September 2021


For most of us, buying a new car is an exciting experience, and driving it off the forecourt is one of life’s little joys. Sadly it’s been just another joyous activity that has been on hold for the last few months, but thankfully the doors are now wide open once again to this experience! Our customers have been telling us how wonderful it feels, and we’ve been seeing a sharp rise in number of enquiries for part exchanging their existing car. We often get asked the same kinds of questions, so this is an opportunity to run through some of the answers to the most common ones we receive.

Can I part exchange my current car?

We are very happy to take your car in part exchange. We will take any car in any condition, as long as you can get it to our dealership for us to appraise. You don't even have to clean it if you don't want to, but it does help! For more information on how to maximise your car's value when part exchanging, visit our previous blog here.

Can I part exchange more than one car?

You can part exchange as many cars as you wish, as long as you are the registered owner of both cars. We'll give you the best price possible on each of them. We see this surprisingly often, with people going down from two cars to one or simply trading two older cars for a newer one. So if you turn up with more than one part exchange, it won't be a surprise to us at all! We've even been known to take in the odd van or motorbike too.

Can I part exchange and still use the online buying tool?

Yes! You can input the details of your part exchange during the online buying process and the value will be taken into account.

Can I still part exchange if I have finance on my current car?

You certainly can. Simply speak to a member of our sales team who will arrange for a settlement figure (the current amount outstanding). Any equity can be used as deposit for your new car, and we can often also help if you owe more than your car is worth.

Can I drive my car away on the same day?

At Thame Cars all our cars are prepared to as-new, perfect condition and are ready to drive away as soon as the paperwork is taken care of. We can even arrange same day finance, so if you bring proof of identity and address such as your driving licence with you, we can get you on the road the very same day!

How do I pay for my new car?

If you're not purchasing your car on finance, we accept cleared funds in payment. This can be by bank transfer, banker's draft or debit card. If you intend to pay by cash or credit card, let us know in advance as this may require a little more paperwork on our part.

What about road tax and insurance?

In order to be on the road legally, you need to have insurance and road tax. We can arrange your road tax for you, and we don't even need to see your insurance in order to do it, but to be on the safe side we highly recommend you arrange insurance before coming to collect your new car.

Can I get a refund on the road tax for my part exchange?

The rules by the DVLA ensure that you will get an automatic refund for any unused full months of road tax. This is triggered automatically when you notify DVLA that you have sold the car, either using the online service here or by posting the yellow slip from your V5C registration document to them. You'll also get confirmation that you've sold the car, so keep hold of that slip.

How flexible is my finance agreement?

We arrange most of our finance through Black Horse, who allow the flexibility of early settlement and over payments. Overpaying could reduce your term and also the amount of interest you pay. All you need to do is speak to Black Horse during your agreement.

What warranty do I get with my new car?

Here at Thame Cars we only sell nearly new cars in perfect condition, all of which will come with the remainder of their manufacturer's warranty. So you'll get at least six months warranty, and anything up to three years depending on the age of the car you buy.

When will I receive my V5C registration document for my new car?

We will notify the DVLA that you've bought your new car, so you should receive your new V5C registration document or logbook as its also known, from the DVLA within 4-6 weeks. It usually comes quicker than that, but if you haven't got it after six weeks, give us a call and we'll see what we can do. Until you receive your new V5C, hold on to the new keeper's section, or "green slip," that we'll give you when you collect your car.

What if I have a problem with my new car?

At Thame Cars we are proud of our track record in preparing our cars to an excellent standard, and looking after our customers year after year. If you have any questions at all, book an appointment to see us online or over the phone and we'll be very happy to help.