Preparation policy
Richard Preston motors preparation policy:
Richard Preston motors at all times tries its very best to prepare every car to the best standard they can within reasonable expectation for the age and mileage of the vehicle. By their very nature, used cars have been used and on occasions show signs of use and wear. Please bear in mind that, while we try our very best, the vehicles that we sell will not be perfect. Our policy is as follows:
By proceeding with a purchase, you agree to these terms and conditions. This does not affect your statutory rights.
Preparation:
Every car gets either a new MOT and interim service when it comes into stock at a garage of our choosing or, if the car has been MOT’d and serviced in the last month or 6000 miles (which ever is closest to the date and mileage of the car coming into stock) will carry out a visual inspection and road test of the car to ensure everything is working as expected. In every instance we try to have a MOT with no advisories, however, sometimes due to cost and timescale factors this isn’t always possible. Richard Preston motors reserves the right to decide what advisories are acceptable on a car for sale at any given time. When coming to view a vehicle for sale, please take the time to inspect and drive it so you are fully satisfied with the car before proceeding.
The following work is carried out on the interim service:
Up to 10 litres of oil*
Oil filter change
Tyre tread depth, pressure and condition checks
Multiple brake system checks
Power steering oil top-up
Screen wash top-up
Diagnostics ‘warning lights’ check
10 interior / exterior checks
9 engine / under bonnet checks
8 under vehicle checks
Road test (before and after service)
Service light reset (subject to equipment capability)
Exceptions are for cars over 16 years old or 100,000 – These cars will only receive a Vehicle health check, top up of the fluids where required and a road test
Bodywork:
Where appropriate we will machine polish scratches, carry out reasonable smart repair work, refurbish alloy wheels, touch up stone chips and scratches. On occasion, there will be items on work required on the car that are too significant for us to carry out. In these instances, the work will be passed to a 3rd party provider to facilitate or the issue will be declared and the car will be priced accordingly. This includes all body panels, underneath and all glass. If you are not happy with the condition of the bodywork on the car, please speak to us about you concerns prior to purchase.
Service history:
Where available, we will in every instance be open and honest about the service history of the car. This history will normally be shown in the photographs and the video of the car. There will sometimes be invoices and receipts for work carried out, we will not show this in photos and video if it has customer data on it but you are more than welcome to see it in person when you come to view the car. In some cases, we do not have any history for a car as it may have been lost, or misplaced. If you are not happy with the history provided on the car, please speak to us about you concerns prior to purchase.
Wearable items:
By their very nature, used cars will have used parts on them. While we try our very best to ensure that the vehicles we sell are safe and reliable, there must be a reasonable expectation from you, as the customer that vehicles will always need some for of repair and maintenance in your ownership period. Typically, the older/more miles the car has covered, the more it will need moving forward. When coming to view a vehicle for sale, please take the time to inspect and drive it so you are fully satisfied with the car before proceeding. The warranty we provide does not cover wearable items. If you are not happy with the wearable items (tyres, brakes, exhaust, air conditioning gas, batteries et al.) on the car, please speak to us about you concerns prior to purchase. Post purchase, any wearable items that need replacing on the vehicle are responsibility on the owner/keeper and not Richard Preston motors.
Cambelts & Aux belts:
Where available, we will declare if we are aware that a cambelt has been changed on a car. However, in a lot of instances, if there is no invoice/receipt for the work in the car, it is not in the service book or written on the engine/bonnet etc we are not able to confirm this. It is the policy or Richard Preston motors not to change belts on a car irrespective of the recommended interval. This is due to cost and time timescale factors. It is the responsibility of the owner of the car to ensure the vehicles servicing is kept up to date including cambelts. If you are worried about the cambelt for any reason please either have the work carried out after purchase at your cost and convenience. As a wearable/serviceable item, belt failure is not covered by our warranty
Automatic gearboxes and AWD vehicles
Where available, we will declare if we are aware that the gearbox or AWD system has been serviced on a car. However, in a lot of instances, if there is no invoice/receipt for the work in the car, it is not in the service book or written on the engine/bonnet etc we are not able to confirm this. It is the policy or Richard Preston motors not to carry out a gearbox or AWD system service on a car irrespective of the recommended interval. This is due to cost and time timescale factors. It is the responsibility of the owner of the car to ensure the vehicles servicing is kept up to date including gearbox and AWD system services. If you are worried about the gearbox or AWD system for any reason please either have the work carried out after purchase at your cost and convenience.
Electric vehicles
Where possible we will state the battery health for the vehicle and the estimated range based on the cars trip computer. We will always try to ensure the vehicle is fully charged at the point of viewing, test drive and collection where possible. As the customer, it is your responsibility to ensure that the vehicle is suitable for your driving requirements based on the battery health and range. We will not accept a rejection of a vehicle based on the battery health and range requitements as this can be altered by many factors including, but not limited to, driving style, charging behaviour, average road speed, weather & climate, charging infrastructure you require. You must have a realistic expectation that a used electric vehicle will not have the same range as a brand new one.
Age and usage expectations
When buying a brand new vehicle, it is fair and reasonable to expect that all of the components on the vehicle will be brand new. Conversely, when buying, for example, a ten year old vehicle, it is fair and reasonable to expect that all of the components will be ten years old. During that ten years of use and wear, some of the consumable and wearable items may have been upgraded or replaced, tyres and brakes as an example. We ask that you have a realistic expectation that some of these parts on may need renewing in your period of ownership. Once we have made good a vehicle for sale via our preparation process (above) Richard Preston motors does not accept any responsibility or liability for any wearable or consumable components post purchase. This may include, but not limited to, batteries, brakes, tyres, bushes, air conditioning gas, exhaust, fluids etc. Please consider this before proceeding with a purchase as a ten year old vehicle will need more of these parts renewing than a new one.