blip

Is it really 'safer' buying a used scoob through a Subaru dealer than going private?

Surely the dealers will buy back just about anything (however thrashed), tart it up, stick it on their forecourt, tell you it has been lovingly cared for by it's previous owner and then charge you 2k more than a private example. They just want to make a fast buck.

Ok you get a 12month warranty, but then if you're buying a MY99-00 car privately it'll still have some warranty left anyway (which you can extend). Plus, just having a 12 month warranty doesn't mean it wasn't thrashed to death in its previous life, or wasn't nailed around a track every weekend.

So how much safer is it really going the dealer route? I know you can get stitched up going private, but you're probably 1-2k better off as a result, and if you use your noddle you should be able to suss out the previous owner fairly well. At least you get to actually meet the owner, see the car's home, etc. Once it's on a forecourt it's previous life is just erased, so you have no idea what you are buying.

Anyway, what do others think????

The Zohan

IMHO
Most performance cars will have had a hard life.
You get a bit more peace of mind buying from a dealership over a punter.

I would get the RAC to check over the car(s) if buying private.

Paul

Coogie

I've been thinking exactly the same thing, as i'm looking to buy another impreza - you dont want to get ripped off either way.

You feel "safer" buying from a main dealer - but you've obviously seen the high prices on the forecourt!

There seems to be some cracking cars for sale private at the moment, at much more affordable prices.

As Paul says, as long as you get it all checked out properly, i'd rather give my money to another scooby fan than the dealers.

Perhaps buy private off the Scoobynet - now surely they wouldn't rip off a fellow Scoobynetter - now would they?!

blip

Yeah I must admit that the thought of handing over an extra 2k just to buy from a dealer does put me off a bit. And you could still end up with a motor that was thrashed in a previous life,how do you know?

I did initially think it would be 'safer' going the dealer route, but I'm struggling to find the car I want, with the spec I want, within my budget at the dealers. Hmm, it's a tricky one.

I was hoping to get some reaction or feedback from other people who had gone either route, and could either recommend it, or have horror stories to tell :-o

Jolly Green Monster 2

When I bought my last Scooby I was for the first time in years in the position to have cash to buy a car... no part exchange...

Great I thought no need to go to car garages...

Looked in Autotrader and there were three like I wanted... two private and one in the dealers.. one of the private ones was slightly older so put that to the bottom of the list.
One was about 200miles away and the other was at my local dealer..
So I went to the dealers to check out the car and see one with cloth trim as I had only seen the leather previous before I drove 200miles to buy the private one..
The dealer wanted 10k and the private one 200miles away wanted 9k..
To cut a long story short I ended up buying the one in the dealers for 8.3k... haggle and argue the fact that they are cheaper private and here is some cash and it actually worked!
was worried to start with that there was something wrong with it that I hadn't noticed but a year on and no problems (touch wood).
I wouldn't have hessitate to buy one private though.. only it was more convinent at the time to go to the dealer.

blip

Wow, that's some pretty fancy haggling to get a dealer to drop from 10k to 8.3k. Any chance I could hire you to haggle on my behalf ;-)

Just goes to show how much they mark up some of their stock.

Most of the ones I have dealt with recently are as hard as nails when it comes to dropping their prices.

Jolly Green Monster 2

I was unfortunate to write off an almost identical car to the one I was buying so basically was not willing to pay more than the insurance paid me for it... that was my haggle story... which was also true.. but feel free to use it..

blip

Yeah like it. Cheers!

David1965

Bought MY98 from scoobynet saved 2.5k. Came with extended warranty.

If it got a full history, is owned by a scooby love that has loked after it well. get it checked out and save the 2K plus for brake up grades ect.

I have no regrets.

BHORT

Buy an MY99 private, save £2K and and extend the warranty for a further year for a few hundred. I've also noticed from the approved used cars on subaru.co.uk that dealer prices are well up compared to before Christmas. Glass's guided also shows a small increase for trade ins.

Brendan