Anybody purchased using Cazoo?

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
9,217
Just wondering if anyone has any experience with purchasing from Cazoo?

I'm looking at buying vehicle that I've seen. I'm pretty anal about body work, stone chips, etc and the defect images they provided don't alarm me at all and are of no concern. But how thorough is their inspection and spotting imperfections in the first place?

If you have purchased a car from them, what was subsequent ownership like?
 
Last edited:

LiE

LiE

Caporegime
Joined
2 Aug 2005
Posts
25,630
Location
Milton Keynes
My father in law used them and was very pleased. They offer a 7 day money back guarantee as well, so in theory if there was something you didn’t like you could use that. May want to read the T&Cs though.

Edit:
Said small print.
10. 7-Day Money Back Guarantee
10.1 In addition to Your statutory cancellation rights where You are a cash customer (set out in section 11 below) or any right of withdrawal You are entitled to where you are a finance customer (set out in section 12 below), Cazoo provides You with a money back guarantee ("7-Day Money Back Guarantee") from the date of Delivery or Collection of the Car for a period until 8pm seven days later ("7-Day Money Back Guarantee Period").

10.2 During the 7-Day Money Back Guarantee Period, You may request to cancel Your Order and the return of the Car to us, provided You have not damaged the Car or drive more than 250 miles during the 7-Day Money Back Guarantee Period. If You have, we have discretion whether to allow the 7-Day Money Back Guarantee or not and Cazoo may reject Your Car return. If You have paid for the Car by entering into a third-party finance agreement You will also need to tell the finance provider that You wish to withdraw from Your finance agreement. You should read section 12 which explains this in more detail.

10.3 Where You have paid for the Car Yourself and not entered into a finance agreement and You wish to exercise the 7-Day Money Back Guarantee, Cazoo will return to You the purchase price of the Car as specified in the Order, (including the Delivery Charge (if applicable)), except for:

- 10.3.1 £1 will be deducted for each mile You have driven above the 250-mile limit (calculated against the Car’s mileage noted on Your Delivery or Collection receipt); and

- 10.3.2 the cost to repair any damage to the Car while You were responsible for it.

10.4 Where You have paid for the Car by entering into a finance agreement and You wish to exercise the 7-Day Money Back Guarantee, then instead of issuing You with a refund for the Car, Cazoo will return to the finance provider the amount which is payable by You to the finance provider under the Finance agreement when You exercise Your right to withdraw from that agreement (see section 11 below) provided that You comply with Your obligations set out in these Terms and Your Car is returned to Cazoo. On returning Your Car to Cazoo You will be required to pay to Cazoo the sums set out in sections 10.3.1 and 10.3.2 above. Cazoo will also refund the Delivery Charge to You (if applicable).

10.5 To be eligible for the 7-Day Money Back Guarantee:

10.5.1 in the past 12 months, neither You nor anyone in Your household must have claimed under the 7-Day Money Back Guarantee or any similar guarantee we provide for subscribing to a car; and

10.5.2 You must book a pickup of the Car to take place within 14 days after You request a return from us (the “Pickup Period”); and

10.5.3 You must not use the Car (or let anyone else use the Car) after expiry of the 7-Day Money Back Guarantee Period.

10.6 If You need to rearrange a pickup, You must contact Cazoo Customer Support by phone on 020 3901 3488. If You do this at least 24 hours before the scheduled time, we will rearrange the pickup at no extra cost to You. If You do this less than 24 hours before the scheduled pickup time, we will charge You £250 to rearrange the pickup. Pickup must take place during the Pickup Period for You to be eligible for the 7-Day Money Back Guarantee.
 
Soldato
Joined
1 Mar 2010
Posts
21,891
like I said in other thread
Cazoo have been making hay during lock-down and covid restrictions but with garages back on their feet, I don't get the online purchase fad;
I wouldn't buy a car unseen, even if (like an emma matress) I can get money back, that's too much hassle,
subsequent warranty issues too, I want an accountable physical dealer.
...
financial engagement with the new car - I'll need to buy insurance to transfer no claims, then hang on, I've sold my existing car .....
mean returning a car is a bit different to an amazon return ...

subsequently read this ascerbic/amusing thread https://forum.cardealermagazine.co.uk/topic/9992-carzoo/page/2/ yes they would say that
These guys have managed to convince buyers that their ‘nearly new’ car will be as new perfect. It’s all about the ease of delivery, and specification. Ordered out of a catalogue, like a new car. No mention of ‘oily bits’ or mechanical condition reports. Send it back if you don’t like the smell of it; like buying a candle off amazon.
So, what could go wrong?
....
I think some of you are are forgetting that the majority of buyers under 30 don't give a **** about the car so long as it has street cred a good communication set up for their overpriced phone and they can meet the payments
The ones that come kick the tyres see if the buggy goes in the boot and last but not least look under the bonnet get less weekly
 
Man of Honour
Joined
13 Oct 2006
Posts
91,053
Cazoo do seem to have quite detailed annotation of imperfections and defects for whatever that is worth.
 
Soldato
Joined
14 Mar 2011
Posts
5,421
I bought a Cazoo car including part exchange a couple of weeks ago, and I will say that:
  • My experience and current impression of them as a company is pretty good (for the moment)
  • BUT currently the car sat on my drive has "Cazoo" written on the sides in big letters and isn't the car I bought
Is it Cazoo's fault or not, and how well do they deal with this? That's really the issue that will determine whether I would recommend them. Giving them the benefit of the doubt it seems like we got unlucky and the car we bought developed a fault that they couldn't have seen coming, everything else about the car seems excellent and exactly as described. Their response to the problem has also so far been very encouraging - no arguments at all they insisted we get the car back to them asap and will do everything they can to make sure it's sorted out, very apologetic, courtesy car for as long as we need, they said they will reset their 90 day warranty when we get the car back
 
Man of Honour
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
12,301
Location
Vvardenfell
My father in law used them and was very pleased. They offer a 7 day money back guarantee as well, so in theory if there was something you didn’t like you could use that. May want to read the T&Cs though.


Am I missing something? Because as far as I am aware, Distance Selling Regs apply if you haven't seen the vehicle, therefore by law you have fourteen days?
 
Soldato
Joined
27 Jul 2009
Posts
5,014
Location
Manchester
Yes I have.
I sold our 2017 Honda during the peak of the price hike and bought a 2016 euro 6 Berlingo from Cazoo.
The car stood out a mile at the time for reasonable condition and reasonable value.
I went to the Manchester Cazoo department to collect it personally.
I don’t regret it but it was a bizarre experience to buy a car online you haven’t even seen.
I turned up to collect and it was under a blanket, blanket is removed and your driving out of the door.
I’m reasonably experienced with cars and there’s very little time to do anything in the way of checks.
I was pleasantly surprised to see 4 brand new tyres, new front discs and pads, new rear pads.
The car looked ok.
As I went to drive it away I immediately knew there was a problem with the clutch.
I wasn’t too worried as 7 day money back guarantee and warranty.
I had a play with the clutch at home and initially I was unable to rectify anything.
Also a nasty smell started to come from the carpets, I suspect they had been shampooed in the middle of winter and not properly dried.
I complained to Cazoo, and was given a £150 refund for a valet (which I did myself). It took time to dry everything out (January) but everything is now OK and no water leaks.
As time went on the clutch got worse, started to judder violently when the engine was hot.
I knew it had to go back.
I once again contacted Cazoo customer service and was told I could take the car to the local RAC approved garage and get it checked out. (the clutch pedal feel was still bad as well).
We spent over an hour warming the car up until the judder had appeared before we took the car in.
The mechanic came back, shrugged his shoulders and said 'I've felt worse'.
At this point I unleased my mechanical knowledge and insisted that the clutch should be examined, I even said if there's nothing wrong with it I will pay for it myself.
The garage contacted Cazoo and the work was authorised - Great news.
The next day I got a phonecall stating the clutch friction plate and pressure plate where both OK but the release bearing had started to collapse.
A new 3 piece LUK clutch was fitted and Cazoo covered the expensive £700 bill.
All this did was to cure the judder 100%, the clutch pedal still felt awful, I asked the garage is it the hydraulic clutch activation and was told no.
I began my own investigations, still unhappy with the car, I lubricated the clutch release fork and bled the hydraulic circuit including a fluid change and this has cured the problem.

Overall the car is good, we are happy with it, but it's not been a great experience, we wouldn't have bought a car this way if there had been any other reasonable option. Cazoo have been great, I just wonder about the quality of there cars.
 
Last edited:
Soldato
Joined
27 Jul 2009
Posts
5,014
Location
Manchester
The cars a 1.6 BlueHDI with 50,000 miles, FSH.
I also suspect that Cazoo hadn't serviced it despite stamping the book but I have absolutely no proof of this.
I bought genuine oil and filter from the main dealer and did it myself as a precaution.
 
Soldato
Joined
1 Mar 2010
Posts
21,891
I was pleasantly surprised to see 4 brand new tyres, new front discs and pads, new rear pads.
had you been able to see service record - if that would reveal disc/pads

any suspicion of re-mapping being contributory to clutch issue ? (not that cazoo would have any less diagnostic capability than dealers generally)
 
Soldato
Joined
27 Jul 2009
Posts
5,014
Location
Manchester
had you been able to see service record - if that would reveal disc/pads

any suspicion of re-mapping being contributory to clutch issue ? (not that cazoo would have any less diagnostic capability than dealers generally)
The clutch had broke.
It wasn’t really worn beyond what it should have been.
Wasn’t classed as wear & tear it was a damaged component.
Service record is just stamps in a book from the previous owner.
 
Soldato
Joined
14 Mar 2011
Posts
5,421
Did you keep it?

They continued to be great in the whole situation - being right before Christmas it proved to be a bit difficult to get the repair and we were due to travel ~3 hours away to family for a weekend imminently I told them the little Skoda Fabia courtesy car wasn't going to cut it for that trip so they immediately arranged for me to pick up a hire car from Enterprise for that weekend; a Renault Captur I think it was and quite nice (certainly not the cheapest thing they could have rented as far as I could tell). Just after that weekend our car was back and ready to pick up and (touch wood) it's been absolutely perfect since no further problems with it at all. So all in all I would say they have earned themselves a customer and I would definitely strongly consider using them again next time
 
Associate
Joined
28 Jul 2022
Posts
2
Location
London
Long time forum lurker here. I've read a few of the posts on here and thought I would take the plunge with Cazoo - sadly not the best experience as some of you may have had. I made a youtube video instead of typing out a review.

 
Back
Top Bottom