Thanks to everyone for their advice, I've decided to buy a car. Looking at autotrader and ebay. Got about £7.5k cash, don't want anything older than 2014. Might get a Ford Focus, dull but reliable. Needs to be a hatchback style'ish. ie nothing small.
What are peoples thoughts on buying CAT S & N cars? I didn't even know that was a thing until today.
If anyone have any further advice it would be appreciated.
Don't buy a CAT car, resale is soo much harder.
£7,500 will get you something decent. Nothing in at the moment but keep an eye here or give Tim a call;
Thanks to everyone for their advice, I've decided to buy a car. Looking at autotrader and ebay. Got about £7.5k cash, don't want anything older than 2014. Might get a Ford Focus, dull but reliable. Needs to be a hatchback style'ish. ie nothing small.
What are peoples thoughts on buying CAT S & N cars? I didn't even know that was a thing until today.
If anyone have any further advice it would be appreciated.
Don't buy a CAT car, resale is soo much harder.
£7,500 will get you something decent. Nothing in at the moment but keep an eye here or give Tim a call;
I'll keep my eyes in this site, need to get a new car within a week.
A week maybe too quick, but give Tim a call anyway, say Andy Buckland gave you his details, i've bought and sold a lot through him, top guy, he's driving my old Cayenne currently.
For your budget, and aged wanted, consider a Honda Civic, not everyone's taste in shape, but good cars. 1.6 diesel is superb, but double check it passes ULEZ if that's of importance.
For your budget, and aged wanted, consider a Honda Civic, not everyone's taste in shape, but good cars. 1.6 diesel is superb, but double check it passes ULEZ if that's of importance.
For your budget, and aged wanted, consider a Honda Civic, not everyone's taste in shape, but good cars. 1.6 diesel is superb, but double check it passes ULEZ if that's of importance.
Honda Civics especially the type R are very well made cars and very robust. I absolutely don't advocate not staying on top of services but that is a car that will run through neglect. I know this as I used to lift share with a bloke who had one and would only top the il up when I led him into halfords, got the oil and did it in the car park! The only maintenance that thing got was a visit to the polish car wash occasionally. That's a 2009 he has had since 2012 and it's still going back and forth to work every day
In terms of buying from ebay, go and look at the car. When you do a few things I always look for that people often think I'm weird for doing but have served me well are
Does the car stink of air freshener and look like its recently been to see Marius and his mates at the tenner paintwork destruction merchants? If so, and people definitely think I'm weird for this, take a black light with you, you get then for a pound on ebay, that will uncover a lot of sins in terms of fluids that have been spilt on the inside.
Does it have decent tyres on all 4 corners and are they the same brand? Are they different branded and budget tyres? if so this tells me the car has been maintained reactively and on a budget and to steer clear
Paintwork chips on the front end are to be expected, scratches and dents are not, if it's been repaired cheaply or been in a collision that hasnt been recorded the panels are often a different colour or shade away from what they should be, they can also look wonky so look sideways and long ways to see if anything is off colour of not fitting right.
Alternator belts that squeal can be silenced with WD40 and talcum powder so it's worth checking for evidence of that under the bonnet.
Then the basic stuff, mileage in relation to age is important. High mileage is ok if it's been done on a motorway. Not so good if it's all been stop/start local taxi type journeys. So a car from 2015 with 150,000 on it isn't an awful idea but when test driving it shouldn't feel loose at all, steering and gearbox-wise if it's done all its mileage on the M1.
Clouds of smoke are never good when a car starts, whatever the seller says about that only being when it's cold. That will bit you on the arse at MOT time
Paperwork is weird now with cars as MOT detail is held online and easily accessible, servicing is a bit less scientific. That's where having a mate who can plug a computer in is useful as they can download the service history rather than trusting a load of bits of paper with a runner stamp in
Comments
Here's an example;
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201906269407055?maximum-mileage=50000&radius=1500&price-to=8000&year-from=2014&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&price-from=6500&make=HONDA&advertising-location=at_cars&model=CIVIC&sort=distance&postcode=se129ey&page=1
Does the car stink of air freshener and look like its recently been to see Marius and his mates at the tenner paintwork destruction merchants? If so, and people definitely think I'm weird for this, take a black light with you, you get then for a pound on ebay, that will uncover a lot of sins in terms of fluids that have been spilt on the inside.
Does it have decent tyres on all 4 corners and are they the same brand? Are they different branded and budget tyres? if so this tells me the car has been maintained reactively and on a budget and to steer clear
Paintwork chips on the front end are to be expected, scratches and dents are not, if it's been repaired cheaply or been in a collision that hasnt been recorded the panels are often a different colour or shade away from what they should be, they can also look wonky so look sideways and long ways to see if anything is off colour of not fitting right.
Alternator belts that squeal can be silenced with WD40 and talcum powder so it's worth checking for evidence of that under the bonnet.
Then the basic stuff, mileage in relation to age is important. High mileage is ok if it's been done on a motorway. Not so good if it's all been stop/start local taxi type journeys. So a car from 2015 with 150,000 on it isn't an awful idea but when test driving it shouldn't feel loose at all, steering and gearbox-wise if it's done all its mileage on the M1.
Clouds of smoke are never good when a car starts, whatever the seller says about that only being when it's cold. That will bit you on the arse at MOT time
Paperwork is weird now with cars as MOT detail is held online and easily accessible, servicing is a bit less scientific. That's where having a mate who can plug a computer in is useful as they can download the service history rather than trusting a load of bits of paper with a runner stamp in