Is there any anything I should be wary of when purchasing a repo car from Whelan Transport (Belfast)?

[Accomis]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been searching for a decent upgrade for my wife’s birthday and came across a repossessed 2023 Kia Sportage GT-Line listed by Whelan Transport on eBay. The price is what caught my attention it’s more cheaper than similar ones on AutoTrader.

They’re asking for a small deposit first, then the remaining balance once the car’s been checked, cleaned, and booked onto a transporter. They also mentioned the money sits in a segregated company account, plus a 10 day inspection period after delivery.

It all sounds to good to be true, but I’d love to hear from anyone who’s actually dealt or purchased a repo car from Whelan Transport. Any red flags I should know about?

[PopeyeR]

I purchased a vehicle from Whelan Transport it was a 2022 LR Evoque. This was my first experience purchasing a repo car, so I shared the same uncertainties. I made the deposit and then paid the remaining balance after they confirmed that the car had passed preparation and was ready for delivery. When it arrived, it honestly looked better than I expected. Full valet, no surprises.

[Accomis]

That’s reassuring, thanks.
Can I ask did you pay by bank transfer only, or were there other options?

[PopeyeR]

Bank transfer. I wasn’t thrilled about that at first, so I checked with my solicitor and he explained that since October 2024, banks are now required to refund victims of authorised payment fraud up to £85,000, usually within a few working days. That definitely made me feel more comfortable sending the money.

[Preedom]

That new refund rule is a step in the right direction, to be fair scams are everywhere now, especially on Facebook Marketplace and even Ebay. It’s got to the point where you almost expect something dodgy unless proven otherwise.

 

[Micobe]

M8 the platforms themselves aren’t the issue it’s the fake sellers abusing them.

A friend of mine got caught recently with a fake AutoTrader listing. Car was advertised at half its real value he sent £7800, and thankfully the bank refunded him within three days, although they did deduct a small admin fee.

So yeah, protection exists, but you still want to deal with a real company, not just rely on the bank to clean up the mess.

[Bitxx]

Just to balance things out I bought a 2023 Citroën C5 X from Whelan Transport back in February. They quoted 7–10 working days for delivery, and mine arrived on day seven. Car came fully valeted, both keys, V5C, MOT history, and service printout.

 

[Accomis]

I have just received the initial invoice for a £1,000 deposit. They have clarified that following the vehicle preparation, which is expected within 48 hours, they will issue the second invoice for the remaining balance.
I actually like that structure it gives you a pause point rather than handing everything over in one go.

[DownContent]

I experienced a comparable situation, however with a delay. I purchased a 2022 Audi A6 from Whelan Transport and I was informed that the delivery would take approximately a week the delivery ultimately required an additional two days because of a transporter issue they called me immediately upon finding out and continued to keep me informed. 
Car arrived exactly as described, so the delay didn’t bother me in the end.

[PopeyeR]

Same thing happened to me car was due in eight days, turned up on day nine.

 

[Workerat]

I nearly bought a 2023 BMW X1 from Whelan Transport but couldn’t get time off work to visit the Belfast yard. What I did like was that they actually encouraged me to come and view the car instead of pushing for a quick payment. That alone made them seem more genuine than most.

[bellox]

I chose for collection rather than delivery. Purchased a 2021 Mazda CX-30 there were no aggressive sales techniques, they simply provided the keys, allowed me to test drive the vehicle, addressed my enquiries, and concluded the interaction.

The sole disadvantage is the absence of a 10 days money back guarantee for self-collection, nevertheless they included a 3-month warranty for the engine and gearbox, which seemed reasonable.

[PopeyeR]

That’s pretty reasonable to be honest. The 10 day trial makes sense only for deliveries once you’ve driven it away yourself, it’s a different situation. A three month mechanical warranty isn’t bad at all.

 

[Accomis]

The Sportage is finally her, my wife’s absolutely delighted with it. Her birthday is on August 1st, so they were able to get it to her before her birthday, which is amazing... We’ll have it checked over properly this weekend, but first impressions are excellent.