Buying An Automatic Car

Diamond78

thank you so much for the links anewman, ive just been on ebay for ages looking but they are so pricey or the cheap ones need getting fixed, will have a quick look at the links u have posted and save it in my favorites so i can look properly tomorrow when my son is at school-thanks again for having a look for me.

Diamond78

sorry to be a pain-obviously being a 1st driver the insurance will be a lot higher.Ive seen the ads for women drivers like sheilas wheels or something lol can you recommend a good comparison site that searches for the best deal on insurance. Thats a lovely little ford and would be ideal for me and my son as i dont want a big car, it doesnt say the location tho, will check it again-thanks a lot

anewman

If you put your own postcode in on the autotrader site it will give you the distance from your postcode. 175 miles is the distance from leeds if that helps.

I'd go through the list indicated by Martin http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/compare-cheap-car-insurance I remember when searching for insurance on the internet for my sister, the "women's" insurance companies didn't come out cheaper. I suppose it depends on your details. The comparison sites will list them anyway.

Diamond78

Thank you for the info and help, i have just put my postcode in just one more thing-ive put in automatic but what is semiautomatic?

Diamond78

and one more thing i know im being a pain but with 2nd hand cars how do i know its all legal like not stolen and not still owing on credit ect if you know what i mean.auti trader has its own vehicle check but its £25 app.
Im tired now and my brains not working, i got to be up at 7 and get little man ready for school.Thanks for all your help and i will check again tomoro, that for one is 7miles from my postcode so not far.Id love to be able to get it but i have no licence yet.Thanks and nite nite

totalsolutions

Your a diamond!
Forget automatics. Period. You cannot afford them. Not bothered about Rust? the mot test is and will scrap it for you. Auto's cost more, drink more petrol, more to go wrong, you cannot tow them away if they breakdown- old cars do-you will own an auto. you cannot get rid of. Nobody knows how to fix an auto transmission. You will limit your driving skills to, and not be able to drive a normal car for employment or friends cars if required to.
Go Gocart racing once or twice for experence on the track on your own, get used to taking bends and speed. Spin off the track and learn about wet tracks an all. Borrow an old car and drive it on private field using the gears. Learn to find out why the gears and clutch work together, you just gotta....

What Car. I dont know and neither do you yet. Just look around and find out what you will need it for. A tank? A lada? A mini? A dumper truck? The main thing is get some experence and pass the test and the written/practical test.
The cost of Road tax/insurance/petrol/general maintence expenses/parking/parking fines/ will probally kill off any idea of driving a small car if you dont have the finances to put all this together.

In the end it will be the insurance companys who dictate which car you will have, ask them.

anewman

totalsolutions wrote: »

Not bothered about Rust? the mot test is and will scrap it for you.

Only if the rust is in the sills, chassis, box sections etc, basically any structural part under the car - and severe enough to make the car structurally unsound. If rust appears to be starting, you can do things like applying underbody seal and waxoyl in the cavities. I am not sure if they do all that much though. But I would say you can be picky - lay down on the floor and have a good look and poke around underneath - although be aware if someone is selling a car they may have just put some paint straight across the rust to cover it up, rather than sorting it out properly. If you can pull any bits of metal off, walk away. Any surface rust in these areas is also best sorted properly ASAP. Wire brush, rust converter and hammerite and maybe some underbody seal should probably be enough.

totalsolutions wrote: »

Auto's cost more, drink more petrol, more to go wrong, you cannot tow them away if they breakdown- old cars do-you will own an auto. you cannot get rid of.

True, true, true, although I am sure they can be towed away.

I get the impression OP has tried manual and not got along with it. Not all people do and there's no point struggling with manuals for ages if you can do better with an auto.

As for vehicle checks, I wouldn't bother at this price range. Chances are it won't have any remaining outstanding payments on it. Just use a little common sense, especially when buying private. Try and ensure the name and address on the V5 are the name and address of the place you visit, and that the seller has access to the house (i.e. they aren't just in the garden mowing the lawn and have all the documents ready outside). When you go to view a car there's no obligation to buy so if you feel in anyway uncertain about the seller say you'll go away and think about it or something

devizes18193

Course they can be towed other wise they would be al over the place . I used to have an auto mini that would break down for fun in the 1980s me and the rac old hat . If your not sure phone them .

judderman

you cant bump start an auto, down hill, it screws the starter, well it did on mine.. lol

movilogo

@Diamond78
Since you'll be driving the car, buy one suits you best. If you like an auto, go ahead and buy one. There is no such thing called manuals are better than auto. It is purely personal preference. You might need to shell out more money to buy an auto and it will drink bit of more fuel. But it will require less driving lesions to pass in an auto (usually compared with manual).

And auto cars can be towed!

Buy a Japanese/Korean auto - they are usually very good. Avoid French autos.

Nissan Micra or Nissan Sunny autos could be perfect for you. They are quite cheap and very reliable.

Remember, not all people enjoy driving - some do it because they are forced to do it. For them, convenience matters more than driving pleasure or cost.

In this country, there is a tendency among people to believe manuals are superior than autos. It's not - its' purely a personal preference.

Autos also usually hold a better resale value (especial for Mercedes/Jaguar etc, if it's a manual you might struggle to sell it - although this may not be relevant to this thread).