Purchase of second hand car

Loopy_Girl

Looking for some advice from you lovely chap and chapesses

Not normally a section I venture over to but am hoping I can get some help...

Basically looking for a second hand car...probs a Micra or a Ka (anyone have any opinion on either of these? or any other suggestion?)...budget round about 1K.

Question is, having been out of the second hand car market for a while I am unsure of the best places to look...

Obvs I have looked on Auto Trader and we have a local paper here which comes out once a week, ScotAds, and I will look in that but if anyone has any suggestions/links I would much apprec.

Also opinions re type/model welcome...essentially the brief is that it's to be a small runaround city type car much like the ones mentioned.;)

gilbert_and_sullivan

Ka needs checking for rust as will any and every car in this price bracket.
Micra's are good little motors as are Peugeot 106's/Saxo's.
Toyota Starlet if you can find one, if you find a Yaris for £1k i'll be surprised.
Hyundai Accents superb little motors too.

As with most things don't be put off any particular car if it's in good condition and has been looked after, this is the sort of price range to try and and find an older persons car who will most likely have looked after it, buy on condition.
You will probably get a better car by going bigger, small cars the sort you are looking for are in great demand these days.

Try Pistonheads classifieds and Ebay, Autotrader is too expensive to advertise in for this budget.

King_Nothing

If you're looking at £1k Ka's, you'd probabley get better bang for your buck if you looked at Fiesta's aswell.

Loopy_Girl

Thank you both

I actually did used to have a Micra a few years ago and I really enjoyed driving it...fancied the Ka for a change but I notice several people say they are bad for rust.

I did see a Micra for just a shade over tht 1K and it was only 44K miles which I thought was really good? 2001 year but a mechanic told me years ago that it's the mileage you concentrate on rather than the actual year.

Will take both your suggestions on board and widen my search as well.

Jon_Tiffany

Micra is a good car but check the front cross member as they are prone to rust. As others have said the Ka has some rust issues as well. I wouldn't worry too much about mileage on that sort of car, low miles means its been used for lots of short trips to the shops. Take a friend along when viewing any cars and trust your instincts - if something seems wrong walk away, plenty of cars out there to look at.

Unfortunately, at that sort of price if buying privately its always a gamble. Dont expect too much at that price. I once picked up a £500 VW Polo that was meant to be a 6 month stop gap. Ended up keeping it for around 3 years as it was such a great little car and never gave me any trouble. The point is you can get lucky sometimes.

Loopy_Girl

Thanks for the tip...that was exactly the kind of advice I was hoping to get and is much apprec

I agree with the gamble statement though...sometimes you just have to trust your faith and hope for the best!

PursuitOfHappiness

Could look on ebay, pistonheads and autotrader as people have suggested.
When you've decided on a car you might be interested in google it and research the specific model a little bit to highlight any issues you could look out for on inspection of the car. Also to ask the owner, such as has the cambelt been replaced if it's a specific mileage the cambelt needs to be changed at.
Also if you don't understand cars have someone who does who you know go with you so you don't pick up a potential moneypit.
Peugeot 106 was my first car and the only thing I needed to change on it was a couple of tyres in the two years I owned it. Loved it.
Micras, KA's and Fiestas probably looking at in the £1000+ region.
You want to be looking at mileage yes but age also. Service history too, such as making sure the services have been done each year. Tyres and brakes aren't worn down so you don't have to pay for the car then pay for tyres and brakes.

alo6

i wouldnt touch a KA, nothing but bad news.

Me - had one for a hire car and nearly killed me when the clutch went sitting at traffic lights and pulled me through the red light onto one of Stirlings busiest junctions. - FUN

Friend - unfortunatly had a head on collision at 30MPH and not one Airbag went off. Car was written off, was an 08 plate aswell.

Just my 2cents but you would be better off with a micra or a polo or something.

the182guy

Micra will be cheap on insurance aswell.

Might get a good buy from an elderly person but often they tend to leave them unused for long periods and sometimes the car will only be used for short journeys to the shops.

AlwaysPondering

Left field choice - Seat Arosa...

My OH has one - great little car, is now 12 years old - goes through MOT's with no problems, her's is the diesel - bit slow but can get around 68mpg+ on her commute to work, and the best we've got was around 73mpg..

Parts are easy to get as most of it's general vw bits..

Loopy_Girl

Thank you all....I have decided to defo discount the Ka;)

Unfortunately I don't know anyone who 'knows' car so it's a wing and a prayer!!


I will do the research as suggested and try and pick up any points that I should be looking for.

I think Micra is my top choice although I am always open to suggestion....on the advice here I have started looking at Fiestas and saw a lovely 02 plate for 1.2K which I need to investigate further as there was no mileage stated:cool:

Thanks again