And didn't the OP have the wit to google manheim. So fly ryanair and see how they'll fleece you, but that is another story. Nothing is for free, Go to motorpoint, ask about a car that has to be brought from another depot and they'll charge you an extra £150 to get the car to you. the private buyer will always get hammered. Long gone are the days where you or I could buy an old banger cheap at auction. it continually amazes me how many people see a car and the brain closes down because that's the one they want, and forget to ask even the most basic questions, when there is a problem don't bother to get the trader to put it right under SOGA and then complain 6 months and 2 days later that they have been brushed off. but it's been the same since someone sold billy the kid a stolen horse... and since wheels started falling off hadrians 2nd hand 1 owner chariots,,,,

some of the larger car supermarkets are good, just be sure of what you want, i was given a budget by a very good old friend (67 years old and not wise in the ways of world) to buy a newish car for him. Got him a chevrolet aveo 1.4 lt from Ron Skinners, south wales, admin fee dropped on negotiating, car was valeted AND serviced free of charge and delivered under cover in poor weather. all he had to do was give deposit over the phone and pay on delivery. But I crossed the t's and dotted the i's beforehand. balance of warranty (more than 2 years) and saved himself £4200 against list price. car had couple of thousand miles on it. he has had it now for 16 months and is very very happy. they also has brand new unregistered hyundai i30's for £8799. But each to his own, another friend will only buy new, my brother in law goes back to a main dealer every 3 years like clockwork and always gets a new car. and by that brand spanking new. and consequently pays for the privilege. Personally it is 10 years since i bought a brand new car, since the have gone down the not quite new route via car supermarket or main dealer if price right. Safe driving to all.

Ben 10, final comment, if you are localish to slough, i have bought 5 cars for me and friends over the past 13 years, but they won't service them unless you pay,same for valeting, but sometimes will knock off the admin fee. I have never had a complaint about them.

In response to an earlier post;

I was not complaining that the buyers fee was a suprise, i was complaining at the cost which has increased and as a result does not encourage private buyers.

I do share the view about auction prices being similar to private values; this is certainly the case below £2k.

Crikey, another source of buying a car out the window. Back in the late 80's/ealry 90's, I bought a few cars at blackbushe and cant remember being fleeced with $$$$$$ on top of the hammer price. Is it endemic over there now. Making plans to buy a nice car on our return to the UK and where to buy it. I must admit, some prices on Autotrader seem quite good in comparison to Ebay....Any stories on car Giant?

Will just add my views to the mix. I am a private buyer and buy cars for my own or wife's use. We have bought five cars in total now from BCA since about 2005 and have always been happy but as has already been mentioned, the buyers fees for private individuals has become ridiculous. I bought a Mondeo from Belle Vue in April 2011. The hammer price was £1300 but the fees were £300 plus £26 for the logbook so a £1300 then becomes £1626 or very roughly another 25%+ on top of the hammer price. So for now, that's me done with BCA. I would rather now buy from a private seller on Autotrader or E-bay, etc and try and haggle if necessary to the price I want to pay.