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Advice for buying a 2nd hand car


Jonnyboy
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I'd always recommend a Golf. A Yaris is an interesting one, I test drove one a few years ago and didn't like where the electronic speedometer was. I had to actually turn my head away from watching the road in front of me to look at it.

 

As for economy, that tends to less about what car you own and more about how you drive it. You'd get a decent return from any of the cars you mentioned I'd have thought

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C3 not really in the same league as the other three. Yaris is a bit on the small side and I've always had hassle with Toyota dealers for some reason. Golfs are good drives, but a bit over-priced as reliability not as good as perceived.

 

Go for the Jazz - Highly reliable, excellent build quality, very quiet and a bit of a Tardis. Only downsides are: a bit jiggly on poor roads and a bit gutless (definitely avoid the 1.2), but the laydees love 'em.

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The Aygo, Citroen C1 and Pug 107 are all great. All available as a five door, Citroen and Toyotas are available with a diesel. The Petrol versions however deliver easily over 55 mpg and are cheaper to buy. (As well as more refined!)

 

I had a 107 as a hire car on holiday this year, loved it. It had covered over 100k miles, presumably all on bumpy Maltese roads, it felt as tight as many new cars i've tried. Was extremely impressive, if a little spartan.

Edited by Colinjb
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The Aygo, Citroen C1 and Pug 107 are all great. All available as a five door, Citroen and Toyotas are available with a diesel. The Petrol versions however deliver easily over 55 mpg and are cheaper to buy. (As well as more refined!)

 

I had a 107 as a hire car on holiday this year, loved it. It had covered over 100k miles, presumably all on bumpy Maltese roads, it felt as tight as many new cars i've tried. Was extremely impressive, if a little spartan.

 

£3k?

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Where did you get that list of cars from; they're all different sizes / classes! Comparing a Golf to a Yaris is like comparing chalk and cheese.

 

Just ones that caught my eye on the road...I believe a golf can be 1.4 right? and a Yaris 1.2 exists right? quite similar then

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Another vote for the Puma, brilliant second car. Although not 5 doors :(

Just watch out for rust, for a modern car they are terrible for it.

 

As to Golfs, don't worry about high miles. My Mk4 TDI has 160k on it and looks new inside and out. Never goes wrong and shows signs of going on forever, still on its original clutch. Not the best handling by a long way but an easy 50mpg and oodles of torque along with an above average interior make it almost perfect. Once you learn how to drive it it will easily outperform most petrol cars in real world conditions. Built like a panzer and so very safe in an accident.

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What does your good lady think ? It is, after all, her car.

 

So far she has vetoed the Aygo, C1, 107 as too small, not enough boot etc.

She isnt confident to drive larger cars (her parking is CRAP!) so I would Seat Leon size cars are out.

Honda Jazz is in a higher insurance bracket than Id like.

It always comes back to the Golf.

Alithough I might now do a search for Almera, Focus, Ibiza and Megane and see if any of those fit the bill. Id prefer 1.4 or lower but possibly would stretch to 1.6

 

FFS

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seeing as I cant PM you, tell me more about it.

what's your email?

 

It's a petrol Fiesta LX 1.25 in Colorado Red. 54 plate, 57k mileage, does around 45mpg average. Got A/C, front/rear heated windscreens, and all the other usual standard stuff. Taxed 'til November, MOT'd 'til September, and cheap on insurance. Just had 2 new tyres put on it, and the couple of minor scratches that were on it have been resprayed as good as new about 6 weeks ago in preparation for me to sell shortly.

 

How quickly you looking to buy? Planned advertising price was £3.5k (haven't actually put it up for sale anywhere just yet!), however would obviously be prepared to accept a sensible offer.

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It's a petrol Fiesta LX 1.25 in Colorado Red. 54 plate, 57k mileage, does around 45mpg average. Got A/C, front/rear heated windscreens, and all the other usual standard stuff. Taxed 'til November, MOT'd 'til September, and cheap on insurance. Just had 2 new tyres put on it, and the couple of minor scratches that were on it have been resprayed as good as new about 6 weeks ago in preparation for me to sell shortly.

 

How quickly you looking to buy? Planned advertising price was £3.5k (haven't actually put it up for sale anywhere just yet!), however would obviously be prepared to accept a sensible offer.

 

Might be keen but not in any rush rush to buy.

 

looking at autotrader, probably wouldnt offer much over 2500...

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  • 2 months later...
Might be keen but not in any rush rush to buy.

 

looking at autotrader, probably wouldnt offer much over 2500...

 

Just seen your message on the Ikea furniture thread. Car has just hit 60k mileage now, had MOT done last week so now got just over 12 months on it. Shout if you wanna come see it.

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Hi Michelle, Yeah would definitely like to view. The link above suggests 2500 is the going rate. I am in Nice until Wednesday but could come next weekend...

 

OK cool, I did have a nosey at the valuation on current mileage and condition a couple of weeks ago when looking at P/X, reckon we could do something. Not got PM's on here, you OK sending your number to stevegrant? He's got ours anyway, will ask him to forward them on and then give us a ring when you're back and we'll sort a convenient time?

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  • 1 month later...
  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
You're very welcome mate - loving my new one too, which was only possible for me to get by selling the old one. Everyone's a winner. :-)

 

Jonny - hopefully you've had the V5 by now, as I've had the letter confirming the transfer. However, because they're printed so far in advance, the tax disc renewal has arrived here! As long as you've got the V5 just take it into the PO with your insurance and the MOT - it's £71.50 for 6 months, £130 for the year. :)

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