Why buy a used car from a dealership rather than privately?

Shopping around for a good deal on a Used Car can sometimes be like hard work. Choosing the right make and model, agreeing on a price and considering the condition of the car can be stressful. But it doesn't have to be that way. 

While you can often get a lower price on a used car from a private seller, it might not always be the best deal for you in the long run. Let's take a look at the pros and cons.

Flexible financing options

When buying from a private seller, it's likely you will pay up front in cash. Paying out a lump sum in one go might not always be the best option, even if you feel you're getting a good price, some people will even take out personal loans instead of specific car funding solutions. 

At Chapelhouse, we offer flexible financing options on all our used cars. This could allow you to drive away in a better car than you would be able to when paying cash up front. Some of our used cars are even available for 0% APR for five years with no interest and no deposit. 

Whether it's a Personal Contract Purchase (PCP), Personal Contract Hire (PCH), or Hire Purchase (HP), you can click here to find out more about how car financing works.

Guaranteed to be in great condition

You might be in the position to agree on a low price for a used car from a private seller, but there may be an underlying reason for that. 

When buying a used car from a dealership, the mechanical condition of the car is never in doubt. But when buying from a private seller, you may only be able to take their word for what shape the car is in. 

All used cars at Chapelhouse are checked over by our expert vehicle technicians to ensure that they are at a high standard. Each one comes with a vehicle history so you can see for yourself how well maintained the car has been by the previous owners for peace of mind.  

At Chapelhouse all our vehicles are HPi checked to ensure that that our stock has not been damaged and/or stolen. We check as much as history on each of our vehicles as possible to ensure we only retail the best possible stock.

Manufacturer Approved Used Cars

When buying from a car dealer, there are some used cars that are in such good condition that they're hand-picked by the manufacturer to be an Approved Used Car. These are often nearly-new cars with very low mileage and with only one previous owner. 

Some Approved Used vehicles even have extra perks that you wouldn't get from a regular used vehicle. For instance, Kia Approved Used Cars offer the industry-leading 7-year warranty plan from the day you drive away.

It's a great way of getting that new car feel with the price of a used car, and its an option you simply can't get from a private seller. At Chapelhouse, we offer Approved Used Cars from Kia, Suzuki and MG.

Customer Care

When buying a used car privately, it's up to you to handle all the paperwork yourself. When buying from a dealer, the paperwork is all taken care of by the salespeople. 

At Chapelhouse, our friendly and knowledgeable sales executives will take you through each stage of the transaction, step by step, and ensure that we get the very best deal to suit your needs and budget. Every piece of paperwork will be explained to you in detail so that the whole sales process is entirely transparent. 

In the unlikely and unfortunate event that you're not completely happy, we have a complaints process which is monitored by the Group Compliance Manager. Chapelhouse is also regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FDA), meaning that we are bound by law to comply with all financial regulations. This is an extra level of protection that you just wouldn't get when buying from a private seller. 

As a mark of how well we treat our customers, Chapelhouse was named the winners of the 'Franchised Customer Care' award at the 2022 Motor Trader Awards. The Group was also nominated at the 2023 AM Awards in the 'Best in Customer Service' category.

More choice

You might be waiting for much longer that you would like to find the right car for you from a private seller. You could come across the right model, but it might have more miles than you'd like or be out of your price range. 

When buying from a car dealership, you'll find a wider range of cars to choose from and therefore a higher chance of finding the car you're looking for. 

At Chapelhouse, we have hundreds of Used Cars in group stock across 11 dealerships. If your local Chapelhouse dealer doesn't have the car you're looking for, the chances are one of the others will. We can even transfer the car to your local branch for you to view at your convenience.