With distance purchasing you have much better protection than buying face to face. I suspect that the dealer wants to get you there before the day of the handover to get round this.

When I bought my last car it was all done over the phone and I signed the paperwork on collection.

With regards to GAP buy on line but you will have to sign at the dealers to acknowledge you were offered it and refused.

It seems to be increasingly common - salesmen just go into automatic pilot - just put your foot down and say no.

It might be an issue if you're paying cash literally, as they do have to make checks under the Money Laundering Act but if you're paying by bank transfer from an account in your name, that shouldn't be an issue.

They'll probably try to get you to pay a day or two early - refuse, don't pay a penny until you've had chance to inspect the vehicle.

As far as GAP insurance goes, check if your insurance policy gives "new-for-old" in the first year, many do, so you don't need GAP until it's 12 months old.

Edited by RT on 19/12/2016 at 16:46

As far as GAP insurance goes, check if your insurance policy gives "new-for-old" in the first year, many do, so you don't need GAP until it's 12 months old.

True but there is a catch.

Buy GAP when the car is a year old and it will not be a "back to invoice" policy. It will an "agreed value" policy with the agreed value being the figure from Glass's guide at the time you buy the policy.

But some GAP providers will allow you to buy a policy within 6 months of purchasing the car and delay the start until the car is a year old. You get "back to invice" that way.

Totally irrelevant if your own insurers don't have the new replacement clause in for one year.

GAP providers obviously vary.

I took out GAP insurance at 11 months old (bought new) as I did have a replacement clause - I had a choice of return to invoice or agreed value - despite a restricted chioce of providers as invoice value was over £50,000

Edited by RT on 19/12/2016 at 17:11