When you were young, buying used cars had been a nightmare. It was impossible to tell whether the vehicle you were purchasing was a bargain, a reasonable purchase or a ticking time bomb waiting to go off with unhelpfully immediate effect. Situations like this came up when you rashly purchased an estate car from a private seller and had its engine blow up just 70 miles down the road.
The reason it became such a minefield was because you were buying cars from second hand options, like adverts from papers, newsagents and from conversations in the pub. In other words, you become a walking advertisement for the validity of that most well-known of Roman phrases, that is, “caveat emptor” or buyers beware.
The first reason for buying Vauxhall used cars from a
recognised dealer, in fact from any dealer, is that when you purchase a
pre-owned vehicle from a registered car sales business, you are protected by the
concept of “fit for purpose”. What this means is that if you pay £1,000 for
your vehicle and it breaks down (or its engine blows up) after only 70 miles,
then the dealer must refund you the money or find a replacement. Crucially, as
per the law, the replacement being provided must be equal to or better than the
vehicle at fault.
Specific benefits on buying your used cars from an
approved Vauxhall dealer run much deeper than this. As noted, any official used
car dealer is bound by law to protect you in some defined ways. These include
guarantees and protection under the rules of “fit for purpose”. But the dealer
officially recognised by Vauxhall is also bound by Vauxhall’s own code of
conduct. Moreover its mechanics are trained specifically to deal with Vauxhall
cars, its guarantees and part exchange schemes, which are all designed to give
you maximum confidence, peace of mind and value.
It is true to say that Vauxhall used cars bought from
official dealers are more expensive, ticket price wise, than those bought simply
from registered second hand car sales businesses. But this is for a very good
reason. By buying from a Vauxhall recognised dealer, you know you are buying
cars that have been inspected and approved according to Vauxhall’s own
checklist of specifications for pre-owned Vauxhalls. These specifications may
include only having been serviced and signed off each year by official Vauxhall
dealers. Having had all the appropriate parts replaced at recommended service intervals
and only with the proper Vauxhall manufactured replacements, passing a multiple
point safety check before approving it for sale.
The upshot of all this is that Vauxhall used cars
bought from official Vauxhall dealers tend to cost less in maintenance through
the first couple of years of ownership. So the amount you paid extra on the
price tag quickly pays itself back in outlay you haven’t had to make to keep your
vehicle running properly.
You may also find that special offers such as free
first year servicing will further recompense you.
