FAQs

How long does the process take?

How long has Palmdale been going for?

Can I part-exchange my old car?

Do I pay you for the car?

How do I know that you will find exactly the car I want?

What do you do to make sure that the car is perfect for me?

When do I pay you?

What are the expenses?

How do you prove that you saved me money?

What if I am not happy with your work?

Does the car belong to you at any time?

What warranty do I get with my car?

Do you sell cars on behalf of people too?

How long does the process take?
We will try our very best to make sure that your shiny new car is on your drive within 2 weeks. Sometimes it can take a little longer but it can also be quicker too.
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How long has Palmdale been going for?
4 wonderful years now (how time flies)!
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Can I part-exchange my old car?
Absolutely. But rather than getting just one offer on your car we send the details round to a number of local traders to ensure you get the best price.
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Do I pay you for the car?
No, you pay the dealer directly. Quite simply, this is done for your security. Don't worry though, we will arrange the whole payment process for you and advise you how to do it securely.
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How do I know that you will find exactly the car I want?
We have a document that we call the Car Purchasing Checklist. It lists every aspect of the car we are going to look for, and you are asked to check it and sign it before we start.
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What do you do to make sure that the car is perfect for me?
Absolutely loads! Every car has a full car data check to make sure that it has no dodgy history, plus our drivers complete an 8 page report before taking the car away from the dealer - if it’s not good enough, it doesn't get bought! Although most cars we buy come from main dealers, we can also sometimes arrange an independent Vehicle Inspection (depending on where the car is located, but often for as little as £90 +VAT).
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When do I pay you?
We ask for nothing more than the first £150 +VAT of the fee upfront, however this is refunded in full if we cannot find any cars that meet your specification. Everything else including the expenses is paid upon delivery of the car.
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What are the expenses?
Train fares, fuel and the driver's time are the most common expenses. You may ask us to have certain work done to your car before you receive it and this is also considered as part of the expenses. (One client had £10,000 of upgrades done to his car before delivery!) All expenses are approved by you beforehand, so there are no nasty surprises and they are all at cost.
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How do you prove that you saved me money?
We have a huge great computer* that calculates the cost of the car, adds the fee and any expenses and then compares this to the CAP Black Book or Glass's Guide suggested retail value. For all cars costing more than £7,500, if the total figure is more than the 'book' value we discount our fee until they are the same, even up to the point when there’s no fee. (*Actually, it is just a simple spreadsheet we use, but that hardly sounds as impressive, does it?)
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What if I am not happy with your work?
We are not too sure - no-one has ever been unhappy! But our service comes with a satisfaction guarantee that allows you to request a full refund of your fee, for any reason.
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Does the car belong to you at any time?
Sadly not. The car is legally transferred from the seller directly to you. (We all have enough cars of our own anyway. And if our wives/husbands heard that we had more cars in our name, we would get in big trouble!)
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What warranty do I get with my car?
Most cars come with a warranty from the manufacturer for the first 3 years of their life. What the car industry doesn't want you to know is that once the car is over 3 years old, aftermarket warranties have very limited coverage and are sometimes not even worth the paper they are written on. If you want a warranty, we much prefer to recommend a suitable warranty for you to buy.
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Do you sell cars on behalf of people too?
Not any more, however we are always happy to help clients who wish to sell their old car themselves with as much free help and advice as they can handle.
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