Hi all,

I'm currently considering buying a new car from a company advertised on autotrader as 'drivetime' see www.drivetimeleasing.co.uk . The guy I have spoken to there seems very nice and professional and the company name and address appears on links from a lot of general car sales websites (but with no stock) but I am a little concerned about handing over a deposit. The reasons for this are as follows:

I can't find any reviews or history about his company on the internet

I can't find any accounts filed on companies house

They are inquisitively cheaper than other discount-new-car- websites

There is a landline number and they are a registered motortrader on ebay - albeit only on from January this year which is strange bearing in mind their claimed presence within their own website.

It may be very legitimate but I just wondered if anybody had had any experiences or purchases from them before ?

Anyone buying a car on line wants their head examined. No offence - this is for everyone to read.

Would you buy a house on line? No, then why a car? After your home, a vehicle is probably the second highest priced purchase that you will make and unlike the housing market, the car sales arena is a hotbed of crime, deceit, misery and pain. For every ONE genuine car sales operation, there are nearly a thousand cheating weasels out there and the Internet is now a breeding ground for the little parasites.

Use the net to research which car you want and the price that it will cost, but ALWAYS do the deal with a financially recognised institution that is registered with the authorities and where you can see the person face-to-face. The fact that this bunch are on eBay would not make me walk away - I'd run - FAST! eBay is NOT a recommendation, it is a warning!

SHARK!

Hello

I've just bought a car from Gary at drivetime. I can understand some of the reservations you have about the industry, but my experience was truly first class. Gary sourced a car for me at a price substantially less than that which main dealers would offer. And there was no nonsense around quoting prices and then haggling for a discount.

Gary did everything when he said he would, and the car arrived at the time promised when I ordered. I was very happy with the overall service I received - and the car was delivered to my door in pristine condition. So if you're not worried about being the second owner of the vehicle - my car was pre-registered the day before I got it - then this appears to me to be a "no-brainer". I know how I will buy my next car....