buying a car with a poor credit score

TrustyOven

agurung wrote: »

I have had a bad experience with second hand cars for a long time where I would spend in average £200 per month with the car I had before Honda.

Wow...
Out of interest, what was the car make/model and what were the problems with it?

I can't imagine a car needing £200 a month on repairs unless it was a total heap.

Even my 19 year old car doesn't need that much work...

NOVAMET21

TrustyOven wrote: »

Wow...
Out of interest, what was the car make/model and what were the problems with it?

I can't imagine a car needing £200 a month on repairs unless it was a total heap.

Even my 19 year old car doesn't need that much work...

It was Citroen Xsara. I bought it for £1,400 and it had done 80,000 miles. For the first 3 months it was all fine then the problem started. It was the coolant issue where the needle in the dash board would go to above red and the fan used to turn on. It cost me £500 to temporarily fix it and after couple months again the same problem where I paid another £500 to fix the same problem but no it didn't get fixed. I finally part exchanged to buy another car. I know that garage conned me so never going there. I bought Renault Megane Scenic where I bought it for £1,700 but because I part exchanged the Citroen, I paid £1,450.


The mileage was 74,000 when I bought the Renault. After couple of months the mileage changed from 76,000 to 89,000 out of a sudden. It was running fine up to 12 months where the Engine sign in the dashboard kept appearing on and off. Then each month I had to repair different parts (I know some of them is wear and tear) and after 18 months the mechanic said oh you need to change the something in your engine and it will cost you minimum of £2,000. I was like no way I'm paying £2k where the car is only worth about £1K now.


I said it to myself before that I would never buy a brand new car from the dealer but run of bad luck from second hand car made me feel like buying a brand new car. I was thinking maybe buy 6 months old where the price would have been dropped significantly but I couldn't get 0% APR in the 6 months old car but only in brand new car. So the difference wasn't that big. I'm pretty sure there are reliable cars for £3k - £6K but I wanted that peace of mind for at least 3 years. My Honda will be 3 years next April and I haven't spend a penny for not even wear and tear. Servicing is free. However, next year I have to do MOT but I don't think I need anything doing in the car. The tyres are ok and has lasted me till now. No problem. I just wanted a decent not expensive but reliable car. Any Honda will do but I wanted cheap so went for Honda Jazz but looking back should have gone for Honda Civic lol.

Gaz83

I've got a Citroen Xsara just now, an S-reg. I bought it in May for £320. It's never missed a beat.

NOVAMET21

Gaz83 wrote: »

I've got a Citroen Xsara just now, an S-reg. I bought it in May for £320. It's never missed a beat.

Wow that is cheap. Hope nothing goes wrong for you.

TrustyOven

agurung wrote: »

after 18 months the mechanic said oh you need to change the something in your engine and it will cost you minimum of £2,000. I was like no way I'm paying £2k where the car is only worth about £1K now.

The best defense against garages trying to rip you off is the learn all about your specific car, and indeed cars in general.

I know it's easier said than done. But it helps a huge amount.

2000 sounds like either the mechanic taking the mickey, or some serious internal issue... but most of the time if that was the case you'd hear different sounds or different types of smoke or issues in different fluids.

agurung wrote: »

but I wanted that peace of mind for at least 3 years. My Honda will be 3 years next April and I haven't spend a penny for not even wear and tear. Servicing is free.

And because it's free, and people don't like to get stuck into mechanics, they never really know if the garage is charging for the work but never actually doing the work. You'd have to be fairly unlucky, but not unheard of. The best person to trust is yourself

agurung wrote: »

should have gone for Honda Civic

I had an old Civic. Great car to learn about cars etc. Changed the oil and filters on my own (fuel filter was a messy endeavour lol).

Still... sounds like you got a good deal with the new Civic and it all came out ok.

19lottie82

Is you really current car actually on its "last legs"?
What makes you say that?

It's common for it to cost £500 (for example) for a car to be put through its annual MOT, which will see it through for another year, yet because people decide they want something newer and shinier it's a better idea to spend 5 figures on a new car! Which of course, it isn't!

Of course older cars will have maintenance costs but that doesn't mean they're ready for the scrap heap.

I'm not saying this is your scenario but it seems all too common these days.

If you really NEED a new car, why not look at leasing? There are some great deals out there just now, even for reasonably high mileages like yours

Vectis

So, you've just bought a house which 'bled you dry' and now you want finance to buy a car around £9,000?

Seriously, if you've got no money left after buying the house, like others have said I'd think seriously about buying a much, much cheaper car.

And, what's on your credit history which is now affecting your ability to get credit - after all, you managed to get a mortgage? What's changed?

SeanG79

Vectis wrote: »

And, what's on your credit history which is now affecting your ability to get credit - after all, you managed to get a mortgage? What's changed?

OP mentioned in their opening post that the rate shot up, not that they were declined for the credit.

forgotmyname

Sister bought a diesel mondeo 2 years ago for £700 with 170k on the clock but in very good condition.
She has done over 30k a year in it. Other than tyres and brakes and basic servicing the only other parts it has required is a steering pump and a startermotor.

If you cannot afford £1k then the last thing you want is a 9k noose around your neck.

iolanthe07

My brother in law bought a Suburu estate car for £750 three years ago and has spent hardly anything on it since. It sails throught the MOT each year and seems bullet proof. He uses it every day on rough country roads around his farmhouse. You really don't have to spend much, but of course luck does come into it.