MINI Hatch

It’s often said they don’t build cars like they used to in the old days. Modern cars have around 3,000 parts and each one could fail at any time, therefore always make sure you purchase a good warranty policy
from the supplying dealer.

Absolutely not, some are not worth the paper they are written on so always make sure that you check with the supplying dealer the level of cover.  A good policy will cover wear and tear, mechanical failures, turbos, all electrics, entertainment systems etc. It’s also worth while researching the warranty company before you invest in their products.

Depending on how many months are valid on the MOT and how many miles the car has covered since the last MOT, then yes, there could be dangers. We would recommend you question the supplying dealer as to why they won’t provide a fresh 12-month MOT. Usually this is to avoid costly repair work and they would rather the buyer is faced with the cost when the MOT is due.

Absolutely, depending on what the recall is and whether it is safety related or not. The supplying dealer should always make sure these recalls are completed before selling you the car. 

An MOT advisory is a warning from an MOT tester that the car has issues that need to be addressed. MOT advisories can be very costly, we recommend checking to identify if the advisory work is still outstanding before purchasing the car.

Only financially, if you don’t choose to purchase a good comprehensive policy which covers sudden mechanical failures, you could be faced with some hefty repair bills.  

A documented heath check is over and above an MOT requirement. Usually, the items that are included are, air conditioning, satellite navigation, heating system, locking wheel nut present etc. A reputable supplying dealer will provide you with a documented health check and if the car is due a service, this will also be included.

Usually, car parts that are cheap are cheap for a reason, they tend to come from China with a limited warranty period. These cheap parts can easily fail in a short period of time or just after their warranty period. A reputable supplying dealer will only fit either original parts or the equivalent. 

A supplying dealer who uses the wrong oil recommended by the manufacture can seriously damage the engine. Manufactures recommend a particular grade of engine oil that is approved by them. In the event of sudden engine failure, the manufacture will check the oil firstly to establish that it has the correct oil. A reputable dealer will provide details of the oil used within their servicing preparation documents. 

Usually, you will find using an independent approved garage, which is part of a national network, that the costs are considerably less than a main dealer. With the likes of Bosch, dealers must operate to Bosch standards, using Bosch parts and abiding by their servicing standards. Accredited dealers who are part of the network that don’t follow and uphold the network standards are simply removed. 

Yes, they can be, often well maintained and looked after. However, be cautious and ask the supplying dealer which company had the car previously. Main Dealers and Car Supermarkets buy thousands of cars every year from car hire companies, so you may think you are purchasing a carefully driven one owner company car when in fact the car could have had for example 200 drivers within the first three years. The fastest driven cars and most neglected on the roads tend to be hire cars. 

Yes, some can be very limited, we often find cars can be shown as fully clear on an HPI or Experian report, however using Motor Check it delves much deeper into the car’s history, including damage images if a car has been involved in an accident. Always insist on a live Motor Check report with any car you choose to purchase. 

Yes, they have compared the sellers asking price for a car with their own valuation and given it a label. This tells you how the price of the car you are considering purchasing compares to the market price of other cars with similar qualities. Supplying dealers who don’t tend to use Autotrader and price their cars to market, tend to be more expensive than dealers with a similar like for like car. 

You will have seen that silly TV advert, telling you to sell your car to them so you can get a better deal at the dealers when you buy your next car. This is utter rubbish; car dealers deal in cars to make money so why would a dealer not want the opportunity to take your old car in part exchange?

Yes, without Ceramic Coat protection, your paintwork could become dull and faded over time, when exposed to atmospheric pollutants and harsh car wash chemicals. The paintwork will progressively fade and hold dirt, meaning cleaning and washing will become harder. A reputable supplying dealer will choose a product the likes of Williams Ceramic Coat, which is a ceramic coat and comes with a warranty. Often dealers sell ceramic coat protection, which isn’t a ceramic coat, it’s more like a posh polish. It is always worth checking which brand they use before you commit. 

Is there a catch with 0% finance deals?

No, manufactures build cars in bulk, these cars can be stored for months before they are registered and sold. Many manufactures include a three-year warranty with their new cars, however, only include twelve months with batteries and door seals. Unless you specifically build a new car to order, the chances are it could be months old before you buy it. 

Yes, if you rely on your car for daily use, its an advantage to buy from a dealer who have their own courtesy cars. A reputable dealer will have reasonably new cars, often with their company branding, these cars will be clean and well presented.

The cover can be extremely low level, its mainly used for data capture, where the recovery provider will quickly contact you and sell you a better package.

This is down to personal preference, it’s a case of do you want to own your car or rent one? With lease you make monthly payments and hand the car back at the end of the term. With hire purchase or personal contract hire you own the car at the end of the term. Be aware with leasing companies, the excess mileage charges can be very costly and when you return the car at the end of the contract, they will inspect the car and look for any stone chips, marks or scratches and present you with the cost of repair. 

Depending on the age and mileage of the car, it would be expected to have damage on older vehicles, however a car with a retail value of over £8,000 should be presented to a good standard. You shouldn’t inherit, scratches, multiple stone chips or scuffs, as this will affect the value when you come to sell or part exchange it.

Its more desirable for a car to have a documented service history and on some premium brands this can affect the cars value. A car with for example 50,000 miles with no documented service history, it would be highly unlikely the car hasn’t been serviced; to reach 50,000 it will have needed tyres, new brakes etc. Documented service history can get misplaced by the previous owners or not given to the garage when it’s in for service to be stamped. 

No not at all, when cars are built in the factories they often get damaged by the fitters on the assembly line and are repainted before they get delivered to the main dealer. Main dealers then carry out a pre delivery inspection when they receive the cars. In many cases brand new cars get damaged during transport, which results in more paintwork. 

Not always, most of the large car hire companies self-insure their cars, which means in the event of an accident they repair the cars themselves, meaning these cars don’t get recorded on the accident data base register. These cars are sold to unsuspecting main dealers and car supermarkets and in many cases, they are not due an MOT and are sold onto consumers. 

When buying a used car, the cheapest isn’t always the best option, a reputable dealer will prepare their cars to a high standard and not cut corners with the preparation, to advertise their cars cheap. First impressions count, when buying a new car, you need to be confident in the dealer, they should explain everything clearly so that you feel confident in buying a car from them. You need to enquire about their preparation process and what procedures they have in place so that if your car fails, they can keep you mobile and repair the car in a swift timely manner. 

Main dealers often have special offers running, for example a weekend special offer which gets heavily promoted via TV and Radio, "£500 off every car and £500 more for your part exchange”. What usually happens is that close of business on the Friday all cars are increased by £500 for the marketing event and when it comes to your part exchange, the value they would have given you on the Friday for example £5,000 on the special offer suddenly becomes £4,500 plus the special offer £500 extra, bringing you back to the original £5,000. Ultimately you get the same deal as you would have received without the marketing special offer.

Yes, you could potentially purchase a car where the cars service isn’t due, then after only owning the car for 4-5 months based on service date, the car then requires a service. Depending on the level of service, make and model of the car, you could be presented with a hefty bill, something which you probably wouldn’t be planning on, having only owned the car for a short period of time.