Debt Free by 40 Debt Diary

oakdale_minx

Just double checked and yes, it has power steering. My first car was an H reg escort without power steering and I hated it!

I've seen the service history book, all stamped with the same garage in Romsey every 12 months from new and it has done about 7 to 8,000 a year. One owner and the cam belt and brakes were done last September. It is lovely inside, no wear on the seats or the steering wheel. They will put a 12 month MOT onit and also do a full vehicle check and rectify any problems first. The garage is about a mile and a half from my house so I might go and have another look today. I also saw a 1997 Vectra I quite liked last night when my OH came with me to look at it, but I seem to remember the 1996/97 ones were a bit unreliable?

I did wonder if he had had the Escort for a while. The cars on each side of it in the photo aren't the ones on each side now, and the electric side mirror button on the door had a little cobweb on it.

My OH has launched into 'telling me what I should be buying' mode. I 'should be buying' something privately because the prices are cheaper and he has found a Rover 400 1999 T plate for £850 which I 'should be going to look at because it is £400 cheaper than the ones I've already seen'. Warranties 'arent' worth the paper they are written on' apparently!

If I try to say 'yes ok,I'll think about it with the others' he gets huffy because I don't jumpup and down and tell him it is the best bargain ever and of course I will immediately phone up about it even though it is gone 10.00pm........

Bunnyinthelights

Morning O-M
How's the car hunting going?
Have you looked at
https://www.honestjohn.co.uk
for reports on cars? It's very good
Bunny

oakdale_minx

cheers Bunny Having a look now, blimey it doesn't pull any punches with what can go wrong with different models!!

Bunnyinthelights

I know!
I found it really good when I was looking for my last car and I ended up getting a Honda (automatic) and knock wood, it's been great so far! I wish I knew about the site when I got my *Bunny swears like a trooper* Mitsubishi Space Wagon, what a pice of !!!!!! THAT was! lol
But at least you can ask dealers etc the right questions when you go look if you know what the common faults are with a model.
I'm just trying for the first time to cook a whole chicken in my slow cooker...
Wish me luck!
Bunny x

jackie_w

Hi OM,

If the Escort has only done about 7 - 8000 miles a year thats good, because the average mileage is approx 10-12000.
I would def offer about £800 to start with & if its cash your using, tell the guy its cash.

If your looking at the Parkers book, there is somewhere in the book where it tells you what to look for to tell the difference between fair & good condition.
I think its at the front of the book. When I worked in an Insurance brokers, we used to use the Parkers guide to give customers a rough idea as to the value of their car.

Remember to try to get your insurance down too and although its probably better to stay with your existing insurance (unless they are really expensive) still tyr to haggle with them. Get a note of what your new annual price would be, and shop around, but, go back to your own insurers tell them the best price youve had elsewhere and try to negotiate with them, Tell them what mileage you do, if you do a low mileage each year that should bring your price down too.

Good luck with the car hunting. let me know how you get on.

Jackie xxx

Katyusha

I still maintain that the colour of the car is the most important consideration. I mean what is the point of having reliability, cheap service, low insurance costs, bla bla if you cannot find the damn thing in the car park?

A few years a go I had a grey Nissan Micra. It was hell when returning with arms full of shopping, child in tow and searching row upon row of overcrowded supermarket car park. Never again.

Kat

oakdale_minx

I agree. My current car is blue (and the escort is blue!) and I can never find it. My Carlton (other than being the size of a tank) was dark purple and very easy to spot!

ZTD

oakdale_minx wrote:

I agree. My current car is blue (and the escort is blue!) and I can never find it. My Carlton (other than being the size of a tank) was dark purple and very easy to spot!

Tie a balloon to the aerial.


Or just remember where you left it.

oakdale_minx

ZTD, I am getting concerned about our similar tastes in slightly unusual music - Vaya Con Dios is quite obscure.........but Icehouse??? I love 'Crazy'......makes me cry every time I hear it - don't know why!!!!

The car hunt continues. My OH seems a bit obsessed about me buying a Rover. thing is, where I live there is a high percentage of pensioners and a lot of Rover drivers who are well over the age of 65.......and I don't feel old enough to be driving a Rover yet!!!

Anyone want to offer any explanation why I felt the need to buy a huge catering size tin of mango puree from the supermarket??

Bunnyinthelights

OM
I'm not a fan of Rovers...stick to your guns and get the car you want-it'll probably be around a lot longer than OH;)
You mentioned Romsey earlier-One of my best friends' lived there for 10 years! Do you know any Canadians by any chance?
Bunny x