do i go for this car? chrysler neon

casseus

as the title says.

went to look at a volvo originally, but when it started imediately, it started cam slapping and knocking and had the eng managment on, sales guy looked suprised and took off sale and took round back was smoking alot too as he drove it round.

so as i was there spotted a 2000MY W 2.0 ILX 16v Chrysler NEON, screen priced at £1195 got the key had and started it and the gearbox was whineing and car was missing, opened the bonnet the coil pack has lost its mountain bolts and the wrong HT leads are installed as they are way too short. sure enough the box was broken wont select gear. body work has a scratch to the side (not bothered can do myself) looks like someone caught a fence post or gate no dents just scratched.

not to be detured as its a nice car with 61k (backed up) on the clock no engine oil leaks, just the miss and box.

sales guy openly admitted that yes he was aware of the problem and a recon box was on its way for it showed me the reciept, costing them £270 trade, was ordered yesterday, and would be here next tuesday. he would sort out the coilpack,and sort the leads and mot fix all thats on the mot slips and deal cash at 975 with the remaining tax (2months) and prove works have been carried out. the car obviously hasnt been there long as i was at same garage looking at different cars a week ago a few have been sold and a few px's put in their place, the interior is spotless leather isnt cracked or ripped, and carpet hasnt got any wear holes door cards look good.

researching on ebay and the like these cars with around same mileage go for around 750-995 in better body wise condition with long mot and tax.

wasnt able to test drive because the box is gone.

he wants £100 deposit, 5 working days to do box and valet, mot and whatever crops up at the MOT if any, previous MOT was issued with no advisories, regularly serviced and stamped book and reciepts. timing belt done 3k ago in may last year at dealers HPI clear. will come with a 6m warrenty-engine-electrical minus the usual (plugs), 3month warrenty for the box 2yr warrenty on the clutch and bearing as new is being fitted. all sealed and signed agreement, upon deposit, i must stress that i do live local to garage and he is respectable, ive not heared any problems about them at all, and know poople that bought cars from him any problems they were fixed without hassle.

do i haggle more as theres about £350 worth of scratches (done by a body repairers) leave it there, or deal to what ive already got him to down to, or do you guys think he could come down further (bare in mind that he is doing box, leads, clutch,ht,and coilpack.

Hintza

OP you seem to be fairly switched on so I am slghtly perplexed by your query.

If it was me I would carry on looking but say to the salsman to give you a ring if/when he has the car fixed and ready for sale. Leave no deposit don't promise him anything.

There are loads of cars for that sort of money floating around.

As a Jeep driver I would be slightly worried about cost of spares. I have never driven the car so can't comment on how it is to drive but for that sort of money as long as it goes and is reliable should be the main concern.

Hammyman

One had a knackered engine and the next one you look at has a misfire, bodged up HT electrics, a knackered gearbox and a scratch down the side. And if the gearbox only has a 3 month warranty its from a scrapyard as recon ones have 12 months/12000 mile warranties and cost a bit more than £270. If he's putting £320 (£270 for gearbox plus £50 for MOT) plus whatever else needs doing on a car thats £975, he's paid about £500 for it. Looking around, you get sod all roadworthy for £500 nowadays.

Walk away, no RUN away from that place and never buy a car from them. Dodgy Daves clapped out vehicle emporium comes to mind.

Rossy.

Couldn't agree more

If i viewed a car at a dealer and the first one clapped out, the second had problems i'd be reluctant to trust them.

They would have known about these issues prior to displaying the car fit for service.

I'd walk OP, plenty of motors to choose from

LandyAndy

From what I recall the Neon was a nasty piece of sh1te when it was new. Ten years won't have made it better.

As for the garage itself.....:eek:. 100% of the cars you looked at had serious faults.:rotfl:

Rossy.

LandyAndy wrote: »

From what I recall the Neon was a nasty piece of sh1te when it was new. Ten years won't have made it better.

As for the garage itself.....:eek:. 100% of the cars you looked at had serious faults.:rotfl:

My best friend had a black Chrystler Neon on a w plate back in 2003/2004

It was a 2.0L 16v automatic

It drove quite nice actually, although it was pretty heavy on fuel

I wouldn't have one though as i think they look ugly

colino

It's just about due a new head gasket too at that mileage.

jase1

It's not that cheap, it's not that new, it's not that tidy, the dealer sounds a bit dodgy and the Neon was an iffy car with poor reliability and a manufacturer that has all but pulled out of the UK market, and expensive parts.

If a mate of mine managed to buy a 2000 Honda Civic for £600 in tidy condition there's no reason to buy this Neon. I managed to buy a 2003 Mitsubishi SpaceStar (a bland but competent and well-made little car) for £1050. I even sold a 1997 Daewoo (which is no worse than a Neon let me tell you) for a quarter of what you're talking about, and it was absolutely fine body and mechanically-wise -- just a bit tatty around the drivers door where I made a total hash of taking the door-card off when the window mechanism went.

Three cars that I'd rather have than spend over a grand on a Neon. Sorry.

emmell

I don't know what the markets like at the moment, haven't been to the auctions for a while, but I know for a fact that the Chrysler Neon is not a popular car in the trade. Mostly bought by the dealers who sell the cheaper cars 'under £500' 'under £1000', barny the back street bodger. They will buy anything as long as it's cheap, probably would have been no more than about £300 at auction.
ML.

smjxm09

I had a Neon from new. Seem to remember that it only had a 3 speed auto gearbox. Worst car that I ever owned. Twice the batteries went in the keyfob without warning. When my key fob did not work then the car immobilizer could not be disarmed. Only car that I have owned that needed towing to a garage as the electics were a nightmere. Sold the car on after it just went out of warranty and vowed never to buy a Chrysler again.

casseus

thanks for all your replies, i'm limited to be honest on what i can insure, everything seems to be really expensive, this one for me has come out at just over a £1000 compared to other family type cars coming in at £1500 and over with a mature named driver. i have put a deposit on it, it will be fixed and done by next week. i have had another really good look over it and the paper work they did the leads and coilpack this morning, its no longer missing. no oil leaks, no engine management on nothing. i intend on running this till i save enough to upgrade and get some NCB behind me.

what angers me is that i have named drivers discount with Directus lineus have 2 years with them and they really hit me with everything i qoute for. focus 1.4 £1800 with NDD and mature named driver.

coo-oop is chepest for me with mature named driver on this particular car cheaper by over £300 in most vehicles i quote for but my budget wont allow me to go up in the years and a family and illhealth forces me to get a car at this time.

as long as this car lasts a year maybe 2 at a stretch, i can put some more cash aside, ebay off that car in parts to add to the cash, then get things going with a decent car with decent insurance.

thanks all, i value the input, i know its not the best car in the world to own or buy. know a fella who used to work in the motor factor trade and can get parts at cost + 10% for me so if things do go i can get the parts cheap without putting a real dent in the savings. it the version 2 series so looks dam bit better than the first one front end on and has some good factory extra's reverse sensors, double din cd head unit with satnav uncommon on these so ive read, RT body styling and alloy wheels also.