Forum home› Mountain biking forum› MTB general

Buying bike from a garage rather than bike shop

rayban_1rayban_1 Posts: 3
edited July 2013 in MTB general
Hi,

I have found a local garage which is selling bikes, and the bike I am after is the Carrera Kraken Moutain Bike. I have seen it on at Halfords for £450, but this garage is selling it for £180 exactly the same bike!!. Seems a bit suspicious to me, are fake bikes something to look out for? Or do Halfords generally over-charge?

The garage is JA Lock Limited http://www.findnetone.co.uk/mot-centres/mot-centres/54424-ja-lock-limited-333-335-fore-street-edmonton-london-n9-0pd, based in Edmonton, London. They have around 200/300 bikes for sale I would say. Anyone bought from them before?

I know buying from Halfords I could also get insurance, have people found it worth getting?

Posts

  • ilovedirtilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    Sounds a little funny to me, I'm pretty sure Halfords are the only distributer/supplier/whatever for Carrera...
    Production Privee Shan

    B'Twin Triban 5
  • rayban_1rayban_1 Posts: 3
    Do you think this bike could be a second hand one then?? It did look brand new.... But thanks for the info, I was not aware of that.
  • mattvmattv Posts: 992
    Halfords are the owner and sole retailer for Carrera bikes. This bike cannot be new and will have no manufacturer warranty.
  • cooldadcooldad Posts: 32,599
    Either second hand or they robbed a Halfords warehouse.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • ilovedirtilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    cooldad wrote:
    Either second hand or they robbed a Halfords warehouse.
    The latter sprang to mind, if they have a few hundred bikes....
    Production Privee Shan

    B'Twin Triban 5
  • stubsstubs Posts: 5,001
    Possibly old stock that Halfords shifted in bulk. A bit like Pauls cycles do for Giant and others. Another possibility they arent UK stock but grey imports.
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • mattvmattv Posts: 992
    Carrera is a UK only brand, many of which used to be made by merida. They are only sold in the UK, and are only sold through halfords. If they wanted to shift stock cheap, they have 450 stores themselves to pile em high and sell em cheap. Either used and second hand, or stolen.
  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    Doesn't this place state the condition, terms of sale?
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • stubsstubs Posts: 5,001
    mattv wrote:
    Carrera is a UK only brand, many of which used to be made by merida. They are only sold in the UK, and are only sold through halfords. If they wanted to shift stock cheap, they have 450 stores themselves to pile em high and sell em cheap. Either used and second hand, or stolen.

    I thought they had Halfords in other countries I am pretty sure I saw a Halfords in Dublin a couple of years back.

    edit: a quick google and the Irish republic has quite a few stores so its not a UK only shop. It also used to have stores in Poland and Czech republic but they were shut a couple of years back.
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • benpinnickbenpinnick Posts: 4,148
    Half odds recently sold up its French or maybe Dutch stores. Perhaps they are from them.
    A Flock of Birds
    + some other bikes.
  • thelonegrooverthelonegroover Posts: 1,073
    mattv wrote:
    Carrera is a UK only brand, many of which used to be made by merida. They are only sold in the UK, and are only sold through halfords. If they wanted to shift stock cheap, they have 450 stores themselves to pile em high and sell em cheap. Either used and second hand, or stolen.

    Not necessarily, they might have got a guaranteed price for a job lot. But a simple question to the seller would confirm.
    Planet X Kaffenback 2
    Giant Trance X2
    Genesis High Latitude 2x10
    Planet X n2a
    Genesis Core 20
  • The RookieThe Rookie Posts: 27,756
    Many Carreras came from my Daughters old store when it was flooded* and then put into the market for sale elsewhere, could be many legitemate reasons they are selling it.

    *The insurance assesor scrapped everything off even that stuff not touched by water, it was cheaper apparently than assesing by item.
    10.1Kg FS Litespeed Niota Al
    retired 9.6kg Carrera Kraken
    The Carrera Hardtail combined thread - come on all you Carrera's!
    The Sons Scott Genius RC20 build
Sign In or Register to comment.