Buying A Car? Here’s Why It Makes Sense To Buy From A Car Dealership

When I first started buying cars, people always used to tell me about how I should avoid car dealers like the plague.

Thoughts of wheeler-dealer types like Arthur Daley in the old TV programme “Minder” would often enter my mind whenever people spoke to me about such car sellers, but the truth is it’s actually better to buy from a car dealership rather than a private seller – and the majority of car dealers are not like how I described them just now!

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Photo via Flickr

You might think I am being completely barmy suggesting that you only buy your car from a dealer, but there are many different benefits to that over buying from a private seller. Here’s what you need to know:

When things go wrong, you aren’t on your own

As a trader, car dealerships have to abide by certain laws and regulations when it comes to selling cars direct to consumers. They are responsible for ensuring that the car you buy is legitimate, accurately described, roadworthy and isn’t “clocked”.

If you drive away in your new or used car and something goes wrong, you will have the opportunity to take the issue up with the car dealer that you bought the car from. The only times they aren’t liable for when things go wrong is if the problem is down to wear and tear or if you have misused the car in some way.

Car dealers offer a wide range of services

When you walk into a car dealership such as one owned by pentagon-group.co.uk, you can’t help but notice that a number of services are on offer to motorists just like you. Examples of the services typically offered include:

  • Servicing and repairs – many dealers will have their own workshops that employ skilled motor vehicle technicians, available to work on most makes and model of car;

  • Financing – the vast majority of consumers finance their car purchases, so it makes sense for car dealers to be able to offer financing facilities for their customers;

  • Warranties – used cars typically don’t have much of a warranty other than the minimum amount of warranty required by law, or the warranty of the car’s manufacturer if it is new enough. Some dealers offer extended warranty options with the cars that they sell, for your added peace of mind;

  • Parts – main dealers aligned to specific makes will even have their own parts department, so if you need any parts for your car, you can always go and buy them from the same place that you bought your car from.

You can trade your old car in

For some people, it is often convenient to trade their old car when buying a new one and having the money off their new purchase. Although this doesn’t always give you the highest value for your car that you could achieve had you sold it privately, it’s a great option for those that own cars which aren’t particularly valuable, such as older cars or those with higher-than average mileage.