Used Car Dealers

Most used car dealers do not charge fees for used vehicles, but some do. Some companies charge a compulsory fee while others charge an optional fee. Large car dealers charge from £399 in admin fees.

It is important to tax a car you have bought from a dealer before driving it away. You will need either do this through the DVLA and pay road tax prior to driving away in your used car, even if the preceding owner has previously paid road tax on the car.

Yes, your vehicle must be “of a satisfactory quality”, according to the Consumer Rights Act 2015. You are allowed to return the vehicle within the first 30 days of purchase. You are eligible for a full refund, or you can request a repair. However, you will be required to prove there was an issue with the car when you purchased it.

Yes, you can sell your car to a used dealer and a lot of the car dealers on Yell.com take trade-ins, too. This is an especially stress-free method, particularly if you are trading in your old car as part of the deal. If you choose to sell the car to the used car dealer outright, you will receive a quote based on the vehicle’s condition and trade value. Thus, it will not be the best price.

When it comes to paying for a used car from a dealer, you can pay by cash, debit card, electronic transfer or via finance arranged by you or the car dealer.

When it comes to paying, make sure you have the following documents:

• A valid MOT test document

• The log book (V5C registration certificate)

If you choose not to pay in cash or via debit card, you can choose to use the dealer’s car finance arrangement to purchase your used vehicle.

Used car dealers tend to offer several choices of financing, including:

• Hire Purchase (HP) or Conditional Sale finance – hire the car from the dealer until you have paid for it in full

• Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) – similar to a Hire Purchase, but at the end of the fixed term, you can choose to either hand the car back, use the equity as a deposit for your next car or get ownership of the vehicle through the Guaranteed Minimum Future Value (GMFV)

Yes. Several used car dealers on Yell.com let you lease a used car with them which will lower your monthly payments, as the price of the car is lower. Leasing fees tend to be less than monthly fees when you are purchasing a used car, too. Thus, there are extra savings.

Some questions to ask a dealer about a used car include:

• Can the car be legally sold? A car that is subject to outstanding finance cannot be legally sold

• Does the vehicle have outstanding finance?

• Is there a logbook? Be wary if the dealer cannot provide the vehicle’s current registration certificate (V5C)

• Can I drive the used car home?

• Has the vehicle been written off? 

• Does it have a service history?

• Is its MOT up to date?

• Has the vehicle ever been involved in a crash?