Cheap Car Trade Center

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ntg

ntg

ntg

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Has anyone ever bought a car from them?

They seem to be selling very cheap low-end cars (which is what I am after) but I wanted to know how credible they are.

Please share any experiences!
 
are you looking for anything in particular, or just something cheap?

could well be better going private, as there won't be any dealer markup
 
Well I'm looking for a cheap car in general but I'm clueless so I thought going to a dealer might be more secure in regards to having time to check things and having something to revert back to in case something goes wrong (??).

The particular dealer seems to have a website and two branches. They are quiet heavily advertising in used car websites so that's why they drew my attention.
 
I know nothing of this particular dealer but generally buying a car from a dealer on a low budget is like going for a swim in a shark infested swimming pool.

At this end of the market most cars have issues but many second hand car 'dealers' tend to mask them, they are full of stories and offer warranties which are worthless. And for this you pay more than buying from a private seller - I honestly think taking a 'risk' with a private seller is a far better bet at this end of the market. More likely to find an honest car.
 
mjt said:
the only thing a 'dealer' like this will have time for is screwing you over :p
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how would you suggest going about purchasing a very cheap car then, assuming you are completely new to cars (I'm talking about sub-£1000 cars).

I'm just worried that with a private seller I might be duped or miss something major out.

P.S No, I do not have a more experienced friend to come with me so that's out of the question.
 
On the subject, anyone knows what kind of mileage I should be expecting for a sub-£1000 car?

What kind of wear/tear should be acceptable for that price level?
 
IMO it will have mostly tat with the odd golden egg. There may be a 1 or 2 owner car with fmdsh there that has come from a local main dealer and they have stuck their usual few hundered mark up.

I would say treat each car on a case by case basis and assume you are buying privately.
 
You might only have £1,000 to spent but that does not mean that you have to accept a shed on it's last legs. Chances are slim that you are going to pick up a low mileage 2 owner car with Full Dealer service history, so don't even bother looking and if you do, don't get excited because the 'too good to be true' cars are usually the worst out there.

My personal advice would be to find someone, ANYONE that knows one end of a spanner from the other. I'm a massive advocate of cheap cars but this end of the market is more dangerous than a mine infested shark tank and you'll do well not to get ripped off if you don't know what you're looking for. If you're not confident you won't be able to spot a major defect, find somebody to come with you that is. Ignore at your own peril.

Don't get caught up on silly detailed that would send other people walking away on. Expect some electrical items not to work, the tyres to be mismatched/worn, the interior to be past it's best, the bodywork to be dinged, scratched, etc. You're looking for a car that drives well above everything else.

I'm not sure what type of car you're after, but remember 95% of the people with £1,000 to spend on a car want that is small, economical, modern, etc. As a result the prices for these cars are driven up, so it might be worth looking into slightly larger cars to get more bang for your buck. The family work horse A4 is a great example. A comfortable Recently serviced family saloon with full MOT & Tax for £600. You'd struggle to get a Saxo for that much.
 
I really, really dont think an Audi of any description is a good choice for somebody on a very tight budget with little if any car knowledge. You want something utterly uncool, not a faded Prestige car.
 
are you a young driver?

Getting an Audi saloon might be hard for a just passed his test 18 year old.

That then forces you down the small hatcback route and all there prices are inflated because there in demand. Its madness to think i paid £1800 for a 1.4 2001 seat ibiza!!! But small engined hatchbacks are the only thing i could insure at 18
 
[TW]Fox;15638248 said:
I really, really dont think an Audi of any description is a good choice for somebody on a very tight budget with little if any car knowledge. You want something utterly uncool, not a faded Prestige car.
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That is a very good point, but I was using the A4 as an example of how more car = Less money at this price point, rather than an out right suggestion.

I'd have thought a Mondeo would be ideal. Surely you can get MK2s all day long for this sort of money? One or two of them are bound not to be ex-minicabs :p.
 
kgi said:
On the subject, anyone knows what kind of mileage I should be expecting for a sub-£1000 car?

What kind of wear/tear should be acceptable for that price level?
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Within reason, ignore mileage. Condition is the only important parameter when buying at this end of the market. If you really can't find anyone with more experience to help than at least go through a checklist , but I would really recommend trying to find someone to help.

With care you should be able to buy a pretty reasonable car for £1k.
 
A low end car dealer is in business to make money so some wont be as prepared as thoroughly as maybe it should

Buying private most private sellers will feel bad about selling a dud

Buy the seller not the car
 
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