with us for a couple of hours, giving the usual spiel, showing videos, etc, but strangely enough, following a "phone call to his manager", he would not quote unless we gave him a provisional date upon which the installation could be carried out!
Never quite fathomed his logic there, particularly as we had already informed his company that we would be getting at least three quotes, and in any event would not be making a decision on the day of the salesman's visit.
Last edited by: Clk Sec on Sun 3 May 15 at 17:34
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We needed quotes for a kitchen in '87. I couldn't do it 'cos I was working all sorts of hours. We had quotes from couple of firms at the house.
The sales rep from one well known firm spent the whole time slagging off her local rivals. Put us right off. We ended up with a small firm recommended by friends................great job. Replaced by me in 2008 when I had more time to spare.
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>>We needed quotes for a kitchen in '87. Replaced by me in 2008
You mean your SWMBO put up with the same kitchen for twenty years?
Some of us can only dream of such a scenario.
;>)
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She'd have put up with it for 40 if I'd had my way !
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No one would believe some of the jalopies I've imposed on my wives and relations.
I can only conclude that they thought it was entertaining, or at least funny.
As for kitchens, er, guh, you wouldn't believe some of them either.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Sun 3 May 15 at 23:35
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We used a local builder to fit some windows from a recommendation from Ted. The cost was far fat cheaper than using a big national firm, no sales patter what so ever and the job was probably done to a far better standard, he ended up having to re plaster an entire wall I can't see the big firms doing that!.
Last year I fitted a new kitchen, we got most the stuff from Selco, it was a cheap budget kitchen as he had a budget of less than £1k, ok we did blow that budget but a one year later the quality seems very good. The work tops are extremely resilient to chips etc and the general feel of the kitchen is it will last. So for about £1k we got an entirely brand new kitchen, I had to replaster one of the walls etc. Now I know there was zero labour involved as I did all the work myself, but even looking at some of the higher end kitchens it staggers me that some of the bigger kitchen companies can stretch it out to a £25,000 job!
Carcaft were the large double glazing firms of the car world.
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Just been quoted £17K for a kitchen from Wickes - Think I'm going to be doing more of the labour than I thought
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Carcraft - Gone! - mikeyb
