What Car? Q&A - Do car supermarkets beat dealers?

Q: We are thinking of buying a Vauxhall Astra from Motorhouse 2000, but are not sure how such car supermarkets work. Where are these cars sourced and should we ask for the history of the car? Is it more risky than buying from a franchised dealer? Supermarket cars seem much cheaper than our local Vauxhall dealer, who is trying to sell us a 54-plate Astra 1.7 CDTi Club estate with 17,000 miles for £10,000. Is this expensive?
Paul Crosfield

A: Supermarkets need not seem daunting if you check cars thoroughly and are prepared to shop around. Prices are often highly competitive and one of the main differences is that you're not expected to haggle, as you do with a dealer. Generally, the price you see in the windscreen is the price you pay.

Motorhouse 2000 also scored well in our supermarket guide last year, with a good selection of high-quality cars and friendly service, although our mystery shoppers were given a low part-exchange value for their current car.

Many car supermarkets perform multi-point checks and tests on all their stock. However, those conducted by manufacturer's approved-used schemes such as Vauxhall's Network Q usually go into greater depth (Network Q carries out a 114-point check on each vehicle).You'll find a much longer warranty on an approved used car than one supplied by a supermarket.

After haggling, a supermarket's price advantage may not be as great as it first appears, and franchised dealers are sometimes more generous with their part-exchange valuations.

However, the key is to shop around. Take advantage of the supermarkets' massive stock – if you're not happy with any aspect of a particular car, the chances are you'll find another one quickly, especially with something as plentiful as a Vauxhall Astra.

Supermarket stock can come from numerous places. Many cars may be part-exchanges from dealerships, much like the local dealer you've visited. Others could have come from hire or leasing companies, or fleet cars owned by businesses.

Whatever the vehicle, you should always inspect the service history and documents before buying, and ask where the dealer acquired the car from, as they should keep a record.

Some cars may be imported from dealerships abroad. You can find this out by looking at service records – a foreign dealer's stamp from when the car was new points to an import. They should be to UK-specification and right-hand-drive. Check carefully if you want a respectable resale value in a few years.

Alternatively, make a note of the VIN and contact the car company's UK headquarters to find out if it was originally from the UK.

The price your local Vauxhall dealer gave for the Astra estate seems on a par with similar cars nationwide, but don't pay the screen price. Take a print-out of the prices for those supermarket cars – it could help the salesman move closer to supermarket prices, if you do choose to buy from a Vauxhall dealer.