Buying a car

[H18 SFR]

I'm looking for a new car, I fancy a Golf GTD or Seat Leon FR in diesel.

Arnold Clark have taken delivery of a couple of dozen Seat Leon FR's on 2015 plate. All of them are sitting at between 33-38k. I've been to see three of them. None of them have previously had a service until going through the Clark's workshop in preparation for the forecourt. Thoughts? Should I avoid? They should have had a year one service at 20k.

[Hibbyradge]

Those numbers seem extraordinarily high.

You could get a brand new, well spec'd bmw 430d for 38k.

[Hibbyradge]

I thought you were talking £38k not 38000 miles.

Sorry

[TRC]

Is he not talking milage?

[Hibbyradge]

Steer clear of no service history, imo.

[H18 SFR]

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Is he not talking milage?

Defoe meant the mileage ha ha ha.

I've found two 65 plates at an independent Seat garage in Uddingston. Both are 800 pound more expensive than arnold clark but have only done 15k miles and have a full service history.

Why on earth are they selling cars due three services that haven't had any?

[Hibbyradge]

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Defoe meant the mileage ha ha ha.

I've found two 65 plates at an independent Seat garage in Uddingston. Both are 800 pound more expensive than arnold clark but have only done 15k miles and have a full service history.

Why on earth are they selling cars due three services that haven't had any?

I wouldn't go near Arnold Clark.

Always get a full service history. Not only will it give you a lot more confidence about your new car, it'll get you more when you sell it.

Never pay what they're initially asking for, though. Use Arnold Clark's pricing and any other lower numbers to aid your negotiation.

You want to buy. They want to sell. Work with them to help them sell.

[ColinNish]

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Steer clear of no service history, imo.

Steer clear of Arnold Clark full stop would be my advice.

[Allant1981]

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Steer clear of Arnold Clark full stop would be my advice.

got my car from arnold clark about a year ago and had no issues at all, got the car at a price i was happy with, got a decent amount for mine so cant complain

[heretoday]

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I thought you were talking £38k not 38000 miles.

Sorry

Aye. For that money I'd be doing more than giving the tyres a kick all round.

[JeMeSouviens]

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I'm looking for a new car, I fancy a Golf GTD or Seat Leon FR in diesel.

Arnold Clark have taken delivery of a couple of dozen Seat Leon FR's on 2015 plate. All of them are sitting at between 33-38k. I've been to see three of them. None of them have previously had a service until going through the Clark's workshop in preparation for the forecourt. Thoughts? Should I avoid? They should have had a year one service at 20k.

Yep.

For a golf have a search at http://usedcars.volkswagen.co.uk/ (imagine there'll be similar for seat) and remember it only costs a couple of £hundred to get a car delivered from anywhere. Most dealers will show you round the car by video these days. I bought a diesel golf last year, there are some bargains in the nearly new category because of the emissions thing but it doesn't really affect you as an owner at all. The dodgy software only kicks in when the car detects it's being run in test conditions.

[Wembley67]

Download a wee free handy app called vehicle smart, pop in the car Reg and it will give you a full history. Invaluable for buying older cars.

[McD]

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Defoe meant the mileage ha ha ha.

I've found two 65 plates at an independent Seat garage in Uddingston. Both are 800 pound more expensive than arnold clark but have only done 15k miles and have a full service history.

Why on earth are they selling cars due three services that haven't had any?

The full service history is probably worth the extra few hundred, the fact they've done 20k less is also a huge winner imo.

the missus and I bought 2 new (used) cars about 18 months ago, same model, identical spec, same year/reg. Her's had done about 12k more than the one I got, but mine was only about £200 more expensive.

[Just Alf]

Seems strange they have a number of cars all in the same boat. Could they maybe have been company cars where the company did it's own servicing?

If that's the case on one hand you'd be happier that servicing actually had been going on and on another you still have a bargaining chip to drive down the price.



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[Northernhibee]

Having 4-5 cars with similar spec/age/mileage screams something like ex hire car/fleet car or something like that. Ask to see the previous owner on the V5 if you can.

[overdrive]

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Steer clear of Arnold Clark full stop would be my advice.

I'd agree with this. Bought a pre-reg from them 2 years ago, agreed a date to pick it up, etc. The date kept getting delayed by them. Eventually managed to pin them down, went to pick it up and they said there was a problem in that they "just found" out it was 'illegal' to sell a pre-reg car less than 3 or 4 months after it was registered. Had to get into a weird arrangement whereby we were technically hiring it for a month which caused no end of confusion with the insurance, especially when my wife was in an accident during the "hire" period.

[Wembley67]

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Having 4-5 cars with similar spec/age/mileage screams something like ex hire car/fleet car or something like that. Ask to see the previous owner on the V5 if you can.

What's the issue with ex fleet cars? If anything it get booted up and down a motorway for a year is a great way to run it in.

[ColinNish]

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What's the issue with ex fleet cars? If anything it get booted up and down a motorway for a year is a great way to run it in.

Its a common myth nowadays that cars need "run in"

[Killiehibbie]

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Steer clear of no service history, imo.

Steer clear of Arnold Clark cars even with a service history you might find they're lying.I know I did.

[HappyAsHellas]

If the cars have done more than double the average mileage and have never been serviced it would seemingly point to a somewhat unconcerned first owner. If it turns out to be a hire company it's maybe better to give a wide berth.

[H18 SFR]

Decided to go for the lower mileage 65 plate with the full service history. Its £700 more than the Arnold Clark ones on the same plate with 35K+ miles but they're throwing in two years free servicing, road side assistance and beating the Arnold Clark rate of interest for a PCP deal. All in all, a much, much better deal.

[GreenLake]

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Its a common myth nowadays that cars need "run in"

I hammered mine in and it runs like a Swiss watch.

[Moulin Yarns]

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I hammered mine in and it runs like a Swiss watch.

I would be worried about the ticking noise.

Not to mention the hand signals must be confusing, but, on the face of it, it gets you there on time.

[H18 SFR]

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I would be worried about the ticking noise.

Not to mention the hand signals must be confusing, but, on the face of it, it gets you there on time.

I wanted a more expensive model but I'm strapped for cash.

[patch1875]

Avoid

Probably been hire cars

[Hibrandenburg]

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I wanted a more expensive model but I'm strapped for cash.

Is this a wind-up?

[H18 SFR]

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Is this a wind-up?

You just need to take the comment at face value.

[calumhibee1]

A lassie I know bought a brand new corsa from Arnold Clark. She opened the drivers door a couple of days after buying it and it fell off.

[Northernhibee]

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A lassie I know bought a brand new corsa from Arnold Clark. She opened the drivers door a couple of days after buying it and it fell off.

That would be more likely down to Vauxhall rather than A/Cs. Should have been picked up during an inspection when the car came off the transporter though.

I personally would prefer to spend extra for a car through a franchise dealer that's had to meet brand standards for a used car than a non franchise that can run to their own standard. Having approved parts fitted by a certified technician is an option I'd far rather take.

[GreenLake]

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I would be worried about the ticking noise.

Not to mention the hand signals must be confusing, but, on the face of it, it gets you there on time.

Real Swiss watches don't tick just fake ones.

In LA hand signals are strictly middle fingers.