Where to buy a car
Depending on past experience, buying a car could conjure an image of a glossy showroom, pristine cars and the patter of a helpful but focused salesperson – or you might imagine a scruffy forecourt staffed by an Arthur Daley lookalike looking to pull a fast one.
The former is, of course, a far more realistic view of most car dealerships, and visiting one remains a perfectly legitimate way to purchase your next vehicle. But it may not be the best – the range may be quite limited, perhaps to a single manufacturer (in the case of franchised ‘main’ dealers), and you’ll have to haggle to avoid paying over the odds.
Instead, you could visit a large car ‘supermarket’ to view a broad range of makes and models in one place, often sold at low prices. Or you could use a broker to avoid the haggling, letting them do the leg work to find you the right new or used car at a good price. Or you could use an online car-buying service that lets dealers ‘bid’ for your business by sending you their best prices – let’s have a closer look at the options.
Not sure which car you’d like to buy? See the ones we recommend by viewing our Best Buys.