Anyone in the 2nd hand car trade near London (NW)?

[lord_seagrave]

The Seagrave jalopy has had a new fuel pump recently at no little cost and then a new battery at a few quid too. I'm nowhere near comfortable with the way it runs, and want to trade it in.

 

At our end of the market (sub £2,000), I've got no idea what constitutes a good car. We're not fussed about how it looks, just that it's got four doors and it runs confidently.

 

Is anyone on here in the trade and can point me towards our next motor?

 

LS

[old'un]

Might help if you give some idea of what you are looking for, 4x4, 2 or 4 door saloon/estate, sports car, diesel/petrol, engine size, what you be using it for, everyday car?

 

Or are you not that bothered so long as it has 4 wheels?

Edited September 12, 2016 by old'un

[ditchman]

get it from a local private garage...it will proberly be maintained by them....and knowing that you are local will be maintained by them...also they wont sell you a "pup" as they know it will come back to bight them on the rear...........

 

it will cost you a bit more but in the long run it will proberly save you money

[dodeer]

You can find a nice old Mercedes C220 Cdi for that . Was one of the best cars I ever owned

[Davyo]

Look for something thats cheap to repair and easy to source parts.

[TONY R]

Sub 2k i would go PSA cars peugeot citteroens look for a late model with the 2 litre HDI DW10 engine in it but in the slightly lower emitions tax bracket, various models have niggles common to them but overall are durable dependable high millers go to turn the key rides every man and his dog and certainly every back street garage worth its salt will know its way around.

I have a 307 SW on a 55 plate its sorned in a lean to building been there a year now, its vertualy worthless with no mot, but i keep it partialy because it owes me nothing and i know i will have wheels anytime i need them, if i decide i want to change cars or one of the younger sons decides he wants it.

My advice a peugeot cittroen with a 2 litre HDI engine, go for the 90 bHP model they all have conventional clutches cheaper to replace than dual mass on the faster HP models.

[dodeer]

I've got a 02 307 2.0 hdi sat here. Sorn and no tax , November MOT.

60k with history

Decent and tidy

£400 no offers

[TONY R]

Thats good enough I tell you i rate them always have.

[bruno22rf]

x type jaguar - pick them up for pennies and some are 4x4 - the diesels are, apparently, not so great but the 2.5 sport petrol is v.good. I've just bought an unmarked 2001 v6 3.0 with 56k on the clock for £1400 - mine drives/looks like it has just left the showroom.

[lord_seagrave]

I've got a 02 307 2.0 hdi sat here. Sorn and no tax , November MOT.

60k with history

Decent and tidy

£400 no offers

'Ppreciate the reply (indeed all of them).

 

I'd prefer an estate, and actually looking at a 407 not too far away. http://www.gcscarsalesltd.co.uk/used-cars/peugeot-407-sw-2-0-hdi-se-5dr-london-201607015451629

 

As per usual, whilst the Seagraves are 'asset rich' we've got naff-all money, so we're looking for a bit of PX with our existing motor, and the rest will go on a 0% credit card...

 

Thanks for the input so far, any other nuggets of wisdom gratefully received.

 

 

LS

[R1nut]

If I was spending that on a car my choices would be a Volvo estate, poss an early v40 but they are a little small for a big family, a v70 if you need more room again the earlier model. If you wanted a slightly newer more modern car a Subaru Legacy.

Both makers are very reliable especially the older volvos but they both can be a little thirsty.

The volvos tend to be more mature owners and if you look hard enough there are some really nice low mileage well cared for examples out there.

[lord_seagrave]

Thanks R1nut,

 

Sadly, it's our 55 plate V50 that's been giving us problems. It's got 220,000 on the clock (we've done less than 7,000 miles since November), but has/had a fuel delivery problem (we had the pump/pressure thingy replaced about four weeks ago, but it still doesn't feel right). We're loathe to throw more money at it (battery died a fortnight ago, and so that's had to be replaced too), and Lady Seagrave is not happy.

 

I'd love another Volvo, and I'd love to spend proper money on a car for once, but I think at the moment the Seagraves need something else.

 

LS

[R1nut]

The older volvos are a whole different ball game!!! I understand where you are coming from but look at it from a different angle.

Most cars of that age and price are usually ran on a budget and once problems occur it's time to sell it on. I run banger economics and have a set repair amount per year.

At that end of the market there will always be age related problems with every make.

[four-wheel-drive]

I tend to think that buying a second hand car/truck is mostly down to luck you can have a good look around it and see if it has any surface rust give it a drive and see if everything works as it should I like to look on the gov MOT history forum and see what has needed to be done to get it through the MOT.

 

In the end it is all down to luck if you get it from a reputable car dealer any problems that you have should be sorted out in the first three months this is the gov MOT site if you have not looked before. https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/

Edited September 13, 2016 by four-wheel-drive

[old'un]

I personally would not touch a high mileage French car, Japanese yes, Honda! Or maybe something like a 2005 Skoda Fabia Estate 1.4 16v Elegance 5dr 60k miles £1500.

If you like French car then maybe this....http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201608046485741?search-target=usedcars&make=peugeot&model=407_sw&price-from=500&price-to=2000&maximum-mileage=up_to_90000_miles&seller-type=trade_adverts&radius=1500&page=1&searchcontext=default&postcode=w30te&sort=default&onesearchad=new%2Cnearlynew%2Cused&logcode=p&adPos=5

[digger]

Before I got the van I looked at the 407 estate. Asked several owners at petrol stations, car parks etc their views and all were positive. You get a lot of car for your money.

Every time ive bought or considered buying a vehicle I've approached existing owners and asked them their opinion. Always been answered honestly. I bought an Alfa Romeo based on this theory, worst thing I ever did was sell it.

[Cannon]

Do those V50's not have Peugeot engines in them? Or are they the Ford powerplants? An older Volvo with 220,000 miles is not uncommon, but the latest Ford/Chinese muck has proven that the cars are now being made with penny pinching in mind. Get yourself a pre 2005 Volvo S60 or V70 with the Euro 3 D5 engine. You can get a low mileage (100,000 or thereabouts) well cared for example for around the 2k mark.

[lord_seagrave]

I tend to think that buying a second hand car/truck is mostly down to luck you can have a good look around it and see if it has any surface rust give it a drive and see if everything works as it should I like to look on the gov MOT history forum and see what has needed to be done to get it through the MOT.

 

In the end it is all down to luck if you get it from a reputable car dealer any problems that you have should be sorted out in the first three months this is the gov MOT site if you have not looked before. https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/

That's a handy link FWD, thanks

 

Now, can anyone tell me what these advisories are about "under-trays fitted"?

 

KV56 PXC is the reg.

 

Grateful for all your help chaps

 

LS

[shaun4860]

That's a handy link FWD, thanks

 

Now, can anyone tell me what these advisories are about "under-trays fitted"?

 

KV56 PXC is the reg.

 

Grateful for all your help chaps

 

LS

Most cars these days have a plastic under-tray, it's supposed to protect from stuff going into the engine bay and make it more aerodynamic,

 

They are not allowed to remove parts to check others if that makes sense, so if they can't see what they are looking for because of it, that's what they put

 

I had my Seat serviced at the main dealer without a tray on and under-tray missing was on the report

 

[lord_seagrave]

Most cars these days have a plastic under-tray, it's supposed to protect from stuff going into the engine bay and make it more aerodynamic,

 

They are not allowed to remove parts to check others if that makes sense, so if they can't see what they are looking for because of it, that's what they put

 

I had my Seat serviced at the main dealer without a tray on and under-tray missing was on the report

 

Cheers Shaun!

 

Fingers crossed.

 

LS

[Vince Green]

Look for something thats cheap to repair and easy to source parts.

Mercedes are about the cheapest to repair and source parts if you know how to do it

[Jason_ox]

97-04 BMW 5 series touring. Petrol or diesel super reliable and very high mileage capable.

[Adge Cutler]

From a qualified mechanic and main dealer friend 56 years in the industry .... hope this helps.

 

 

"Honda, Skoda or Toyota...

 

Avoid the rest.... all unreliable and expensive to maintain, especially the French models which are beset with electrical problems, German cars of that age ( all of them ) are expensive to maintain parts being excessive and difficult to work on.

 

Don't over look a Focus Estate for less than 2k you can pick up a TDCi with less than 100K on the clock and it will be just about run in, roomy practical, economical and great handling. What ever you buy find a one or two owner car if you can and most importantly full service history is everything."

Edited September 20, 2016 by Adge Cutler

[Cannon]

Honda, Skoda or Toyota.....avoid the rest. Then you recommend a Ford? If you're friend is recommending Skoda, he may as well recommend VW, Audi, Seat, Porsche and any other marque that is associated with the VAG group. They're all made with the same parts and mostly the same chassis.

[Velocette]

From a qualified mechanic and main dealer friend 56 years in the industry .... hope this helps.

 

 

"Honda, Skoda or Toyota...

 

Avoid the rest.... all unreliable and expensive to maintain, especially the French models which are beset with electrical problems, German cars of that age ( all of them ) are expensive to maintain parts being excessive and difficult to work on.

 

Don't over look a Focus Estate for less than 2k you can pick up a TDCi with less than 100K on the clock and it will be just about run in, roomy practical, economical and great handling. What ever you buy find a one or two owner car if you can and most importantly full service history is everything."

 

 

Quite right about the Focus Estate,,,mines coming up to 140,000 and used every day for highway surveying,as a shooting bus and for all distance travel. Always does better than £10.00 per 100 miles mpg and only had to replace a front wiper motor though it was only the linkage that had failed. A remarkable car !