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do you need to get an inspection for a dealer car

am buyimng a first car this month am 25 and have a 700 ish budget --

deffoo want a dealers car -- have you any tips

do you need to get an inspection for a dealer car ?- its 140 form the aa or rac

seem a bit steep - well actually vertical -- most of the checks seems obvious like car horn and break lights where is cheaper and still gd
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Comments

  • Flyboy152
    Flyboy152 Posts: 17,118 Forumite
    edited 3 January 2012 at 2:25PM
    A big resounding, "YES!"

    One hundred and forty pounds now, could save you thousands in the future. Not only the cost of the car, if it is a wrong 'un, but any potential legal wrangles for driving an unroadworthy car and any potential insurance costs, after a claim is made against you, because you damage someone else's car or even killed someone. Faulty brakes, suspension and steering is not easy to spot, if you do not have any experience in finding them. Not ignoring your own safety of course.

    ETA:

    It is my personal opinion that anyone selling a car that fails an inspection, should foot the costs of that inspection.
    The greater danger, for most of us, lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark
  • Inner_Zone
    Inner_Zone Posts: 2,856 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    MONEY_DUDE wrote: »
    am buyimng a first car this month am 25 and have a 700 ish budget --

    deffoo want a dealers car -- have you any tips

    do you need to get an inspection for a dealer car ?- its 140 form the aa or rac

    seem a bit steep - well actually vertical -- most of the checks seems obvious like car horn and break lights where is cheaper and still gd

    Can you confirm budget is £700?

    If so I would just HPI it and take along a friend whom knows about cars.
  • mikey72
    mikey72 Posts: 14,680 Forumite
    Depends on what you're like with cars.

    To be honest for that sort of price for a runaround I've bought the last few cars from ebay, without seeing them beforehand.
    I didn't HPI them either.

    A dealer selling a car for that much will either making nothing on it, or it's an old banger from a trade in he's polished and marked up.
    The warranty would cost him more than the car, so don't expect much there.
  • Flyboy152
    Flyboy152 Posts: 17,118 Forumite
    mikey72 wrote: »
    Depends on what you're like with cars.

    To be honest for that sort of price for a runaround I've bought the last few cars from ebay, without seeing them beforehand.
    I didn't HPI them either.

    A dealer selling a car for that much will either making nothing on it, or it's an old banger from a trade in he's polished and marked up.
    The warranty would cost him more than the car, so don't expect much there.

    Even more reason to have it inspected.
    The greater danger, for most of us, lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark
  • s_b
    s_b Posts: 4,464 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    A £700 car from a dealer would be a turd and not worth a £140 fee done by a jobsworth with a clipboard who isnt really a qualified tester, first thing he will do is take your money then do a hpi and if it comes up as a hit he wont inspect but keep your dosh
    see if selling garage will let you have a pre inspection to purchase done by a local mechanic for a more reasonable amount but remember even mechanics only know how to stick their trotters in levels and rev stuff up so ideally you need a friend of a friend who knows what to look for when buying a banger (remember scrap cars are now worth £200, add on a £50 test fee and all the other extras and then sort any problems out it might have like a broken ciggie lighter that needs fixing because inspection noted it on his sheet and satnav will need to work so the buyer can find their way home (had this by the way) and you will see most dealers would weigh in the car rather than sell it for hassle money

    plus all the good bangers went in the great scrappage fiasco and only aunt matildas car survived but thats being kept by her son as a future classic
  • pendulum
    pendulum Posts: 2,302 Forumite
    Flyboy152 wrote: »
    but any potential legal wrangles for driving an unroadworthy car and any potential insurance costs, after a claim is made against you, because you damage someone else's car or even killed someone. Faulty brakes, suspension and steering is not easy to spot, if you do not have any experience in finding them. Not ignoring your own safety of course.
    What a load of scaremongering nonsense.
  • for 700 quid i would be looking for a wee runner with 10/11 months MOT on it and a bit of tax
  • pendulum wrote: »
    What a load of scaremongering nonsense.

    He's consistent at it though throughout the forum
    "If you no longer go for a gap, you are no longer a racing driver" - Ayrton Senna
  • mcfisco
    mcfisco Posts: 1,957 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    As above

    Find something with a good MOT from the likes of AutoTrader and take a mate along with you
  • Notmyrealname
    Notmyrealname Posts: 4,003 Forumite
    £700 car is going to have problems that need rectifying at some point and an inspection won't guarantee that nothing will happen in the immediate future. £700 is only £500 above scrap value for most cars.
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