Redwing Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I am currently looking for a car and am overwhelmed by the choices I have despite my low budget, I've had a company car since passing my test and and have no real experience of running a car I normally throw myself in to research but I'm floundering a bit with everything else I have on my plate at the moment! I dont know whether to go for a car thats done loads of miles but that is generally acknowledged to have a good engine - such as a VW or go for a car with lower mileage but a more 'unreliable' make like Fiat/Renault Then do I go to a dealer who may give a warranty or pay less and get one from a private seller? or do I get a local garage to source me one and accept I may not get a make/ model/colour that I hadnt considered but be happier that its been checked out? I have £2000-£2500 to spend on an estate, MPV or small van most of the ones I am looking at have 120,000 miles or more on the clock and I am not sure if thats ok, it seems a lot to me I've had my current company car from new, its 3 years old and I've done 105,000 miles in it but I know its spent most of its life in 6th gear on a motorway so its mileage doesnt faze me (unfortunately I cant afford to buy it off the company) So bearing in mind my smallish budget does anyone have any tips on buying secondhand cars? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I took the risk when buying a car for ES recently and bought from a private seller as it was so much cheaper. I did however pay to get a check done to make sure that it was not stolen and that it had nothing dodgy in terms of it being a right off or anything illegal outstanding associated with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reikiranf Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 If there are any particular cars that you are interested in, have a look to see if there is an owners forum as they are a great source of information & if there are any real faults/problems with a specific model you'll find out what they are and be able to make an informed decision. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowberry Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Buying privately gives you little consumer protection if you discover faults that the owner declined to disclose. I would look for a make that is lower on the cost of parts; I know Kia's aren't that fashionable but they have an enviable warrenty period. I bought my Peugeot when it was 2 1/2 & within 18 months bits had to be replaced. Have you considered putting the money down as a deposit & getting the rest as a loan for a higher spec car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memphisto Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 (edited) Hi there, My OH has just had to buy himself a car in the same budget as yours. He went for a VW GT TDi on a Y plate at just under 2k BUT he's had numerous problems since buying it just over a month ago from an auction. The turbo blew within 2 days, £700 to fix (we sourced a new turbo, garage quoted £680 just to get the part), Cambelt £300, electrical sensor issues £108, now it's leaking water somewhere but luckily not into the oil. Due to having the turbo blow up, we opted to get a new exhaust and cat, this was another £400. He has no come back as he bought it as sold as seen and auction houses sell their cars as assumed 'unroadworthy', so we've been stung massively. What I would say is I bought an 04 Scenic 18 months ago for £2200, despite it having negative reviews but it has only needed two tyres since I bought it. I have no problems with it, I just wish it was a diesel not petrol. I bought from a small but estabished dealer and had a look for online reviews about the dealer, only found 3-4 but they were positive. I did also ask friends/family for any recommendations. Most of the boys in my family have bought themselves cars on eBay, but have had themselves some bargains, but it goes back to the private seller thing, having no comeback if the is something majorly wrong. If I were buying a new car now (which I'm not) I would probably make a shortlist of the cars I would be happy with, look and research common faults/ reviews and look at 'book' and average selling prices on Autotrader/eBay etc, then have a look at insurance quotes for each type and see what that comes out as as well as checking the tax brackets etc, as the running cost of a car is important to me. Mileage wise, the best car me and the ex had was a Volvo V70 on a 51 plate which had done 105k in 3 years. He kept it when we divorced! It had been well maintained and had lots of history so we weren't in the dark about what had been done/not done, like my OH is now with his Golf I think the moral of OH's story is don't rush, do your homework and the right car will come up soon Edited October 11, 2011 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyhole kate Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 According to OH originaly trained as mechanic it's swings and roundabouts we have bought cars from dealers and privately private sales are on balance cheaper you need to balance what kind of use the car is for If it is small local journeys then a high mileage car would be fine if you intend to do a lot of miles then a lower mileage car would be better also high miles on a diesel engines is preferable to that of Petrol engine something else to consider is parts tyres exhausts can be very expensive on some cars DD has just paid £500 for an exhaust on her Peugeot. Glass's guide gives you an accurate price guide taking into account mileage condition year. Having someone who knows there way around cars is a godsend when viewing I think either the AA or RAC offer a buying a car check service. OH swears micras are excellent little cars we have just bought YD a T reg VW Lupo as a first car high mileage but ex engine not a spot of rust lots of these around with low mileage and good prices hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 We have bought cars in the past by using a small local garage. We told them what we wanted and they bought one at auction for us giving it the once over before selling it on to us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Worth looking on Parkers car buying guide, look at the reviews to make sure you pick the car that suits you, then you can use it to search for one near to you and in your price range. Difficult to say who to buy from, unless neighbours can recommend a good local mechanic. I've bought wonderful cars privately and had lemons from dealers, despite also buying the 3 month warrenty (which never seems to cover the bits that go wrong ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I'd go for one with a lower mileage myself, if you're not confident about buying a car then get a friend or mechanic to look it over for you. I'm happy to do my own checks but on the couple of occasions I've been unsure a mechanic friend has checked it for me for the price of a beer or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I think the RAC will give a car the once over for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I'm on my third KIA! Great value, low insurance, hates petrol stations! cheap to insure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurmurf Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 we've found a really reliable garage and have used them for the last 15 years. When we need a new-to-us car we let them know and they choose a car for us. I fell in love with a Kangoo and our mechanic said to stay away from them. I would have a Berlingo like a shot though! Maybe first find a recommended and trustworthy garage and take their advice having given them an idea of what you are looking for as well as your budget? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohcarolina Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Don't you know anyone who can give you advice at all? I'm lucky that my brother in law was an RAF airframes engineer and built his own kit car so looks after the family cars and can offer advice and see any possible pitfalls. Plus there have been various mates along the way who have been able to offer advice. My current car (a VW Skoda Octavia Estate for all those car purists out there) was a lucky find at auction - a PX that no one wanted as the bodywork had a few s"Ooops, word censored!"es, is on a 51 plate and cost £800 3 years ago at 70K miles. Its identical to my sisters Audi and has now done 170K miles (I've done 100k in 3 years) and she just goes and goes. A work colleague who goes to the auctions found it for me as he's an auction regular. The one I had before that was from a main dealer who would have sent it to auction but was glad to sell it to me for what he'd PX'd it for. I'd love a shiny newer car but I doubt I'll ever get one so Sophie Skoda will have to keep going . I guess it all depends on what you need it for most. Most cars are reliable these days and the bodywork doesn't rot like it did in the good old days. Unfortunately the smaller engine sizes fetch good resale prices because of the price of petrol and diesels aren't much cheaper. The one opinion I do have is I'd never be without a hatchback or estate now - so much easier to get furniture, chickens, feed, hay, shopping, nieces, family, rubbish for the tip, etc, etc, etc into. Good luck Caroline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I love my VW Sharan TDi with all my heart We bought him nearly six years ago from the owner of the garage where Mr Griffins uncle is a mechanic. It's a T reg so no spring chicken and it'd already done 130k miles but as it's a diesel engine it wasn't too horrendous. He's now on 197k miles and I'm looking forward to celebrating 200k with him I'll make him a cake Touch wood, he's very reliable and hasn't had anything wrong with him, just general wear and tear you'd expect on someone his age. He doesn't guzzle diesel either. When the sad day comes and he goes to the s"Ooops, word censored!" yard in the sky, I'll cry buckets, but replace him with another VW Sharan TDi. High mileage wouldn't put me off a VW diesel, a friend drives a VW Passat, she's a taxi driver, and she's just celebrated 500k miles with hers, affectionately known as Pug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Loads of good advice already. We've had a number of cars and hire cars over the years so we have some experiences of what we like and don't like, I'd also ask friends/family and your local mechanic if they have any recommendations/things to avoid. I used to buy privately because it was so much cheaper, now I'm older and a bit richer I tend to use garages because I feel I have some comeback, or at least someone to rant at if necessary! We start by doing some online research and reading lots of reviews; neither of us is autominded! I use a mix of Autocar/TopGear type ones and then owner ones. However, I think you do have to recognise owners either tend to write 'its marvellous' or 'its rubbish' without much inbetween. You also have to be clear about what is important to you - its not always the same as what the reviewers are interested in. Once we've found the car we like the look of we take one for a test drive at a garage (often with no intention of buying it) because me & OH are very different sizes and it needs to be comfy for both of us. Once we've done that then we look online until the make/model comes up. You can search for private sales or garages. Both OH's car and mine were complete bargains - we travelled 150 mile round trips to pick them up, but saved thousands. Remember, right now it is a buyers market. Personally I prefer a lower mileage car but its less crucial with a diesel or if the miles have been stacked up like yours on the motorway. An older car with high miles that has been pottering about has had its clutch/brakes/cam belt/gearbox used a lot as well as things like electric windows etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I took the risk when buying a car for ES recently and bought from a private seller as it was so much cheaper. I did however pay to get a check done to make sure that it was not stolen and that it had nothing dodgy in terms of it being a right off or anything illegal outstanding associated with it. I did the same for my run around, I got a high spec Corsa with low mileage for a lot less than the car show rooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 We buy citroen berlingos as they become available - usually from other firms that are downsizing due to the climate. We very rarely have problems with them and we have quite a large fleet - I only have to get them booked for service or windscreen/tyre repairs - which can be expected when being used on construction sites etc. We always get them for under £2000, and our local mechanic is chummy with the boss so he checks them over for free sometimes! Any firms going into administration near you? They often auction off the vehicles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I've been trying to talk her into a Berlingo for ages - wouldn't be without mine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I've been trying to talk her into a Berlingo for ages - wouldn't be without mine! They're fantastic all purpose vans, our chaps get paid 20p a mile for their mileage, they're great value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 The arguement between low and high mileage cars is a tricky one, because you can get high mileage young cars like yours that have had an easy life and you can get low mileage cars that have had a hard life with poor drivers. I would be inclined to buy from a dealer with a warranty unless you know the history of the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I've been trying to talk her into a Berlingo for ages - wouldn't be without mine! They're fantastic all purpose vans, our chaps get paid 20p a mile for their mileage, they're great value. Just how many chickens you could fit in if you go to a poultry action. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Dunno, loads and loads. I've had an enormous dog kennel in it (for friends), we've slept in the back at festivals, It's even had 2 piglets and 5 ducks in the back for another friend. It's like a Tardis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I've been trying to talk her into a Berlingo for ages - wouldn't be without mine! They're fantastic all purpose vans, our chaps get paid 20p a mile for their mileage, they're great value. Just how many chickens you could fit in if you go to a poultry action. I would imagine 3x more than redwing fit in her car last time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I don't think she needs any encouraging in that direction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Here’s a deal.... My daughter who is 21 and living at home was looking to buy a 2nd hand car about 3-4 years old with a budget of £5k. We looked around for ages and found a couple that she liked but there were some issues and they were not suitable in the end. Then we were driving past Renault Croydon and the had a Clio parked outside with a deal printed on it which was £159 deposit & £159 per month. It sounded good so we went in to find out a bit more and ended up signing on the dotted line. Basically you pay £159 per month for 44 months and at the end you have the option of making a final payment of £3800 and the car is yours or you can part x it for another new car and carry on. Or you can just hand it back and walk away. The beauty of this deal is that you get included 12 months road tax and 3 years free servicing and 3 years breakdown recovery. So for £159 per month you have trouble free motoring. So in effect my daughter is now leasing a brand new car for very little outlay and it is all in her name. She has had it for about 3 weeks now and loves it. You may not have thought of this option to get your next car but it may give you food for thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
