Advice for first-time used car buyer

zurpher

I plan to get a small second-hand car. I currently favour a Skoda Fabia hatchback but would go for alternatives if they would be better value for money. I'm 6' 4", so it would need to be relatively spacey for a mini. I once drove a Toyota Yaris and was surprised that I couldn't adjust the driver seat as well as in other small cars.

As I have never done it before and also don't know a great deal about cars, I'm concerned that I could buy a crap car without even noticing it until the repair bills built up. As I also don't have much money, I'm looking for a relatively cheap car (of not more than 1000 GBP).

I've found a Skoda Fabia 1.4 hatchback from 2002 for only 950 GBP. On price evaluation websites they should be around 1500-2000 GBP, so I guess something might be wrong with it or it is just a good deal. But how to tell the difference?

Any advice and recommendations are greatly appreciated.

scheming_gypsy

£950 doesn't seem too far off the mark; but evaluation sites they mainly go off depreciation rather than the market. If you look on the likes of eBay, Autotrader, Gumtree etc then you'll get a better indication of the going rate.

what's the mileage, does it have any receipts for work done, service history etc, how much tax and MOT. Most cars need work doing to them as standard (such as cam belt changes etc), so you'd have to check what history the car has that you're buying and make sure any 'standard' work has been done or not due it. No matter how good a deal something looks it's not a good deal if you need to spend money as soon as you get it.

forgotmyname

Only £950.....???


I wouldnt pay that much, Ignore advertised prices they rarely get that much.

Check ebay completed listings, They dont sell when advertised at £1000+

£850 unsold, £750 SOLD....

Not that cheap to tax either, £190 a year approx... Thats more than my mondeo.

s_b

a Skoda Fabia 1.4 hatchback from 2002 for only 950 GBP.

is too cheap

vax2002

take an old hand with you and listen carefully to what they say...