Following concerns raised by BBC Watchdog on Wednesday evening (6 April 2022), many car drivers looking to buy a used car might be wondering whether they can confidently buy a used car online. Or perhaps you’re a Cazoo customer, concerned if your new motor is affected by the issues raised in the programme.
We’re here to clarify the points raised and help you navigate the next steps if you’re worried you’ve been affected.
Why has the BBC been investigating Cazoo?
A BBC Watchdog investigation has cited concerns over the 300-point inspection Cazoo claims to do on all of its vehicles. The One Show segment looked at three Cazoo customers, all of whom have experienced issues with key components, namely brakes, exhaust and traction control, after purchasing their new used car from the online platform—issues they believe should have been picked up during inspection.
All customers featured in the programme confirmed that the aftercare sales from Cazoo’s customer service team was proactive and positive, including financial compensation and vehicles exchanges. BBC Watchdog presenter Matt Allwright asked what value the 300-point inspection had if, when asked, Cazoo could not provide evidence of such an inspection.
Doesn’t Cazoo have a record on the checks it does?
Yes, so it says. One of the most surprising pieces of information to surface from the BBC’s enquiry is the lack of customer-facing records of these checks. Though the company states an internal record is made, at present it does not have a document to share with customers upon request. Such a list would easily confirm and verify the 300-point inspection the vehicles have undergone before they are listed for sale on Cazoo’s website. This is the crux of Watchdog’s concerns.
Likely inspired by used car sale schemes that came before it, Cazoo isn’t the only company to use multi-point vehicle and provenance checks to ensure used vehicle safety, roadworthiness and finance-free status before being sold on. All approved used schemes by manufacturers carry out a varying number of vehicle checks. Used car and cost of ownership manager at Suzuki, Ian Banks states,
‘[For mechanical checks], we make 81 checks, which are completed on a sheet. The customer can be sure these are done, as they’re required to validate the warranty we offer’.
Cazoo is an independent company, not a manufacturer-backed approved used car scheme. But the claimed 300-point inspection is a far greater number than even the best approved-used scheme, such the 165 checks carried out as part of Jaguar Land Rover’s programme. Comparatively, Cazoo’s direct competitor, Cinch, has a 225-point inspection it lists on its website. Though this ‘225’ includes at least eight checks on features that aren’t available on every car, there seems to be more transparency to build customer confidence here.
Does Cazoo check its own cars?
Initially, Cazoo had a partnership with BCA Automotive, which also refurbishes the cars of WeBuyAnyCar.com. However, in February 2021, Cazoo acquired Smart Fleet Solutions (SFS), a leading vehicle reconditioning business, so the work is now done in-house.
That means when Cazoo buys a car, it goes through one of its own ‘reconditioning centres’ to do the inspections, checks and prep it ready for photos. By most accounts, the SFS operation is very professional; set out like a factory line to ensure everything runs smoothly. Each site can fully prepare and complete up to 500 cars per week, with up to 1,500 cars being work-in progress (WIP). By contrast, BCA works on up to 450 cars per week, with up to 2,000 units WIP.
At this point, it’s important to note the role of The Motor Ombudsman.
What is The Motor Ombudsman?
The Motor Ombudsman is the automotive dispute resolution body. Around 99% of car makers are members and agree to abide by the codes of conduct it sets out. In 2016, it introduced the Vehicle Sales Code of Practice to give drivers greater protection and peace-of-mind when buying a used car.
In it, main dealers and independent car retailers are required to offer test drives, accurate advice on warranty and finance products and use transparent wording in adverts and pricing, among other things.
Cazoo isn’t accredited, but some customers claim, when seeking help on money-saving forums, they have been told it is partially accredited.
Parkers has always understood partial accreditation to be impossible and sought clarification from The Motor Ombudsman, which stated, ‘We can confirm that Cazoo is not accredited to The Motor Ombudsman, and there is no partial accreditation to our Motor Industry Codes of Practice available.’
What does Cazoo say about Watchdog’s worries?
Cazoo told BBC Watchdog that it was ‘sorry that these customers’ experience didn’t match their expectation’ and that ‘it did all it could to quickly rectify these isolated issues and ensure [these customers] weren’t left out of pocket’.
The company was keen to stress that it deals with lots of vehicles (‘60,000 in the last two years’). It cited its Trustpilot scores, where 95% of customers reportedly rate Cazoo as ‘excellent’ or ‘great’ and said, via the programme, that ‘it believes the way it handles any issues is what sets its service apart’.
For the record, Cazoo sold 20,454 cars in 2021 and claims to buy less than 5% of the vehicles it sees—which means its buying team ‘view’ around 410,000 vehicles per year, though to what capacity is unclear. Watchdog’s investigation doesn’t place a figure on the number of cars that might be affected.
Parkers has contacted Cazoo for further clarification and awaits a response.
What redress do I have if I’m concerned about my Cazoo purchase?
If you do have any concerns, it’s worth getting in touch with Cazoo straight away on 020 3901 3488. The company has a seven-day, no-quibble policy. If you find you don’t like your car, or there’s a problem with it, you can reject the vehicle for a full refund.
You’re also covered by Cazoo’s 90-day warranty and free roadside assistance, should anything untoward happen in the first three months. However, it’s worth noting that the small print in its terms and conditions means you might find yourself liable for the cost of return (£250). What’s more, if you need to rearrange that appointment, it’s a further £100.
Cazoo does offer to work with you to get the car exchanged or repaired, should that be required. It’s worth noting, however, that outside of Cazoo’s seven-day policy, you have a right to cancel the contract anytime in 14 days under the Distance Selling Regulations implemented in June 2014. It’s a ‘cooling-off’ period because you haven’t seen the item in person before you bought it.
Is it really safe to purchase a car online?
Once upon a time, people would have laughed at the idea of buying a car without test driving it.
However, we’re more comfortable with buying items online, trying them on for size and making a return, if it wasn’t what we were expecting. Online sales of cars have exploded in recent years—the pandemic accelerating this shift, to some degree. There’s a compelling case to be made for buying your next car from the comfort of your home.
In January 2021, GForces, a company providing ecommerce platforms to car makers and accounting for over 30% of franchised retailers’ sales in the UK, reported that the volume of new and used cars sales through its web portals had risen by 1228%.
While such checks and the relevant documentation inspire confidence, they’re not the only checks that should be done. We offer a handy checklist to help you understand what paperwork you should ask for. What’s more, in this guide we look at the pros and cons of buying a used car from a main dealer, or an independent dealer, if you’d prefer to stay offline for now.
Further reading:
>> View our Used car paperwork checklist
