Is it that bad? People always seem to slag it off etc.

Just my g/f is wanting a car soon, and she isnt too fussed what she gets really, so rather than me driving round everywhere, would it be an ok option to go to Carcaft, or is it crap and I should steer clear of it?

Look at it this way.  When I worked for a car hire company we used to lease vehicles from various manufacturers.  Anything (an I really do mean any nasty condition at all) that we couldnt return to the manufacturer, regardless of condition, miliage or missed services we used to run straight there as they would eat them up without a care in the world.  

I wouldnt touch them. I remember when it was just one office & they had a real bad rep then.
If it got 4 wheels & can go forward they are happy.

Cool, cheers! Ill give it a wide birth then I think!

I went to the one inb Rochdale back in 2001.  I could get a new citroen saxo cheaper than the 1 year old saxo they had on display...

www.motorpoint.co.uk looks good and I know someone who bought  Focus and has had no problems.

Im sure good deals can just come from local garages surely also?

In most cases the best approach is to just going around and having a look at whats available. Be careful of pushy salesmen though, explain you are looking and not buying quite yet. The pushier the salesman then almost inevitably the deal is going to be poorer. If a deal or car doesnt look 100% right then walk away. Dont give them your phone number and preferably leave your mobile out of sight in the car, say you forgot it, if they keep asking leave and say you will be in touch - dont bother.

And as said dont touch carcraft with a barge pole

Quote from: Deaths HeadI went to the one inb Rochdale back in 2001.  I could get a new citroen saxo cheaper than the 1 year old saxo they had on display...

www.motorpoint.co.uk looks good and I know someone who bought  Focus and has had no problems.

Motorpoint are good got my last car from there, 1k under list price with well below average miles

Try and get a reasonable bank loan

Buy a car privately

Forget about these wanky companies

Look around, look everywhere

I have just put a holding deposit on a 2006 Toyota Avensis 2.2 Diesel. it has 12,000 miles.

How much did it cost me ? £3k - it was an insurance write off, as it had some water damage - the only thing I have found wrong with it is that the radio doesnt work. It is an ex company car, and was simply flooded with water - it wasnt started or anything when it got soaked.

I might use it as a daily driver, I might sell it on for a good deal more than 3k.

Bargains are out there, if you know what to look for.

Quote from: MarkBuy a car privately

This works OK unless you are spending a shedload of cash.  Father just bought a Y-Reg 2.2 Astra from a garage, turns out the head had a crack in it when we asked them to take a look.  its had a full new head put on it, New belts all the way round, and they even recharged the AirCon, all on the warranty they are legally obliged to give you now.  Private sale would have resulted in a bill that was half what he paid for the car.  Gotta weigh up the pros and cons really, plus some garages do some decent deals on trade-ins.  I got my Veccy for about £900 under the list when I bought it.  

I would get castrated before Id buy from a garage.

Aye I believe you but most of us don't have ½ the knowledge you do

Quote from: MarkI would get castrated before Id buy from a garage.

I used to think like that, but then I lost the motivation to buy something cheap and half rebuild it.  I also lost the space to do Serious Work as well.  next time I buy a car Ill either lease-hire it, or buy at 12 months old.  These days I just want to turn the key and get places, not too arsed about anything else.  Ill do basic servicing and repairs, but little tricks like swapping axles, and replacing full engines isnt something that interests most people, even when they do know how to do them.

Anything over £5k I would say is worth going to a garage for, anything underneath I would go private for bought all my cars private and only had a few problems that I had known about when I bought the Golf

Quote from: MarkI have just put a holding deposit on a 2006 Toyota Avensis 2.2 Diesel. it has 12,000 miles.

How much did it cost me ? £3k - it was an insurance write off, as it had some water damage - the only thing I have found wrong with it is that the radio doesnt work. It is an ex company car, and was simply flooded with water - it wasnt started or anything when it got soaked.

Was it recovered from the new Broadway underpass?