Help - advice before noon today please

Exemplar

Also

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/2004-ford-mondeo-20-tdci-zetec-s/81107589

2gorgeousgirls

Sb - exactly what my hubby said - he reckons dealer wouldn't negotiate because he had no margin. And yes, cars and insurance very expensive over here.

Alcot - be careful I might take you up on that offer!. Only joking. We are in mid-ulster, Cookstown to be precise. Have been checking internet for Belfast, Coleraine, Portadown, all over really. Looked at the links you provided. Thanks so much for going to the trouble. The Clio looks promising, will have to add to my list for tomorrow but the Mondeo is bigger than I'm looking for.

Was driving a Fiesta and looking for something small again. Transferred to job nearer home so really only doing school run, work and Tesco (how sad is my life!).

Heading to Belfast tomorrow to see a Peugeot and Corsa. Don't want a Fiesta again after the accident and don't want a light coloured car - I'm not usually this fussy but I caused the accident by cutting across a silver coloured car in poor light so I want to make sure I'm in something that can be seen.

First time ever in a car accident after 25 years driving, rolled twice and landed on roof but we all walked away without so much as a stitch. We were being watched over that day.

Exemplar

Thanks for the thanks! Both of those cars are good for separate reasons! The Clio is a great little car and as it has the Air-Con it's so much better for summer/winter and resale. I love Clio's and as Clarkson says 'you cannot beat the French for small cars', they really do make them well, with style. The Mondeo is great as it's a brilliant, brilliant drive! It will never be expensive to fix/service or repair (unless the injectors go and then it's OUCH!).

If it was my money.... the Clio, knock money off it and buy a warranty (or.... join the AA and get up to 5 x claims for £500 each).

Exemplar

How did you get on?

2gorgeousgirls

Alcott - sorry only getting back to this thread now. Thanks for asking how I got on.

Bought a car end of last week. :j Rover 25 (petrol), Nov 2006 with 35,000 miles, one lady owner. In terrific condition both in and out - lovely leather seats and a cd player (getting my priorities right!). It has parking sensors which I found a bit annoying at start but really love now.

The garage I bought it from have been excellent. Did a service before I picked it up and changed the exhaust as they said it wouldn't last until the MOT in November (I was able to see that they had done the work and weren't just spoofing).

In full working order when I left garage but the next day the electrics went. Windows wouldn't open, doors could only be locked with remote and rear window wiper stopped working. Phoned garage who said to bring it back and they would get it fixed.

Also took it to a guy I know who works with air conditioning to check that it was well topped up and in good working order. Turns out he's been driving the same model for several years and it has never given him any problems so hopefully once everything is sorted it will give me a several years reliable service.

Would you believe I went all the way to Ballymoney to buy the car to discover that the woman who sold it lives less than 2 miles from me.:rotfl:

rev_henry

2gorgeousgirls wrote: »

Alcott - sorry only getting back to this thread now. Thanks for asking how I got on.

Bought a car end of last week. :j Rover 25 (petrol), Nov 2006 with 35,000 miles, one lady owner. In terrific condition both in and out - lovely leather seats and a cd player (getting my priorities right!). It has parking sensors which I found a bit annoying at start but really love now.

The garage I bought it from have been excellent. Did a service before I picked it up and changed the exhaust as they said it wouldn't last until the MOT in November (I was able to see that they had done the work and weren't just spoofing).

In full working order when I left garage but the next day the electrics went. Windows wouldn't open, doors could only be locked with remote and rear window wiper stopped working. Phoned garage who said to bring it back and they would get it fixed.

Also took it to a guy I know who works with air conditioning to check that it was well topped up and in good working order. Turns out he's been driving the same model for several years and it has never given him any problems so hopefully once everything is sorted it will give me a several years reliable service.

Would you believe I went all the way to Ballymoney to buy the car to discover that the woman who sold it lives less than 2 miles from me.:rotfl:

I've recently bought a 25 too, although a few years older. You must have got one of the very last ones made. Has the head gasket been done? Also, the cambelt should have been done recently...

2gorgeousgirls

Don't see any mention of the head gasket in the service record but cambelt has been done.

Please don't tell me the head gasket is likely to go and be really expensive.:(

NeverAgain_2

Brother had a late 25.

Nice car, a bit bigger than a Fiesta, but a bit handier than a Golf or Focus.

It didn't give him any bother.

Woody._2

2gorgeousgirls wrote: »

Don't see any mention of the head gasket in the service record but cambelt has been done.

Please don't tell me the head gasket is likely to go and be really expensive.:(

OK we won't, but they are known for it.

Flyboy152

alcot33uk wrote: »

OK, what sort of dealer is it? big or little? You need to be negotiating a longer warranty (normally they come with 3 months, haggle for 6-12, this may be worth more than a discount!!), not some !!!!! one either (such as £250 claim limit), you want a FULL warranty that covers things like cam (if fitted) damage etc.

Not on a car with a hundred and thirty thousand miles you won't.