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Network Q is by far and away the best known ‘used approved’ scheme. But what does it actually stand for and is it a good deal for you?
Having been behind the scenes at a Vauxhall main dealer, we can now reveal the benefits of a Network Q car.
It is easy, as a car buyer, to think that every manufacturer used car programme will be pretty much the same. But, as our investigation of Network Q’s offer reveals, that is far from the case.
Yes, Network Q inspect every car and ensure that they have had their required recalls and services. They also check it has never been written off, is not stolen, or owed to a finance company. Plus they repair bodywork to quite a high standard.
But it wasn’t the mechanical checks or attention to bodywork that really stood out.
It was their approach to protecting car buyers against surprise service bills that got our attention.
In addition to extending the manufacturer warranty to ensure buyers have a minimum of 12 months electrical and mechanical cover, they protect you from bills in two key ways:
1. Tyres
Even though the legal limit on a tyre is 1.6mm, Network Q change all the tyres at 3mm. Which when you consider a tyre depth only starts at 8mm, is generous and valuable.
In effect, they are changing the tyre when it has just under half its life left. This costs upwards of £70 per tyre and means car buyers will have at least 12 months without a tyre-related bill.
2. Brakes, battery and clutch guarantee
This part of the Network Q programme deals with the elements of a car that can be affected by how the previous owner used and looked after the car.
These are usually regarded as totally out of the dealer and manufacturer control.
For example, an elderly person may only use their car to pop to the local shop and back. Starting a car drains a battery but if the car only does short runs it never gets a chance to re-charge.
Equally, a commuter who sits in traffic everyday with the clutch down or doesn’t use the handbrake for hill starts will strain the clutch.
A driver living in a rural area who drives lots of twisty roads to work will wear the brakes, especially if they are always in a rush.
So Network Q introduced their brakes, battery and clutch guarantee, which covers these elements for 12 months.
Combined with the manufacturer warranty on the main components, this means you shouldn’t need to worry about getting any unpleasant bills for at least a year.
See a Network Q car being inspected
There are two different inspection procedures. One for cars under 6 months or 5,000 miles and one for cars over those thresholds.
As well as a road test, at present, there is a full mechanical inspection of 114 checks for cars over 6 months old plus a further 9 final cleaning and finishing checks.
Finding the perfect used Vauxhall for you
If you like a certain model of used Vauxhall, but your local dealer doesn’t have the exact specification you want, they can search two databases: They can search cars owned by other dealers and cars owned by Vauxhall themselves.
Used Car Expert asked Vauxhall’s representative how they could ensure a car supplied from another dealer lived up to the Network Q standards.
In addition to meeting the Network Q standard set out by Vauxhall and enforced by the 9 regional inspectors, City Vauxhall in London go above and beyond.
Their own policy is that cars should receive a minimum of 6-month road fund licence, at least £15 of fuel and be at least 3 months from needing its next service.
So when visiting Vauxhall dealers, ask them about their policy on these elements, and combined with the Network Q minimum standards, you stand to save yourself a good few pounds both on the day and in the long-term.
Summary
The market-leading used approved programme’s major strength is its ability to protect you against surprise bills. This is achieved through a combination of its manufacturer warranty and a brakes, battery and clutch guarantee.
By asking the Vauxhall main dealer about their own used car policy, above and beyond the Network Q programme, you can get tremendous value and peace of mind.