[geeuk]

Hey Guys,

Something has been bugging me, I was after a f30 which i found 4 hours away from me. The car was listed on bmw approved website long story short car is showing as coming soon no pictures just specs sounds good. So i called up put down a deposit. They told me the once the car is prepared they will call me to arrnage collection.

Now checking the MOT history of the car I can see they put the car in to MOT today but its not at a dealer but somewhere else!!

This is very odd and Im just wondering why this could be and If i should back away? I checked the dealers reviews on google and they are not that good.

Dealer is BMW Startstone Hull.

To be honest I don't care about the £200 deposit i put down just annoyed at the fact they done a credit search, I should of waited until the car was ready than get the finance sorted (

Any advice guys ?

Thanks
Gee

[TouringPleb]

An MOT is a MOT. Doesn't matter where it's done.

Maybe that dealership doesn't have MOT facilities?

Over 10 years I worked in 3 'prestige' dealerships (BMW, Volvo, Merc) none of them did their own MOTs. All subcontracted it out to a local MOT centre.

[SteveChester]

As odd as buying a car you've never even seen??

[Soul_Glo]

Cars showing as coming soon are like virtual cars. For example, if an owner is coming to the end of their finance agreement and signalled return of the car then this is often placed on the site as a coming soon advert. Even cars the dealer intends to win at an auction might go on there.

So this could be the current owner arranging the MOT before returning the car or the dealer does not have the facilities. The name on the MOT will tell or information from the MOT garage.

It's not an issue if you have secured the car with a deposit. Be sure to check it over in person thoroughly as you do because that is the point when you will be able to reject the car and get your deposit back if there is something majorly wrong.

As for the credit search most do a 'soft' search to start with or you can request this. A soft search does not leave a footprint on your credit file. It is only when you start talking monthly rates and agree an APR that a hard search tends to be done. Soft searches are harmless. Ask them what type of search it was if in doubt. Never use up your credit powers until you have seen, inspected and, approved of the car yourself.

Even if they say the car is in 'prep' they can always get you photos and videos of it not in prep. I came across an M140i and the dealer was happy to send me a video pointing out all the defects that would be corrected if I went ahead.

[Drek]

Originally Posted by geeuk

Any advice guys ?

Thanks
Gee

Lose the tinfoil hat? In all seriousness, as has been said already not all dealers have MoT facilities.

[Soul_Glo]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

An MOT is a MOT. Doesn't matter where it's done.

Maybe that dealership doesn't have MOT facilities?

Over 10 years I worked in 3 'prestige' dealerships (BMW, Volvo, Merc) none of them did their own MOTs. All subcontracted it out to a local MOT centre.

+1

I have only known one dealership that does offer an in house MOT. Otherwise they are few and far between.

[xenon]

Sytner Coventry does MOTs in-house but I can't think of any others that do.

[Soul_Glo]

Rybrook Warwick did mine in house.

[999rigger]

Your dealer has maybe bought the car from another dealer and it is them that are doing the MOT prior to delivery. Nothing sinister in it to me.

[Proftinkerpot]

Prep will usually involve the front bumper getting repainted in my experience. Dealers seem to tidy up stone chips as a rite of passage to the approved used car lot.

[Jeff123]

I don't think that you will lose your £200 deposit.

Give the dealer chance to get the car ready and either buy it or don't but it.

Stratstone are probably no better or worse than most dealers IMO. It depends upon the person at the dealers you are working with. I bought a car from Stratsone Derby a few years ago and dealt with two salesmen - one was a prat and one was fine.

[creepy coupe]

Yep. Bought an 3 series from Shitner Harold wood. MOT was carried out by Jo Blow MOT shed over the road. I'd imagine the pittance of £50 for a MOT impinges on the dealer being able to charge £150 an labour rate. So cheaper to outsource the MOTs

[MarkG_M5Comp]

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

I'd imagine the pittance of £50 for a MOT impinges on the dealer being able to charge £150 an labour rate. So cheaper to outsource the MOTs

That, and the fact MOT testers have to be regulated, trustworthy and strictly follow procedures.

The last few BMW technicians I met however......

[Soul_Glo]

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

Yep. Bought an 3 series from Shitner Harold wood. MOT was carried out by Jo Blow MOT shed over the road. I'd imagine the pittance of £50 for a MOT impinges on the dealer being able to charge £150 an labour rate. So cheaper to outsource the MOTs

Ahahahaha shitner!!! Best name ever.
:

[Mr Whippy]

I put a deposit on a car from stratstone Hull to bring it to Harrogate.

Almost a week later still waiting. Harrogate just said a bit longer.
Rang Hull under a new name and they were still trying to sell the car.

Rang Harrogate and after a wait with managers calling around it seemed the transport wasn't even organised or the car booked out as their sales manager was on holiday (an excuse no doubt, but just screams incompetence to me)

I got my refund (still need to check!) and am now avoiding Stratstone.

They were very nice with test drives etc, but were very bad at sourcing a car with a decent spec (no leccy seat 335d in their entire network!)

Over almost 3 weeks of having a rough spec and decent budget, and me seeing many other networks selling similar examples almost daily, they did nothing.

I spotted the one I deposited, and even then they couldn't organise transport etc.

Lame.