Tips on choosing a car??

lincroft1710

Mmmm - I'm always suspicious of cars for sale without 12 mnths MOT, unless they're sub £1K. Price seems to be at top end. You need an HPI check - whether insurance write off, still under finance and check it has F(ull) S(ervice) H(istory). Also take along someone who knows a bit about cars to have a look at it.

AdrianHi

Parisian wrote: »

If I take the small & cheap option.... I have heard about a car going for sale locally - Peugeot 106, 1.5 Diesel. X Reg 83,000 miles in good condition. MOT till march. Some minor scratches on body work. Asking price £1500.

Parkers say for a late X reg. http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/used-prices/Valuation.aspx?deriv=15049&plate=65
about £1400 but parkers prices are always a bit on the high side. With those miles £1100-£1200 seems about right. If it's done mostly motorway miles may be it might be worth going a touch higher.
My brother had a 1.4 petrol one of these, lots of fun to drive, corners well, but it's not very comfortable for longer trips.
A Skoda Fabia is more comfortable and you should be able to pick up a '51 reg. 1.4 petrol Classic for about the same (£1200) money (my sister-in-law has this car - not for sale;) ) if you can live with it's looks.

Minor scratches could probably be polished out.
I would always look for complete service history even if it's not all done at a Peugeot dealer.

AdrianHi

Parisian wrote: »

& Any cons with having diesel?

Not really the appropriate engine for short trips around town, best to have a small petrol engine for that. Always compare the prices of the petrol vs. diesel versions of cars you find, diesels often selling for more than they should IMO. Account for diesel being circa. 10% more (and rising) than petrol.
You may find it easier to locate better conditioned lower mileage petrol cars than diesels at this sort of age and money.

Parisian

Thank you, those are really useful tips.
Have found out more about the history of the car ....& there is a full service history available.

AdrianHi...thanks, the Parkers site is really useful! Tax included until March 09, so that could also be bumping up the price a little. What would be a reasonable offer to put in?

& I think you are right, I should probs look into a petrol car.... am just looking into this car, as it's a friend who is selling it - I don't really have anyone to take with me to check these cars out, so thought going through friends might be a safer option!

before_hollywood

thought about a fiesta?

DKLS

Some very sensible and practical suggestions above, but I would add one more criteria in, well I always do for myself.

'The shop window test', for me a car is a reflection of your personality and I couldnt drive a car that I didnt look good in. A car has to fit me like a saville row suit.

CloudRuler

If you're looking for something that'll last I'd go for a car in the top 10 of this http://http://www.reliabilityindex.co.uk/tophundred.html?apc=3128339010848601 in which case the cost of parts shouldn't be all that much of an issue as chances are you won't need to replace anything for a good while.

My first car was a Nissan Micra which I had for six months, no problems with it. My current car is a Toyota Yaris, bought it in 07, 06 reg, no problems so far, good mpg but I think the parts can be expensive for the Yaris. Not all that concerned seeing as its under warranty at the moment and with it being a reliable car the cost of parts wasn't a big factor for me when selecting a car however if you're looking for a car around £1500 pretty sure the Yaris is out in which case I'd say go for a Micra.

AdrianHi

Parisian wrote: »

Thank you, those are really useful tips.
Have found out more about the history of the car ....& there is a full service history available.

AdrianHi...thanks, the Parkers site is really useful! Tax included until March 09, so that could also be bumping up the price a little. What would be a reasonable offer to put in?

& I think you are right, I should probs look into a petrol car.... am just looking into this car, as it's a friend who is selling it - I don't really have anyone to take with me to check these cars out, so thought going through friends might be a safer option!

As it's a car you know the history of I'd feel inclined to take a chance on this diesel, is it turbo charged?
I suspect it's not, so on reflection this one is not so bad for town use.
Tax disk has no real re-sale value, I'd offer £1100, let him reject it and then leave a £1200 offer on the table while you go and look for a petrol Nissan Micra old enough to have had nothing to do with Renault, which is what you would get for around £1200. Also try a Skoda Fabia too, they are pretty bomb proof.
Have owned Japanese cars in the past the parts aren't that much more expensive, you don't tend to need many if any and the Micra is British built in Sunderland anyway - one of the worlds most efficient car plants Japan included!

Parisian

DKLS.... lol @ saville row suit. I know i know, I wish i could afford to get a saville row equivalent of a car! I am thinking that as I have not driven since 2004.... might buy a small cheap car for now...... and saville row car in a couple of years!

CloudRuler.... how much did you pay for the 06 Yaris? I did have a look at one, a bit older for around 2.5k....
Will look into Fiesta & Micra....

AdrianHi.....thanksss
I am going to see the car tomorrow. Have looked into it more on WhatCar who say to avoid it! lol They recommend the Peugout 1.4 Quicksilver out of all the 106 models.
I think I will just go have a look tomorrow anyway, no harm in doing that really.
I wrote down some stuff from the WhatCar website to look out for, but a bit unsure what it means!
Funny thing is, as I haven't driven in 4 years I am reluctant to test drive it.... so will be interesting! Unfortunately, will be going alone. Any more tips on what I should look out for tomorrow when I go?! lol..... so hopless with cars

AdrianHi

Parisian wrote: »

DKLS.... lol @ saville row suit. I know i know, I wish i could afford to get a saville row equivalent of a car! I am thinking that as I have not driven since 2004.... might buy a small cheap car for now...... and saville row car in a couple of years!

CloudRuler.... how much did you pay for the 06 Yaris? I did have a look at one, a bit older for around 2.5k....
Will look into Fiesta & Micra....

AdrianHi.....thanksss
I am going to see the car tomorrow. Have looked into it more on WhatCar who say to avoid it! lol They recommend the Peugout 1.4 Quicksilver out of all the 106 models.
I think I will just go have a look tomorrow anyway, no harm in doing that really.
I wrote down some stuff from the WhatCar website to look out for, but a bit unsure what it means!
Funny thing is, as I haven't driven in 4 years I am reluctant to test drive it.... so will be interesting! Unfortunately, will be going alone. Any more tips on what I should look out for tomorrow when I go?! lol..... so hopless with cars

I would guess the "avoid" advice comes from the fact it's noisy and not likely to cost less to run than the petrol. It's not that comfortable either. Someone I once worked with who used one for a 30 miles each way commute, half of it on the motorway, described it as "a nasty little car" but it was pretty cheap motoring.

"Top used super-mini choice" the 1992 to 2002 Nissan Micra.
http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/nissan/micra-1993.aspx
I have driven these as courtesy cars back when I had a Primera. Not particularly "manly" in styling, they are really very very good little cars, even the 1.0 engine manages the motorway well too. Fun to drive, cheap to run (47mpg!!) and insure and don't really go wrong.