Vehicle Sourcing: Getting the Car You Want When It's Not in Stock

What sourcing means

Instead of choosing from what happens to be on the forecourt, you give the garage a description of your ideal car. They then use their contacts and the channels open to the trade to look for suitable vehicles, and come back to you with options.

This can save you hours of searching and spare you the hassle of viewing cars that were never right. It does not remove your say in the matter, since you still decide whether a car is the one you want.

Think of it as handing over the legwork, not the decision. A good garage will report back on what they have found, tell you about any concerns, and let you decide whether to go ahead. If the car is not right, you should be able to say so and wait for another.

Tell them what matters most

The more specific your brief, the better the results. State the make and model, the fuel type, whether you want manual or automatic, and the body style. Add your preferred colour, mileage limit, age range and any equipment you need, such as parking sensors or a tow bar.

It also helps to separate must-haves from nice-to-haves. If you are flexible about colour but firm on the gearbox, say so, because that widens the pool of cars that could suit you.

• Make, model and variant
• Fuel type and gearbox
• Age and mileage range
• Must-have equipment
• Your overall budget

Set a realistic budget

Be upfront about how much you are prepared to spend, and be honest with yourself about what that buys. A rare or popular specification may cost more than you expect, and the market shifts over time.

If the budget does not match the brief, a good garage will tell you so and suggest where you could compromise. That is more useful than a long search that ends in disappointment.

Be ready to compromise on something. If a specific colour is rare, or a certain trim level is hard to come by, you may need to choose between waiting longer and relaxing one requirement. Knowing which you would rather give up makes that choice much easier when the time comes.

It is also worth deciding in advance how far you are willing to travel to collect or view a car. Some of the closest matches are found a distance away, and the garage can only work within the limits you set.

Patience pays off

Sourcing a specific car takes time, and there is no way to promise how long it will take, because it depends on how common the car is and what is available. Rushing into the first car that appears may mean accepting something that is not quite what you wanted.

If you are flexible on timing, tell the garage. If you have a deadline, such as an expiring lease or a car being scrapped, say that as well, so expectations are clear from the start.

Stay in touch during the search. If your circumstances change, such as a new budget or a changed need for seats or boot space, tell the garage promptly so the search does not carry on in the wrong direction.

Still check the car properly

A car that has been found for you is still a used car, and it deserves the same checks as any other. Look at the history, the V5C, the MOT record and the service history, and take a good look and a test drive.

At Banks of the Tyne in Hebburn we offer vehicle sourcing alongside our range of quality used vehicles, and cars are prepared and inspected before sale. Tell us what you are after and we will explain how we would go about finding it.

Frequently asked questions