does one actually gain that much for the extra £££ spent at a dealer?
No, but buying privately can be a painful and time consuming process. There are a lot of cars out there which are not worth viewing, but often you only find that out after wasting time travelling to view.
If budget allows, I would suggest a car supermarket. They have their own hazards, but you get to see a large number of cars in one location, and as they are nearly all ex fleet, they have generally been maintained to an acceptable standard.
I prefer private but I also enjoy the process of researching cars and spending hours on pistonheads/ebay looking for good ones. Recognise that this might not be for everyone.
No, but buying privately can be a painful and time consuming process. There are a lot of cars out there which are not worth viewing, but often you only find that out after wasting time travelling to view.
If budget allows, I would suggest a car supermarket. They have their own hazards, but you get to see a large number of cars in one location, and as they are nearly all ex fleet, they have generally been maintained to an acceptable standard.