Buying my wife a car...

spiro

Trajal wrote: »

It will give us an extra day a week together and mean that she can get home at 7:30 on a friday night rather than 10:30, leave on monday morning instead of sunday afternoon. A luxury, but an important one of the few.

What time will she be leaving work on Friday and what time does she have to start on Monday? I know lots of people who travel into London every week and those that drive tend to drive back late Sunday evening not Monday morning due to traffic?

marlot

Trajal wrote: »

Thanks for this, I was concerned at first with the same thoughts as you, but because she lives in London at her family's house it is perfectly valid. The policy is her father's but covers several family member's cars, all of which live together (bloody asian families eh!?) .

Sounds good - on both the car and the family fronts!

At the budget you have, condition is everything - so if the focus is in good condition then I'd have said it was viable. I'd read through the things to check here http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/ford/focus-1998/?section=bad - it seems like a long list, but its not really - only a few of them relate to the 1.6

Trajal

spiro wrote: »

What time will she be leaving work on Friday and what time does she have to start on Monday? I know lots of people who travel into London every week and those that drive tend to drive back late Sunday evening not Monday morning due to traffic?

Thanks for this, but the timings are fine, it's something she used to do with her mother. Takes about 2.5 hours to get to her office on a monday morning when realistically it should be closer to 2 hours, but perfectly doable.

She prefers to get up at 5:30 and drive for 3 hours on a monday morning than have to leave our home at 17:30 and take a train for 3.5 hours on a sunday evening.

Pretty much the same to be said for the Friday, she leaves at 5 and will most likely get home around 8ish, but still better than having to get into central london, take a train at 6:30ish and get home for 10ish.

Appreciate your thoughts, but not really what I was asking about - we know the timings of this as we have done it in the past. Was more interested in car related advice! But thank you anyway!

Trajal

marlot wrote: »

Sounds good - on both the car and the family fronts!

At the budget you have, condition is everything - so if the focus is in good condition then I'd have said it was viable. I'd read through the things to check here http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/ford/focus-1998/?section=bad - it seems like a long list, but its not really - only a few of them relate to the 1.6

Thank you for this, that's a really helpful list - some definite food for thought. I already knew about a few of the more obvious worries (cambelt etc) but will keep my eye out for things I wouldn't have particularly thought of.

The car is in excellent condition, save for the passenger side wing mirror which has been replaced with a non-painted version and clearly was knocked off at one point. I checked around and it wiill cost around £30 to replace this, which I shall do straight away. Other than that, I think I might do ok here!

Fingers crossed

marlot

Sounds good. There are lots of dogs, but there can be some real bargains at the £1000 mark. The dealer offered me £1000 for my 10 year old Mondeo estate when we bought my wife a new car. He was very apologetic about it as he could see it was outstanding for its year and we'd owned it from new.

We gave it to some friends who were less fortunate than us, and they're still happily using it 7 years later.

colino

I think with the glut of middle aged Foci about, for that kind of money it would have to be absolutely pristine with a copper-plated history.
I'm concerned about your insurance too, if it is your only car, the multicar deals don't apply and have you factored in that it will really be addressed in London?

Trajal

colino wrote: »

I think with the glut of middle aged Foci about, for that kind of money it would have to be absolutely pristine with a copper-plated history.
I'm concerned about your insurance too, if it is your only car, the multicar deals don't apply and have you factored in that it will really be addressed in London?

Seems to be a fairly standard price for the 'better' cars of the type - I've made a nice long checklist of 'dealbreaker' issues.

Really don't be concerned about the insurance. It is the only car between her and I (as a married unit) but it will be addressed in London. She lives in London 5 days a week, I don't know what more I can say to address that issue. Suffice to say that the insurance companies have ok'd this for sure, in full comprehension of the circumstances.

missile

Look for a low mileage focus.

Good luck