Q - Can I call round any time to see a car or do I need to make an appointment?
A - As Volkswizard is a one man operation, it is impossible for me to be on site during specified opening hours. As a result all viewing must be by appointment but this does have the advantage of offering flexibility - see below. Vehicle documents and keys are not kept on site so please call at least a day in advance to ensure everything is prepared for your arrival.

Q - What time are you open for viewings/test drives?
A - As I appreciate it is sometimes difficult to fit viewing cars into the working week, I am very flexible and try to accommodate most requests possibly even including Sunday (9-11am). The only condition is that outside normal opening hours (Mon-Fri after 6pm , Sat after 1pm, all day Sunday) the revving of engines on site and any other noisy activities will not be possible as this may disturb our neighbours in the residential homes that surround the site.

Q - Where do you source your cars from?
A - Many of our cars come from private buyers who contact me via this web site. More often than not they don't have the time to go through the process of selling privately and are happy to accept my offer which is usually far more than the usual 'trade' price as I value cars on an individual basis. We also place a number of wanted adverts, some of them national and they seem to have the right effect.
We are not a big fan of auctions but the law of averages means occasionally the right models in the right condition will be available there and we'd be foolish to ignore them.

Q - Do you have business premises or do you work from home?
A - Volkswizard does have business premises. With this web site acting as my forecourt, a roadside plot with all its associated overheads and security risks was not deemed necessary. Instead a 2000 sq ft storage unit was leased with room for 16 cars indoors and when necessary, 12 cars outdoors. In fact more and more long established traders are giving up their forecourts to work in the same way.

Q - I live a long distance away, can you bring the car and meet me halfway?
A - I know a lot of dealers may do this but it's too much of a security risk these days and you wont get to see the car with a cold engine or clean. Instead we do offer far more information on the vehicles we sell via this web site which should reassure you that the journey will be worthwhile.

Q - If you don't have the car in stock that I am looking for, can you take my details and call me if you get one?
A - Unfortunately not, chances are that many other people have asked the same question before you and if I did take a list you would be right at the bottom and almost definitely would never be called - this most definitely the case with Mk2 Golf GTIs, especially dark 3 doors! Instead I prefer to leave up to the individual to keep a regular eye on my web site which I update as soon as a car comes in or is definitely going to come in.

Q - Do you own the cars and hold them in stock or are they for sale on behalf of their owners?
A - In almost all cases cars are our property and not sold on behalf of anyone - the reason this is important for buyers to ascertain is because cars sold on behalf of private individuals are seen as a private sale so will have little or no redress. On the rare occasions we do agree to sell a carefully selected car on behalf of someone it will be stated clearly

Q - Are the cars parked outside so I can have a quick look even when you are closed?
A - Our premises are based on a secure site which outside of normal hours is completely inaccessible to the public.

Q - Will I be insured during a test drive?
A - Our insurance policy means as long as you hold a valid driving licence and are accompanied in the passenger seat by us then you are fully comprehensively insured so please bring your driving licence with you if a test drive is required. We are still responsible for your driving and therefore firmly request that you comply with the law. We once were forced to endure a speed of an indicated 125mph and we certainly wont be doing this again!

Q - Can I test drive a car if it doesn't have any valid road tax?
A - Having confirmed our authenticity as a responsible motor trader to the DVLA we have the privilege of holding 'trade plates' which allow vehicles to be driven for motor trade purposes only including road tests by customers without a current road fund licence being displayed.

Q - If it's raining and/or dark, is it possible to see the car indoors and dry?
A - Yes it is possible, in most circumstances cars will be presented for viewing with dry bodywork and cold engines, indoors or outdoors weather permitting.

Q - Do you offer a warranty?
A - We now offer an RAC Warranty on most of the cars we sell. In some cases we prefer to offer the customer a significant discount for a sold as seen sale but a warranty will be available at extra cost in these cases. In the case of sales where a warranty is included, what this covers depends on the age of the car, mileage covered and the price paid and will certainly exclude wear and tear items such as clutches and exhaust sections. It is worth remembering that there is a significant amount of protection available to those who buy from established motor traders rather than buying privately where there is zero comeback so it's always worth paying a little extra especially from a dealer who values their reputation like us. The supply of an RAC Warranty does not affect your statuatory rights.

Q - How can I pay?
A - We are happy to accept payment by Bankers Draft or Building Society cheque made payable to 'VolksWizard' both of which we will need to verify beforehand. Personal cheques are OK too subject to usual clearing procedures which take 3-4 working days. Electronic transfer direct to our bank account either by CHAPS which costs typically £20 or by BACS which is usually free but takes 3-4 working days. Contrary to popular belief, cash does not make a difference and in fact it costs us 2% to bank it so we'd rather not take it and if we do we can only take it up to £9000 due to anti-money laundering regulations.

Q - Can I leave a deposit to secure the car?
A - A non-returnable deposit of £100 will secure a car for a reasonable period of time - usually up to a fortnight.

Q - The car I have purchased in untaxed, can you tax it for me before I collect?
A - Yes but ideally you do need to send us your insurance cover note and a cheque made payable to 'Post Office Counters', stating whether you prefer 6 or 12 months. Rates do vary depending on the car so if you are unsure, leave the amount section only blank. Alternatively you can tax the car before driving away as we have a very local Post Office just 2 minutes walk away open until 5.30pm Mon-Fri and until 12.30pm on Saturday.

Q - Do you offer part exchange facilities?
A - Yes in most cases. I am usually very happy to take any VW Group vehicle in part exchange and prices are always fair. However taking any other makes would really depend on what I am selling and what exactly you would like to px, enquiries are very welcome and there' usually no problem taking small cars up to £3000 of any make.

Q - Do you offer finance?
A - No, I started to do this job so I could sell things that I have a genuine interest and belief in and selling finance isn't one of them, especially finance of the 'been refused credit yet need a car?' type. There are some great deals out there so shop around and go to a well known loan company such as Alliance and Leicester or Lombard Direct who are in most cases significantly cheaper than high street banks.

Q - I want to export the car outside the UK, can you help?
A - Our detailed and objective descriptions mean we have sold a number of cars to enthusiasts from outside the UK including many to The Republic of Ireland. Collection from Birmingham International Airport is no problem (20 mins transfer time) and we are happy to take Sterling drafts raised at Irish banks as long as we can verify them in advance. We can also provide route details to any of the ports that serve Ireland for your return trip.

Q - I have seen the web site of another specialist and it looks remarkably like yours, what's going on there then?
A - Imitiation is the best form of flattery, however it is highly unlikely that any other specialist offers the levels of service we do even if their web site is a copy of ours, after all it's far cheaper to copy a web site than to be as fussy as we are with our purchasing, preparation and aftersales care. Making this web site so detailed takes a lot of time and effort and it's only worth it as the products we sell justify it.