-
Dear Guest, Please note that adult content is not permitted on this forum. We have had our Google ads disabled at times due to some posts that were found from some time ago. Please do not post adult content and if you see any already on the forum, please report the post so that we can deal with it. Adult content is allowed in the glory hole - you will have to request permission to access it. Thanks, scara
First car advise
- Thread starter Scotspur
- Start date
Crawley
Board Legend
Gordinho
Banned
I should bleedin' cocoSelling the wifes Fiesta soon.
1.4 Zetec in silver, 5 door 2003 model, 47k on the clock. Very clean.
Looking for £2500 but negotiable
Interested?
Crawley
Board Legend
I should bleedin' coco
Shut it, troublemaker \o/
Look on autotrader....it's the going rate.........ish
Gordinho
Banned
Last edited:
Gordinho
Banned
Look at what minicab drivers choose to use, they need reliable, five seater, economical workhorses as do you by the sounds of it. Then go to your local auctions, see what cars that fall into this group are available, after a visit or two you'll soon learn to spot the cabbies and small car dealers, you'll be able to outbid them by only a few quid on the car you choose as their margins are tighter than yours.
Gutter Boy
Tim Sherwood
I think the VW/Seat/Skoda/Audi group ones are excellent value and really reliable. There's the bigger Golf/Leon (1.8 or 1.6) class or the smaller Polo/Ibiza (1.4) class. I'd probably go with a Seat or Skoda, as they are cheaper but pretty much identical.
Other advice:
- my preference is for older but lower mileage cars (in contrast to newer high mileage ones). Maybe get one around the 60k mark, that has just had a cam belt change.
- go and buy it with a mate who is a mechanic or knows a lot about cars. It's absolutely invaluable to have someone who knows the things to look out for under the bonnet and during the test drive. You are also less likely to be ripped off if someone there is confident about cars.
- don't get pressured into a purchase. Every seller tries the 'we've got other viewers coming a bit later' line
Other advice:
- my preference is for older but lower mileage cars (in contrast to newer high mileage ones). Maybe get one around the 60k mark, that has just had a cam belt change.
- go and buy it with a mate who is a mechanic or knows a lot about cars. It's absolutely invaluable to have someone who knows the things to look out for under the bonnet and during the test drive. You are also less likely to be ripped off if someone there is confident about cars.
- don't get pressured into a purchase. Every seller tries the 'we've got other viewers coming a bit later' line
Crawley
Board Legend
My mechanic suggested the opposite to this.
Older, low mileage cars may have been sitting a lot, with short start/stop journeys to the shops twice a week, not good for the system.
Newer, high mileage cars are likely to have done a lot of motorway cruising which is best for the engine (if not thrashed) and as long as serviced at right mileage intervals, no problem.
Gutter Boy
Tim Sherwood
I know there are arguments for both, but for me cars conk out when they hit 120,000 miles, not when they get to 10 years.
Gordinho
Banned
It's blooming hard to find a motorway where it's possible to thrash a car nowadays when you take road works, average speed cameras and variable speed limits into account.
My van for work is limited to 70 mph, what it's done is to make me less lazy driver, you have to plan your overtaking because you can't just pull up to someone's bumper then pull out round them, overtaking an HGV on an A road requires a bit of planning too and of course I can't exceed 70 on the motorway even if I wanted to. I've carried this behaviour across into driving my own car so in theory I should have become a better driver.
All I need now is a customised holder on the dash for my Werther's Original tin.
scotty220
Johnnie Jackson
Just recently bought a 2000 reg BMW 330ci coupe for £1600 so there's plenty of bargains to be had.
Regarding mileage, you really want to be aiming for a car that has done around 7k to 10k a year. German made engines (BMW, Audi, Skoda, VW) like to be driven. You'll have all sort of problems with clogged engines if you buy low mileage high age. You can't go wrong with german cars with 80k to 130k miles. Best bet is to look on autotrader and see what sort of miles are on the models you want. If there's very few with 100k+ miles, don't buy them as they obviously don't last. But there's plenty of BMWs and Audis with even 300k+ miles and still going strong
Regarding mileage, you really want to be aiming for a car that has done around 7k to 10k a year. German made engines (BMW, Audi, Skoda, VW) like to be driven. You'll have all sort of problems with clogged engines if you buy low mileage high age. You can't go wrong with german cars with 80k to 130k miles. Best bet is to look on autotrader and see what sort of miles are on the models you want. If there's very few with 100k+ miles, don't buy them as they obviously don't last. But there's plenty of BMWs and Audis with even 300k+ miles and still going strong
Gordinho
Banned
I worked with a woman who'd had an A Class from new, in 3 years she put 6000 miles on the clock including her daily commute to work. She was convinced that it was going to be worth top money when she sold it-I'd avoid it like the plague for all the reasons above. Who wants a car that has been flopped into by a heffer, with brakes and clutch subject to numerous short journeys and the car never exceeding 25mph?
inkpenspur
Allan Nielsen
Avoid low mileage, older diesels... they need running regularly at higher temperatures to work properly, and keep clean, and to give them longevity. German is good (VW group) but bear in mind the majority of 1800cc/2litre engines need a new cam belt around about 60-80K, and that can cost around £200 - £400.
I had a VW 1.8T petrol engine that had 160,000 on the clock when I sold it from new (8 years old) and was on the second CAM belt. The suspension/dampers (?) needed to be changed at 100K, but that was not expensive... you find that engine in a lot of VW group cars from SEAT to VW to Audi
I had a VW 1.8T petrol engine that had 160,000 on the clock when I sold it from new (8 years old) and was on the second CAM belt. The suspension/dampers (?) needed to be changed at 100K, but that was not expensive... you find that engine in a lot of VW group cars from SEAT to VW to Audi
Crawley
Board Legend
Picking up my latest car this Thursday.
Got a Mercedes C200 estate, 1.8 petrol auto, fully loaded kit including grey leather interior.
55k on the clock, full Merc service history, 1 owner. So averages out exactly 10k per year. Ideal.
My only worry, we had a local police notice pushed through the door last week, warning of a number of incidents of car scratching taking place in my immediate area.
As I have to park on the street outside, I think this car will become a "target" for these tossers.
I may have to sleep inside with a gun. :evil:
Got a Mercedes C200 estate, 1.8 petrol auto, fully loaded kit including grey leather interior.
55k on the clock, full Merc service history, 1 owner. So averages out exactly 10k per year. Ideal.
My only worry, we had a local police notice pushed through the door last week, warning of a number of incidents of car scratching taking place in my immediate area.
As I have to park on the street outside, I think this car will become a "target" for these tossers.
I may have to sleep inside with a gun. :evil:
inkpenspur
Allan Nielsen
Yes.