Buying Used Vans and Commercial vehicles

Buying From A Dealer

Between buying your van or truck from a private seller and a dealer, buying from the dealer is the safest and gives you the most protection by law. However, as with most things, there are always the 'Arthur Daleys' or 'dodgy dealers'. Be careful when buying out of a lock-up garage, the vehicle may be cheap for a good reason. Look for established companies and seek advice from friends or family.

Garages with vehicles that have been AA/RAC/Green Flag inspected give you a little more confidence as the car will have been checked over by an impartial engineer. Ask to see the report. It will provide useful information. Franchised dealers with accredited inspection schemes from the manufacturers are also more safe when you come to buy.

When you buy a vehicle from a dealer, the law dictates that the vehicle must be of 'satisfactory quality'. However, this is as open a statement as you can possibly get. The vehicle must meet the standard that a person would regard as reasonably acceptable with reference to how the vehicle is described and its cost.

The vehicle should be free from defects unless they are/have been pointed out to you and you agree to buy the vehicle with the said defects present.

In general, the vehicle should be as described and reasonably fit for any normal purpose.

Buying Privately

Buying vehicles privately should save you some money, however, in doing so, you accept the risks associated.

The vehicle could have outstanding finance and not actually belong to the person you think is the seller or could be stolen.

You basically have fewer legal rights, the vehicle must be as described. But thats it. If the seller has lied about the vehicle in some way, you may be able to sue for losses. Thats of course assuming you can find the seller.

Weighing up the seller is really crucial. if you don't like or indeed trust the seller, walk away. Is the sellers name on the V5 ? If not, why ? Don't ever be tempted to buy privately from someone selling a vehicle in a lay-by, motorway services or a pub car park. Be wary of mobile phone numbers in adverts. These are people on the move, either check them out comprehensively or avoid them. Watch out for specific times to call. The number may be a call box.

Learn to read between the lines in the advert. Forget the 'immaculate' or 'first to see will buy' claims. Judge this for yourself. Ask tough questions. Don't be afraid of the seller and get as much information from them as you can. Ask for the mileage, if the seller is evasive, forget that vehicle. Ask if the mileage is genuine and is it backed up with service records or MOT's ?

It is reckoned that between 5% and 10% of all adverts identified as being private are in fact traders posing as private sellers, often trying to off-load faulty vehicles. Be warned and be careful. When you phone up start with 'I'm calling about the car'. If the seller asks which one they are likely to be a trader. Private adverts always seem to sound more genuine, private sellers tend to include information like 'new clutch' or 'new battery'. Traders can be a little more canny. Look for the giveaways like 'part ex considered' or 'finance easily arranged'.

Decide on what you want, find out as much as you can about the vehicle you wish to buy and find out what its worth. Often, automatics can be worth more than manuals and diesels more than petrols. Extras don't make a car worth anymore. Use them as negotiating levers. Its got an alarm as an extra. Most sellers won't take the alarm out of the car if you won't pay for it so use it as leverage but don't pay any more for it. Service histories are a must if you can. But they can add more to the value, up to 10%. Bad colours can drop the value by the same amount. Who wants a car in hearing aid yellow ? Go for the cars with history, low mileage and few owners, even if you have to pay a few hundred more.

Buying At An Auction

Auctions have been very much surrounded in a cloud of uncertainty for most private buyers. The truth is this. You can pick up a bargain at most auctions but, you must know what you are doing. If you don't know vehicles and what to look for, take someone who does. Go a couple of times just to see what goes on and see what happens. Take a notepad and make notes of what vehicles go for what money.

Decide what you are willing to bid for a vehicle and stick to it. You are likely to be bidding against the trade, when they stop bidding, you should too. Don't get all ravelled up in the buzz and bid too much. Its easy to do so, be calm and have your wits about you.

The vehicles that you will find for sale at auction can be from the trade, private sellers, or from fleet sellers eg car rentals or large companies replacing vehicles. Check the sticker on the windscreen, it'll give you some history. Bear in mind that vehicles from rental companies may have high mileages but will have been serviced, valeted and pampered for most of their usually short lives. Well worth considering.

As far as legal rights are concerned, they may not apply. Check if the seller is selling 'as seen' which basically excludes most of your rights. Also, check out the auctions terms and conditions of business.

Things To Check Out Wherever Possible

If you know nothing of vehicles and what to look for when buying, get either a friend or a professional to look at the vehicle for you.

Motoring organisations can usually arrange a complete and full inspection of the vehicle, but you will have to pay. This money could be well spent, as the inspection would generally highlight to you any accident damage, whether the car has been stolen, has outstanding finance or is generally safe to drive. Some inspections will actually audit the price that the seller is asking and say whether it is a fair price or not. Well worth considering, especially if you are buying a very specialist type of vehicle.

Stolen cars: if you have bought a stolen vehicle, even in good faith, the car can and will be taken from you by the Police and returned to its rightful owner. And you will get no compensation. Often stolen cars have had their identity changed so things to check:

1. Check the sellers details on the V5. If there isn't one, why not ? Check that the V5 has a watermark, it could be forged. Are there any spelling mistakes ? Be wary.

2. Always, check the three main identification marks on the vehicle. These are the registration number, the engine number and the vehicle identification number. Look particularly at the latter, does the VIN plate look like it has been tampered with ? Is it dented ? Is all the information on the plate correct and the same as on the V5 ?

3. Ask for more proof of identification of the seller. eg Driving licence, recent bill. Can the seller show you the insurance policy for the vehicle.

You can of cause sue the seller for losses but this could be very difficult.

It sounds a daunting prospect buying a vehicle doesn't it ? It isn't, you just need to be aware of the pitfalls. Remember, fore-warned is fore-armed ! If you have any doubts what so ever, just walk away. There are hundreds of thousands of vehicles for sale at any one time, so chances are there is another one exactly the same somewhere else.