Should I stick to a main dealer

[Mark P Hall]

I'm looking around at the moment for a suitable vehicle and usually use a main dealer, but wondered whether there was anyone with experience of using the car supermarket type places (Motorpoint, Cinch etc.)? If I were to buy from one of these places, are there likely to be any issues with the warranty or having it serviced at a main dealer as I understand that potentially there could be the odd one or two that are imported from Ireland?

[FROSTYBALLS]

As regards cars imported from Ireland, specs would differ from the UK. 

As regards warranty, Irish cars of this vintage would have had the standard European new car warranty of 3 years/60,000 miles, rather than Toyota GB's 5 years/100,000 miles new car warranty.

So an Irish 2020 car would either have a few weeks/months remaining or the warranty would have expired.

If the car, whether Irish or UK, has been serviced outside the Toyota dealer network, and a warranty claim arose, one would need to have proof the car had been serviced according to requirements - e.g. at 12 month/10,000 mile (15,000km in the case of an Irish car) intervals, equivalent standard parts used, etc

[Mark P Hall]

Thanks for the detailed response, but there are now couple of additional questions; is there an easy way to spot a parallel import and is the service history uploaded to the car or is it still the old fashioned stamps in a book? 

[yossarian247]

In the past few years my family have bought two cars from Cinch and two from Cazoo. I can't say I've seen any evidence of any cars on their sites being parallel imports, and generally they have all been positive buying experiences, but I would advise to check the service history carefully. It does seem quite common for the service books themselves to either be missing or incomplete, but with the two Toyotas we bought the service history was confirmed with printouts from Toyota showing that the services had in fact been carried out. Cinch had even paid for one of the cars to have a full service at a Toyota main dealer the week before it was delivered to us.

From what I gather, used cars tend to be cheaper and more plentiful in the UK than in Ireland for example, so I don't think dealers would have much to gain by importing cars from Ireland to Britain. It's far more common for cars to exported in the other direction in my experience.

[AisinW]

Just keep the receipt for any service. For me,  it does not matter if it is stamp, signs,  or written on the maintenance book or just a bunch of receipt for all maintenance service.  If they are DIY er and do all maintenance at home, it is ok too as long as there is any receipt form Amazon, Tesco, or whatever stores they can get oil and filters. 

I think service history depends on the mechanics, some have database (especielly large frenchise shops), and some just someone with a lift on their garage.  I believe as long as they have VAT number, it should be much easier and can give us valid warranty claim.  If you have relatively new car with new engines type like 2.4L Turbo, then taking Relax-warranty and dealership maintenance is a good idea. Otherwise, just do regular oil change, Ideally 5-8k miles/8 months interval and the car will last long and consume no engine oil beyond 100k miles.  If you do oil change every 10k miles/year, there is a big chance it will consume some oil and only gets worse over time. 

If you have a hybrid, spend money more on more frequent oil change and do brake fluid change every 5-6 years instead of 2 years. You can inspect it with brake fluid tester. As long as it is not dark and water content less than 2% in the reservoir, it is still good. 

[tfc]

If your planning on doing your own servicing you are leaving yourself wide open for any warranty claims, which Toyota will most certainly reject any warranty issues. 

Read the small print regarding warranty claims, why throw away 7 years of potential warranty.  

[FROSTYBALLS]

26 minutes ago, AisinW said:

If they are DIY er and do all maintenance at home, it is ok too as long as there is any receipt form Amazon, Tesco, or whatever stores they can get oil and filters. 

DIY servicing doesn't satisfy warranty conditions.

Under Block Exemption in order to maintain the new car warranty, cars which are still within the manufacturer's new car warranty can be serviced either within the manufacturers dealer network or by a VAT registered garage. 

Extended warranties aren't covered by Block Exemption, and the warranty provider can stipulate who, in terms of a franchised dealer, etc should carry out servicing. 

[Mark P Hall]

10 minutes ago, tfc said:

If your planning on doing your own servicing you are leaving yourself wide open for any warranty claims, which Toyota will most certainly reject any warranty issues. 

Read the small print regarding warranty claims, why throw away 7 years of potential warranty.  

My days of home servicing are long gone.  I don't enjoy it, so would rather pay someone to do it for me.

[AisinW]

28 minutes ago, tfc said:

If your planning on doing your own servicing you are leaving yourself wide open for any warranty claims, which Toyota will most certainly reject any warranty issues. 

Read the small print regarding warranty claims, why throw away 7 years of potential warranty.  

Yes, it depends on how much knowledge we have about car. For me in the past 20+ years, no single Toyota I had (6) failed before reaching 10 years/100k miles. It is just barely break in.  We talk about Toyota/Lexus/Honda/Acura that have life span beyond 200k miles if we do regular oil change.  If we do 10k miles oil change then yes, it will consume oil regardless dealership maintenance or drivethrough oil change.  

There are basic warranty that we can keep after 3 years. The first 3 years, warranty bumper to bumper from any VAT mechanics are valid (just oil change, filter, and may be brakefluid).  After that, we can do DIY and still have:

1. 5 years/60k miles hybrid components and ECU. 

2. extension of the hybrid Battery warranty, we can purchase only Hybrid-system-check  €32-50 per year to keep the 15 years hybrid Battery warranty. 

3.  If you decided to get Relax-warranty coverage after certain time, then just visit dealership, do 1 time annual checkup, and your bottom is covered with this silly Relax-warranty. I may do it if I want to sell the car, otherwise, I ignored such offer. 10 years is nothing for Toyota especially if we have wellknown good powertrain like 2ZR-FXE after 2015, 2.5 and 2.0L 4 cylinder and any 2GR V6 family after 2013. 

Toyota/Lexus must proof if the hybrid component failed it is directly caused by our own oil change or transmission fluid, etc.  If it does not make sense, they are not allowed to deny any warranty claim.  If we had an accident, or someone put coolant in brake lines or jump start diesel truck with their hybrid car, then the warranty will be voided.  Any recalls are also always eligible too. Reset and reprogram TPMS also does not void any warranty. I know Carista can do that and avoid big bills to reprogram new TPMS or reseting check engine lights. 

 

[Bernard Foy]

5 hours ago, yossarian247 said:

In the past few years my family have bought two cars from Cinch and two from Cazoo. I can't say I've seen any evidence of any cars on their sites being parallel imports, and generally they have all been positive buying experiences, but I would advise to check the service history carefully. It does seem quite common for the service books themselves to either be missing or incomplete, but with the two Toyotas we bought the service history was confirmed with printouts from Toyota showing that the services had in fact been carried out. Cinch had even paid for one of the cars to have a full service at a Toyota main dealer the week before it was delivered to us.

From what I gather, used cars tend to be cheaper and more plentiful in the UK than in Ireland for example, so I don't think dealers would have much to gain by importing cars from Ireland to Britain. It's far more common for cars to exported in the other direction in my experience.

Yes the used cars in GB have been cheaper and of a higher spec for donkeys years. That’s why used car dealerships in the Republic of Ireland have been importing from the UK in lorry loads for as long as I can remember.

[WALLOP]

I bought a Ford Fiesta from motorpoint a few years back and noticed that the car had not been serviced within the 12 month periods stipulated in the warranty. The services had been done correctly for mileage however. I found motorpoint very good to deal with (Peterborough branch) and they provided me with a written guarantee to cover any warranty costs during the 3 year Ford warranty period if Ford refused to cover due to the services not being done as per the schedule.

 

 

 

[Bernard Foy]

2 hours ago, WALLOP said:

I bought a Ford Fiesta from motorpoint a few years back and noticed that the car had not been serviced within the 12 month periods stipulated in the warranty. The services had been done correctly for mileage however. I found motorpoint very good to deal with (Peterborough branch) and they provided me with a written guarantee to cover any warranty costs during the 3 year Ford warranty period if Ford refused to cover due to the services not being done as per the schedule.

 

 

 

Smart, you got it in writing 👏👏

[AisinW]

Toyota as a company does not do what Crysler or Hyundai did about warranty. As long as it is VAT registered shops for the maintenance, 3y is covered. 

Toyota even do some free repair campaigns for any design flaws. It is often way outside warranty period. 2.4L camry, rav4 2007-2010 piston rings, pre 2008 dashboard melt/crack, and some hybrid brake booster revisions. 

[TonyHSD]

Simple said for new and recent cars stick with dealer to have the warranty and no drama, you want diy buy old Toyota and do it yourself if that’s what you are after. If you drive a lot and keep the car for long through the years the savings will be huge and they can cover eventually a major repair that can be expensive. 

[AisinW]

Maintenance in dealership is indeed a good idea if we buy them new.  I used to do that for the first 3y in USA, because it is used to be very cheap, $50-80 for every oil change/1 year, and $20 for tire rotations/6 months. I continue DIY after 3y bumper to bumper warranty, and oil change every 5-8k miles depends on my driving habit.  With coupons and rebate, Mobil1, Castrol, Pennzoil often cost less than $20 per 5 quarts  with filter. 

In Germany, the maintenance cost is ridiculous expensive. As high as €479 for just oil change and filters and €600+ with brake fluid flush. That is a rip-off. People are used to pay tons of money for their car maintenance and repairs. For them, that's already wonderful deals. Paying €800 or more for just annual maintenance is normal for them. 

So, it depends on how much they price the annual maintenance. I save at least €800 by just DIY every 2 years.  I have the funds to replace Battery 2x by doing DIY in 6 years. 

That's why the Relax-Garantie is a joke for us in Germany.