Here at ACC UK Ltd – Independent Volvo & Toyota Service, Repair & MOT garage based in the heart of Farnborough, Hampshire, we are often asked by
our customers how to go about buying a new or second hand Volvo or Toyota. Where to go to make that all important purchase of a new or used Volvo or
Toyota, Which make and model to go for, will we give the second hand Volvo or Toyota a check over before they commit etc etc. So we thought we would
put together some handy little tips for you – we hope you find them useful!

 

  1. Spend Time On Your Test Drive For Your Volvo or Toyota – make sure the sales person leaves you alone so you can experience the car on your own. Bring
    Your Family Or Your Partner - after all, they'll have to live with the car too and they'll bring a useful extra perspective.
  2. Make Sure The Sales Person Goes Through The Controls Of Your Volvo Or Toyota Before You Set Off - we had one customer who went for a test drive once
    and was not informed that once they took their foot off the pedal in stationary traffic the engine would switch off and spent their entire test
    drive thinking that they had kept stalling the car! They did not enjoy their test drive and needless to say they didn’t make that purchase and
    bought a different make and model! Upon reflection months later with a friend they were informed about what had actually happened and felt rather
    daft!
  3. Make Sure You Experience The Car In Different Driving Conditions – have a go driving around town at lower speeds as well as driving at speed on a dual
    carriageway along with some winding country lanes so that you get a true feel for the car.
  4. Experience The Passenger Seat – take a friend with you on your test drive because there are things about the car you'll discover from the passenger
    seat that you'll never know if you constantly stay behind the wheel.
  5. Ask Plenty Of Questions - no question is a stupid question its only stupid if you don’t ask it! Go prepared with a list because you will be sure to
    forget when you get caught up in the moment in the excitement at the prospect of a new car. Write down what is important to you and do your research.
  6. Always Drive At Least Two Comparable Cars From Different Brands - If you can do this on the same day or over the weekend this will definately help
    you to compare them.
  7. Never Ever Buy There And Then - always go away and have a coffee to give you time and space to think about your impending purchase away from the sales
    people and the bright shining lights. Buying a Volvo or Toyota should be a considered purchase and one you will have for some time so you need
    to weigh up all the pros and cons before signing on the dotted line.
  8. You Don't Have To Buy From The Garage That Gave You The Test Drive - shop around - see what other garages in the area are offering, in terms of finance,
    part exchange, freebies etc.
  9. Don't Feel Pressurised Into Purchasing A Service Plan - Do your homework - see if there actually are any savings to be made by using an Independent Volvo or Toyota garage to service your vehicle instead of purchasing a service plan. We just had a customer who purchased a high end vehicle and was given a two year service plan....FREE???. At their second visit they were told there were some urgent works to be done (oil leak) and were quoted over £1000 for the work - they asked us to quote for the work (we were £400 cheaper as we dont have an hourly rate of £125 like the dealerships - even though we do the exact same work) we asked to check the vehicle first and found no oil leak whatsoever. Our customer asked us to go to the dealership with them (as a friend, not in a professional capacity) and get the garage to show us the leak and explain the quote, they lied to us both again regarding the leak and stuck to their quote - pictures have been taken and customer services have now been contacted regarding this underhand and blatant misrepresentation of the "fault". Never ever be afraid of seeking a second opinion or even asking for the faulty parts to be kept so you can see them. Unfortunately there are some underhand garages and dealerships that give the rest of us honest folk a bad name and reputation in the industry. Always try and find a garage that has been recommended personally by friends, family and work collegues.

Good luck and happy Motoring from all at ACC UK Ltd, Independent Volvo & Toyota Servicing Repair & MOT specialists based in Farnborough, Hampshire