A Guide To Buying A Car During The Coronavirus Pandemic
The continuing COVID-19 crisis has undoubtedly been an extremely difficult time for great numbers of us. It’s also forced us to take greatly different approaches to aspects of our lives that we might have previously taken for granted – such as the process of buying a car.
So, how can you ensure that amid all of the unpredictability of the pandemic, you don’t merely manage to purchase a car if you need one, but also the right car, at the right price?
Health and safety comes first!
We’d hope we wouldn’t need to emphasise this, but we will anyway. As various parts of the UK continue to be subject to different and ever-evolving restrictions or lockdowns, we would urge you to keep up to date with, and follow, the latest advice in your area of the country.
So, before buying a car, be sure to consult the current information and rules for England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
Also continue to follow such widespread health and safety practices as regular hand-washing, responsible social distancing, and the wearing of face coverings, especially in situations when you may be in close physical proximity to a dealer or private seller.
Can I still buy a car right now?
The short answer is – yes! But depending on the rules where you are, it may not be quite the same process as you were used to before the pandemic.
In England at the type of timing, for example, the latest lockdown has required brick-and-mortar dealerships to close their physical premises to the public until at least 2nd December 2020. But dealers are still widely offering home delivery and click-and-collect services even now, so it’s still perfectly possible to buy a car through them.
It remains possible to purchase a car from a private seller as well, of course. But this is where safety considerations may come into play. A used car bought from a private individual may still be in regular use, and might not therefore be thoroughly cleaned for whoever purchases it.
By contrast, dealers tend to have the staff and resources to carry out a top-to-bottom, inside-out clean of both new and used cars before handing the keys to a buyer. So, for safety reasons alone, you might feel slightly more inclined to purchase from a trusted dealer than from a private seller during the pandemic.
What else do I need to consider when buying a car amid COVID-19?
As you might imagine, a lot of the emphasis right now when it comes to car sales – for dealers and private sellers alike – is minimising physical contact and the associated risk of virus transmission.
This helps to explain why the car sales process is currently largely happening remotely. You might do that from the research stage by consulting online reviews and videos of the car models you’re interested in. Then, you might check out our car finance calculator to figure out how much you could afford to borrow to finance your dream car.
In fact, more-or-less the whole process of buying a car can be done online through us. You just need to spend two minutes filling in and submitting our straightforward application form, and we’ll give you a decision on the same day.
We’ll present you with a no-obligation quote, drawing from our panel of lenders, and once approved, you can choose from hundreds of quality used cars from our carefully selected dealers. Or if you can’t find the car you desire in our present stock, our vehicle sourcing experts can help to find your dream vehicle for you.
Even once it’s time to take the keys for your new car, we’ll deliver the vehicle to you, in a contactless fashion, for free – fully sanitised too, for your complete peace of mind.
Now could be a great time to buy a car!
While none of us here at CarFinanceGenie can predict the future, the current moment may be an especially good time to take out a car finance agreement, due to the continued historically low-interest rates we’ve seen throughout the pandemic.
Whether you do or don’t buy a car during the coronavirus situation, you should make sure you do everything possible to keep yourself and the people around you safe, including staying at home as much as you can and maintaining appropriate physical distance from others.
And of course, you definitely shouldn’t arrange an in-person meeting with any dealer or private seller if you develop symptoms of COVID-19; instead, follow the relevant self-isolation rules in your part of the country. From the CarFinanceGenie team… stay safe, stay healthy and #WishUponACar!
