Car Purchasing Help

[dcwhitworth]

Could someone provide a little advice to someone who knows nothing about cars except how to drive one and has never bought or owned one in his life ?

 

I have a friend who has an urgent need to buy a "cheap banger" and frankly we have no idea where to start. Is online shopping a good idea ?Can anyone recommend sites or dealers ? We're looking for something sub £1k and preferably cheaper.

[NB9457]

How big does the car need to be/ Petrol or diesel?

 

The basics of car buying are:

-Check oil and water levels, also check the caps for gunk, sign of possibly failing Head Gasket.

-Tyre depths all round

-Check for scoring on brakes

-Never buy a car that the seller has warmed up, it could be hiding something!

-Listen for rattles and noises, we all know roughly what an engine should sound like.

-Test drive, brakes, steering and clutch all feel ok?

-Obviously the other basics (service history, last service, MoT)

[dcwhitworth]

How big does the car need to be/ Petrol or diesel?

 

Just a simple hatchback for the driver and two kids below ten years. No idea / preference on fuel type.

[NB9457]

Just a simple hatchback for the driver and two kids below ten years. No idea / preference on fuel type.

 

Some good cars to look at with that budget are MK4 VW Golf Diesels, the PD engines are very reliable. Don't be put off by high miles on these either, 150k isn't much for these engines, providing the car has been looked after, they're cheap to run and parts are cheap.

 

Or if you want something small and quirky, have a look at the VW Lupo range, basic cars, but nice to drive, again reliable and you can buy a low miler under £1k easily!

[Norphy]

Some good cars to look at with that budget are MK4 VW Golf Diesels,

 

My only concern about a mk4 golf with two kids in the back would be the amount of room in the car.

 

I own a mk4 golf and I'm 6'2" tall. To comfortably fit in the car, I have to put the driver seat right back and as low as it goes. This leaves virtually no room behind the driver seat. There isn't even enough room to get a baby seat behind there as I recently found out.

 

Of course, if you're not as tall as me, the mk4 golf is still a nice car and well worth considering. However, my next car will probably be something the size of a Passat/Mondeo/Accord

 

I also wouldn't bother with a diesel if the car is going to nothing more than a runaround. Diesels are only more cost effective if you are doing a lot of miles, for short journeys they are less efficient than petrols. They are usually more expensive to service plus you pay more for a litre of diesel than you do petrol.

Edited July 21, 2016 by Norphy

[3s-gtech]

The general advice with that budget and requirement is go simple. Plenty of cheap old cars around, but many have issues that may break the bank - things like failing DMFs, injection pumps etc can make older diesels a money pit. Personally, I'd recommend something like a mk1.5 petrol Focus. They're simple, reliable and safe. The diesels can be okay, but the TDCi likes to eat DMFs and the TDDi is rough and ready. Try to see if the camblet has been done recently (you can't scrimp on that if it has one, whatever car you choose) and a service history will be a bonus.

 

Don't expect the earth on that budget. Look at going to an auction, remembering the caveats. Avoid Facebook 'dealers' operating from a yard or trading estate - they often don't provide the required customer service but still charge dealer prices! They can also up-sticks when the complaints stack up. That said, a cheap car from Facebook local groups, that's genuine, can be a good buy.