Buying a Car Online

You have taken a well-earned break, the sun is shining and just waiting to welcome you at your door. What could be nicer than spending this time in a car house? ou see it differently? So can we! With us you can order your personal new car from the comfort of your deckchair in the garden at top conditions online.

But who's "we"?

We, the Cargate team, satisfy our customers by providing them with inexpensive new cars. Our young team has reworked an outdated system, expanded the supply network and overcome the language barrier. With the help of our easy-to-use configurator, you can now put together your own car from almost any brand, which you can pick up from us in Zurich. Furthermore, we also work together with external partners to be able to offer you a trade-in of your used car or financing of the new car.

During our activity we could satisfy the wishes of our constantly growing customer base, as they kindly informed us, to their satisfaction. To ensure that this remains so, we are constantly working on improving ourselves and our range of services. For example, we are already planning a cooperation with a tyre dealer and a larger commercial location.

Which car is right for me?

That depends entirely on you. You should be aware in advance what is important to you: Do I mostly drive alone or do I need a multi-seater? How much space do I need or would I like to have in the boot? Am I dependent on a high degree of manoeuvrability? On which surface do I drive most of the time?

Answer the above questions and ask yourself more to find out which vehicle type is right for you - whether a sports car, small city car, off-road SUV with all-wheel drive or spacious station wagon. In addition, the question of motorisation still arises. If you travel more and more short distances in the city, a petrol engine or an electrically powered car, for example, could be an option; as a frequent driver, a vehicle with a diesel engine could be used wherever possible (as a new car, of course, it complies with the Euro 6 emissions standard). Please note that the amount of the traffic tax depends among other things on it. On the homepage of the road traffic office you have the possibility to calculate the tax. In this context you should also think about the insurance costs. The amount of the premium depends to a large extent on the type class classification of the new car.

The classification, in turn, is the insurer's concern: the more drivers of the same model are accident-free and the less this model has been stolen, the lower the classification and thus the insurance premium. The age of the owner and that of the youngest driver also contribute to this. This leads straight to the next question, namely that of protection.

Liability insurance is compulsory in Switzerland for a motor vehicle that is to take part in road traffic. It covers damage caused by the owner's vehicle to another vehicle or its occupants. For a more comprehensive protection, which also includes the own car, a comprehensive insurance must be concluded. The policyholder can opt for partial or fully comprehensive insurance. The partial cover usually covers damage caused by fire and explosion, theft (also of car parts), storms (such as hail), wildlife accidents or broken glass. However, damage caused personally by the owner is not covered by the insurance. If you also want to be insured for such damage, you must take out comprehensive cover. In addition to the partial cover, it also covers damage caused by accidents caused by your own negligence as well as damage caused by vandalism. In any case, it is worth taking a look at the small print, as the insurance companies handle the damage covers differently, also with regard to consequential damage.

In principle, fully comprehensive insurance is recommended for new vehicles within the first four years of purchase; partial comprehensive insurance for vehicles that are not older than eight years, as the insurance companies only cover the current value of the vehicle. Furthermore, as a future policyholder you should reconsider your decision every year. The reason for this is the loss in value of the vehicle, which means that from a certain point in time a premium no longer pays off.

Which equipment suits me best?

Once you have decided on a model, the question of the appropriate (special) equipment is just one of the things that arises. Are they "switches" or do you shift gears, i.e. manual transmission or fully automatic? Little by little, the automatic transmission replaces the manual transmission, because nowadays it works more efficiently and is more comfortable. The times when the manual transmission was the only way to achieve the lowest possible consumption at full power have gone by. Nevertheless, the question of shifting often remains one of feeling and driving ability. Are you a frequent driver on long distances? Then you should consider whether cruise control might be an option for you; your back will thank you for a lumbar support. If you are increasingly travelling in urban environments, a navigation system and parking assistant will be of great use. The children often go with you? So you might think of darkened windows and an entertainment system.

And how does the car purchase work with us?

Our user-friendly configurator enables you to purchase a new car online at a reasonable price in a few simple steps. At the beginning, select the manufacturer, model and vehicle type of your new car to be configured. You have the possibility to choose from 25 manufacturers. Once you have decided on a motorisation, the colour and wheels to match your type, you can put together the upholstery, packages and special equipment for your dream car in the following steps. Is your dream brand or model not listed in our system? Contact us and we will take care of an offer for you.

Almost done: At the end of the configuration process, you have everything in view again and can request your new car without obligation. All we need are your data and you will immediately receive your personal offer. You like the offer and the car is as you imagined it to be? Perfect, then all you have to do is sign the agency contract attached to the offer and send it to us together with a legible copy of your identity card or passport. In addition, a deposit of 10% of the net price is required.

As soon as we have received all the necessary documents, we can confirm your order within one week after consultation with our representatives abroad. This means that the vehicle has already been ordered. The delivery takes place on time and after payment of the remaining purchase price. Payment is made on account before collection of the vehicle (5 days after invoicing) or by settlement via Zurich attorney escrow account. We take over the transport, customs clearance, Co2 sanction optimisation, MFK examination and approval in Switzerland - no additional costs arise. Your vehicle will then be waiting for collection in our warehouse at Zurich Airport.

Why should I buy on the Internet and not from a retailer?

As so often, there are advantages and disadvantages here as well. One of the biggest advantages of the Internet purchase is the price, here larger savings can be obtained than with the specialized dealer. The aspect that shopping on the Internet generally brings with it, also comes to bear when buying a new car: As a customer, you are not bound to any opening hours and can make your purchase comfortably from home. Furthermore, when buying on the Internet, you have the option of choosing a suitable vehicle from a wide range of different brands; specialist dealers, on the other hand, are usually tied to a specific brand.

On the other hand, in contrast to Internet purchases, specialist dealers give you the opportunity to test drive and inspect the vehicle of your choice before you buy it. In addition, specialist dealers can offer you dealer financing (three-way financing), which is often not easily possible online. So that nothing goes wrong with the on-line purchase of your dream car, you should inform yourselves in the apron about the dealer to determine whether it concerns here a respectable one. Have a look on his homepage and check or read the terms and conditions and the imprint; if you want to know exactly, have a look in the commercial register. Order documents or any contracts you should print or save of course.

Good to know: In Switzerland, since 1 January 2013, legislators have prescribed a two-year warranty period for movable property. In the case of a car purchase, this guarantee comes into force as soon as you sign the purchase contract and the car keys are handed over to you. Such liability for a material defect is effective in the event of any deviation of the condition of the vehicle from the contractual agreement and functions according to the principle of reversal of the burden of proof. It is not you as the buyer who have to prove a defect in the vehicle, but in case of doubt the seller has to prove that the new vehicle is free of defects.

This may hardly play a role in the case of an obvious impairment of the functionality or appearance of the vehicle, but it does play a role if, for example, technical defects are involved which do not occur permanently but can only be identified after extensive trial or test drives.

If the two years after the purchase have elapsed, the manufacturer's warranty applies in the case of defects. It is usually limited to up to five years and often to certain vehicle parts, depending on which vehicle it is.

Direct Import?

Direct import means the import of vehicles into Switzerland which were not originally intended or designed for the Swiss market. Therefore these vehicles often have a more extensive basic equipment. We take over any administrative work and import the vehicle for you. For all direct imports, the full manufacturer's guarantee applies throughout Europe. The only thing you come into contact with regarding direct imports is the unbeatable price we can offer you.

How can you Be so Cheap?

The high discounts of up to 46% have different reasons. One reason is, for example, that other European countries in which our suppliers are based have different taxes or levy additional taxes. We import your future vehicle from these countries. Any currency fluctuations will also enable us to offer you a favourable car purchase price.

What do I pay attention to when picking up?

It is best to work your way from the outside to the inside. This means: first check the car for damage to the paintwork and/or scratches before working your way to the tyres and rims. Afterwards you check all openings: Can doors, engine compartment, fuel filler cap and boot lid be opened and closed properly? Once inside, inspect the carpet, seat covers and fittings for possible damage. Also check whether the extra equipment you ordered has been installed.

How can I finance a new car?

For some it is still true: only cash is truth. The fastest option for seller and buyer is cash payment. Possession is transferred immediately and the transaction is fully settled. In addition, you can finance the car by credit. This has the advantage that you can adjust the monthly instalments for the repayment of the loan according to your financial circumstances. Ask your house bank about this or compare the offers with the help of our external partner AS Finanz GmbH.

Furthermore the possibility of the additional trade-in of your used car is still mentioned. Especially older models have the possibility to achieve a good value. As we, the Cargate team, are not able to take your vehicle in payment, we have joined forces with an external partner to offer you this service.

Sounds reasonable!

If we haven't been able to answer all your questions yet, or if any questions should arise during the configuration process, we will of course be happy to assist you at any time by telephone on 044 586 44 41 or via e-mail (info@cargate.ch). We wish you a lot of fun searching, configuring, ordering and soon driving your dream car and look forward to welcoming you as a happy and hopefully long-standing customer.