2022.06.10 14:44

Should I Buy a Used Car Online?

Online car dealers now offer solutions which enable you to purchase a used car online and get it delivered straight to your doors, saving you the hassle of searching for a used car on a dealer's forecourt. This option of purchasing a used car can be convenient when you don't have the time to go to the dealer yourself. It can also provide you with more options than those used vehicles local to your address. However, some people may be concerned about buying a used car online; we look at the benefits and disadvantages of this convenient modern-day solution.

Cost of the vehicle and delivery

Most online car dealers will charge an additional cost for delivering your vehicle to your home address. This cost ranges, but typically it sits around the £80-£150 price range. If you’re on a tight budget, it may be better to use this money to buy a better condition or newer used car. However, if you’re buying an expensive car, the delivery cost would be a fraction of the cost of the vehicle you’re planning to purchase.

Vehicle inspection

Many online car dealerships will take the vehicle through a proper inspection and fix any issues before the car gets delivered to your address. You won’t get a chance to inspect the car yourself; images and videos of any defects are usually on the listing, but these don’t compare with getting your hands on the vehicle yourself. When you view a car in a forecourt, you can see the amount of space in the back and the boot, which might not be clear when you see images online. Physically being in the car and visually looking at any issues or damages is completely different from viewing photos online. If you opt to buy a car online and get it delivered, you might find that it doesn’t meet your expectations; conversely, it may surpass them.

Test driving the vehicle

Test driving is critical when you buy a new or used car; you’re going to want to see how it handles, test out the visibility and generally get a feel for the vehicle. If you choose to get your new car delivered, you won’t get a chance to test drive it before you pay. Many online used car retailers offer a trial period where you can return the car for free, but by this point, you would have paid for the vehicle and insurance and taxed it, making changing the car much more hassle. Many drivers need to test drive a few different second-hand cars before deciding which one to buy. When purchasing a vehicle online, you can’t do this the same way you would when visiting numerous forecourts.

Return policy

To overcome many of these barriers, online car companies typically provide the ability to return the car if you’re not happy with it within a specific time frame. They will pick up the vehicle and refund you the total cost of the vehicle, including the delivery. This option is beneficial if you are 90% sure about the car you want to purchase but want the fallback of being able to return it if there are any issues. As previously mentioned, it can cause some inconvenience with your insurance and tax, but at least you will get the money back for your vehicle.

Convenience

The most valuable benefit of buying a used car and getting it delivered to your door is convenience. Travelling to view various used cars up and down the country can take days, only to find that the vehicle you are considering has already been sold or has damage that wasn't shown clearly on the photos or description. Buying a car online is very convenient, taking away much of this hassle and stress. The used vehicles listed on websites that provide a delivery service tend to go into much more detail, listing all of the issues and providing images of the damages. Websites that focus on online purchases want to avoid people returning their used cars. When people use their free return policy, it costs a significant amount of money to deliver, pick up the vehicle and provide a refund.