[Rant] Buying used cars [/Rant]

[wafter]

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202006019698401?onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used&radius=1500&postcode=ox279bn&advertising-location=at_cars&model=SEDICI&fuel-type=Petrol&price-from=500&make=FIAT&sort=distance&page=1

Here's what I might look at in your position. Lots to like about these, and people won't be competing with you. Honest MOT history with some bits and pieces but nothing alarming, and the engine's a little 16V peach.

You might have to set off early if you're cycling there, mind

Thanks - was relieved to find out it's apparently not actually a Fiat, however I don't need the 4wd capability and the assiciated tax / fuel efficiency / performance compromises put me off tbh.

If I was buying a cheap car for less than a grand I would definitely go Japanese. Either an old Toyota Yaris or Honda Jazz, they’re four wheel cockroaches, they refuse to die!

Yeah, this was the sort of stuff I was / am looking at. Potential cat theft makes me wary with the jap stuff though.

 

[Gunk]

Potential cat theft makes me wary with the jap stuff though.

I don't think that's a huge issue in Oxford, I've never heard of any incidents.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Never trust the term 'lady owner'. It's either a peach, banged up, or treated like a girl racers car, just like any 'lads' car might be. No wonder there were no pictures.

Undeed and the term means nothing. One shoot lady owner may be the true statement.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Thanks - was relieved to find out it's apparently not actually a Fiat, however I don't need the 4wd capability and the assiciated tax / fuel efficiency / performance compromises put me off tbh.


Yeah, this was the soirt of stuff I was / am looking at. Potential cat theft makes me wary with the jap stuff though.

It's switchable, so you can run as either FWD, auto-transfer to rear when slip is noted, or a full diff lock below, IIRC 30mph. If small runabout for local journeys, then any downside is minimal - certainly mine illustrated that.

 

[wafter]

I don't think that's a huge issue in Oxford, I've never heard of any incidents.

Sadly I know of numerous examples and it's reportedly on the up. The car I briefly viewed earlier in the week had apparently fallen foul to this in the city too

It's switchable, so you can run as either FWD, auto-transfer to rear when slip is noted, or a full diff lock below, IIRC 30mph. If small runabout for local journeys, then any downside is minimal - certainly mine illustrated that.

Thanks, but that still doesn't address the tax situation. Looks like a decent buy if you need the 4wd, otherwise I think there are better choices... plus I'm guessing they're not that common so unlikely to crop up locally.

Unless I choose to go the other way and spunk a load more money on something half-decent / actually want, I'm pretty much at the whim of whatever cheap stuff turns up locally.

 

[wafter]

ffs, just seen another promising car advertised locally at £1200. Spent a bit of time doing some homework and rang the buyer, only to be told that he's had a lot of interest so has put the price up to £1500 (ad still states the original price).

Should have done his bloody homework before listing it shouldn't he (or at least revised the ad to reflect his new price). Yet another opportunistic and deceitful time-wasting muppet..

Obviously he got told where to stick it, but now I'm left doubting myself in having stuck to my principals and potentially done myself out of a decent motor. That said I don't think I could have lived with having allowed myself to be screwed in such a way had I bought it.

On another note I felt really optimistic with renewed purpose at the prospect of sorting this out today; now I'm left just staring into another meaningless and empty void of a day ahead

 

[Gunk]

Sounds like you’ve cut your nose off to spite your face, perhaps you should have looked at it anyway, it may well have been underpriced at £1200

 

[MarkF]

Maybe you are over thinking things? I'd promised young Jamie at work my old car for last weekend but by Sunday I still hadn't found a replacement. I dropped off the car at his house, walked home and bought a 2006 Honda FR-V 2.0 for £840 unseen off Ebay. That's probably the 7th/8th car I've bought in a similar fashion, all have been winners. The description was minimal and I took about 2 mins to think about it as I have zero interest in Honda FR-V's, it's to get about whilst I find what I want.

The car has 122k, 3 owners, good service history, new pads all round, decent tyres and a recent basic fluid change service. Same platform and chain driven engine as the CR-V that are reliable and long lasting. It's a scruffy box but it'll do the job and when that job is done, even if it's in a year or 2, somebody will give me £500+ for a 6 seater Honda.

Edit:- Been thinking this FR-V might provide me with a canoe opportunity.

 

[MarkF]

Sounds like you’ve cut your nose off to spite your face, perhaps you should have looked at it anyway, it may well have been underpriced at £1200

Absolutely, I saw my 1992 MX5 on an owners forum, it was the sellers first post. He was quickly told the price was too low, whilst I was agreeing to buy it! He put it up £500, I still bought as it was the "right car", never regretted it.

 

[wafter]

Sounds like you’ve cut your nose off to spite your face, perhaps you should have looked at it anyway, it may well have been underpriced at £1200

Maybe, but in principal I won't deal with people who suggest themselves to be dishonest straight out of the gate.. might have felt differently had he changed the price on the ad but it's still the same, so he's using the lower price to lure people in then trying to blag them out of more money. I refuse to reward such behaviour and on a less moralistic note one has to ask if the seller is willing to be so overtly underhand, in what other areas might he be trying to pull a fast one?

Besides it was a less-than-ideal spec and while potentially acceptable at the asking, was more than I was willing to pay at the elevated price.

The search continues..

 

[Bonefish Blues]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203030427803

Totally not what you want, but an example that there are good, honest cars out there at low prices

 

[wafter]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203030427803

Totally not what you want, but an example that there are good, honest cars out there at low prices

Thanks - you're right but I appreciate the moral support

There (unsurprisingly) seems to be a real demand for frugal superminis; which appear to be retaining their value far better than even mid-range saloons. I keep having to stop myself looking at the nice E46 330i msport and various Quattro TTs I've seen for sale around the city which offer so much car for the money but are shot down on running costs..

 

[MarkF]

Thanks - you're right but I appreciate the moral support

There (unsurprisingly) seems to be a real demand for frugal superminis; which appear to be retaining their value far better than even mid-range saloons. I keep having to stop myself looking at the nice E46 330i msport and various Quattro TTs I've seen for sale around the city which offer so much car for the money but are shot down on running costs..

How much more per annum is a car you would like and enjoy driving going to cost you? I've just driven my mums Fiat 500 to fill it up, I really like them but never in a million years would I want to drive one (or any small city car) regularly. I've noticed TT's are as low as they can possibly go, surely?

You could waft around in this, top reliablity and get 40mpg mixed driving, all that leather......
https://www.gumtree.com/p/rover/-53...sseur-cdti-2-owners-good-condition/1377732077

 

[wafter]

How much more per annum is a car you would like and enjoy driving going to cost you? I've just driven my mums Fiat 500 to fill it up, I really like them but never in a million years would I want to drive one (or any small city car) regularly. I've noticed TT's are as low as they can possibly go, surely?

You could waft around in this, top reliablity and get 40mpg mixed driving, all that leather......
https://www.gumtree.com/p/rover/-53...sseur-cdti-2-owners-good-condition/1377732077

I've not worked it out but I currently have zero money coming in and really I can't afford anything so the cheaper the better. Just looking at realistic tax, fuel and insurance costs for something frugal versus something interesting I'm probably looking at £150 v. £330 PA for tax, £800 v. £1200 in fuel, maybe £200 v. £400 on insurance so that's around £800 per year, before factoring in the lower reliability and probable higher cost of parts and consumables for a German barge or "sports car" versus a Jap supermini.

On top of all this the future looks bleak for many (myself included) and who knows what's going to happen to the used car market (I suspect frugal stuff will hold its value / appreciate while more pricey stuff will depreciate further)?

I absolutely hear you on the pricing aspect and reckon that a lot of dead-cert future German classics are probably right at the bottom of their deprication curve currently (BMW Z3, E46 330i / 330ci and E39 530i Msports, Mk1 Audi TT, Mk1 Audi S3...) however who knows what the future holds (or rather how crappy it will be) and really I need to make the grown-up decision and go for something cheap and reliable.

 

[MarkF]

I've not worked it out but I currently have zero money coming in and really I can't afford anything so the cheaper the better. Just looking at realistic tax, fuel and insurance costs for something frugal versus something interesting I'm probably looking at £150 v. £330 PA for tax, £800 v. £1200 in fuel, maybe £200 v. £400 on insurance so that's around £800 per year, before factoring in the lower reliability and probable higher cost of parts and consumables for a German barge or "sports car" versus a Jap supermini.

On top of all this the future looks bleak for many (myself included) and who knows what's going to happen to the used car market (I suspect frugal stuff will hold its value / appreciate while more pricey stuff will depreciate further)?

I absolutely hear you on the pricing aspect and reckon that a lot of dead-cert future German classics are probably right at the bottom of their deprication curve currently (BMW Z3, E46 330i / 330ci and E39 530i Msports, Mk1 Audi TT, Mk1 Audi S3...) however who knows what the future holds (or rather how crappy it will be) and really I need to make the grown-up decision and go for something cheap and reliable.

I can only assume cars are going to get even cheaper, when the shoot hits the fan post-Oct then I'd expect the mountain of used cars to soar. But, point taken and good luck with your search.