WHEELER Dealers star Mike Brewer has revealed his top tips for buying a car, which could save you thousands.
The popular presenter, 59, who co-hosts the TV show with Marc ‘Elvis’ Priestley, is a dab-hand at buying cars having been a dealer for many years.
YouTube/Car Dealer magazineOne of Mike’s top tips was to make sure you do your homework before going to an auction[/caption]
GettyBrewer warned not to get ‘carried away’ by the excitement of a car auction, here Porsches are lined up at a classic car auction at Tarporley, Cheshire[/caption]
He imparted his expert knowledge to Car Dealer magazine on how to get the best deal without landing yourself in hot water.
First off, he advised: “Never turn up at an auction without doing your homework first.
“Know exactly what you want to do so fill your library before you fill your garage.”
Brewer added: “Make sure that you’re armed with information.”
He also warned that any auction novice should really take along an experienced person with them.
Brewer also said you should always buy a car with a warranty.
He said: “Be careful what you’re looking at, at the auction, if a car is sold with no warranty that means when the hammer goes down it’s yours.
“If you drive off the forecourt and the engine falls out, they’ll hand you a shovel until you move it off their forecourt.”
Even with a warranty that doesn’t mean you can take it back to the car dealership, a warranty at auction effectively means that you will get an hour after you pay for the car to test it to make sure that you’re happy with it.
If not, you can return it back to the auction for a refund.
Brewer also advised people shouldn’t get “carried away” by the excitement of being at an auction house.
He said: “You can stand there and get carried away with the emotion of being in an auction room and outbid yourself.
“I’ve seen that many, many a time.”
Brewer added: “Set your ceiling price and stick to it. Absolutely stick to it.
“Remember once you’ve set your ceiling price and stuck to it when the hammer goes down that’s not the end of it.
“You have to pay a premium on top of that to the auction house for the privilege of buying the car, so you need to make sure all of those things you’re wary of before you turn up at an auction house.”
Despite those warnings though he said: “Trust me, you get it right you can have an amazing day out of great fun and grab yourself a bargain.”
Brewer also gave away some of his secrets you need to do while at the auction as well.
In the YouTube footage he said: “Look behind me there are cars running through an auction hall, so that means the car is running, that means there’s somebody sitting behind the steering wheel of that car.
“So first and foremost I’ll be stood next to the car when it fires up just to check nothing nasty is coming out the exhaust pipe.
“Secondly, I’ll be talking to that person, I’ll be saying to that person ‘what’s the clutch feel like? What did the brake feel like? Steering feel good? Can you give it a little rev for me?’”
While you can’t take the car for a test drive at the auction, he said that you do have someone sat in the car that is doing a sort of test drive for you.
Once he’s asked all the questions he needs to, he’ll stand back and just look at the car as well as note what other potential buyers are noticing.
Another good tip, he said, was not to forget cars have things that come out of them like spare wheels, tools and cigarette lighters.
Brewer said: “Make sure that you open the boot, lift up the carpet, make sure it’s got a spare wheel, make sure it’s got the tools, make sure it’s got a cigarette lighter.”
He warned all those things can easily vanish at auction house, and if you buy a car without a spare wheel, you might have to fork out a £1,000 to get a replacement spare wheel.
It comes as the motors expert revealed the ‘saddest move car lovers can make’ – and what you should do instead.
He also advised not to ignore the five ways to protect your car in winter – and where you should never leave it.
And Brewer opened up on how two decades at the helm nearly cost him his marriage while hinting at retirement in an interview last week.
It comes as motorists face losing hundreds as dealerships bring in ‘buying bans’ and second-hand cars plummet in value.
The TV presenter advised to always set a limit on the price and stick to it