[Help] Used car dealerships around Brighton - any recommendations?

[Happy Exile]

I need to buy a new (used) car and not being a car person I'm approaching it with dread. The last car I got a couple of years ago was from a well established and apparently successful dealership and was so stressful it ruined a Christmas for Mrs Exile and ended only when we started to explore legal action.

Is there anywhere that you good folks would recommend to try? Autotrader seems to be 99% Cinch cars these days which from reviews seem like a greater risk than I want to take. Not fussed about make, or colour, but something like a Kia Xceed or Sportage looks like it'd be the right kind of size (there's a couple parked down the road from me). Thanking you in advance...

 

[wellquickwoody]

Mmmm, peace of mind. In reality the more you pay the more likely the car is to be sound. Could you maybe stretch to a used car from an appointed/franchised dealer? About as good a second hand buy as you can get.

You obviously had a bad experience last time, but stepping into private sales and Arfur Daley car lots is fraught with danger. A main dealer should have an ‘approved used’ list, possibly even backed by the manufacturer.

 

[Happy Exile]

Mmmm, peace of mind. In reality the more you pay the more likely the car is to be sound. Could you maybe stretch to a used car from an appointed/franchised dealer? About as good a second hand buy as you can get.

Might be the best way I guess, thank you

 

[Chicken Run]

I need to buy a new (used) car and not being a car person I'm approaching it with dread. The last car I got a couple of years ago was from a well established and apparently successful dealership and was so stressful it ruined a Christmas for Mrs Exile and ended only when we started to explore legal action.

Is there anywhere that you good folks would recommend to try? Autotrader seems to be 99% Cinch cars these days which from reviews seem like a greater risk than I want to take. Not fussed about make, or colour, but something like a Kia Xceed or Sportage looks like it'd be the right kind of size (there's a couple parked down the road from me). Thanking you in advance...

I’ve bought a couple of Cars from North Star Sussex at Sayers Common, guy called Brian was nice to deal with, the owner of North Star is an Albion fan too

 

[John Byrnes Mullet]

The dealership next to Aldi in Portland Road, Portslade. When I drive past I always see a great selection of marquee motors. Will definitely be looking there when I make my next purchase.

 

[Flounce]

I have a mate who has bought his last few cars from Kia Tates in Pycombe. He has no interest in cars other than getting from A to B and has had no problems at all with after sales service and the sorting of problems. Admittedly he buys new but I assume the service is as good with second hand cars. I imagine you would also get a manufacturer warranty for a year but you’d be paying 14 to 17k. They also have very good reviews.

This may be useless info if you are looking for a sub 5k car though

If buying a cheaper car, do you not have a mate who is a “car person” who could go with you? Or maybe insist on an AA inspection before you buy, money well spent if you know nothing about cars imo.

 

[Chicken Run]

I need to buy a new (used) car and not being a car person I'm approaching it with dread. The last car I got a couple of years ago was from a well established and apparently successful dealership and was so stressful it ruined a Christmas for Mrs Exile and ended only when we started to explore legal action.

Is there anywhere that you good folks would recommend to try? Autotrader seems to be 99% Cinch cars these days which from reviews seem like a greater risk than I want to take. Not fussed about make, or colour, but something like a Kia Xceed or Sportage looks like it'd be the right kind of size (there's a couple parked down the road from me). Thanking you in advance...

I’ve literally just bought from Cinch and was very pleased with the experience

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

We had to buy a car around 4 years ago and I spent a lot of time on auto trader finding what looked like a good option only to research the dealership selling the car to reveal red flags. In the end we found a 5 year old Skoda Fabia from this dealership and they were great, although in Bournemouth. I couldn’t find any issues of bad reviews, scams, multiple name changes in the pas, which most dealerships I looked up did. (Although they have recently changed their name after one of the owners passed away).

They do a standard 3 month warranty.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/mhCdWXXhUF9P81KY7?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

A very friendly guy called Craig helped us with our purchase and just skim reading their recent Google reviews I can see he’s still there. We drove over there and did a test drive, agreed to buy it and they drove it down to Hove for us a few days later.

Really friendly and helpful people. Not Brighton unfortunately, but not too far.

They do finance too, I think we bought the car for £6k and we did £2k of that on finance.

 

[dazzer6666]

Have bought from North Star a couple of times, and quite likely to again. Good local reputation, always helpful and a reasonable variety of vehicles to look at.

Used Cars for sale in Sayers Common, West Sussex | North Star Sussex

Check out our Used Cars for sale in Sayers Common, West Sussex at North Star Sussex here now

www.northstarsussex.co.uk

 

[Silverhatch]

Look for: Full Service History (on time). Main dealer or specialist independent better.

Do MOT checker & look for advisories

Check tyres and wheels thoroughly (pothole britain).

 

[AK74]

My sister-in-law, with assistance from my wife, recently used Lighthouse Car Centre in Shoreham, and everything went smoothly from start to finish.

Used Cars Brighton & Worthing Sussex Used Cars Brighton & Worthing Sussex | Lighthouse Car Centre

Lighthouse Car Centre, Used Car Dealer based in Brighton & Worthing, supplying Used Cars for sale within Sussex, including Ford, Volkswagen, Nissan, Vauxhall, Toyota

www.lighthousecarcentre.co.uk

 

[venkuk]

I always tend to save the money on dealers prices and buy from the private sellers on Autotrader. You have to pay for sell on there so that is better than Facebook marketplace. If you take your time, there are some great deals on there. I always believe in buying from a nice area and a good history. Never gone wrong yet. Bought my VW Scirocco from a nice couple in Ditchling. Saved about £3000 from dealers price. You could always get a warranty separately if needed, although I don't usually.

 

[zefarelly]

We bought a car from North star some years back. No problem.

Venkuk is right . . . Maybe pick a car and do some homework on it . . . Go and try one at a dealers . . . .then sniff about.

I was very specific abut what I wanted last car, down to colour and trim . . . .took me a while to find the right car at the righ price, FSH and lengthy ownership ( ie not a boy racer for 6 months ). History of service and MOT is key.

my previous car was a slightly distressed sale, nothing wrong with it, but I calculated on a full service and new tyres etc before I started haggling. I had it 18 months and made a small profit when I sold it.

There are cars out there being sold that are perfectly good but the owners are selling because they can't afford to keep them . . . If they do, they can't afford maintenance, then they rapidly devalue . . .

Autotrader is a good reference point and it has lots of filters to help you. Its free to ask questions.

 

[Weststander]

Look for: Full Service History (on time). Main dealer or specialist independent better.

Do MOT checker & look for advisories

Check tyres and wheels thoroughly (pothole britain).

Not forgetting, meticulously running a magnet over the car too .

 

[Eric the meek]

We've bought two cars from North Star at Sayers Common. We have been happy with both cars. The service is fine. We look at comparables on Autotrader and Cargurus, to get an accurate picture of value according to spec, year and mileage.

For the car we bought six weeks ago, we looked around, saw one at Lighthouse in Shoreham, didn't like the price or the petrol engine, so we waited. When I spotted a 20k mileage diesel at North Star, we moved quickly, paying the full asking price, which was fair.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

The dealership next to Aldi in Portland Road, Portslade. When I drive past I always see a great selection of marquee motors. Will definitely be looking there when I make my next purchase.

Dont use this place. My daughter bought a lemon from there, they must get stevie wonder to check them over. So many issues too many to list. kept being promised they would be sorted, by main dealers and a diesel specialist...every time it came back with more issues. Wouldn't give her paperwork proving it went to these places. We threatened to go to the ombudsman, they stopped answering calls or no one available to discuss the problems.
It's a complete joke of a company.
I know every place have their horror stories, but you've been warned

 

[Coldeanseagull]

Seconded for North Star, we've bought four cars from there over the years with no issues

 

[Winker]

My last car was from North Star, very good

 

[Happy Exile]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the advice and will have a look at North Star

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I've bought my last two cars from Sta Cars in Shoreham, near the Swiss Cottage pub. Painless, good after-sales.