Another used car thread

Kilty_2

12 months / 10k whichever comes first - technically can get it done elsewhere using genuine parts etc but I wouldn't want the hassle. Servicing at a main dealer isn't particularly expensive, I was quoted £140 minor £170 major by a local dealer.

DarkConvict

So between 7-10 services using genuine parts over the lifetime of the warranty. To be honest i expected the services to cost more than £140-170.

Kilty_2

It's a fairly simple engine etc

Bear in mind you'll need a cambelt change after 5 years too though. No idea what that'll cost.

birkee

You seem to be leaning towards new, but, if you consider used:-
Low mileage means nothing! Last car I would buy, would be a 'One Lady Owner'......No, not sexism, reallity. Often used for short trips, kids to school, shops, etc.
The engine never gets warm, and the mechanical wear rate is horrendous.
Once was working for a company that serviced a G.P.'s car.....he did no mileage at all visiting patients, but he could (and did) get through a clutch in weeks. (No kidding.....weeks! Mind you, he was probably a crap driver as well.)
Mileage needs to make sense. (What's the average these days? Used to be about 10k per year, but petrol prices have put the mockers on that.)

That said, my own 2005 Focus has done just over 11000 miles, because I'm disabled and retired, but I'm mechanically aware enough to look after it, in the way I drive.
Always get the engine warm to burn corrosive deposits in the oil, never labour in too high a gear, or over rev in too low a gear, no excessive clutch slipping, or holding it in gear at the traffic light, etc etc etc. Also serviced by the main agent I bought it from brand new. Should be a collectors item I reckon.

DarkConvict

birkee wrote: »

You seem to be leaning towards new, but, if you consider used:-
Low mileage means nothing! Last car I would buy, would be a 'One Lady Owner'......No, not sexism, reallity. Often used for short trips, kids to school, shops, etc.
The engine never gets warm, and the mechanical wear rate is horrendous.
Once was working for a company that serviced a G.P.'s car.....he did no mileage at all visiting patients, but he could (and did) get through a clutch in weeks. (No kidding.....weeks! Mind you, he was probably a crap driver as well.)
Mileage needs to make sense. (What's the average these days? Used to be about 10k per year, but petrol prices have put the mockers on that.)

That said, my own 2005 Focus has done just over 11000 miles, because I'm disabled and retired, but I'm mechanically aware enough to look after it, in the way I drive.
Always get the engine warm to burn corrosive deposits in the oil, never labour in too high a gear, or over rev in too low a gear, no excessive clutch slipping, or holding it in gear at the traffic light, etc etc etc. Also serviced by the main agent I bought it from brand new. Should be a collectors item I reckon.

I totally agree, but information on how well its looked after isn't on the spec sheet. At least with a new car you know how well its looked after. I'm not mechanically minded, but take in my moms car for services as needed, blast it up and down the motorway from time to time to help the engine against town driving. I do the simple car checks for the oil, fluids, tire gauge and pressures, but outside of that i wouldn't know what else to do to it

The mileages does get to me to, some people have suggested spending more on lower mileage but as you say what does this mean. Which is sort of why I am tempted to goto new and invest, or goto old and run it into the ground until its cheaper to buy another car.

Kilty_2

DarkConvict wrote: »

The mileages does get to me to, some people have suggested spending more on lower mileage but as you say what does this mean. Which is sort of why I am tempted to goto new and invest, or goto old and run it into the ground until its cheaper to buy another car.

That's the only 2 ways to do it IMO - buying used that's in the middle of the road (ie too good to run into the ground) is a struggle.