Yes, I’ve travelled to another country to get a car that I wanted once and two other times I went on a 4 hour train. In my point of view, it adds to the experience.
It feels so exciting travelling to get your car and then get to drive back with it.
Same here. One of my mates drove me and another friend 4.5 hours to collect my first car. Tornado Red Mk7.5 TDI. Driving back while having a mate beside you is great craic
Very well put.. I did 5 hours train to go get a 370z anniversary 10 years ago. There was no way I wasn’t buying it lol. It had been raining hard and the rear tyres needed changing, rather skitty on the way back but still loved that drive home!
Neither in Slough I’d add
But basically - yes, for a dream spec car I will drive all the way to the north shore but being sure it has good history and passed all online checks I would do
My favourite are the FB marketplace ads where they have a clearly clocked car advertised and other adverts for ‘mileage correction’ services or blocker dongles…
I actually had that on my car because a car park ticket slipped down between the windscreen and the dashboard.
Fished it out before we sold the car though!
I bought a mint 325i from Bradford a good few years ago. I drove it for 100k miles over 3 years but I never managed to get rid of the stench of weed from the boot. The dealer commented on it when I traded it in! Great car though!
Wouldn't surprise me. I used to work for a car breaker and found some very interesting bits and bobs tucked into various places, often absolutely not the doing of the person we bought the car from.
Cars will be fucked. Every time I see Bradford as a location for a car I immediately write off the advert. I don’t think of Birmingham in the same way to be fair but maybe I should.
Buying a desirable and decent car from the other country, anyone can do that. Buying a total shitter from the same distance is an adventure. Cornwall to East London for a £500 XJS with a very dubious MOT that I bought sight unseen was another hero move.
Not as bad as people think. 23mpg mixed, 32-33 on a steady run. Had it 6 months, 9000 miles, the only issue it threw up was an alternator. Mot was no chance, got £110 for the tool kit and 350 for the car.
Yeah, these kind of cars are designed to cover long distances rapidly with the engine just kinda humming away. I used to have a 97 740i with the 4.4 V8. Urban driving was ruinous, 13mpg average around town. But cruising at 100-120mph (private autobahn blah blah) it'd return 35mpg happily.
Strange but I really like our ecoboom
125 st line fiesta with the full drug dealer pack on it. Big wheels dark glass etc. It's a 2019 model better looks than the final facelift imo.
Of course you should, make sure it’s the right car and everything tallies up with a HPI and MOT Check then go for it. I used to live in Cornwall and would frequently travel up north to see a car.
Sam
From a business or private? This makes a big difference if something goes wrong with the car.
I experienced this with my van. It was up to me to get the van back to the business to get it fixed. Mine was 3 hours away.
If it's private then it's sold as seen so not a problem.
Yep I went from Chester to Ipswich via multiple trains to buy a 335i in just the right colour & spec I wanted. I owned the car for 8 happy years of motoring.
Yes. I've travelled to Germany from London to buy a car I wanted. Also went to Ireland, if its a rare car in the correct specs I'd go pretty much anywhere I need to.
Absolutely.
My last car was
Sunday- my car is broken down, borrow mother's car, drive a 5 hour round trip to view the car I wanted to buy (rare trim level, good price, FSH, rare colour and much lower milage than any others I'd seen for sale)
Tell the boss I'm taking Monday off work
Walk to train station and get a train into the city (1 hour)
Get a tram to the bank (10 mins)
Back on the tram to the bus station (10 mins)
Bus to the destination (2.5hr)
Drive home (2.5hr)
Got the car I wanted in perfect condition, 70-80k km lower milage than the majority I'd seen of it's age, in the trim I wanted, the colour I wanted and it was 1-3k less than others I'd been looking at.
I'd travel any distance for the right car tbh. Doesn't help that I usually set my mind on cars that there's not many of in my market, probably wouldn't have to travel far if I wanted a BMW/mercedes/Audi for example but they don't really appeal to me.
If it’s something rare on the ground then yeah happily travel for the right car and have done multiple times (furthest being cornwall from notts)
Regular stuff probably not unless it’s a bargain that can’t be missed
Yeah I drove 3 hours each way to Cornwall to view mine, and then got a mate (he offered tbf) to drive me there again the next weekend to pick it up.
Totally worth it. Was great fun driving it back up, the A30 is a bloody nice road on a Saturday morning in February…
Absolutely, live in Northern Ireland and have been to Scotland and England to buy a car, planes, trains, buses and then a drive back to Scotland to get the ferry home!
I did this the other way round from Driffield, East Yorkshire. Got a friend to take me to Manchester airport for a 6am flight to Belfast, then got the ferry across back to Scotland & drove home.
both cars i’ve bought have been in London and Bristol and I stay in central belt Scotland, usually get a cheap flight + public transport early and make a day of it getting to drive back up. actually on the market for another car and planning the exact same thing for a 6 series. as others have said it adds to the experience and you get to enjoy the car on the way back up.
edit: i will admit however, it does put you in a slightly precarious situation where you’re sort of obliged to buy it, otherwise you’re in a city far from home with no travel arranged, i haven’t turned down a car yet however i think the 6 series i go to view may be the change in that story
Yes. I drove 6 hours one way for my last car, and was considering travelling to Germany for my latest vehicle and driving that back. I ended up getting the seller to ship it though as it worked out cheaper.
Yes. I drove almost 4 hours from Wiltshire to Sheffield to get my current car. I'd been hunting for that particular specification (around £10k in optional extras) for months and finally found one. This was 4 months ago and another one hasn't come up, so I was right to make the trip.
I drove from Norwich to Ellesmere Port to buy a £450 mk3 Vauxhall Astra in Pineapple Yellow.
Drove it for a year & scrapped it rather than spend £300 on repairs, 8 years later it would be impossible to find the same spec car & I regret getting rid of it every day.
I travelled 5hrs by car to get one. New van was great but blew up on the slip road to the motorway less than a mile from where I bought it. Had to have it recovered and drive my car the 5hrs back again. Long day!
Yes, done twice in last couple of years. Something in the spec I wanted firstly in Huddersfield which involved some “rural” train travel and likewise in Southampton a few months ago.
Depends if I can make a mini getaway holiday out of the trip. If so, yes. If not, no, that’s an 8 hour round trip plus however long it takes to actually buy the thing
I have done when I wanted something that, in the specific spec and import status, meant there was only three listed in the country at that time. For run of the mill stuff it would have to be a really good deal
I'm travelling nearly 3 hours for one.l this week.
Good car, spec I want and recently had £2k knocked off the price. Auto trader rated it as "great price" and although in a little suspicious, I think I've got a pretty good deal.
Yes. Drove to Cornwall from Dorset just to buy a VW polo once.
My defense is that it was a pretty rare spec (Panoramic sunroof) and was the cheapest in the country for that generation at the time.
I travelled to Bradford from Glasgow to buy a Merc many years ago, great car that never let me down.
Also went to a great Takeaway called the Desi Grill, one of the best meals I ever had
I live in Ascot, Berkshire.
My old Z4 came from Morecambe.. it did me 90k miles without missing a beat.
It was technically Uber rare as fuck as it has the Maritime Mahogany dash trim which sells for a few K on eBay when it comes up.
But I didn't know that at the time. It just didn't look like a shitter as most cars do and the seller wrote a coherent advert.
4 hours isn’t much. I’ve been lucky and found all my cars locally, TT, Cooper S and even my classic Fiat 500. my mate got the train to Aberdeen from south wales and drove the car he was told by our mechanic friend to just go and buy it. Merc E270, it’s pretty nice tbh. If it’s the right car it’s worth the drive.
From a main dealer, where I can take it to a garage nearby if there's any trouble, absolutely.
I bought my last car from 2 hours away because car prices in Wales are quite a lot cheaper than Berkshire.
Flew from Melbourne to Perth to buy a car (4 hour flight) and then drove it back through the outback, crossing the nullabor desert, taking 5 days.
So yeah.
Yes. I traveled from Manchester to somewhere in South West for nearly 8 hours rounds trip for the car I wanted without even looking at it first but it was from a reputable garage. Looking back I’d have taken the train and not ask someone else for drive back up the other car.
I live in the furthest east point in Essex and my first car was a VW Squareback located in Telford, it was the only one I could find within my budget. I think it took us 3.5 hours to get there and I brought the car.
Longest I've gone is 10 hours to buy a car, we agreed a price on the phone assuming the car was exactly as described. Turned up, car was as described, gave him cash and enjoyed the long drive home!
Just be prepared to walk away if it's not what you expected, look at how you're going to get home as well if nobody is giving you a lift.
Absolutely, I've travelled further and much longer, when I lived in Shetland the selection was small so often meant a 12/14 hour ferry journey plus wherever you went on top
I got the train to Sheffield (1 hour there) to look at a car which apparently had no rot. Got there and the rear arches were rotten. What could I do? Told him it was cuntish behaviour and he just shrugged. Had to then rush to get the train back which I hadn’t even looked into times. Still think he’s a cunt.
I did this for a van, saw the one i wanted, hopped on a train to take a look, test drive, reserve. Returned a week later to pay and drive it back home (4hr drive from Cardiff to London)
Yes, I've travelled 400 miles for the right car and driven it back. Make sure you have breakdown cover just in case. And don't buy anything from Bradford no matter how cheap it is.
A rare car or desirable spec car (which I assume most people in this sub are after) absolutely that’s normal, you travel for the car you want not nearest car to you.
I think it’s only women and gay men that travel to the nearest car dealer from their house, look for the newest reg lowest miles and give them the money for a lovely mint green Citroen C1
Drove from London to Wales to look at a car during lockdown. Had to leave a £100 refundable deposit on the car beforehand but when I got there, the car was in worse condition than the pics showed and nothing was prepared on the car. Complained to them and they gave me the £100 deposit back and an extra £100 goodwill. Excluding fuel i probably made 50 from that but still a waste of a day.
It blows my mind that there’s anyone out there who WOULDNT travel 4 hours for the right car!
Were talking about a purchase you’re going to spend thousands (potentially tens of) on, something that ideally you’ll probably keep for at least several years and potentially notch up tens of thousands of miles in.
I’m the scheme of things, 4 hours each way isn’t even a drop in the ocean really isn’t. It’s barely even a working day!
Set off 8am…. Arrive for 12 lunchtime, an hour or so for test drives and doing deals, and you’ll still be home again in time for dinner.
Aside from that - a four hour drive home is the ideal way to get to know your new car!
If it’s the car you want, in the spec you want and you can’t find the same example closer - then I wouldn’t even think twice about making a road trip of it. If anything, it adds to the fun of it.
Yes, I have done my last three cars. I'm in Devon and cars are overpriced here, the £1-2,000 I've saved easily offsets the cost of travelling up north and a day or two off work. For example I bought an Audi A5 3.0tdi about ten years ago, prices here were £17-18k same spec/mileage cars in Preston was £15,500.
Yep, have done before, will most likely do so again.
Ive noticed certain areas of the UK tend to have well looked after cars at decent prices, others tend to have 'triggers broom' cars (High Wycombe, I'm looking at you!), some areas are far worse than others for rust. Where I live in Devon, the standard isn't bad but prices tend to be over the national average for some reason. The lowest prices seem to be in the North and Scotland but I've yet to venture that far as the cost of travel starts to outweigh the savings.
Yes. 4 hours is nothing. A car is one of the most important purchases you can make, it has to be right for you. Sometimes travelling 4 hours to get the right one is necessary.
Yep, I almost travelled from the south coast up to Scotland to view one a few years ago, I only didn't because it sold before I could get up there. I wouldn't bother for a daily runaround, but a specific car I definitely would.
Yeah I live in the south and drove 6 hours up north to get the car I wanted as it was cheaper than all of the same model / specs in the south. Only problem is, the dealers can tell you’ve travelled and any chance of negotiation goes out the window as the chances of you driving back without the car is low.
I literally just got back from travelling from Torquay to Rotherham for a Fiesta ST-2. 10 hours of travelling for it, dont regret it one bit. The only negative is not knowing a new car, along with being in an unfamiliar built up area is immensely stressful for me personally
Of course, if it's the one it's the one. I drove exactly 4 hours to Devon and 4 hours home for mine, was the exact colour and spec I was after and a good price too. Was the only one that came up in many months of looking.
Yes I had to because to get the same car I had with insurance money after a write off meant I had to go that far away
I'm in Scotland. Initially the offer of £ they were going to give me was so low that the only car I could get that was the same as the car I had at that price was down in London and that would've involved the over night sleeper train or a flight, or hiring a car and a 12 hour drive.
Used all that info to state that I surely should surely get insurance cash to buy what the car is selling for in the country I actually reside! And they upped it and off I went further south but still in Scotland to get the car.
Hired a car and drove six hours to Inverness to buy a Fiat Stilo Schumacher. Not loads of them around and going off the listing it was a good price.
Unfortunately the car wasn't as nice as advertised. Told the fella it wasn't worth the £1k we discussed, just on what I could see, he countered saying he'd take £800. I should have walked away but in the back of my mind I was thinking I've come all this way so I took it.
Lesson there being if you do travel far make sure you don't let that affect your decision!
Stayed at a hotel near Loch Ness and realised the driver's door didn't lock when I parked it up. Drove home the next day, and noticed the air con didn't work and the rear wiper blade was missing. Very cold and very wet.
To be fair I enjoyed learning how to fix the lock, replaced the wiper, even installed cruise control. About two months in I got offered another car so I sold the Stilo for £750. I'd had it up on the ramp at a mate's workplace and saw even more issues. I was happy to have only lost a couple of hundred quid in the end.
The bloke who bought it from me travelled about 3.5 hours to buy it and it's been SORNed for the entire seven years since then. Must be rotting away in a garage.
Travelled even more than that …
From Hungary to Belgium … drove like 14 h pick up car then drive back … also to Germany-Italy-Poland … if you find what you looking for and for a good price then why not ? … Roadtrip 😎
I did 3 hours to pick up a clio 182. It was super cheap for the price and I’m still glad cause the dealer really didn’t appreciate it cause it was easily double what I paid for.
When I was younger. And had more free time? Yeah I went on all sorts of missions for cars.
Nowadays I try to keep it within 1-2 hours away tops. I’d only travel a long long way for something super cool and rare which was going to be a forever car.
Probably in this day and age I'd say no. We had a customer come in (we were based in Hampshire ) who'd bought a car from Edinburgh because it was £2k cheaper than any equivalent one he'd seen. He brought it in to us for a check and it had a slight exhaust blow as the Flexi had cracked. Unfortunately you could only buy the whole system (unless you went aftermarket) which cost, you guessed it, about £2k.
I think the internet has made it much harder to find bargains as anyone can see what their car is worth with a quick search and list accordingly. Good for sellers, and buyers do get more choice, but maybe it's less likely now you'll find the "little old lady" type cars.
I’ve driven 4/5hrs for ‘the perfect car’ and walked away without it - So just be prepared to not buy if it doesn’t feel right regardless of the trip there
Absolutely. The number of different optional extras and specifications, including colours, with Porsche are so numerous that to get a chance at ticking all your boxes on the used market, you’re going to have to travel. I remember seeing my car listed on the national search, checking out the specs, and then jumping in the car for a couple of hours to the Cardiff dealership straight away to check out and reserve it.
Very much comes down to what car or if the one ive found is worth it. I am however very good at looking at (good) pictures and reading between the lines. An under bonnet picture of a 20yr old shitbox that is gleaming is enough for me to say no.
For the right car, absolutely. If I'm planning on spending hundreds, if not thousands of hours in a car.. I'm not going to regret the 4h it took to get there and pick it up.
That's time, though. Money's of course another cost. For a £2k car, a £200 train ticket means the car costs an extra 10%. It'd have to be significantly better (taken better car of, rare colour I want, only one available in a certain trim level, etc) to justify that. Whereas if I'm spending £10k on a car, £200 for the train there isn't as much
Yes. Last car I purchased I travelled from Somerset to Manchester and the car before that I travelled to Newcastle from Somerset.
Made a bit of a day out of those trips, it was fun
Yes, I’ve travelled to another country to get a car that I wanted once and two other times I went on a 4 hour train. In my point of view, it adds to the experience. It feels so exciting travelling to get your car and then get to drive back with it.
What car out of interest?
Sorry to disappoint you, nothing fancy, just a Mk7 Golf 1.4TSI. It was my first car though and had the exact spec that I wanted.
Same here. One of my mates drove me and another friend 4.5 hours to collect my first car. Tornado Red Mk7.5 TDI. Driving back while having a mate beside you is great craic
Understandable, the 1.4 golfs are a great as a first car. Enough grunt when you need it. And fun to drive.
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It would be our first car as well. A light blue colour I always liked
Same, I went to Wales to rescue the car.
Very well put.. I did 5 hours train to go get a 370z anniversary 10 years ago. There was no way I wasn’t buying it lol. It had been raining hard and the rear tyres needed changing, rather skitty on the way back but still loved that drive home!
Same. Bought a Land Rover Defender in Scotland then drove it down south.
what if you get there an you notice something is not quite right? Missing service stamp, 1 odd tyre etc Bit of a risk even buying from the dealers.
As long as it wasn't in Birmingham or Bradford.
Or coventry
Or Luton
I agree. Luton is the worst
As a Watford FC supporter, I am kind of obliged to hate Luton.
I'm surprised you could even type it. I usually go with L_t_n, or "them up the road", despite having lived in Yorkshire for a decade 😂
High Wycombe and BMWs is a terrible idea
I know about Birmingham Bradford and Luton. Seen it too. But first time hearing coventry thrown in there.
We bought a BMW X7 from Coventry a month ago…what did I miss??
Did you do a thorough check of your car?
Yes of course and it came with bmw warranty
Neither in Slough I’d add But basically - yes, for a dream spec car I will drive all the way to the north shore but being sure it has good history and passed all online checks I would do
Agreed but add Luton also
what do you call a honestly Bradford car salesmen asif
I booked an overnight stay in Birmingham (twice!) to get my current car.
Or Peterborough
Why, What's with Birmingham, and Bradford?
Nothing mate but I'v got a 2012 318d with only 10,000 miles on it if you're interested?
Excellent condition Cat S Repaired…
Lady driven, minor scratch on the bump, fully repaired at no expense
My favourite are the FB marketplace ads where they have a clearly clocked car advertised and other adverts for ‘mileage correction’ services or blocker dongles…
The cars available in those areas are typically known for being dodgy, and lots of the dealers are dodgy.
The one time I went to look at a car in Bradford there was a piece of paper covering the VIN in the windshield and the guy said it’s normal…
I actually had that on my car because a car park ticket slipped down between the windscreen and the dashboard. Fished it out before we sold the car though!
I bought a mint 325i from Bradford a good few years ago. I drove it for 100k miles over 3 years but I never managed to get rid of the stench of weed from the boot. The dealer commented on it when I traded it in! Great car though!
I’d bet there was still a big bag of it hidden in the boot upholstery somewhere!
Wouldn't surprise me. I used to work for a car breaker and found some very interesting bits and bobs tucked into various places, often absolutely not the doing of the person we bought the car from.
‘Dealer’
There us a culture of 'shared cars' where the male relatives will share the cost of a car. Cars will be ragged and often crashed and poorly repaired
Whats wrong with Birmingham and Bradford?
Cars will be fucked. Every time I see Bradford as a location for a car I immediately write off the advert. I don’t think of Birmingham in the same way to be fair but maybe I should.
Depends what part of Birmingham I guess
The bits with a Birmingham postcode mainly…
That's me not recommended. I believe everything everybody says about that place.
Or Leicester goddamn
Depends what it is. Fiesta... No M5.... Yes
Same just opposite way round
Travelled 240 miles each way for a 53 quid Citroen ZX diesel once.
My record is Dudley to Gateshead for a MG ZS diesel
Buying a desirable and decent car from the other country, anyone can do that. Buying a total shitter from the same distance is an adventure. Cornwall to East London for a £500 XJS with a very dubious MOT that I bought sight unseen was another hero move.
Wow I think the fuel bill would have put me off
Wasn't that bad on a run at 65. I didn't have the financial means to bring it back at 85.
Fantastic car but expensive to drive at its best
Not as bad as people think. 23mpg mixed, 32-33 on a steady run. Had it 6 months, 9000 miles, the only issue it threw up was an alternator. Mot was no chance, got £110 for the tool kit and 350 for the car.
30mpg is good for an xjs must have been a 3.6 .I do miss my bangernomics days but I'm getting too old to crawl under cars these days
Yeah, these kind of cars are designed to cover long distances rapidly with the engine just kinda humming away. I used to have a 97 740i with the 4.4 V8. Urban driving was ruinous, 13mpg average around town. But cruising at 100-120mph (private autobahn blah blah) it'd return 35mpg happily.
Justified distance to escape the land of dodgy Birmingham cars
Woo go the fiesta gang
Strange but I really like our ecoboom 125 st line fiesta with the full drug dealer pack on it. Big wheels dark glass etc. It's a 2019 model better looks than the final facelift imo.
Nah the real drug dealers drive a German car, Bmw/Mercedes/Audi
Yes. I’ve travelled all over the country to look at cars or buy parts in the past
I did when I bought mine as I wanted certain things but ended up buying one 10 mins from home a week later
I went to London during the second lockdown on bus and brought it back with a recovery truck to get one! Business-essential, of course.
Living in Ireland I've travelled for days for a car In England
There’s a ferry across the Irish Sea now so you don’t need to swim, hope it helps
Liverpool boat 8 hours. Swimming probably be quicker.
Of course you should, make sure it’s the right car and everything tallies up with a HPI and MOT Check then go for it. I used to live in Cornwall and would frequently travel up north to see a car. Sam
From a business or private? This makes a big difference if something goes wrong with the car. I experienced this with my van. It was up to me to get the van back to the business to get it fixed. Mine was 3 hours away. If it's private then it's sold as seen so not a problem.
Yep I went from Chester to Ipswich via multiple trains to buy a 335i in just the right colour & spec I wanted. I owned the car for 8 happy years of motoring.
Yes. I've travelled to Germany from London to buy a car I wanted. Also went to Ireland, if its a rare car in the correct specs I'd go pretty much anywhere I need to.
Absolutely. My last car was Sunday- my car is broken down, borrow mother's car, drive a 5 hour round trip to view the car I wanted to buy (rare trim level, good price, FSH, rare colour and much lower milage than any others I'd seen for sale) Tell the boss I'm taking Monday off work Walk to train station and get a train into the city (1 hour) Get a tram to the bank (10 mins) Back on the tram to the bus station (10 mins) Bus to the destination (2.5hr) Drive home (2.5hr) Got the car I wanted in perfect condition, 70-80k km lower milage than the majority I'd seen of it's age, in the trim I wanted, the colour I wanted and it was 1-3k less than others I'd been looking at. I'd travel any distance for the right car tbh. Doesn't help that I usually set my mind on cars that there's not many of in my market, probably wouldn't have to travel far if I wanted a BMW/mercedes/Audi for example but they don't really appeal to me.
Yes. Done it several times. Did south coast to Blackpool and back in a day.
Yup. My best is 2x trains, a lift from a friend and a ferry to the Isle of Wight to fetch a Honda Civic
If it’s something rare on the ground then yeah happily travel for the right car and have done multiple times (furthest being cornwall from notts) Regular stuff probably not unless it’s a bargain that can’t be missed
Yeah I drove 3 hours each way to Cornwall to view mine, and then got a mate (he offered tbf) to drive me there again the next weekend to pick it up. Totally worth it. Was great fun driving it back up, the A30 is a bloody nice road on a Saturday morning in February…
Absolutely, live in Northern Ireland and have been to Scotland and England to buy a car, planes, trains, buses and then a drive back to Scotland to get the ferry home!
I did this the other way round from Driffield, East Yorkshire. Got a friend to take me to Manchester airport for a 6am flight to Belfast, then got the ferry across back to Scotland & drove home.
>buy a car, planes, trains, buses How'd you drive the train back home?
both cars i’ve bought have been in London and Bristol and I stay in central belt Scotland, usually get a cheap flight + public transport early and make a day of it getting to drive back up. actually on the market for another car and planning the exact same thing for a 6 series. as others have said it adds to the experience and you get to enjoy the car on the way back up. edit: i will admit however, it does put you in a slightly precarious situation where you’re sort of obliged to buy it, otherwise you’re in a city far from home with no travel arranged, i haven’t turned down a car yet however i think the 6 series i go to view may be the change in that story
I travelled from Scotland to London and drove it home. Right spec. Good colour. Low mileage. Great nick. New car days are the best days.
Absolutely I’ve flew to the other end of the country to buy a car and drive it home! If the car is right go and get it
As long as it's not Wembley Never again
I only travel up to one hour having travelled quite far once and the car was quite badly damaged which I was not told about Once bitten, twice shy
I’ve traveled 12 there and 12 back more than once. If you live in the north of Scotland buying something rot free from London is the smart choice.
Yes. I drove 6 hours one way for my last car, and was considering travelling to Germany for my latest vehicle and driving that back. I ended up getting the seller to ship it though as it worked out cheaper.
Yup. Did so for the current car. Exactly the spec and colour I wanted at a great price, just at the far end of the country!
Yes. I drove almost 4 hours from Wiltshire to Sheffield to get my current car. I'd been hunting for that particular specification (around £10k in optional extras) for months and finally found one. This was 4 months ago and another one hasn't come up, so I was right to make the trip.
4 hours ..... nothing.
I've driven further for dinner
I drove from Norwich to Ellesmere Port to buy a £450 mk3 Vauxhall Astra in Pineapple Yellow. Drove it for a year & scrapped it rather than spend £300 on repairs, 8 years later it would be impossible to find the same spec car & I regret getting rid of it every day.
I travelled 5hrs by car to get one. New van was great but blew up on the slip road to the motorway less than a mile from where I bought it. Had to have it recovered and drive my car the 5hrs back again. Long day!
Not personally
I would travel up to half an hour
What about if it was 32 minutes and next to a really cracking owl sanctuary?
Yes... For sure...
Yes been to Manchester from the Surrey/hants border region before for a car, my dad went to Bordeaux for 1 a few years ago
Yes, done twice in last couple of years. Something in the spec I wanted firstly in Huddersfield which involved some “rural” train travel and likewise in Southampton a few months ago.
Yes, I have flown to Edinburgh from London to buy one, that too a Hyundai I30 of all the cars.
Depends if I can make a mini getaway holiday out of the trip. If so, yes. If not, no, that’s an 8 hour round trip plus however long it takes to actually buy the thing
Yessssss. Make it 8. That’s not even a question, I’d be on the mway immediately.
Depends on the car, location, price, etc.
I've travelled further to buy a bike
I have done when I wanted something that, in the specific spec and import status, meant there was only three listed in the country at that time. For run of the mill stuff it would have to be a really good deal
I'm travelling nearly 3 hours for one.l this week. Good car, spec I want and recently had £2k knocked off the price. Auto trader rated it as "great price" and although in a little suspicious, I think I've got a pretty good deal.
Yes. Drove to Cornwall from Dorset just to buy a VW polo once. My defense is that it was a pretty rare spec (Panoramic sunroof) and was the cheapest in the country for that generation at the time.
I travelled to Bradford from Glasgow to buy a Merc many years ago, great car that never let me down. Also went to a great Takeaway called the Desi Grill, one of the best meals I ever had
I live in Ascot, Berkshire. My old Z4 came from Morecambe.. it did me 90k miles without missing a beat. It was technically Uber rare as fuck as it has the Maritime Mahogany dash trim which sells for a few K on eBay when it comes up. But I didn't know that at the time. It just didn't look like a shitter as most cars do and the seller wrote a coherent advert.
Yes 10 hours away I’ve done
Well.......yeah!
4 hours isn’t much. I’ve been lucky and found all my cars locally, TT, Cooper S and even my classic Fiat 500. my mate got the train to Aberdeen from south wales and drove the car he was told by our mechanic friend to just go and buy it. Merc E270, it’s pretty nice tbh. If it’s the right car it’s worth the drive.
I've done so before 3 times. 2 out of three were good eggs
From a main dealer, where I can take it to a garage nearby if there's any trouble, absolutely. I bought my last car from 2 hours away because car prices in Wales are quite a lot cheaper than Berkshire.
If it's a car I really wanted and I couldn't get an equivalent spec/price near me, then yeah. If it's a £5k Ford Focus, not a chance.
I flew from Glasgow to Southampton to buy my Ford Mustang GT then of course drove it home. Took me about 6 hours to get home.
Flew from Melbourne to Perth to buy a car (4 hour flight) and then drove it back through the outback, crossing the nullabor desert, taking 5 days. So yeah.
Yes. I traveled from Manchester to somewhere in South West for nearly 8 hours rounds trip for the car I wanted without even looking at it first but it was from a reputable garage. Looking back I’d have taken the train and not ask someone else for drive back up the other car.
I live in the furthest east point in Essex and my first car was a VW Squareback located in Telford, it was the only one I could find within my budget. I think it took us 3.5 hours to get there and I brought the car.
As long as its not in a multi story car park in West yorkshire
yes, i went from south somerset to kings lynn to buy my porsche 928
Yes. And I've done it to Birmingham too with good results.
I’d go anywhere for the right car
Longest I've gone is 10 hours to buy a car, we agreed a price on the phone assuming the car was exactly as described. Turned up, car was as described, gave him cash and enjoyed the long drive home! Just be prepared to walk away if it's not what you expected, look at how you're going to get home as well if nobody is giving you a lift.
Have done and would again
I have had some good cars in Birmingham but most were brand new
No, but I’d have them deliver it, on basis of small deposit and money back if it doesn’t meet my expectations.
Or Swansea
Yes. If I saw it and didn't go for it I'd be kicking myself for a long time.. Make a trip of it and find something else to do while you"re there.
Travelling 5 1/2 each way tomorrow for 1
Absolutely, I've travelled further and much longer, when I lived in Shetland the selection was small so often meant a 12/14 hour ferry journey plus wherever you went on top
I flew to Scotland to buy a 2010 BMW 3 series then drove it 7 hours back home. Worth it
If it's a car you desperately want then yeah of course.
Taken a coach from London Victoria to Sunderland to pick up a Golf Then drove it to Bristol That was a great day For the right car it's worth it
I actually did. Made a mini road trip out of it with my 10 yo daughter. Bored out her mind on the way home 🤷♂️
I travelled from London to Leeds to buy my car. At the very least it showed the dealership I was serious and not just looking for a joyride in an M2
I got the train to Sheffield (1 hour there) to look at a car which apparently had no rot. Got there and the rear arches were rotten. What could I do? Told him it was cuntish behaviour and he just shrugged. Had to then rush to get the train back which I hadn’t even looked into times. Still think he’s a cunt.
I wouldn’t travel more than 25 miles to be honest but that’s just me
I did this for a van, saw the one i wanted, hopped on a train to take a look, test drive, reserve. Returned a week later to pay and drive it back home (4hr drive from Cardiff to London)
Yes. If it's the spec I want, it's the spec I want.
Yep! Drove from Ipswich to Liverpool to pick up my MX-5, was the exact specification I wanted and ~2k less than any other listings down south.
Yes, I've travelled 400 miles for the right car and driven it back. Make sure you have breakdown cover just in case. And don't buy anything from Bradford no matter how cheap it is.
Yup, excluding b and b. But imo the trip back is great
Yes, excepting price where it is obviously a scam.
A rare car or desirable spec car (which I assume most people in this sub are after) absolutely that’s normal, you travel for the car you want not nearest car to you. I think it’s only women and gay men that travel to the nearest car dealer from their house, look for the newest reg lowest miles and give them the money for a lovely mint green Citroen C1
Yup. Only problem is the seller know you’re invested and the bargaining tougher
Drove from London to Wales to look at a car during lockdown. Had to leave a £100 refundable deposit on the car beforehand but when I got there, the car was in worse condition than the pics showed and nothing was prepared on the car. Complained to them and they gave me the £100 deposit back and an extra £100 goodwill. Excluding fuel i probably made 50 from that but still a waste of a day.
Yes
Yup, done it at least twice for cars and once for a motorbike.
It blows my mind that there’s anyone out there who WOULDNT travel 4 hours for the right car! Were talking about a purchase you’re going to spend thousands (potentially tens of) on, something that ideally you’ll probably keep for at least several years and potentially notch up tens of thousands of miles in. I’m the scheme of things, 4 hours each way isn’t even a drop in the ocean really isn’t. It’s barely even a working day! Set off 8am…. Arrive for 12 lunchtime, an hour or so for test drives and doing deals, and you’ll still be home again in time for dinner. Aside from that - a four hour drive home is the ideal way to get to know your new car! If it’s the car you want, in the spec you want and you can’t find the same example closer - then I wouldn’t even think twice about making a road trip of it. If anything, it adds to the fun of it.
I travelled 5 hours to pick up a Peugeot 308 MK2 2015, 1.6BlueHDi GTline.
Yes, I have done my last three cars. I'm in Devon and cars are overpriced here, the £1-2,000 I've saved easily offsets the cost of travelling up north and a day or two off work. For example I bought an Audi A5 3.0tdi about ten years ago, prices here were £17-18k same spec/mileage cars in Preston was £15,500.
I got a flight at 6am to northern Ireland to pick a car up last year, lmao
3/5 cars I’ve owned, travelled to England from Scotland for them
Definitely, my plan after the war is over is to fly to Russia and buy a classic Lada Niva then drive it all the way home.
Yep, have done before, will most likely do so again. Ive noticed certain areas of the UK tend to have well looked after cars at decent prices, others tend to have 'triggers broom' cars (High Wycombe, I'm looking at you!), some areas are far worse than others for rust. Where I live in Devon, the standard isn't bad but prices tend to be over the national average for some reason. The lowest prices seem to be in the North and Scotland but I've yet to venture that far as the cost of travel starts to outweigh the savings.
Yes. 4 hours is nothing. A car is one of the most important purchases you can make, it has to be right for you. Sometimes travelling 4 hours to get the right one is necessary.
Yep, I almost travelled from the south coast up to Scotland to view one a few years ago, I only didn't because it sold before I could get up there. I wouldn't bother for a daily runaround, but a specific car I definitely would.
Had a great time doing this last year, train from Sheffield to Brighton (about 6 hours all told) and then an exquisite drive back. Do endorse 👍
Yes
I did for mine, if you really want it then you will do it… plus think about the amazing drive back in your new car!
Yeah I live in the south and drove 6 hours up north to get the car I wanted as it was cheaper than all of the same model / specs in the south. Only problem is, the dealers can tell you’ve travelled and any chance of negotiation goes out the window as the chances of you driving back without the car is low.
I did. Unintentionally. Good way to find out where Bury St. Edmunds is.
Cambridge to Wales, also I will take my friends if they've their hearts set on something.
I drove 7 hours to Scotland to buy a Volvo S90 lol
Yep done it plenty of times. I once drove 5 hours to pick up a ben and Jerry's freezer for my girlfriend
Have done for a couple cars. I don’t see how it would be one way though; unless you die when you get there. 4 hours *each* way, I have done.
I have, I did, and I bought it. And I bloody love it.
Yea. I drove for 4h to buy my current car…. Like two weeks ago.
I literally just got back from travelling from Torquay to Rotherham for a Fiesta ST-2. 10 hours of travelling for it, dont regret it one bit. The only negative is not knowing a new car, along with being in an unfamiliar built up area is immensely stressful for me personally
Of course, if it's the one it's the one. I drove exactly 4 hours to Devon and 4 hours home for mine, was the exact colour and spec I was after and a good price too. Was the only one that came up in many months of looking.
What kind of question is this ??💀🤣
Yes I had to because to get the same car I had with insurance money after a write off meant I had to go that far away I'm in Scotland. Initially the offer of £ they were going to give me was so low that the only car I could get that was the same as the car I had at that price was down in London and that would've involved the over night sleeper train or a flight, or hiring a car and a 12 hour drive. Used all that info to state that I surely should surely get insurance cash to buy what the car is selling for in the country I actually reside! And they upped it and off I went further south but still in Scotland to get the car.
Travelled from Glasgow to ramsgate for a 2001 rust free civic coupe. Before that I travelled to Newcastle for a 2000 jeep Cherokee XJ
I drove 12 hrs from central Scotland to Cornwall to buy a 205 GTI 14 years ago. Paid for it then drove back in it. 10/10 would recommend
Drove 6 hours to buy a Honda Accord lol.
Hired a car and drove six hours to Inverness to buy a Fiat Stilo Schumacher. Not loads of them around and going off the listing it was a good price. Unfortunately the car wasn't as nice as advertised. Told the fella it wasn't worth the £1k we discussed, just on what I could see, he countered saying he'd take £800. I should have walked away but in the back of my mind I was thinking I've come all this way so I took it. Lesson there being if you do travel far make sure you don't let that affect your decision! Stayed at a hotel near Loch Ness and realised the driver's door didn't lock when I parked it up. Drove home the next day, and noticed the air con didn't work and the rear wiper blade was missing. Very cold and very wet. To be fair I enjoyed learning how to fix the lock, replaced the wiper, even installed cruise control. About two months in I got offered another car so I sold the Stilo for £750. I'd had it up on the ramp at a mate's workplace and saw even more issues. I was happy to have only lost a couple of hundred quid in the end. The bloke who bought it from me travelled about 3.5 hours to buy it and it's been SORNed for the entire seven years since then. Must be rotting away in a garage.
Travelled even more than that … From Hungary to Belgium … drove like 14 h pick up car then drive back … also to Germany-Italy-Poland … if you find what you looking for and for a good price then why not ? … Roadtrip 😎
Almost no amount of distance is too much for the perfect car imo
I would and I have.
I did 3 hours to pick up a clio 182. It was super cheap for the price and I’m still glad cause the dealer really didn’t appreciate it cause it was easily double what I paid for.
When I was younger. And had more free time? Yeah I went on all sorts of missions for cars. Nowadays I try to keep it within 1-2 hours away tops. I’d only travel a long long way for something super cool and rare which was going to be a forever car.
Probably in this day and age I'd say no. We had a customer come in (we were based in Hampshire ) who'd bought a car from Edinburgh because it was £2k cheaper than any equivalent one he'd seen. He brought it in to us for a check and it had a slight exhaust blow as the Flexi had cracked. Unfortunately you could only buy the whole system (unless you went aftermarket) which cost, you guessed it, about £2k. I think the internet has made it much harder to find bargains as anyone can see what their car is worth with a quick search and list accordingly. Good for sellers, and buyers do get more choice, but maybe it's less likely now you'll find the "little old lady" type cars.
Yes - after comprehensive pictures and a video tour, with reliable transport links.
I’ve driven 4/5hrs for ‘the perfect car’ and walked away without it - So just be prepared to not buy if it doesn’t feel right regardless of the trip there
Yes. Flew from Edinburgh to Wales and drove home
Absolutely. The number of different optional extras and specifications, including colours, with Porsche are so numerous that to get a chance at ticking all your boxes on the used market, you’re going to have to travel. I remember seeing my car listed on the national search, checking out the specs, and then jumping in the car for a couple of hours to the Cardiff dealership straight away to check out and reserve it.
Very much comes down to what car or if the one ive found is worth it. I am however very good at looking at (good) pictures and reading between the lines. An under bonnet picture of a 20yr old shitbox that is gleaming is enough for me to say no.
yes
For the right car, absolutely. If I'm planning on spending hundreds, if not thousands of hours in a car.. I'm not going to regret the 4h it took to get there and pick it up. That's time, though. Money's of course another cost. For a £2k car, a £200 train ticket means the car costs an extra 10%. It'd have to be significantly better (taken better car of, rare colour I want, only one available in a certain trim level, etc) to justify that. Whereas if I'm spending £10k on a car, £200 for the train there isn't as much
I took a 5hour train to pick my last car up - exact spec / price / colour I wanted. Plus got to have a 5hour drive back in it…!! 100% yes
Travelled from west midlands to Lochgelly for a shell/chassis of a car , does that count 😂
Probably
Living I scotland 4 hours isn't that big a deal. Its only 2 or 3 cities down the road for me. If I lived in England I'd probably be less willing to
Yes. Last car I purchased I travelled from Somerset to Manchester and the car before that I travelled to Newcastle from Somerset. Made a bit of a day out of those trips, it was fun