FAQs

Got Questions? We’ve got answers. Whether you’re buying your first car or trading in your old car, we’re here to make it simple. Explore our FAQs for quick, honest answers about Carsa’s process, prep, finance, handover, and more.

How much can I claim on my extended warranty?

There's no cap on the number of claims during your agreement. On a standard extended warranty each claim can be up to the purchase price of your car; on the EV extended warranty each claim is paid up to £5,000.

How much does the extended warranty cost?

It's a one-off price with no monthly billing. For petrol, diesel and hybrid cars it's £699 for 12 months, £1,099 for 24, £1,399 for 36 and £1,699 for 48 months. EV cover is £999 for 24 months, £1,199 for 36 and £1,399 for 48. Prices can vary for Jaguar Land Rover vehicles and cars over £30,000 — your Carsa team will confirm the exact figure at handover.

Is the Carsa extended warranty an insurance product?

No. It's a Mechanical Failure Warranty — not an insurance product, and not regulated by the FCA. It covers the cost of repairing covered components if they suddenly fail, and it's completely optional. Every Carsa car also comes with a free 90-day warranty as standard.

EV? ICE? Hybrid? Plug-in Hybrid? What does it all mean?

It's an alphabet soup out there, so here's the plain-English version. There are three main types of vehicle we sell, and the easiest way to tell them apart is to ask one question: do you plug it in, and what powers it?

ICE — Internal Combustion Engine. The traditional setup: a petrol or diesel engine, no electric motor, no plug. This is what most cars on the road still are. You fill up at the pump and go.

EV — Electric Vehicle (sometimes called fully electric or battery electric). Runs purely on a battery and electric motor — no petrol or diesel involved at all. You charge it by plugging it in, either at home or at a public charger. Cheaper to run per mile and nothing coming out of the exhaust, but you'll want to think about where you'll charge it.

Hybrid — A mix of both worlds: a petrol or diesel engine and an electric motor with a battery. The car decides when to use each to save fuel. Hybrids break down into two types, and the difference comes down to whether you plug them in.

Self-charging / mild hybrid — You never plug these in; they charge their own battery as you drive (partly through braking). Some are tuned for fuel efficiency, others for a bit of extra poke and smoother stop-start running — many BMWs, for example, use a mild hybrid setup for exactly that. Think of it as a petrol or diesel car that's given a helping hand by a small electric system.

Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) — As the name suggests, you plug these in to charge a bigger battery. That lets you drive a decent distance on electric alone (usually somewhere in the region of 20–40 miles, depending on the car) before the engine takes over for longer journeys. Great if you've got a short daily commute you can do on electric but still want the engine there for longer trips and no range worries.

The quick way to remember it: ICE never plugs in and has no electric help. Self-charging and mild hybrids never plug in but charge themselves. Plug-in hybrids plug in but keep the engine as backup. EVs only plug in, with no engine at all.

Does the car still have any manufacturer's warranty left?

Your car may still have some manufacturer's warranty remaining, but we can't verify it — we don't have access to the manufacturers' systems, and things like servicing or previous repairs can affect it. It's worth checking with the manufacturer directly if you have any questions. If you'd like, we can also provide additional warranty to cover the car.

Do I need to cancel my direct debits for road tax or insurance?

Yes. Once the sale is complete contact your insurance company to cancel your policy. The DVLA will automatically cancel your road tax and refund any full months remaining. Cancel any direct debits to avoid being charged again though you should wait until you have received your tax refund first.

How long is my guaranteed valuation valid for?

Your guaranteed valuation is valid for 7 days from the date it is issued provided the vehicles condition and details remain as described.

What happens after I accept your offer?

Once you accept our guaranteed valuation you will be able to select your preferred handover appointment time. You will receive a confirmation email with details of what to bring and what to expect on the day.

I’ve changed my mind about part-exchanging – what now?

If you haven’t finalized the purchase yet, just tell us that you no longer want to part-exchange. We can adjust the deal so that you keep your car and pay the full price for the new car (minus any deposit you still want to put in). If you already handed over your part-exchange and completed everything, then the transaction is done and we typically wouldn’t unwind it. But if it’s before or during paperwork, you can back out of the part-exchange portion and we’ll recalculate the transaction without it.

When does my contract end?

Your finance contract will end once you’ve made all scheduled payments (and paid any final balloon payment if it’s a PCP). For example, if you took a 48-month term, it ends after the 48th payment (or when the balloon is settled). The specific end date will be listed on your finance agreement. You can also contact your lender to find out the exact date or remaining payments. In short, it ends when the loan is fully paid according to the agreement.

What deposit do I need to pay?

We’re quite flexible – you can put down as much or as little as you want, even £0 deposit if that suits you. Of course, paying a deposit (like 10% or any amount) will reduce your monthly payments, but if you prefer a zero-deposit deal, that’s possible too, subject to credit approval. So, in short, there’s no fixed required deposit; it depends on what you’re comfortable with and what the finance approval comes back with. Many customers choose to pay something upfront, but it’s not mandatory.

Once I've been approved for finance on a Carsa car, what are the next steps?

Congrats on the approval! Next, we’ll finalize the paperwork. You’ll likely receive a finance agreement to sign (often electronically). We’ll also arrange the vehicle handover details with you – such as setting a date for collection or delivery and taking any deposit payment if you haven’t paid it yet. Basically, once approved, it’s about signing the contract and then picking up your car. We handle the liaison with the finance company, so after you sign, we draw down the funds from them and you get the car on the agreed date.

What happens at the end of my PCP agreement?

At the end of a PCP, you’ve got three options: 1) Pay the final balloon payment to keep the car (this is also called the Guaranteed Future Value payment). If you pay that, the car is yours outright. 2) Hand the car back to the finance company. You’ll hand back the vehicle and, as long as it’s within the agreed mileage and in fair condition, you have nothing more to pay (if it’s exceeded mileage or has excessive damage, charges might apply). 3) Part-exchange the car for a new one – often customers will use any equity (if the car is worth more than the balloon) towards a new car. Basically, you can keep it, hand it back, or trade it in.

How do I apply for finance?

We’ll start with a quick pre‑qualification to estimate the APR you’re likely to be offered. You can run this check yourself on our website or call us and we’ll do it with you. Once you’re happy, we’ll complete the full finance application together over the phone.

How does part-exchange work?

Part-exchange is simple: you tell us about your current car (either online via a form or in-person at a branch) and we give you a valuation for it. This is usually a no-obligation quote based on the car’s details (age, mileage, condition, etc.). If you’re happy with it, you can then proceed with the trade-in as part of buying your new car. When it’s time to hand over, you bring your old car to us. We inspect it to ensure its condition matches what was described, finalize the trade-in paperwork, and then the agreed part-exchange value is deducted from the price of your new Carsa car.

How will my monthly payments work?

Your monthly payments will be set up as a direct debit with the finance lender. Typically, you’ll select or be assigned a monthly due date (for example, the 1st of each month). After you sign the finance agreement and take the car, the first payment usually comes out about one month later. From then, it’s an automatic monthly debit from your bank account for the agreed amount, on the same date each month, until the finance term is complete.