Buying my first car what checks should I do

consumers_revenge

So its doing roughly 110 miles a week.


Not exactly sat on its ar5e then is it??

[Deleted User]

kiemeg62 wrote: »

Car is listed for £1999

Do a few internet searches, subject to body condition that is about £500 over priced.

parking_question_chap

Tarambor wrote: »

Ouch, low mileage. So it has either spent a lot of time stood or mostly done short journeys, either of which are not good for a car.

The whole low milage concern is way overdone imo.

If the car has spent the the last year between MOTs having done just a few hundred miles then yes it might have caused issues. But an average of around 6,000 isnt anything to worry about imo.

My car is older than the one OP is looking at and for the last 7 or so years I have done under 4,000 miles a year and almost exclusively short trips, despite this it runs perfectly.

Marvel1

I did my hpi check through auto trader.

I am not mechanical minded about cars, I used this check list to buy my current one https://www.vcars.co.uk/news/motoring-advice/aa-cars-used-car-checklist-8222.html

This was my first used car in 12 years, my previous was brand new.

All ok as i drove it 140 miles home and no issues after a year and half.

Even took it for a 15-20 min test drive, they lived a bit away from the motorway and I wanted to know how the felt at high speed, not just residential streets.

macman

Is this a dealer sale, or private?
Remember with the latter that you have minimal consumer protection: the seller does not have to tell you anything about it's condition, only to be truthful about any questions you might ask. Subject, to that, you are buying it 'as seen' with no comebacks.
I'd be dubious about a seller who has had an MOT advisory about brake pipes (presumably corrosion?) but not had it seen to. How long has it got left on the MOT?

Bigphil1474

If it's a dealer, don't pay it all in cash - ask them to let you pay a bit on credit card, and rest cash - say £100 cc, rest cash. That way you have extra protection through your CC. I think you only need to pay £1 on CC, but that would be taking the mick. As long as the car costs more than £100, but less than £36k then the CC cover kicks in if you ever need to get money back.