I bought a Ford Transit 90bhp lwb hi-roof (it had 70k on the clock) from a trader in Berkswell nr Coventry in July. They advertise in Ebay and Autotrader, say they have 40 years in the trade. Within a week, the water pump broke, they paid for a replacement. Six weeks later, the clutch went, and the mechanic I took it to said they must have known it had that problem when they sold it to me. They are giving me the cold shoulder, and it cost £700 to fix, so I am taking it to the small claims.
I only went that route because I didn't want to commit to buying new, but from comments here, leasing sounds like a good option, I have always just preferred buying for cash, I don't like owing anyone.