Customer experience with Carvago: Petra, Czech Republic

I drove a Passat for several years and had no real reason to complain about it. It had just covered quite a lot of kilometres, and I wanted to replace it while it was still running well, so I wouldn't have to sort anything out in a hurry. I lead a sales team, live in Pardubice and still travel a lot to see clients. So I told myself that this time I could spend a bit more on a car.

My budget was around nine hundred thousand Czech crowns. I looked at the BMW 5 Series estate and the Audi A6. I'd borrowed a BMW a few times, so I already knew I liked driving it.

My list of requirements wasn't long. I wanted comfortable seats with plenty of adjustment, adaptive cruise control, good lights and a documented service history.

I wasn't going to compromise on the seats. I often sit in the car for two hours at a stretch and I can feel the difference. The colour, on the other hand, didn't matter much to me. At first I was mainly looking for blue, but I'd happily have taken grey.

I started by searching in the Czech Republic. Several cars looked good, but when I went through them in more detail, something was always missing. One had cruise control in the description, but it wasn't adaptive. Another had seats I didn't want. You start wondering whether you really need all of it. But I know myself. A month later I'd have regretted giving in again.

On Carvago I widened the search to cars from abroad. I liked being able to compare them all in one place. I saved several BMWs and gradually narrowed it down to two. The one I preferred was in Germany.

Before ordering the inspection, I sent over my requirements. Above all, I wanted the equipment checked, because I already knew the listing text alone might not be enough. Then I paid for CarAudit and waited for the result. I thought I'd get the report the very next day; in the end it came after two days. At that point the car still hadn't been bought.

I read the inspection report in the evening at home. It had photos, the condition of the individual parts and minor damage as well. I asked what one note about the paintwork meant. I've no problem asking, even though I understand cars in everyday use. I can't judge bodywork repairs.

The BMW was recommended to me. The equipment that mattered was all there, and nothing came up in the technical condition that would have put me off. Only then did I complete the purchase, sign the documents and pay for the car. I left delivery and registration to Carvago and provided the necessary documents and a power of attorney. From payment to handover, the whole thing took about three weeks.

Until the handover I kept driving the Passat. I'd do that again, because this way I didn't have to plan the switch for a particular day.

At the handover I naturally sat straight behind the wheel and adjusted the seat. Then we went through the car and the documents. On my first longer trip I still spent a while looking for some functions in the menu, as I was used to a different layout from the Passat. But the seats were right from the start.