Buying a second hand vehicle

We will be moving to Tauranga in a few weeks’ time and will be looking to buy a second hand vehicle. Are there any dealerships in Tauranga that you can recommend? Or would it be a better idea for us to buy from Auckland or Hamilton/Waikato area, since it seems like there are more options in those 2 areas when I do a general search on Trademe?

Would it be better to buy through a dealership or privately and what should I look out for? Are there any advantages to buy through a dealership?

I'm in a similar situation. I'm looking for a Prius, which is what I now drive in the US. The advice I've received is join AA and have them do an inspection. Looks to me like selected Japanese imports are a good way to go, but there are some dubious dealers. For best selection, I'd ask the Auckland dealers what it would cost to have vehicle delivered to Tauranga.