Which people carrier to buy/avoid for around £4-5k

JimmyTheWig

Don't mind you asking at all!
But I can't give you an accurate answer, I'm afraid.

The guy on the phone only quoted total prices for the year. Should know more when the paperwork comes.
But it's something like £140 for a year for AA membership including home-start and the breakdown cover. I believe that this is limited to just the one car (though that might be just the home-start bit).

We have to pay the first £25 of a repair and the AA will pay the rest up to £500. If it's more than this then we can top it up.
We're allowed 5 claims a year.
Doesn't include things like tyres (obviously) and exhausts (not so obvious) but apparently covers "everything mechanical and electrical". As an example I checked that the last thing that went wrong on our car (the track-rod-end) would have been covered and it would have been.

I think that this is incredibly good value and I'm still waiting for the paperwork to come through before I find the catch!

JimmyTheWig

Just out of interest, in terms of Addison Lee, I thought there was a general rule when buying second hand cars that you don't want an ex-minicab. Is that no longer true?

bigjl

The three yr old ex fleet Private Hire car used mainly for Corporate Account work is very different to the driven into the ground owner driver vehicles that should be avoided.

When buying an ex Addy Lee vehicle the advantage is they don't hide the history which is a big plus. They also have full service histories.

But with all vehicles used for work you only chose the best ones.

A lot of the one to three year old MPV's kicking about with above average miles are concealed private hire vehicles.

Sometimes when it comea to a used deal honesty is the best policy.

One thing to consider about the mechanical longevity of these vehicles is the simple fact that most end up being used by owner drivers for work again.

I wouldn't advise buying one after a couple of years owner driver usage, but direct fron the forst company user with a critical eye when chosing can be a way into a three yr old mpv for a lot less than any other simlilar vehicle.


Addy Lee are honest enough to admit the autobox in the Sharon is a weakspot and only to buy one that has been reconditioned.

If you drive a car and it drives properly without bangs and clunks then its mileage shouldn't be an issue.

But don't buy one with interior damage as those can be very expensive to fix.

JimmyTheWig

Thanks bigjl. Interesting stuff.

sarahg1969

sarahg1969 wrote: »

I can't comment on repair costs on the C8. I probably shouldn't say this (you can bet I'll be heading for a big repair bill now!), but I've had mine for almost 3 years and it hasn't needed any work on it.

Spoke too soon.

The cam belt went (at 50k miles) on the motorway today. :wall: :(:(

Flyboy152

Ouch!!!! How old is the car?

sarahg1969

Flyboy152 wrote: »

Ouch!!!! How old is the car?

55 plate, 50k miles, last serviced at 43k miles in December.

Citroen say it should need replacing at 100k miles or 10 years.

Reading up on the internet, looks like a common problem with the C8. Something to do with water running from the windscreen, because the belt's not properly covered. From 2006, it was fitted with a drip tray.

The lovely RAC man rang the local Citroen dealer for me, and I'm now thinking about what to do. I can't afford to get it fixed. I guess I have no option but to let Citroen take a look at it, and see if I can get them to do something. On the face of it, there's no evidence of an oil leak or water pump failure.

I've also reported it to VOSA (although don't know if that was worth doing).

bigjl

I don't want to say I told you so as that is a very painful bill you have coming.

But the opinion of Private Hire drivers is very relevant when discussing a vehicle that will go to the moon and back with very little need for big repairs.

With any luck you might get away with a few valves and the usual cambelt bits and bobs.

I would have thought the modification would have been made by way of a recall or did you find out it was common after researching the breakdown?

When you get round to a replacement get a Ford Galaxy, the latest one from 2007ish is very good. May not have the flush folding rear seat that annoys some, but i can live with that if it never breaks down.

sarahg1969

I have no money to fix it, sadly - it'll have to go if it's done massive damage, unless I can get Citroen to do something.

There was no recall (although Peugeot did fix the 807 apparently), but Citroen have been doing some repairs, but not others. When I spoke to the dealership today, they were aware of the issue, of course.

I've had a Galaxy before, and would have another, but definitely not the new shape - not big enough, and the rear seats are too flimsy. Transit or Caravelle next time, maybe. If I can ever afford another car.

We're going to get someone local to give us an idea of how much it will cost just to diagnose what happened and why, to see if it's worth asking Citroen to look at it. Not much point if it's the water pump or an oil leak. But if it's a failure caused by water entering through the windscreen, then it could be worth pursuing.

Anyway, it was a bit of excitement on my way to work! Not that I'd recommend to anyone having their car suddenly cut out in the outside lane of the motorway at (at least) 80!!

JimmyTheWig

Sorry to hear that, Sarah.