My car needs a bit of work doing to pass its MOT next week, after which I plan to part ways with it while it's even moderately appealing (i.e 12 months MOT). It's been a workhorse but now sitting at 205k miles things are starting to fall off regularly and costs are mounting. I've constantly been looking for its replacement but the cars I have found (with the correct trim level etc) tend to be 200-300 miles away. Has anyone actually got real experience of buying from "deliver to you door" websites such as Cinch/Cazoo in which you've never actually seen the car in person? It feels like a bad idea but even if I travelled said 200-300 miles to the car I don't know how much I'd gain from being in person to looking at the pictures and condition report on the website.
Not personally, but one of my friends has bought and returned a car through Cazoo - experience was OK, but they really fight hard to get you not to send it back, they also charge quite a bit for the mileage you've used it as well (iirc around £1/mile). But ultimately they did get their money back.
Didn't know about that, so had a look in to it. Constellation Automotive Group owns both brands and British Car Auctions. So looks like the better WBAC intake gets disposed of through Cinch and, the crap gets auctioned, likely with the usual 'sold as seen' proviso, so buyer beware and no come-back or refunds.
@DeadP1xels what are you looking for? Perhaps there's a bit-tech'er near the ones further away from you to do a quick inspection?
I'm dancing between many different cars to be honest, on one side I'm going for practical and cheap like a Ford Focus/Puegeot of some variety... then something more premium like a CLA or another 3 series at the top end of what's affordable. I think it will come down to what fits inside the budget and catches my eye when the inevitable happens.
I bought my Navara remotely and unseen from a dealer around 200 miles away, over the phone. They did a video in and around it, asked them to comment on specific things, a few extra photos etc - all was well and they delivered it to the house. Didn't even charge me the diesel to do so. It was just one of the people from their back office that drove it up, said she volunteered as she could meet a friend in the city centre for lunch and then take the train back to make a day of it. I called around a fair few of them and they were all happy to make some sort of arrangement to do the same, so don't know that you would need a third party to do so... unless you are looking at private sales. Mine ended up being "basically new" so the risk was pretty low, but some I looked at were a little more used with around 5k miles and was prepared to do the same. EDIT: This was also just before covid - so that didn't figure into it.
If running costs are a consideration then be wary of most German brands if what you fancy is very close to limit, as much as their 90s reputation would try and insinuate they're not perfect. Of course there are good and bad ones, but my experiences don't back up that German = quality more than any other brand.
