cheap car question

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consumers_revenge
consumers_revenge Posts: 3,545 Forumite
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in Motoring
Hi,


My wifes car failed MOT and at this point its really not worth repairing.


She does very car little mileage 4k and I ride a motorbike in the main so just after something cheap.


Theres a 2001 fiesta being sold by a trader just along from me and I'm thinking of buying. Dec 2018 MOT and £500.


Now I know its an older car so I'm not expecting brand new by any means and my focus is that old so I know what to expect. However my question is what are my reasonable expectations if theres anything mechanically that I find in the first 30 days? Same reject rights etc?


Just 2 years ago I bought a private clio and within days the head gasket went and it was money down the drain....


Cheers
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  • System
    System Posts: 178,094 Community Admin
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    edited 13 January 2018 at 5:05PM
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    Fix your wife's car. A £500 2001 Fiesta is going to need fixing, especially one sold by a trader who probably paid no more than £200 for it at the local auction. You're going to have the sum total of next to no rights because you're buying a 16 year old car not much above scrap value and your rights are determined to an extent by that because a reasonable person would expect a £500 banger to come with problems. You're not going to get right to reject unless its dangerous and even then it'll cost you more than £500 to enforce it through court because you can be damned sure the dealer won't be wanting to give a refund.

    I would be absolutely gobsmacked if it didn't have problems. The MOT is meaningless. There is a massive list of things that can cause a car to break down that don't even make it onto the MOT test list, some of them being quite serious such as the state of the cambelt and the clutch because neither of those are testable items.
  • martinthebandit
    martinthebandit Posts: 4,422 Forumite
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    Tarambor wrote: »
    Fix your wife's car. A £500 2001 Fiesta is going to need fixing, especially one sold by a trader who probably paid no more than £200 for it at the local auction. You're going to have the sum total of next to no rights because you're buying a 16 year old car not much above scrap value and your rights are determined to an extent by that because a reasonable person would expect a £500 banger to come with problems.

    I would be absolutely gobsmacked if it didn't have problems. The MOT is meaningless. There is a massive list of things that can cause a car to break down that don't even make it onto the MOT test list, some of them being quite serious such as the state of the cambelt and the clutch because neither of those are testable items.


    .....is the right answer.
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189 Forumite
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    consumers_revenge wrote: »
    Theres a 2001 fiesta being sold by a trader just along from me and I'm thinking of buying. Dec 2018 MOT and £500.

    Now I know its an older car so I'm not expecting brand new by any means and my focus is that old so I know what to expect. However my question is what are my reasonable expectations if theres anything mechanically that I find in the first 30 days? Same reject rights etc?

    Seriously?

    It's a 17yo £500 car. You have the legal right to expect that it's in a typical condition for a £500 17yo car.

    If it gets you home, job jobbed.
  • mbwoy84
    mbwoy84 Posts: 24 Forumite
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    There is no reason why a £500 car can’t give reliable service for years to come. Only yesterday someone I know proudly waved his fresh advisory-less MOT certificate for his Mondeo which he paid £400 for 5 years ago and has used daily since without anything go wrong other than usual consumables.

    But at that price, you can’t expect anyone to guarantee it. There will always be an element of risk at that price.
  • jimjames
    jimjames Posts: 17,625 Forumite
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    mbwoy84 wrote: »
    But at that price, you can’t expect anyone to guarantee it. There will always be an element of risk at that price.

    Absolutely. You might pick up a bargain buying privately but unlikely from a dealer at that price.

    I got a £250 car back in November and it's been brilliant. Couple of minor issues and service to do but it runs very smoothly with no mechanical problems. That was a private sale from a friend of the family though, dealer would be a different situation.
    Remember the saying: if it looks too good to be true it almost certainly is.
  • consumers_revenge
    consumers_revenge Posts: 3,545 Forumite
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    Of course I was going to drive it first not just hand over the money lol


    Both our 18 Y.O. focuses past fault free last year and actually run fine but the cost for hers is approx. £600+ to fix ( mostly in welding and labour ) if it would have been £400 max maybe? job done


    I bought a micra for £110 many years back, lasted 3 years. Bought a bubble shape and last 6 years for £550 so not everyones a pup.


    What I suppose I'm saying is there any more rights buying from a trader over buying from public?
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,175 Forumite
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    Wouldn't want to pay £500 for a 2001 Fiesta from a dealer even with 11 month MOT. Worth £250 max.
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189 Forumite
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    consumers_revenge wrote: »
    What I suppose I'm saying is there any more rights buying from a trader over buying from public?
    Not in any practicable sense at that end of the market, no.
  • consumers_revenge
    consumers_revenge Posts: 3,545 Forumite
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    Failure note ( though I'm not convinced )


    Front Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases flexi (7.1.2)
    Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
    Offside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
    Nearside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
    Offside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
    Nearside Rear Inner Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded wing (5.2.6)
    Offside Rear Inner Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded wing (5.2.6)
    Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 195/60r15 (4.1.E.1)
    Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189 Forumite
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    So just some basic maintenance and wear-and-tear. A couple of bits of welding, but not much.

    And as for that illegally bald tyre... Go and think Mr MOT for saving you from three points!
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