Help with buying a car privately..

Dunkyboy_2

Hello,
I have seen a vehicle in auto-thingy, and i want to go see it, and maybe buy it.
So how is the best way of doing this please.
I have spoken to the seller on the phone and they seem ok.
The vehicle is about 90 mins drive away, so i will pay cash, as i don't want to go all the way back again. Car Value is £1500.
I will take someone with me who will have the cash on them.
Can i do a hpi check on the phone, as i don't want to do a check on the car untill ive seen it/driven it.
What else should i do...?
thanks

hartcjhart

do the hpi check before you go if there are any problems with it it will save the journey and mess about try here

http://www.rac.co.uk/web/vehiclechecks/status_checks/

also I have seen an advert for a text based service that costs £3 plus normal text rate,I have never tried them though

text the reg number to 83600

flutterbyuk25

Make sure you check all the details on the V5C registration Certificate against the vehicle itself. If you do buy the vehicle you need to obtain Section 10 New Keeper's Supplement from the V5C - it's a small green slip on the back page. You will need to ensure that the vehicle is road taxed/MOT'd/insured for the test drive and journey home.

Always view the vehicle in daylight too.

x

deltic_2

Tips:

1) Inspect the vehicle in daylight and bring someone who knows what they are looking at (if you don't know).
2) Test drive the car in mixed conditions, including a dual carriageway. Make sure there are no obvious vibrations while driving or braking. Check the car steers in a straight line on a flat road. Check that it brakes in a straight line. Listen out for any unusual noises, particularly under acceleration or braking. Make sure everything you can touch works.
3) Check the seats for excess wear, a good sign or it having been a taxi.
4) Ask to see copies of repair invoices. Don't worry if they have a few, it will tell you that they look after the car well and maintain it properly. Look out for mileages on the invoices and check they correlate with the vehicle mileage.
5) Ask if the car has any known faults. If they say no and the brakes fail shortly after, you might be able sue the seller (although difficult).
6) Ask to see a valid MOT certificate, ideally for 10 to 12 months duration.
7) Ask to see the log-book and check to see it is registered to the person you are dealing with and registered at the address you are viewing it at. If it is not, I would ask the seller why as it could be stolen or they may be a trader selling a vehicle of spurious origin or repair history.
8) Haggle the price and expect to pay less for cash - start at £1250 or £1300 if u want to buy it.
9) V5 advice as above
10) Trust your gut feel about the car and the seller.

Hope this helps.

piggeh

I would advise - if it makes any minor worrying noises whilst viewing, err on the side of caution. my second car there was a slight tapping noise but my dad suggests it was the tappets that needed doing, and would be a very cheap repair. 2 weeks later and the engine blew up as the owner had poured thick oil in. No comeback, just £800 wasted. Do not take chances with private sales.

anewman

piggeh wrote: »

I would advise - if it makes any minor worrying noises whilst viewing, err on the side of caution. my second car there was a slight tapping noise but my dad suggests it was the tappets that needed doing, and would be a very cheap repair. 2 weeks later and the engine blew up as the owner had poured thick oil in. No comeback, just £800 wasted. Do not take chances with private sales.

The unexpected can happen with any car. Best to check as much as you can. If you know the model search the internet for known common problems and look for those. Also check oil level, coolant level, under oil cap for "mayo" which may indicate head gasket failure.

anewman

deltic wrote: »

T5) Ask if the car has any known faults. If they say know and the brakes fail shortly after, you might be able sue the seller (although difficult)

I suppose if the seller signs a piece of paper to such effect then it's in black and white. And I can't imagine a genuine seller would refrain from signing such a piece of paper.

ormus

if anything doesnt feel right, about the car or the seller, just walk away.
there are thousands/millions of used cars for sale.

be very wary of anyone whos only owned the car for a few weeks/months.
i like to see a car thats been owned for a yr or two, minimum.

seftonsun

anewman wrote: »

I suppose if the seller signs a piece of paper to such effect then it's in black and white. And I can't imagine a genuine seller would refrain from signing such a piece of paper.

Cannot imagine that a con man or rogue trader would have any problem signing it either.

Additionally, even if signed and a fault develops soon after you would then have the problem of proving that the seller knew about it anyway. Basically you need to satisffy yourself that all is ok. Generally most sales there are no problems with and it is the minority that do cause problems that get all the publicity and bad comments.

Jorgan_2

Make sure the seller is able to release this particular too you, before travelling to see it, some people don't expect the car to go there & then as they haven't got another car to use.

Give the car a thorough inspection before driving it. My dad always takes ages inspecting a car, after about 3/4 hour the seller will ask 'do you want a test drive?' to which the answer is 'Well based on what I've seen so far, I'll only test drive it if you are willingy to drop considerably on the asking price.' I got a £900 reduction on a car once before test driving it, not bad as they were only asking £2,000.