Used Car Buying - Any Basic Tips Please?
Discussion
All,
Yesterday, by an incredible stroke of bad luck, both our cars failed, pretty terminally.
My '02 E46 has become so temperamental over the past 6 months that, despite several specialists looking at it, I can't rely on it any more. Yesterday it cut out on the M1, and it was only luck that I was next to an exit. Today I tried to get to work through town, but there's just no way.
My wife's '01 Civic automatic also coincidentally failed it's MOT yesterday, and needs welding. It's uncertain until next week whether this will be possible - if certain suspension bolts are seized, that'll be it. It has been 100% reliable for the 20 years we've had it (2nd owners).
So, for the first time in 12 years, I'm looking for a car. I was looking for something newer, but I've found an equivalent 1 owner '01 Civic locally for very little money, so I might go for that (at least I know what they should drive like and common issues like rear brakes). It looks immaculate form a quick poke about this morning. No idea about the BMW, but as per this thread, I might go for something like a '13 Focus 1.6:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Question is, what's the procedure?
Inspection & test drive (trader seemed quite willing for an fairly extensive test drive - to a garage with a ramp if I can find one)
Test drive on trade plates (Civic has no tax, expired in January, MOT expires August).
What about HPI check?
Warranty? Is it 6 months (statutory) from the trader?
The Civic trader says he'll put 12 months MOT on the car, but he doesn't have a ramp so I couldn't look underneath. What's the best way of getting around this? Ask to be there when the MOT is done? (see also "test drive above"). I did get some limited images of the underneath this morning with my 'phone, and I can see the places that our Civic has holes are pretty much like new on this one.
Of course all this is made much more difficult by not having a car to get around in in the first place, so I'm pretty limited in choice/radius for the first car at least. Not having a car is a very stressful situation actually - feels claustrophobic in many ways, but such is life.
Thanks.
Yesterday, by an incredible stroke of bad luck, both our cars failed, pretty terminally.
My '02 E46 has become so temperamental over the past 6 months that, despite several specialists looking at it, I can't rely on it any more. Yesterday it cut out on the M1, and it was only luck that I was next to an exit. Today I tried to get to work through town, but there's just no way.
My wife's '01 Civic automatic also coincidentally failed it's MOT yesterday, and needs welding. It's uncertain until next week whether this will be possible - if certain suspension bolts are seized, that'll be it. It has been 100% reliable for the 20 years we've had it (2nd owners).
So, for the first time in 12 years, I'm looking for a car. I was looking for something newer, but I've found an equivalent 1 owner '01 Civic locally for very little money, so I might go for that (at least I know what they should drive like and common issues like rear brakes). It looks immaculate form a quick poke about this morning. No idea about the BMW, but as per this thread, I might go for something like a '13 Focus 1.6:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Question is, what's the procedure?
Inspection & test drive (trader seemed quite willing for an fairly extensive test drive - to a garage with a ramp if I can find one)
Test drive on trade plates (Civic has no tax, expired in January, MOT expires August).
What about HPI check?
Warranty? Is it 6 months (statutory) from the trader?
The Civic trader says he'll put 12 months MOT on the car, but he doesn't have a ramp so I couldn't look underneath. What's the best way of getting around this? Ask to be there when the MOT is done? (see also "test drive above"). I did get some limited images of the underneath this morning with my 'phone, and I can see the places that our Civic has holes are pretty much like new on this one.
Of course all this is made much more difficult by not having a car to get around in in the first place, so I'm pretty limited in choice/radius for the first car at least. Not having a car is a very stressful situation actually - feels claustrophobic in many ways, but such is life.
Thanks.
I have done vehicle inspections professionally. Getting it up on a ramp isnt really necessary.
Take a torch/screwdriver and you can lie on the ground to inspect -
The sills which is where you would be most concerned by rust, you can also listen and look for exhaust leaks.
Turning the wheels to full lock in both directions you can have a good look at brake pads/discs, suspension bushes, balljoints and shocks. Lie down at the back and look for rusted out tie arms, exhaust back box etc. Then do the same at the front looking for leaks on top and bottom of the engine.
On the test drive get the engine fully up to temp, go over a rough road or speed ramps to listen for clunks, put the accelerator down in 4th or 5th at a low speed to check if clutch is slipping, go forward and reverse on full lock to listen for rubbing or skipping, loosely hold the steering wheel on a straight flat road and see does it veer to one side, then brake and see does it veer to one side, then give it some beans to see does it veer to one side.
After this I'm usually fairly happy to buy a car. I wouldnt expect anything at all from a warranty on a 23year old part ex'd car, but you may get some goodwill if something isnt right shortly after the sale.
Take a torch/screwdriver and you can lie on the ground to inspect -
The sills which is where you would be most concerned by rust, you can also listen and look for exhaust leaks.
Turning the wheels to full lock in both directions you can have a good look at brake pads/discs, suspension bushes, balljoints and shocks. Lie down at the back and look for rusted out tie arms, exhaust back box etc. Then do the same at the front looking for leaks on top and bottom of the engine.
On the test drive get the engine fully up to temp, go over a rough road or speed ramps to listen for clunks, put the accelerator down in 4th or 5th at a low speed to check if clutch is slipping, go forward and reverse on full lock to listen for rubbing or skipping, loosely hold the steering wheel on a straight flat road and see does it veer to one side, then brake and see does it veer to one side, then give it some beans to see does it veer to one side.
After this I'm usually fairly happy to buy a car. I wouldnt expect anything at all from a warranty on a 23year old part ex'd car, but you may get some goodwill if something isnt right shortly after the sale.
Decky_Q said:
I have done vehicle inspections professionally. Getting it up on a ramp isnt really necessary.
Take a torch/screwdriver and you can lie on the ground to inspect -
The sills which is where you would be most concerned by rust, you can also listen and look for exhaust leaks.
Turning the wheels to full lock in both directions you can have a good look at brake pads/discs, suspension bushes, balljoints and shocks. Lie down at the back and look for rusted out tie arms, exhaust back box etc. Then do the same at the front looking for leaks on top and bottom of the engine.
On the test drive get the engine fully up to temp, go over a rough road or speed ramps to listen for clunks, put the accelerator down in 4th or 5th at a low speed to check if clutch is slipping, go forward and reverse on full lock to listen for rubbing or skipping, loosely hold the steering wheel on a straight flat road and see does it veer to one side, then brake and see does it veer to one side, then give it some beans to see does it veer to one side.
After this I'm usually fairly happy to buy a car. I wouldnt expect anything at all from a warranty on a 23year old part ex'd car, but you may get some goodwill if something isnt right shortly after the sale.
Thanks. Take a torch/screwdriver and you can lie on the ground to inspect -
The sills which is where you would be most concerned by rust, you can also listen and look for exhaust leaks.
Turning the wheels to full lock in both directions you can have a good look at brake pads/discs, suspension bushes, balljoints and shocks. Lie down at the back and look for rusted out tie arms, exhaust back box etc. Then do the same at the front looking for leaks on top and bottom of the engine.
On the test drive get the engine fully up to temp, go over a rough road or speed ramps to listen for clunks, put the accelerator down in 4th or 5th at a low speed to check if clutch is slipping, go forward and reverse on full lock to listen for rubbing or skipping, loosely hold the steering wheel on a straight flat road and see does it veer to one side, then brake and see does it veer to one side, then give it some beans to see does it veer to one side.
After this I'm usually fairly happy to buy a car. I wouldnt expect anything at all from a warranty on a 23year old part ex'd car, but you may get some goodwill if something isnt right shortly after the sale.
How much faith would you put on an MOT for structural issues? I have an MOT place that I trust to tell me if something is wrong (which they did yesterday unfortunately!), but I often wonder if all MOTs are the same...
It sounds like you're doing all the right things and if you weren't aware you can do a MOT check on the DVLA site which will at least arm you with a list of passes and fails along with a note of any advisories and failure notes.
https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history
https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history
Pablo16v said:
It sounds like you're doing all the right things and if you weren't aware you can do a MOT check on the DVLA site which will at least arm you with a list of passes and fails along with a note of any advisories and failure notes.
https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history
Ah thanks very much, I was looking for that.https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history
Since 2006 it's consistently done between 2k and 4k miles per year, currently at 70k. Before that ('01 - '06) all I know is it did 25k miles.
Passed everything up to 2021, but in recent years it's failed on suspension bushes being worn, ball joint dust cover deteriorated, headlamp adjusters not working, a damaged windscreen, and other fairly minor things. It also keeps saying "Nearside front service brake binding, but not excessively". I think they mean nearside rear - which is a common issue with ours too. Seems some of these things might be through lack of use?
I get the impression someone fairly elderly has owned it.
I don't know why, but I kind of like it.
If its MOT ran out in January, what has it done between now and then...? It may have been sat with the previous owner or the trader may have had it for a few months.
Obviously if its very cheap it won't be like a new car, although sounds like you need not one but possibly 2 new cars so the Civic may be a good option for at least one of them
Obviously if its very cheap it won't be like a new car, although sounds like you need not one but possibly 2 new cars so the Civic may be a good option for at least one of them
66HFM said:
If its MOT ran out in January, what has it done between now and then...? It may have been sat with the previous owner or the trader may have had it for a few months.
Obviously if its very cheap it won't be like a new car, although sounds like you need not one but possibly 2 new cars so the Civic may be a good option for at least one of them
Exactly, a quick fix to get one car in the family to get us partially mobile again.Obviously if its very cheap it won't be like a new car, although sounds like you need not one but possibly 2 new cars so the Civic may be a good option for at least one of them
Tax ran out in January. MOT runs out in August this year, so I take that to mean he's had it at least since January. Presumably tax and insurance can be transferred to another vehicle quite easily?
When I looked at it today I noticed a few cobwebs on the wing mirrors, and a deflating front tyre, so yes it's been there a while (trader said he'd had it a few months, and it had been moved to him from their other place in the next town).
End of the day I guess nobody wants a 23 year old Civic with £300+ a year tax, that's not that economical or quick, and looks like a mobility device.
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