alcazar

iTrader: (2)

How far do, or would, folk travel to get a new used car?

I'm looking on Autotrader, but most are over 100 miles from me. What happens when/if it wants a repair under guarantee? And if it's not able to be driven?

Are folk willing to spend money and time travelling long distances to look....and then maybe not buy? And then go back again to pick it up?

If I put in 60 miles from me, the number of cars available, of interest, drops to TWO....and both are actually OVER 60 miles by road.

This is what you get for living far from civilisation, LOL

steve ex vauxhall

iTrader: (5)

I will always travel any distance regardless for the right car , I try and get as much info and pictures over the net first.

Most of the guarantee's and warranties can be used at garages within your own location

I live in North Wales and have bought cars from both the top end of Scotland and down in Devon on 2 occasions

RB5 Boyo

As i live in Northern Ireland, i usually have found that the best deals are over the water....so have found myself jumping on a ferry or a plane to nip over and see a car in Glasgow, London, Leeds whatever.

Ive actually more or less bought some cars just by goin from an online ad and having a chat with the seller....once went to Glasgow by ferry and travelled down to look at Cavalier 4x4 Turbo, had more or less bought the car over the phone and drove it home that night, onto the ferry and was home for 10pm that evening....fair risk i know doing so many miles in an unfamiliar car you've just bought but i loved doing it

Over at home here we would travel 80 to 110 miles no probs to look at any car without even a second thought about it

pslewis

I will only ever travel 10 miles each way - the disappointments I have had by driving further afield are too many.

I do demand only the best - if my standards were lower, I would obviously be more willing to travel as far as required.

ScoobyDoo555

Depends entirely on the car imho.

My Scoobs were purchased within 30 miles, as was my Golf GTI. However, my Audi S4 was a rarer beast as the time, so I had to travel 300 mile to see it. Then make the trip again to collect it.

Same for my Porsche, but I did view 8 beforehand (only to be let down several times)

I'll travel any distance for the right car. Again, one of the prices you pay for living in the middle of nowhere!

Dan

SJ_Skyline

I'm surprised you travel so far Pete. I would have expected you to demand prospective sellers come to you AND pay you for your time!

Alcazar, depends on the car, the price and the distance.

Hysteria1983

For the right car I've travelled quite a bit, but you do get a feeling about some and you know it'snot worth the drive .
We've gone down south for the scoob, the free and the f27. But we had a pretty good idea thatthe cars were solid .
I've browsed some cars in Birmingham and felt like banging my head against a wall.

Lydia72

Someone travelled 300-odd miles to buy OH's Evo, when OH bought it we'd travelled 120 miles.
I was willing to go anywhere within 200 or so to buy my Impreza but ended up getting it from...Scunthorpe thirty miles away.

Would entirely depend on the car to be honest. You could always see if a local forum member would go and check something out on your behalf, save a wasted journey.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

yes, I suppose it does.
OK, then, Leon FR or TDi 140 Reference Sport. Price range £7-8000
Distances are usually over 100 miles, and that's Autotrader miles. Put it into Google maps and you get over 140 miles each way.

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

I usually limit it to 30 miles on autotrader unless its really good and I've got a friend in that area (Facebook) then I get someone I trust to look at it. I did buy a Porsche from Brighton once that turned out to be ok, but it was a massive risk.

If there's any near me I'd be happy to look at them for you

dpb

Ultimately the more the cars worth the further its worth travelling I guess.

If I had to travel a long way I'd reconsider what I wanted from the car however

David_Dickson

For the right car, distance should be irrelevant. Budget airlines will get you to the other end of the country for under £30, so there is no excuse really. I change cars a lot and its rare for me to buy locally. I recently bought a Mazda B2500 that required me to fly from toulouse to london, london to aberdeen, then drove it back to toulouse. For the money, it was well worth my time.

**jay**

iTrader: (1)

Best cars ive had including my ra have been nearly 800 mile round trips, worth the travel for the right car, thats how i know when a buyer calls about a car for sale and start moaning about the distance to view then there not really that interested lol
Jay

brendy76

iTrader: (6)

live in Co. Down and travelled to Barrow-in-furness via manchester airport for my wrx (and back via stranraer) and drove my old cupra from home to dublin, holyhead and on to kent to part ex for my wifes X5.
Distance really doesnt bother most folks in Ni etc as there is a better choice if you include scotland, wales and England.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

A bit like where I live without the water gap.

Im surprised that no-one in Hull, Lincoln etc has cars.....

chrispy200+

iTrader: (2)

620 mile round trip for mine, south east to the north west and back, looked right so took the gamble and went for a nosey

pacenote

For the right car I would travel anywhere. Furthest I have been is Germany, flown over and driven back

I have friends who have been much further afield... not for your average eurohatch though

The Pink Ninja

iTrader: (23)

I agree distance would be anything if it was the right car, Mine was a 3 month wait to find one and 300 mile trip, All turned out fine and was a bargain.

tattoosi

iTrader: (5)

i travelled from birmingham to plymouth to fetch mine last month

Aaron1978

iTrader: (12)

OK

Both my current cars have come from distance.

One from a dealer in Newcastle without viewing (was brand new though and was delivered.)

My current Impreza was from Redhill near Gatwick, I chatted with the owner via emails and plenty of photos and kept in contact until I could get there to pick it up. Drove down with the Mrs (4hrs) at 6am got there for about 10.15 ish including stopping for fuel/food etc. Went for a test drive had a look round it (I pretty much agreed to buy it without seeing as long as everything was as described). Paid and drove it home (4hrs). So a day of my life plus about £200 in fuel and food. There where a few others I was looking at at the time but I felt I was just considering them for convenience rather than them being what I wanted.

I suppose it depends on what matters most to you. Price V Spec V distance.

Aaron

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

What is mildly annoying is that this IS going to be an average Euro-hatch, as mentioned above. There are literally HUNDREDS on the road, but can I find one less than 100 miles from me? Nope.......

Aaron1978

iTrader: (12)

Be more specific on the spec/age/mileage etc. Are you wanting to buy from a dealer or are you not that bothered?

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Not bothered about dealer/private.

But when I get more specific on age/mileage etc there are NO cars within 100 miles of me, LOL

zippy!

iTrader: (1)

I drove 326 miles to Devon for my current car and 326 miles back in it. Seller told me it had a sound coming from gearbox but when I got there it was engine knocking! Got a grand knocked off it and brought it home anyway as I saw the potential in it

Matteeboy

Flew to Manchester, got a lift from the dealer to Preston, drove it 350 miles home.

The BM was from Leicester but the dealer drove it down for us, took the Astra in p/x, crashed it on the way home. Oops.

Tony Harrington

iTrader: (8)

Granted there is always a risk involved, however after much thought I purchased my WRX from bonnie Scotland but had thoroughly done my homework. I asked a friend in the trade to check it out who happened to be on his return journey from Aberdeen as he had purchased a second hand car there.

The car has been excellent with no real issues.

BTW this is the first car that I have traveled any distance for.

Matteeboy

Our Defender was from a main dealer, with a Used Approved warranty so bought it blind and had it delivered ((which worked fine with the BM). Big mistake; the main dealer was a borderline crook, the Defender was knackered. One year of constant breakdowns, a massive effort to get the work paid for under warranty (by Land Rover UK). Will not buy in that way again, even brand new (which the van was)!

alistair

I live in Peterborough & bought one from Northern Ireland - train to Heathrow in the morning, flew over, picked it up, ferry to Stranraer and drove home.

I bought the car off eBay & got it for the right price, so made it worth it.

Apparently turning up at Belfast airport with a pocket full of cash and having him collect me wasn't the wisest move - but it all turned out well

donny andi

iTrader: (3)

I live in Doncaster
Went to the other side of Glasgow for a evo
Southampton for golf r32
Dover for wr1

Every car I get seems to see me setting off at 2am
My missis thinks I'm mad but when your saving 1k/2k it's a day out and I give my mate £100 and pay fuel/food

Steve_PPP

iTrader: (3)

Depends on car for me. For a scoob or something unique, pretty much anywhere in UK. For a daily driver, max of 50 miles ish.