0114 698 1430
sales@gtautomotivegroup.co.ukWhere do your cars come from? Why don’t you buy from auction?
We don’t buy from auction. Every car we sell is chosen individually, and it has to pass our checks before we’ll even buy it, let alone put it on the forecourt.
Auction cars are bought blind. No proper look at the history, no chance to inspect the car in person, and often there’s a reason it ended up there in the first place. We’d rather buy fewer cars and know exactly what each one is than fill the forecourt with stock we can’t stand behind.
Here’s what we actually do before we buy a car:
- We look at how long the owner has kept it. A car someone’s owned and cared for over several years tells a very different story to one that’s changed hands every few months.
- We go through the service history. Whether it’s main-dealer stamps, a trusted independent garage, or an owner who’s mechanically trained and serviced it properly themselves, we want to see that it’s been looked after, and we judge each car on what’s actually there.
- We HPI-check it. No outstanding finance, no hidden write-off, no clocking.
- We sanity-check the price against similar cars on the market, and confirm what optional extras and spec it’s carrying, so it’s priced fairly and you know exactly what you’re getting.
- We physically view it. Only once we’re happy on paper do we go and inspect the car in person to confirm its cosmetic condition.
What we won’t buy, no matter what:
- Insurance write-offs. No Cat A, B, S or N, none of them. Every car we sell is a straight car, never written off.
- Cars with no traceable history. If there’s no service record and nothing we can trace anywhere, we won’t touch it.
- Accident-damaged cars. A few scuffs or kerbed wheels are normal, and we smart-repair those ourselves before sale. But we don’t buy cars that have actually been hit, no smash jobs.
- An unusually high number of owners for the type of car. (Supercars are the exception, they naturally change hands more often, and that’s normal for them.)
If it doesn’t stack up at any stage, we walk away. That’s the whole point, by the time a car reaches our forecourt, it’s already been through more scrutiny than most cars ever get. When you buy from us, you’re buying a car we chose on purpose.
Do your cars come with a warranty?
Yes. Every car includes a 6-month warranty as standard, at no extra cost. If you’d like longer cover, you can extend it to 12 months.
A lot of people assume a used car means no cover, or that a warranty is something you have to pay extra for. Not here, it’s included on every car we sell.
Can I sell you my car if I’m not buying one from you?
Yes. You don’t have to buy a car from us to sell us yours.
Most people think part-exchange only works if they’re buying their next car at the same time, that you trade the old one in against the new one. You can do that with us, but you can also just sell us your car outright, with nothing to buy in return.
We’ll look at almost anything. Even if it’s not a car we’d sell ourselves, we work with plenty of trade buyers, so we can usually make you a fair offer either way. The only thing we’re not interested in is insurance write-offs, no Cat A, B, S or N. For everything else, bring it in for a valuation and we’ll see what we can do.
Are your cars HPI-checked?
Yes. Every vehicle is HPI-clear and fully checked before it’s listed.
That means no hidden history (no insurance write-offs, no clocking) and no outstanding finance owing on the car. When you buy from us, the car is yours clean, with nothing carried over from a previous owner.
Do you offer finance?
Yes. We work with a panel of trusted lenders covering prime, mid-prime and sub-prime customers, so whatever your credit profile, we’ll do our best to find a deal that fits you at a rate relevant to your circumstances.
You can apply before you visit or while you’re here. We start with a soft search, which gives you a reliable indication of your rate without affecting your credit file. If you’re happy to proceed, the lender confirms affordability through open banking and, only with your permission, carries out a full application.
Some decisions are instant; others can take up to an hour. And if you’ve been declined for finance elsewhere, it’s still worth asking, as we can often find a lender when others have said no.
Can I reserve a car?
Yes. If you’ve found a car you want, get in touch and we can take a £250 reservation deposit by bank transfer or card. That takes the car off sale and holds it for you until your appointment, up to a maximum of 7 days.
The deposit is fully refundable. We only ask that you leave one if you’re seriously committed to buying, subject to viewing and driving the car to confirm it’s exactly as described. If you come and it isn’t right for you, you get your £250 back, no problem.
Do you deliver, or do I need to collect?
Both are fine, but we’ll be honest about which we prefer. We’d always recommend collecting your car in person. You get to meet us, go over the car properly, and drive it away yourself, which is a far better experience than a stranger dropping it on your doorstep.
That said, we know collection isn’t always practical, so we do offer delivery. We arrange this through a trusted transport company, with the cost worked out per car based on distance, usually from around £2 per mile. It can vary depending on where you are and any local charges along the way, such as clean-air or congestion zones, so we’ll give you an exact delivery quote before anything’s agreed.
Can I test drive a car before I buy?
Yes, and we’d encourage it. To drive a car, please bring your driving licence with you. If you don’t have the physical licence, bring your driving licence number and National Insurance number along with another form of ID, and we can sort it from there.
All test drives are accompanied. A member of our team comes with you, and we follow a set route that covers a good mix of roads, including a few rougher surfaces, so you can hear and feel exactly how the car handles. We’ve nothing to hide, so we want you to put it through its paces.
We’d recommend booking an appointment. That way we can have the car fully ready for you, and where possible set things up so you can drive away the same day.
What are your opening hours?
Sales
Monday to Friday: 9:30am to 6:00pm (last appointment 5:30pm)
Saturday: 9:30am to 5:00pm (last appointment 4:30pm)
Sunday and bank holidays: closed
Workshop
Monday to Friday: 8:30am to 5:00pm
Saturday and Sunday: closed
We book the last appointment a little before closing so we’ve got time to present your car properly and never rush a handover. If you’re planning to drive away the same day, an earlier appointment gives us the best chance to get everything sorted for you.
Where are you based?
You’ll find us at Unit 3, 1 Orgreave Way, Sheffield, S13 9LS.
We’re just off Retford Road, directly opposite the DVSA test centre, and we share a large car park with Mudfords, so there’s plenty of room to park. Google Maps will bring you straight to us. If you’re coming for an appointment and can’t see us straight away, give us a call and we’ll point you in.