What Car? guide to car supermarkets - Ian Shipton Cars, Burton-on-Trent

CHOICE
There were lots of cars to view, with popular models making up most of the stock. Prestige cars, MPVs and a few pick-ups were also for sale. Ages ranged from nearly new to five years old. None of the cars had data sheets in them, though, so browsing for the right cars was difficult.

PRICES
Prices were up to 3.5% lower than those in trade guides.

DID IT HAVE THE CARS WE SAW ONLINE?
We struggled to find the vehicles spotted online because there were no data sheets in the cars.

HIDDEN CHARGES
There is an extra fee of £41 which covers paper and administration charges. Road tax is also payable.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THINGS GO WRONG?
In addition to the balance of the manufacturer's warranty, we were offered to extend the cover for an extra year for £399, or two years for £699, although our salesman indicated he might do a deal on warranty cover to get a sale.

FINANCE
We were quoted a finance deal on our chosen Focus quickly and easily. The rate worked out to an APR of about 11%.

PART-EXCHANGE
Our Mondeo got an offer of £5200, although it didn't get a very thorough appraisal. The price was valid until the end of the month and was valid against any car we chose to buy.

TEST DRIVE
Taking a test drive was no problem and we had 10 minutes on a good selection of local roads, which gave us a reasonable idea of the car's performance.

CONDITION
Most cars were in good condition inside and out, but some had a few tiny dents. Our salesman said these dents would be taken out prior to delivery.

CUSTOMER SERVICE
We managed to wander for ages through the showroom and round the forecourt without being greeted by a salesman. Eventually we gave up and asked the receptionist if we could see someone.

Salesman Darrell didn't seem very enthusiastic at first, but then leapt into action, finding us a car, offering a test drive and having a quick look at our Mondeo part-exchange. He was very relaxed and friendly, and didn't apply any sales pressure to try to close the deal. By the end of our chat he had given us all the relevant information, including a finance quote.

VERDICT
Lower-than-average prices, a good choice of cars and – once you can find a salesman – good customer service.

IAN SHIPTON CARS
James Brindley Way, Stretton, Burton-on-Trent, Derbyshire DE13 0LB
Web: ianshiptoncars.co.uk
Phone: 01283 542 983