Buying a cheap car

venomx

Grumpy_chap said:

Do you have any friends or family that can assist you with choosing a suitable car, and come with you for viewing?

Yes definitely.  One of my parents is knowledgeable when it comes to buying and selling cars.

Back in 2012 we sold a decent car for about £800. It ran perfectly and had no issues whatsoever.  So I do have faith that I can get something decent for my budget 

Grumpy_chap

I agree, £2k is a good budget for a decent car.  Just take care to avoid the lemons.

macman

venomx said:

Grumpy_chap said:

Do you have any friends or family that can assist you with choosing a suitable car, and come with you for viewing?

Yes definitely.  One of my parents is knowledgeable when it comes to buying and selling cars.

Back in 2012 we sold a decent car for about £800. It ran perfectly and had no issues whatsoever.  So I do have faith that I can get something decent for my budget 

Yes, but a car that sells for £800 to a dealer will be selling to you for £1500 or more, as AdrianC explained above.

venomx

macman said:

venomx said:

Grumpy_chap said:

Do you have any friends or family that can assist you with choosing a suitable car, and come with you for viewing?

Yes definitely.  One of my parents is knowledgeable when it comes to buying and selling cars.

Back in 2012 we sold a decent car for about £800. It ran perfectly and had no issues whatsoever.  So I do have faith that I can get something decent for my budget 

Yes, but a car that sells for £800 to a dealer will be selling to you for £1500 or more, as AdrianC explained above.

I understand.  However dealerships accept cards and have warranties.  Making it more worth it in my opinion 

[Deleted User]

It is a bit of a gamble in the £2k range for used car unless you are mechanically minded and can thoroughly inspect the car. My last 3 cars have been in the £2k - £2.5k range and each lasted 3 years before I decided to replace.

My checklist for £2k cars:
1. Minimal number of previous owners - 1 is ideal, rare but can be found
2. Full service history including cambelt change at appropriate age or mileage << ask this question
3. 12 month MOT and check out the MOT history online for clues to the treatment of the car

All the above can be done before even viewing the car. When viewing the car:
1. Exterior check - good body work shows it has been looked after, check tyres for enough tread / all same brand / wheels are not damaged. Check brakes, you can usually see how much pad / disk left. Look under car, any major rust. Check exhaust.
2. Interior - often a reflection on the owner, should be all good, everything working, try all switches, doors, mirrors, windows etc
3. Engine bay - Check all fluids, oil should be clean if just serviced. Check for signs of leaks. 
4. Must take it for a test drive - 10 miles recommended. If they let you out on your own, rag it with some hard acceleration and and emergency stop where safe. Check for any warning lights on dash and any unusual noises. Try everything out, heater, air con, wipers, lights etc.
5. I can spend an hour including a test drive inspecting a car, don't rush.

Don't buy the first car you look at, you can always come back to it, aim to view 3 or 4 to get a feel for what is good / bad before deciding. 

macman

venomx said:

macman said:

venomx said:

Grumpy_chap said:

Do you have any friends or family that can assist you with choosing a suitable car, and come with you for viewing?

Yes definitely.  One of my parents is knowledgeable when it comes to buying and selling cars.

Back in 2012 we sold a decent car for about £800. It ran perfectly and had no issues whatsoever.  So I do have faith that I can get something decent for my budget 

Yes, but a car that sells for £800 to a dealer will be selling to you for £1500 or more, as AdrianC explained above.

I understand.  However dealerships accept cards and have warranties.  Making it more worth it in my opinion 

Most dealers at that price point in the market won't accept credit cards, or if they do, the fee will be factored into the price. Any insurance-based warranty you get on a £2K car will be entirely worthless, it's just a marketing ploy. 
Don't think that you can just do a chargeback or an S75 on an end-of-life car should it develop a fault after purchase, if that's your thinking.

JustAnotherSaver

forgotmyname said:

daveyjp said:

For £1500-2000 will get a far better car from a genuine private seller.

Not always, some private sellers may have spent hundreds on service and repairs and think that
increased the cars value by that and then some.  Past few cars i bought for £2000 have been
from dealers.

Its easier to shop from most dealers also, you don't usually need to make calls to arrange a time
as most are open 9-5 at least.  They may also have several cars that maybe of interest.

Agree with you here. Doesn't always guarantee quality from a private seller. 

What if that private seller is banking on you not being able to take action against them and they're trying to palm off an overpriced Volkswagen. 

But it's worth it because... Its a Volkswagen. That adds 1k don't you know. 

venomx

Deleted_User said:

It is a bit of a gamble in the £2k range for used car unless you are mechanically minded and can thoroughly inspect the car. My last 3 cars have been in the £2k - £2.5k range and each lasted 3 years before I decided to replace.

My checklist for £2k cars:
1. Minimal number of previous owners - 1 is ideal, rare but can be found
2. Full service history including cambelt change at appropriate age or mileage << ask this question
3. 12 month MOT and check out the MOT history online for clues to the treatment of the car

All the above can be done before even viewing the car. When viewing the car:
1. Exterior check - good body work shows it has been looked after, check tyres for enough tread / all same brand / wheels are not damaged. Check brakes, you can usually see how much pad / disk left. Look under car, any major rust. Check exhaust.
2. Interior - often a reflection on the owner, should be all good, everything working, try all switches, doors, mirrors, windows etc
3. Engine bay - Check all fluids, oil should be clean if just serviced. Check for signs of leaks. 
4. Must take it for a test drive - 10 miles recommended. If they let you out on your own, rag it with some hard acceleration and and emergency stop where safe. Check for any warning lights on dash and any unusual noises. Try everything out, heater, air con, wipers, lights etc.
5. I can spend an hour including a test drive inspecting a car, don't rush.

Don't buy the first car you look at, you can always come back to it, aim to view 3 or 4 to get a feel for what is good / bad before deciding. 

That's extensive,  thanks. 

I'll have to take my dad along and we will do all the checks 
Most the cars I've seen on auto trader are dealerships 

venomx

What about leasing a car?  I'm unemployed so guessing I wouldn't be eligible 

Lots of the dealers on auto trader have awful reviews.  

I'm not allowed to drive yet so have plenty of time to do my research

Must be an element of risk whether private or dealerships.  When I do come to get  a car I'll take a family member who knows what to look for

Grumpy_chap

Combination of low budget and no clear secure income would make leasing a non viable option.