bpsorrel
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2009
- Messages
- 6,027
- Location
- UK and Russia
- Car
- '21 C300 Coupe, '20 SLC Final Edition, Peugeot 208 (hers!) and a new Ford Kuga in Russia
Haven't bought a car there myself, but a friend of mine bought a 530d from there a year or so ago and so far hasn't had any problems. I think most of their cars are ex-fleet so have full service histories etc. Certainly they have a nice cafe these days while you're deliberating your next car! 
I've never bought one there but see no reason why not to.
The only snag is that most of the stock has some sort of drawback - high miles, odd colour, low spec, etc - which kind of explains why the younger ones are not on branded dealer forecourts.
Years ago when looking for a 200SX I saw loads go through with inter-galctic mileages, in the wrong colours of with the wrong gearbox (I didn't want an auto) - the odd low miler manual in Touring spec in a decent colour would appear and vanish instantaneously. Note; the price variation between a minter and munter was very low.
The only snag is that most of the stock has some sort of drawback - high miles, odd colour, low spec, etc - which kind of explains why the younger ones are not on branded dealer forecourts.
Years ago when looking for a 200SX I saw loads go through with inter-galctic mileages, in the wrong colours of with the wrong gearbox (I didn't want an auto) - the odd low miler manual in Touring spec in a decent colour would appear and vanish instantaneously. Note; the price variation between a minter and munter was very low.
MPG
Active Member
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2008
- Messages
- 320
I bought my first ever car from them in 1987 which shows how long they've been going. It was a 1983 A Reg Vauxhall Carlton. It had velour upholstery, tinted glass & a factory steel sunroof - back then I thought it was fab 
.
.A-AvantGarde
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2003
- Messages
- 4,693
- Location
- South Bucks
- Car
- 2023 Mercedes EQC400, 2015 Porsche 911 Turbo S, 2019 BMW X5 40i
Not bought a car from them either but have visited a number of times and a friend of mine has bought a car from them.
Their approach appears to be no-frills, as suggested above many of the cars are odd specs / high mileage. Although you do get some attractive priced / very good spec cars too.
My friend who bought a car from them did have some electrical problems, they got sorted out by a local approved dealer with either car giant / the warranty company stumping up the bill.
Some 5 years later said friend still has the car and is happy with it - he'd still go back to buy from them when the time comes - so I guess that's postiive?
Their approach appears to be no-frills, as suggested above many of the cars are odd specs / high mileage. Although you do get some attractive priced / very good spec cars too.
My friend who bought a car from them did have some electrical problems, they got sorted out by a local approved dealer with either car giant / the warranty company stumping up the bill.
Some 5 years later said friend still has the car and is happy with it - he'd still go back to buy from them when the time comes - so I guess that's postiive?
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2002
- Messages
- 7,673
- Location
- London\Essex
- Car
- E63s s213 2019, E55 2004 Silver-SOLD, E63 w212 Weistec AMG-SOLD, E55 2004-SOLD, C36 1997-SOLD
as above, normally ex lease cars, high milers, they didnt even used to valet them, straight off the truck onto the showroom for quick turnover.
Massive place, but I'd only go there if there was a specific car that I'd seen and they happened to be the people selling it.
As said above - I don't think they really value mint cars much more than your usual neglected repmobiles with dents/scratches etc.
A guy from work bought a top spec Espace there a while back. Was a nice example with low mileage and no real marks on the body or interior.
When he came to collect it, it was covered in scratches all over the front bonnet, windscreen and one headlight. Real, noticable, serious scratches. Turns out that one of the cleaners had used a scouring pad to remove bird cr*p that had come from the resident pigeons that live in the open-warehouse type areas
Sorry for the anecdote - but I don't think they were very forthcoming with getting it sorted out properly - they like the 'sold as seen' / no frills type approach. I guess that's why they can afford to be cheap on some stuff.
Will
As said above - I don't think they really value mint cars much more than your usual neglected repmobiles with dents/scratches etc.
A guy from work bought a top spec Espace there a while back. Was a nice example with low mileage and no real marks on the body or interior.
When he came to collect it, it was covered in scratches all over the front bonnet, windscreen and one headlight. Real, noticable, serious scratches. Turns out that one of the cleaners had used a scouring pad to remove bird cr*p that had come from the resident pigeons that live in the open-warehouse type areas
Sorry for the anecdote - but I don't think they were very forthcoming with getting it sorted out properly - they like the 'sold as seen' / no frills type approach. I guess that's why they can afford to be cheap on some stuff.
Will
recycled
MB Enthusiast
i'll be there in june if that is not too late for you.
I've bought two cars from there without any problems but recently went to check out the CLS 320 CDi sports they had there. Every single one had something wrong with it like missing service book or errors with the SRS sytem so be careful as there is no guarantee with car giant sales unless you pay some extra money which will cover you only upto £1000 per claim.
nick mercedes
MB Enthusiast
There has to be some comeback, they can't retail cars and then try to wriggle if there are problems.
Sale of goods act?
You're 100% right Nick - but strangely when I was with a guy from work who looked at an Espace there, I had a brief argument with them over that.
They tried to tell him that there was definately no warranty whatsoever, unless you took out a policy with them.
I pointed out that obviously this was incorrect, and that your basic rights as a customer still applied. He didn't seem to agree.
I know he was wrong, and I do wonder if this is strongly linked to any commission that they might receive from selling extended warranty policies...
Will
they manage to get around sale of good by basically being a trade supplier.. sale of goods doesnt apply to large trade sellers and auction houses.
Like has been said they simply bring cars in, unload them and add their fixed mark up which is in most cases £1100.
They dont usually get washed, prepared or checked in any way.
So as you can expect, some cars will be good, some will not.
Be careful.
Like has been said they simply bring cars in, unload them and add their fixed mark up which is in most cases £1100.
They dont usually get washed, prepared or checked in any way.
So as you can expect, some cars will be good, some will not.
Be careful.
Gucci
MB Enthusiast
My current ML350 is from there, as was my C-Class. Both have been reliable. I did check out the history of the ML as well as Car Giant (to test them 
) and there was finance outstanding - I rang Lex who said 'no, it's just been hanging about on our system, don't worry it's clear"!
I'd buy again from there. I did pay for 1 year warranty on oily bits. Bit of piece of mind when parting with that cash. But yes, if it fell to bits as I drove off, then they may push it back where the sun don't shine as it wouldn't be fit for purpose.
) and there was finance outstanding - I rang Lex who said 'no, it's just been hanging about on our system, don't worry it's clear"! I'd buy again from there. I did pay for 1 year warranty on oily bits. Bit of piece of mind when parting with that cash. But yes, if it fell to bits as I drove off, then they may push it back where the sun don't shine as it wouldn't be fit for purpose.
nick mercedes
MB Enthusiast
I thought anyone who retailed to customers could not use the "trade sale" escape route?
yep i thought that too but thats what one of the managers I know told me.
verytalldave
MB Enthusiast
Funnily enough I saw a A150 yesterday with a Cargiant sticker on the back window.
The car looked fine and well cared for..............but if it were mine I think I think I would remove it...............
The car looked fine and well cared for..............but if it were mine I think I think I would remove it...............
SG CL500
Active Member
I've bought a car from them about 4 years ago. I liked the idea that I could go round their site looking at several different makes/models that fitted the requirements (pretty basic family car, ended up with a Passat estate) and I could check out the differing spec levels for each car they had so much stock!
Most seemed high mileage rep cars, as has been said, with a few others thrown in.
Do be careful if you're trading in though. In my experience their offer is so comically low that, purely financially, there's not much difference between there and a local dealer who may have higher sticker prices but will haggle/give a better trade in.
Test drives were useless (couple hundred meters - and we managed to run one car out of fuel even then) and the buying process was a pain as we had to go back the next week and wait and wait and wait and wait...
Also - I think any dealer selling to the public is covered by Sale of Goods (amended) unless the car is cheap and sold as a trade in (there's a £ limit to value these cars can be sold at which I think is £2k). Anything over this limit is included within the act (ie has to be fit for purpose and remain so for a reasonable period etc.). This is as discussed with a solicitor, CAB and the dealer that supplied my Merc (although this was 3+ yrs ago and I've not kept up with changes - and note this was NOT Car Giant)!
Buying secondhand vehicles
Car Sales and Servicing Fact Sheet - BERR
Most seemed high mileage rep cars, as has been said, with a few others thrown in.
Do be careful if you're trading in though. In my experience their offer is so comically low that, purely financially, there's not much difference between there and a local dealer who may have higher sticker prices but will haggle/give a better trade in.
Test drives were useless (couple hundred meters - and we managed to run one car out of fuel even then) and the buying process was a pain as we had to go back the next week and wait and wait and wait and wait...
Also - I think any dealer selling to the public is covered by Sale of Goods (amended) unless the car is cheap and sold as a trade in (there's a £ limit to value these cars can be sold at which I think is £2k). Anything over this limit is included within the act (ie has to be fit for purpose and remain so for a reasonable period etc.). This is as discussed with a solicitor, CAB and the dealer that supplied my Merc (although this was 3+ yrs ago and I've not kept up with changes - and note this was NOT Car Giant)!
Buying secondhand vehicles
Car Sales and Servicing Fact Sheet - BERR
Avoid avoid avoid cargiant
I would AVOID car giant. The cars are ex-fleet high millage and although have service histories are not particularly well looked after. I was buying a 2004 e320cdi estate from there - it all looked ok - i paid the non-refunable deposit and was about to pick the car up - only then did i have the opportunity to scrutinise the log book. It became immediately apparent the last two services has been entered in the log on the same day - I queried it - they said I was wrong - they were the experts _ i said sod you and rejected the car - they then called out their senior manager who said i was wrong and i would loose my deposit - two more senior sales staff said the same thing. I then told the group manager that there were over 50 people picking up cars in this room - in 5 mins I am going to stand on a chair and make a public announcement that cargiant were endorsing falsified log books and that they should be wary. Straight away it was ' oh, no need for that sir - we will be pleased to refund you in full and can we get one of our drivers to drop you off any where ?' I took the offer of a free lift home - on the way the driver said this was common - they have a core of regular customers who buy cars, put very high millages on them, do not service them and return them for a part-exchange _ I almost got one of those dud cars. DO NOT BE TAKEN IN BY THE CARGIENT IKEA EXPERIENCE - they are as much at it as any little back-street under the arches dealer - most of their cars have some weird aspect - ie a high millage, rubbish interior colour, badly chipped nose and bumpers, or questionable histpry. avoid at all costs.http://www.MBClub.co.uk/forums/images/smilies/banana.gif
I would AVOID car giant. The cars are ex-fleet high millage and although have service histories are not particularly well looked after. I was buying a 2004 e320cdi estate from there - it all looked ok - i paid the non-refunable deposit and was about to pick the car up - only then did i have the opportunity to scrutinise the log book. It became immediately apparent the last two services has been entered in the log on the same day - I queried it - they said I was wrong - they were the experts _ i said sod you and rejected the car - they then called out their senior manager who said i was wrong and i would loose my deposit - two more senior sales staff said the same thing. I then told the group manager that there were over 50 people picking up cars in this room - in 5 mins I am going to stand on a chair and make a public announcement that cargiant were endorsing falsified log books and that they should be wary. Straight away it was ' oh, no need for that sir - we will be pleased to refund you in full and can we get one of our drivers to drop you off any where ?' I took the offer of a free lift home - on the way the driver said this was common - they have a core of regular customers who buy cars, put very high millages on them, do not service them and return them for a part-exchange _ I almost got one of those dud cars. DO NOT BE TAKEN IN BY THE CARGIENT IKEA EXPERIENCE - they are as much at it as any little back-street under the arches dealer - most of their cars have some weird aspect - ie a high millage, rubbish interior colour, badly chipped nose and bumpers, or questionable histpry. avoid at all costs.http://www.MBClub.co.uk/forums/images/smilies/banana.gif
robertjrt
Active Member
A good Warranty is worth the money
These stories do remind me of the "old" days, forecourt warranties, sold as seen/scrap. So, after 25 years of legislation its looks like its still going on.
The old adage "Buyer Beware" still holds.
It would seem that Trading Standards are not "policing" the motor trade from what I have read and experienced, why not? Consumer Direct are not much better.
The internet, this site and others is where you can learn things, research
it time well spent, although you can go to a main dealership, say, Mercedes-Benz for a quality car with a Warranty that may or may not be worth the paper it is written on for "peace of mind" and a lot more money, but, you do get "free" coffee.
These stories do remind me of the "old" days, forecourt warranties, sold as seen/scrap. So, after 25 years of legislation its looks like its still going on.
The old adage "Buyer Beware" still holds.
It would seem that Trading Standards are not "policing" the motor trade from what I have read and experienced, why not? Consumer Direct are not much better.
The internet, this site and others is where you can learn things, research
it time well spent, although you can go to a main dealership, say, Mercedes-Benz for a quality car with a Warranty that may or may not be worth the paper it is written on for "peace of mind" and a lot more money, but, you do get "free" coffee.
