What's the furthest you've driven to buy / collect a car?

I'm looking at getting a Fabia again and selling the GTI. Having a look on Gumtree and a perfect vRS pops up, only issue is that it's in Belfast! And considering I live in Ramsgate, Kent, that's a long way! Seriously considering it though.

Anyone made a similarly long journey to buy a car?

Edited 25 May, 201610 yr by tmwarner

The furthest I would have travelled would be around 400 miles, I test drove a car I liked when I was in Manchester and was preparing to come back down to get it except the garage starting mucking me about so I decided to leave it.  

 

I'd go further if there was a car I really wanted although it's a pain getting everything organised (test drive, VED, insurance etc.) in one go to save a return trip.

 

John

Edited 25 May, 201610 yr by JohnMcL7

Ive driven from Taunton somerset to Carrickfergus beyond Belfast and done it in a day crossing at stranraer, boy did I sleep that night

Aylesbury to Colchester - about 200 mile round trip.

 

Not sure I'd do anything that would require a plane/boat trip though. I'd rather up my budget by that cost and see if that netted any better results (although I'm sure you've done that).

 

I did leave my car in Katowice, Poland on a road trip last year and take an unplanned flight to Kiev and back if that counts?

Oh I would offer collection at Belfast airport and to your car if it would be of any use and of course wouldnt want anything for doing so. 

Nice to see I'm not the only one willing to drive a long way! I can fly there for a tenner but the 11 hour drive back is what's putting me off. Mainly as it's in a car I will have only owned for 10 minutes.

Oh I would offer collection at Belfast airport and to your car if it would be of any use and of course wouldnt want anything for doing so.

That's very kind of you, I'll definitely give you a shout if I decide to go ahead with it. Thank you.

I got my VRS in Brum a few weeks ago and drove it back via cairnryan and got to know it pretty well by then. If I were you id fly belfast, drive to dublin and ferry back via holyhead, be quicker and less miles than the rubbish road from the scotish port to Carlisle, Belfast Dublin is now about hour and half with new toll roads. 

That's very kind of you, I'll definitely give you a shout if I decide to go ahead with it. Thank you.

I dont make hollow offers, it would be no issue at all. If you wanted I can make sure the car actually exists as well before you travel. Recently done so for a friend from London who was buying a MG ZR 

Coming back from glagow last week i *may* have done belfast port to red cow interchange of M50 in about 110mins... inc a 15mins stop to get a BKing at lisburn services. Literally thats from rolling down the steel deck off the boat, to being on the N7... defny worth considering for your potential trip.

also, plenty irish people do the reverse to import vehicles from the UK as the second market there offers such better value than here.

I collected our Octavia from Liverpool to bring back to Sheffield and, more recently collected my Civic from Belfast to bring back to Sheffield...   the latter via Cairnryan.

The mongrel came from Biggar, Scotland.  I got a one way coach overnight up there and drove it back

Aberdeen to Aldershot, flew up the morning and drove back same day, car was the spec and had the history behind it.

Not as far as most above, but Bristol to Reading.

Hereford to Middlesborough for the vRS

Essex for my boy's MG ZR

East London for the other halfs moped

North West London for my XR4x4 (few years ago now)

Portsmouth for a previous moped (twice in fact - different bikes)

 think that's the longest ones, usually at least and hour or more away - good job i like a long journey/road trip, more fun than 20 mins up the road

Edited 26 May, 201610 yr by octyal

Some interesting stories above lads, glad I'm not the only one willing to drive a fair few miles for the right car. 

Still looking into it, definitely reckon I'd be better off driving to Dublin and getting the ferry from there Sweeperman? Thanks for the offer of checking the car out too, worst thing would be to fly there and then the car isn't as described! 

Edited 26 May, 201610 yr by tmwarner

Check the car hire companies as well. I looked at hiring a Fiat 500 and dropping it off at the local depot close to where I was going - downside was they weren't open by the time I was due to arrive, with no after hours drop off option either.

What's the furthest you've driven to buy / collect a car?

I'm looking at getting a Fabia again and selling the GTI. Having a look on Gumtree and a perfect vRS pops up, only issue is that it's in Belfast! And considering I live in Ramsgate, Kent, that's a long way! Seriously considering it though.

Anyone made a similarly long journey to buy a car?

 

Is it YT55MRX? 

Is it YT55MRX? 

 

 

It is indeed. Know anything about it? 

YT55 MRX is super rare with the maxidot/ satnav package

It is indeed. Know anything about it? 

 

Yes and no. It's essentially been for sale for 10 months on and off and was for sale on here around Oct/Sep last year first it came to my attention. Seems to have changed hands a few times since then which I find weird. Price last year was £3500 asking and I saw it just after I got my 56 black one and I was gutted due to the epic spec of that one, would have gone for it over mine despite the higher miles. I was trying to find original seller on here but I can't see it anywhere, might just have been mentioned in another thread due to the maxidot etc and linked? It does ring alarm bells with me, but might be unwarranted. That car 'should' have sold fairly quickly here at price and spec, that also makes me wonder why it appears to be moved on again so fast. I have even looked at it in that light and thought, even if there is something whats the worst it could be that wouldn't be worth replacing if the price was right? I would certainly not touch it without VCDS first and a very long test drive. 

Could all be same seller who changed mind a few times and kept putting it up for sale too, just been advertised more than any vRS in the history of the Mk1 Fabia I search every other day the vRS stock in NI for sale and it's been on a lot.

Edited 26 May, 201610 yr by FUBAR

YT55 MRX is super rare with the maxidot/ satnav package

Plus the holy grail factory (non SE) leather  :cocktail:

Yes and no. It's essentially been for sale for 10 months on and off and was for sale on here around Oct/Sep last year first it came to my attention. Seems to have changed hands a few times since then which I find weird. Price last year was £3500 asking and I saw it just after I got my 56 black one and I was gutted due to the epic spec of that one, would have gone for it over mine despite the higher miles. I was trying to find original seller on here but I can't see it anywhere, might just have been mentioned in another thread due to the maxidot etc and linked? It does ring alarm bells with me, but might be unwarranted. That car 'should' have sold fairly quickly here at price and spec, that also makes me wonder why it appears to be moved on again so fast. I have even looked at it in that light and thought, even if there is something whats the worst it could be that wouldn't be worth replacing if the price was right? I would certainly not touch it without VCDS first and a very long test drive. 

 

That's some good advice, thanks for taking the time to write it up. 

I thought I had seen it for sale before but wasn't sure. I didn't think it would hang around for long considering the rarity of the spec! 

It makes me wonder whether it is worth the long journey considering the amount of owners it has had and how often it's been for sale. Curious. 

I drove from Leicester to Portsmouth twice to look at then collect my vrs.

Worth it as I wanted a white dsg with alcantara trim.

6 months on and no complaints

That's some good advice, thanks for taking the time to write it up. 

I thought I had seen it for sale before but wasn't sure. I didn't think it would hang around for long considering the rarity of the spec! 

It makes me wonder whether it is worth the long journey considering the amount of owners it has had and how often it's been for sale. Curious. 

 

If you got it for say £2100/£2150 (I'd think that should be easily achieved) and it turned out to have something thats been scaring all off. You still have the ability to swap seats out for originals and 4 new tyres etc and sell on again for £1500-£1750 back home. Reason it may not have sold can always be the same sceptical view I take on it with being advertised again. Defiantly worth a good going over with someone who knows their stuff, I wonder how much it would cost to fire it into the nearest Skoda dealer on viewing for a XXX point inspection?