Used car - 5 years old, 60k

Rain_Shadow

PinkLady25 wrote: »

Thanks everyone taking the time to read and reply.

Popped to have a look at it, and although looked immaculate, I couldn't quite put my finger on why but it just didn't feel right. Probably was a combination of being a small trader so worried about if anything wrong with it and the car itself as didn't like the way it drove as used to a normal 1.2 engine. Guy said he'd got it from a dealer which didn't really make sense as why wouldn't the dealer sell it on in that case, surely he can't be making profit from it unless it was sold to him for quite a bit less which begs the question as to what may be wrong with it?!
!

Did he mean a Fiat main dealer? 5 years old and 60k would be pretty old for a main dealer to retail.

bigjl

It's more likely the dealer the 500 is with at the moment underwrites the trade ins that the main dealer knows don't fit with their stocking requirements.

Due to the expense of selling cars at auction some dealers chose to have such relationships with various small traders.

It doesn't make it a bad car, or indeed a dodgy deal.

If the TwinAir has been well maintained and not hammered into the ground by an Estate Agent or Home Carer (or anybody using the vehicle as a work tool) then it's a good buy, but any small and highly tuned engine can go wrong. Hence why a few people have mentioned going for the tried and tested 1.2, it is not as quick, probably more costly to run but simple is sometimes better.

timbotambo

That 0.9 engine is stonking but a funny little !!!!!!. Need to rev the nuts off it from a standing start (i.e. high revs) and sounds like a bag of nails at standstill but that's normal.

Was looking for a Panda for the Mrs but decided against this engine as a first car as was hard to live with.

1.2 is ok, ones around late 2013/early 2014 had the hill issue, most been fixed under recall.

DKLS

bigjl wrote: »

Buying an ex lease is no problem, but I would only buy one that was leased to a company and has had proper maintenance.

I have worked at a few companies where I wouldn't touch the ex lease cars with a bargepole.

I have seen staff ruin a Golf in less than 12 months and killed Passat's in 18 months.

PinkLady25

Hi all, thanks for your replies!

I'm not going to bother with the ex-lease one... too many variables.

Have seen a potential at Fiat dealership so going to have a look tomorrow... fingers crossed it's a good en!

Any tips on not looking like a clueless female who desperately wants to buy one? Anything we should be checking in particular? It's a 2012 1.2 pop... And would I be likely to get any knocked off the screen price? I've been told main dealers don't 'do' discounts, guy at Arnold Clark was adamant he wouldn't reduce the price but also very keen to try to get me to have finance I don't want...

Also - 12 month MOT should be a clear pass with no advisories, yes?!

Thanks!