I’m a car boot sale expert – five items to always buy and four to avoid

AS any car boot sale aficionado will know, bagging a bargain can bring a real smile to your face, while also potentially saving you big wads of cash.

But you need to take care not to get too caught in the excitement and end up splashing out on a purchase that you later come to regret.

We spoke to car boot sale pro, Jennifer von Walderdorff, sustainable fashion founder and author of Look at the Labels, The Style Consultancy, (@jennifer_walderdorff), to ask her how to make the right choices.

The 39-year-old lives in London with her husband and three-year-old son, Joseph, and regularly frequents boot sales in her local area.

She told The Sun: “With just a bit of time and effort – and a little forward planning – you can bag some brilliant finds for both you and your family, and make some big savings to boot.

“At the same time, you’re also being more sustainable by purchasing second-hand.”

Here Jennifer shares her tips on the five items worth buying at a car boot sale – and four that are best avoided.

Five items you should buy at a car boot sale

1. Winter wear

While buying any item of clothing second-hand is an easy way to pay less, winter wear is a great category of clothing worth rummaging around for at a car boot sale, according to Jennifer.

She said: “Look out for items such as coats and boots, as there are often great deals to be had.

“I picked up a pink down-feathered vintage ski gilet for just £12 at one of these sales.

“If I’d bought it new, it would have cost almost £100.”

2. Lego

If you have little ones who love building and creating, then keep an eye out for Lego.

As any parent will know, purchasing sets and boxes brand new can often be quite pricey.

If you want to keep costs down, a car boot can offer a much cheaper alternative.

“Lego is a gift that keeps on giving,” said the second-hand guru.

“If you can find these timeless building blocks, then think about buying them.

“They are easy to clean and have years of playtime in them, so the cost-per-use at car-boot prices is immeasurable.”

A car boot can often be a great place to pick up Lego minifigures.

If you’re lucky, you might find collectable ones at a good price.

Be sure to compare the price they’re selling for on eBay before you buy.

For younger kids, Duplo can be a great purchase.

Jennifer added: “I bought my son some second-hand Duplo for his third birthday for just a few pounds at a car boot sale, and there hasn’t been a day he hasn’t played with those little blocks.” 

3. Art

If you’re looking to brighten up your home, it’s worth scouring your local sales for pictures and artwork.

“Cool home decoration and art can often be purchased at a car boot sale at bargain prices,” said Jennifer.

“If you’re not fixated on copy prints from a famous artist, you can pick up some great paintings from someone’s boot, often with a ridiculously low price tag.”

Better still, she adds, these prints can often come with expensive frames.

Jennifer said: “I once got a painting thrown in for free when I was focused on buying a particular frame, simply because the seller didn’t want to take it back home.”

4. Accessories

Some boot sale devotees can be so focused on buying clothes, that they pay little attention to the accessories on display, according to Jennifer.

“These are often overlooked,” she said.

“Yet you may be able to find vintage items for a steal.

“You can often purchase pieces such as fur hats, leg warmers and blanket scarves made from wonderfully high-quality materials at low prices.”

Jennifer is a big fan of accessories, viewing them as great tools to elevate an outfit.

She said: “When you’re perusing items at a car boot sale, think of pieces that could bring new life to your wardrobe, potentially costing just a few pounds.”

This, she adds, is a much cheaper – and more sustainable – alternative to buying new clothes.

“My vintage headband, which only cost me a few pounds, is my best car boot purchase of all time,” she said.

“I’ve had it for almost 20 years, and it’s still going strong.”

5. High-quality items of clothing

When browsing the stalls, it’s well worth keeping your eyes peeled for high-quality pieces, according to Jennifer.

“Make sure you know your area of interest,” she said.

“Do your research and learn about fabrics, categories, and how to buy quality over quantity.

“Learn how to tell a polyester or cotton dress from a silk one.

“And if the fabric composition is mixed, or polyester-heavy, don’t be afraid of asking for a lower price.”

Four items you should avoid

1. Luxury goods

Jennifer’s advice is to tread very carefully before parting with cash for luxury brands at a boot sale.

“There is often no authentication for the items,” she warned.

“You could end up purchasing a fake.”

At the same time, there is also a risk you could end up paying over the odds.

Jennifer said: “You could find yourself paying for the brand, rather than the quality of the item itself.”

2. Watches that aren’t working

The shopping whizz also urges car boot sale fans to think twice before handing over money for a watch that isn’t ticking at the point of sale.

She said: “You might end up with a watch that becomes a bracelet if a new battery doesn’t revive its function.”

Jennifer recommends insisting on a demonstration with a battery, or asking what the price would be with a battery included.

“The key thing is to bargain, bargain, bargain,” she said.

“I once bought three watches for £12 (£4 each) after haggling the total down from £15.

“I got a demonstration that they worked, so I was happy with my investment.

“I made a big saving compared to buying even just one of these watches new.”

3. CDs and records

Another of Jennifer’s top tips is to give CDs and records a wide berth unless you know exactly what you’re getting – and are happy with that.

“It’s hard to certify whether there are scratches on these items meaning you won’t know if they actually play,” said the car boot sale aficionado.

“This makes these purchases a bit of a gamble.”

With old music there is, she adds, a bit of a bias on the artist over the medium.

“If you are looking for a bargain, you need to have a bit of knowledge,” she said.

“Equally, if you just find a cool thing from an artist that you like, it’s worth looking up current prices.

“I managed to pick up some Bach and Mozart vinyl albums at a car boot sale for £3 each.

“I haven’t played them yet, but for me it’s more about the cover art – and about them being decorative.”

4. Clothing with faults

While you may fall in love with a particular dress or top as you work your way through the racks beside the various car boots, if you then find that piece of clothing has a split seam or a dodgy zip, you should probably put it back, Jennifer suggests.

Even though you may tell yourself that you will fix the fault, or pay someone else to fix it, in many cases, this just won’t happen.

The second-hand guru said: “If you have a busy life and buy a fixer-upper, it may forever stay that way.

“Then, although a bargain, it would become a waste of money if not used or worn at all.”

While you’re at it, the clothes pro recommends thinking very carefully before buying “dry-clean only” items.

She said: “You continue to add to the cost of the initial investment every time you want to wear and clean that piece of clothing.”

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