First Time Driver Looking for advice buying a used car for his dog

saskay

So, I'm nearly 30 and got my driving license about 6 months ago and a Newfoundland puppy, a month ago.

I live in London (Isle of Dogs, Zone-2) and I'm thinking of getting a car to take my puppy out & about (dog training classes, Brighton beach trip, drop and pick up from daily doggy day care etc...). As my puppy is going to quickly grow into a large dog relying on public transport may not always be convenient - in addition I don't want to walk my puppy for more than 15-20 mins at a stretch at least until she is a year old (9 months to go).

I think an estate type vehicle will be suitable for my requirements (main requirement is to have a large enough boot to accommodate the dog) (a 4x4 would be too but they are outside my budget).

I'm likely to keep the vehicle for not more than 3 years and my mileage is likely to be less than 5000 miles/year.

So, what am I looking for:

1. I'm looking to spend around £3k to £4k for an Estate that is not more than 6 years old and has mileage less than 100k and located within 10miles from my postcode. I found a few vehicles that caught my attention and was wondering what sort of due diligence I should be doing? Is it a good idea to rely on Car data check reports from AA/Experian etc...
2. I looked at insurance they are around the £1400 mark which I'm ok with. I'm considering taking Pass Plus classes in the next few weeks - although they don't seem to be improve my insurance cost, I just would like to have those classes to refresh my skills. Is there anything else I can do to reduce my insurance cost?
3. I live in an area where there is Controlled Parking Zone. I looked at the Council's (Tower Hamlets) website and they say I should make an application for a parking permit. Is the permit guaranteed? Can they give me space on a different street to the one I live in?
4. I learned to drive in Edinburgh, are there are any quirks about driving in London I need to read about (hopefully these will be covered in the pass plus course).
5. One of the cars I'm interested in says:

Metallic SILVER, over 100 cars in stock. Finance arranged. Hpi clear, full history, timing belt changed at 62500 miles, 6 months warranty, free 12 months AA breakdown cover, 2 keys, Next MOT due 10/02/2015, Trip computer, Isofix child seat anchor points, Remote central locking, Steering wheel reach adjustment, Roof rails, Height adjustable drivers seat, Full size spare wheel, Electric door mirrors, Audio remote control, 3x3 point rear seat belts, ABS, Rear armrest, Front head restraints, Radio/CD, Passenger airbag, Traction control, Immobiliser, Steering wheel rake adjustment, Folding rear seats, Lumbar support, Front electric windows, Climate control, Body coloured bumpers, Heated door mirrors, Rear electric windows, Front fog lights, PAS, Rear wiper, Cruise control, Drivers airbag, Side airbags, Alarm, Rear headrests, Alloy wheels, Front armrest, Air conditioning, Airbags, CD Player, Central locking, Radio, Power steering, Leather seats, Abs, Colour coded body, Front fogs, Leather trim, Multi function steering, Metallic paint, Parking sensors, Panoramic roof, Pas, Too many extras to list. 5 seats, Any inspection welcome, all previous mot history. 3 former keepers, date of registration is 01/02/2009. Click on "visit website" to view more cars, stock changing daily, open seven days, all cards accepted, delivery arranged anywhere in the UK. WWW.BDTRADESALES.CO.UK, Experian auto check clear, £3,495

So, If I want to buy this car do I just go to the dealer pay the money and drive off? when should I arrange for my insurance? Is it worthwhile to pay £128 for AA person to come and check out the car? At what point should I ask for the AA person to get involved?


The advert says next MOT is due 10/02/2015 which is only 4 months away what if the car fails MOT?

matttye

London, like most major cities, will have a higher concentration of !!!!!! drivers than smaller cities and towns. Any city apart from the one you live in (i.e. one you're familiar with) is a bit of a nightmare to drive in.

I've driven around London a few times and it hasn't been too bad.

Just watch out for Hanger Lane and the Marble Arch junction until you're confident.

jimjames

saskay wrote: »

So, If I want to buy this car do I just go to the dealer pay the money and drive off? when should I arrange for my insurance? Is it worthwhile to pay £128 for AA person to come and check out the car? At what point should I ask for the AA person to get involved?

Once you've found a car you like and want to buy. No point paying out for inspections on cars you may not buy.

saskay wrote: »

The advert says next MOT is due 10/02/2015 which is only 4 months away what if the car fails MOT?

You pay for the repairs to get it through?

I'd be asking the garage to put a full years MOT on though.

I think you're being unnecessarily restrictive with your mileage limit, far better to have a car that's been used properly and serviced regularly than one just used to go to shops that may be low miles but knackered.

saskay

jimjames wrote: »

Once you've found a car you like and want to buy. No point paying out for inspections on cars you may not buy.



You pay for the repairs to get it through?

I'd be asking the garage to put a full years MOT on though.

I think you're being unnecessarily restrictive with your mileage limit, far better to have a car that's been used properly and serviced regularly than one just used to go to shops that may be low miles but knackered.

Thanks for the tip about MOT. I will relax my mileage criteria and see what comes out.

forgotmyname

You need insurance before you drive away or risk getting stopped and having the car impounded and 6 points for no insurance.

If you passed your test recently then its having to resit it again and declare 6 points for no insurance which could push your premium to double or treble.

Im puzzled as to why you need to spend £5000+ to take a dog for a walk?

arcon5

I'm confused about a few things

why does it have to be less than 6 years old?
why less than 100k?
you don't say what the car in the ad is?

What's wrong with spending <£1k on say a 10yr old Mondeo estate with 100k for example? Check it's previously had a new timing belt and clutch as part of the buying process for your areas of the market

TeaCake

You could buy a smaller car (so easier for parking) and just leave the rear seats down with some padding (like blankets) for the dog. Ive had small cars and very large dogs with no problems in the past. Make sure its a 5 door, getting a big dog out of a 3 door can be awkward.

If you've not driven in a big city before, why don't you pay for a few hours with a local driving instructor to refresh your driving skills for London?

StrongWork

Since you have little idea re cars and motoring in general my advice is:

- buy a car with 12 months MoT. At least this is something you won't need to worry about for a year.
- buy from a dealer, if there are any issues at least you have some come back.
- do you have any friends/relatives who are car savvy who can accompany you on viewing cars?
- if you decided to get the car inspected (AA or other) do it BEFORE you buy it.
- as above, when you buy from a dealer you will need to arrange insurance before you drive away but some dealerships give a temporary insurance that lasts for a few days until you sort your own.
- how big will the dog get? Do you really need an estate - a well sized hatchback may suffice
- I wouldn't buy anything too fancy - a few months in central London will no doubt result in a few parking bumps/scrapes.
- IME Edinburgh is quite busy, but London is x10.

Good luck.

Joe_Horner

First Time Driver Looking for advice buying a used car for his dog

Don't do it, you'll be better off having him as a named driver on your own car

macman

So as you don't get a nasty shock once you've got your parking permit for a CPZ, the permit does not give you 'a space', whether in your street or around the corner. It just entitled you to park in that zone, should a space be available.
All central London boroughs issue far more permits than there are spaces.

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

Dog walking advice: what is this nonsense about not wanting to walk your dog for more than 20 minutes? We've puppy walked a couple of labs and as soon as they were covered by injections walked them for at least one hour session a day. By the time they were 6 months we were walking them for a couple of hours or more, long walks at the weekend, an hour or so in the park in the morning and a long afternoon or evening walk. By the time they were a year old we took one to the top of Snowdon.

The vet commented that it was rare to see a Lab in such good condition (ours looked like greyhounds rather than barrels).