January 2021



It is said that buying a car is the second most major purchase most of us will make, after our family home. This is why it's so important to choose the right car that meets your needs. Not only this, but you also need the safety and security that a trusted car dealership provides, by giving you honest and fair advice, and services to back up your major purchase when you need them. Let's have a look at the hallmarks of a good car dealership.

Locality

Firstly, you need to find a convenient and accessible car dealer that covers your area. Or if you are to purchase a car from a dealership some distance away, it is important to gauge how easily you can get in contact online or by phone for any issues to be rectified, for example if a part fails and needs replacing under warranty. If you choose a dealership near your home or workplace, you can pop in when you need to, and even take advantage of any collection and delivery services they offer when it comes to service time.

Reviews

The great thing about our online society is that people aren't afraid to get online and say exactly what they think about their car and the service they receive from the dealership. Websites such as TrustPilot and Google will carry hundreds, if not thousands of reviews from real customers. Websites such as Which? and BBC Watchdog can also be excellent resources to give you an indication of any dealers that aren't working as well as they should. You can read reviews individually or look at the total percentage or star rating to give you a flavour of how well the dealership treats its customers.

Aftercare

Aftercare should be a valued part of the service experience by the car dealership, because as a customer, there is nothing worse than a dealer that wants to sell you a car, but loses interest in you as soon as you've handed over your hard-earned cash. A good dealership will have a service department fully equipped to support you throughout your ownership experience, particularly when it comes time for your Service or MOT.

One-stop shop

Look carefully at the services your dealership provides. A trusted dealer will build a tempting ownership package for you including car finance options and a good choice of cars to suit your needs, and they will also ensure that your new car is inspected, prepared and valeted to a very high standard. A good dealership should also have Service facilities for you to visit when your car needs a service or MOT, or even some new tyres. Also look at the quality of the Service facilities, such as collection and delivery, the availability of a courtesy car to keep you on the road while your car is in the garage, or a comfortable waiting area.

Online presence

Look carefully at your dealership's website to see how they advertise their cars for sale. They should have a website that's easy to use, and provides plenty of photographs and video of all angles of the car, as well as a comprehensive description with details of the car's specification and optional extras, and an accurate mileage and number of previous owners. They might also be able to provide an example car finance quote to give you a clue on whether the car will fit into your budget. If a particular dealer's adverts are noticeably short on detail or photographs, or their prices are far lower than everyone else in the market, you should ask yourself whether they're trying to hide something from you.

Almost everyone you know will have a car or two on their driveway, so it's worth asking the opinions of your family, friends and colleagues when you're considering purchasing from a dealership. A dealer's reputation depends on word of mouth as well as online reviews, so if people you know are willing to recommend a particular dealer or are telling you to avoid another, it's probably worth listening to them. A decent dealership will have taken time and effort to build a good reputation and run their business in such a way that they look after their customers and are well established locally. You want your relationship with the dealership to be long and happy, so look for signs that they're stable and likely to stay in the long term. At Thame Cars we are proud to be an established and trusted dealership in the Thame area, with an excellent choice of cars prepared to as-new condition, and a range of services including car finance, servicing, tyres and hire. We want your experience to be safe, simple, convenient and happy. Visit our website at Thame Cars if you'd like to learn more about us.