Call me cynical or old fashioned but I would never buy a retail car sight unseen unless of course it’s a brand new car then maybe just maybe. If the car is some distance away I would still ask for videos photos etc to make up my mind if the car is worth the long journey and as others have said I would treat it as an adventure or mini holiday.Pondrew wrote: ↑Sat Apr 06, 2024 12:29 am Most car logistics people will do an appraisal on a car when they go to collect it, if you ask them. They do it everyday. It's now accepted that is part of their job.
Once they are happy the car is as you expect, they will call you, you pay the seller and they stick it on their trailer. They will have insurance so no comeback on you or the seller if there is a problem in transit.
Another problem with going to see a car a long way away, is you always buy a one way train or plane ticket. No-one buys a return ticket 'just in case', as that would potentially be money and time wasted. So by doing that you are committed. Like it or not, realistically you are going home with the car. Then you have to have mobile banking on your phone to pay when you are there, etc, etc.
Much less stress, hassle and potentially cost to do it 'distance' IMO.
I am a big fan, which may be obvious!
The only time I’ve bought sight unseen was when I was in the trade and I had a professional trade to trade buyer buying some cars for me from auctions I couldn’t get to, but I trusted him fully even though in one case a 7 seater Toyota Picnic was missing the 2 last row seats, he simply didn’t spot it!
For the OP as others have said don’t let distance stop you from buying a car especially cars that are now getting hard to find (a good example or a rare engine gearbox combo). FWIW I travelled 1500 miles to get mine!
