New car for the OH

[abillybob]

Hi All

 

So long story short my OH has a Mini One 1.6 and had it since the day she passed her test. It's an 11 plate, all we've had is issues with it to the point where it's cost us nearly £2,000 this year and that with me doing most of the work myself. I've never come across a car that is this awful but this thread isn't to rant. We have decided to trade it in as I'm worried next it could be a big expense. The car needs a new sump because the aluminium casing has cracked, only a hairline crack but enough to slowly leak oil, spoke to a welder and due to where the crack is and how it is it's incredibly difficult to repair.

 

Her car is apparently worth around £2,100 part exchange and we're thinking about just going to a local dealership and trading it in for a new car. The reason for this thread is to get a bit of feedback on a couple of things:

 

• If we part exchange the car with this crack in the engine could it result into any legal action being taken against us if we just play dumb like we didn't know? I get that this is dishonest and morally wrong thing to do!
  
• What cars are reliable, cheap, easy to fix and what would you recommend? We're currently looking at Japanese makes such as Hyundai, Nissan etc... and another brand Ford. The car needs to be able to be had with less than 20,000 on the clock, no older than 4 years and our maximum budget is 6k
  
• If we see a car we like and are happy to buy can we drive it away there and then or is there so many days waiting time to pick the car up?
  
• Any other advice like things to look out for or things to say to a car sales person as I've heard they're the devil in sales would be most appreciated
  

 

Cheers guys!!

[mikeprice]

New car for the OH

 

sounds like a good deal!!

 

(Ok OK - someone was always going to do it!)

 

 

Anyway - my attitude is that a main dealer (or similar) has a complete workshop available so should do basic checks themselves - but you must not say that there is nothing wrong if you know there is

 

I THINK that, although not strictly morally on the high ground, if they discover afterwards that something is wrong them you are under no obligation to tell them if they could be expected to find it themselves

e.g. if there is a dent in the door but they don't see it then that would be their problem - this is a bit closer to the borderline but......

 

When I traded in my old car it had a problem with the throttle/engine management or something - it was constantly revving like mad even though the accelerator was static - the main dealer that I sold it to (part ex for a Honda) took it for a test drive and noticed it (it was difficult to miss!)

However, he diagnosed it as a sticky cable and easily fixed - so I felt that was his problem from then on. He had a full service centre available to ask but he didn;t - probably because they would cross-charge his for it

 

Legally - I don't know what would happen so don't take my word for it - but it could get a bit sticky if they decided to be awkward - but the chances of a big dealer trying that if low - the publicity would cost them more than they could gain!

[Boredguy]

I agree with @mikeprice that it sounds like a good swap.

 

If you know about an issue, then it's good karma to mention it. If it is just a new sump, then it's likely not going to make much difference as it's something they can easily replace.

 

You won't be able to drive the new car off the forecourt straight away.. there is this little thing called Insurance and Road Tax to sort out, but that can be anything from collect the next day to next month.. up to the dealer.

[CHiLL]

Deciding on a new car is always a difficult decison because you'll get all sorts of advice (good and bad) about people's preferences and manufacturers to avoid. Since your OH already has a Mini, I take it that's the preferred size of vehicle, a supermini?

 

 

1) I wouldn't mention the crack and no repocusions will come back on you. Once the vehicle is sold, it's then their responsibility, regardless. That's why private trades/auctions/eBay, etc are all so risky. The seller doesn't have to say anything (unless it's been written off and repaired) and it's at the buyer's risk.

 

2) Have you considered Mazda? Their little Mazda 2 is a great car, or at least it has been for me. I have a 2010 Mazda 2, which I bought in 2013 with <12k miles on the clock for £6000. I have no reason to get rid of it and I've only had to replace the usuals, like break discs/pads, springs/shocks. Maybe take a look at the newer Mazda 2 models as you may find one within your price range and they're also in your preference of Japanese manufacturers.

 

3) I think it depends on when and where you go. The larger sales places like Arnold Clark would be able to process everything faster, but they'll likely want to vallet the vehicle before you drive it away, which would prevent you from driving it away that day. The other thing that can slow down a purchase of a vehicle is the taxing. I had issues where there was a paperwork mixup and by the time it was sorted, it was Saturday afternoon and the car couldn't be taxed until Monday morning because they had to go to the Post Office. (That might have changed now because taxing can be done online)

 

4) A sales person will try to sell you everything under the sun. If it's not in writing, don't count on it. Things I tend to look out for are scratches/scuffs and misaligned body panels, where they don't meet where they should...that indicates it's been involved in something. They'll have likely cleaned up the engine bay, which would remove any signs of oil leaks in the area so you can't really check that. Maybe check for uneven wear on the tyres? These places are usually good at hiding potential issues putting buyers off. ALso, I'd recommend going during daylight, to get a good look at the vehicle, especially with later opening times and earlier sunsets now we're approaching winter. Lastly, check that all optional extras are working. My air-con doesn't work because the radiator is smashed to bits at the front. I didn't realise at the time and by the time I did, it was out of it's 3 month warranty period. My ex bought a new car that had a USB socket for connecting a phone to listen to music with and didn't realise the USB port was mangled. She caught it in-time and had to fight with the garage to get them to repair it.

Edited October 17, 2019 by CHiLL

[bald_pig]

Being dishonest is bad idea.

 

As for cars, quality and reliability can vary from model to model, year to year. And that's before we start discussing how each individual car has been maintained. Then we have looks, wanted features etc.

 

There's a reason there are so many different models of cars, you will need to do the legwork, find what you like the look of, then check general reliability of that particular make/model, and then check the specific cars you are looking at for issues, get someone that knows cars to check it over, don't just trust the "150 point check" that the dealer offers, they can still miss many potential problems.

[mikeprice]

In addition to going to see it in daylight - I would also add to go in good weather - if it is - or has recently been - raining then the drops can hide a lot of chips

 

This happened to my last car - went to see it 3 times - twice with my wife - neither of us saw the stone chips because the weather was rubbish and it was covered in rain drops

 

They say the same on Wheeler Dealers - and if Mike Brewer say it I'll believe it (unless I'm buying a car from him - there are limits!)

[Boredguy]

Oh you do know that a replacement sump is only about £36

[mavhc]

Get a quote from webuyanycar, they're crazy, they'll literally buy any car.

[DJ-1701]

Get a quote from webuyanycar, they're crazy, they'll literally buy any car.

 

I'm not too sure about that...

 

[DJ-1701]

And they’ll rip you off.

 

Personal experience: We went to webuyanycar with a price from their website online - faults declared. They then go over the car and offer you about half that. Turned them down, drove to a local second hand dealer and got a better price than webuyanycar had offered online.

 

And then they send you e-mails weeks later saying your car has gone up in value.

[mavhc]

They seemed more interested in a tiny dent on the car than the massive internal fault it had, which was good for me, and possible the original poster

[woodham]

for that kind of budget look at the Dacia range 6K will go a long way

[abillybob]

New car for the OH

sounds like a good deal!!

(Ok OK - someone was always going to do it!)

Lol - Buying her a new car doesn't guarantee anything now we're married

 

Anyway - my attitude is that a main dealer (or similar) has a complete workshop available so should do basic checks themselves - but you must not say that there is nothing wrong if you know there is

I THINK that, although not strictly morally on the high ground, if they discover afterwards that something is wrong them you are under no obligation to tell them if they could be expected to find it themselves

e.g. if there is a dent in the door but they don't see it then that would be their problem - this is a bit closer to the borderline but......

When I traded in my old car it had a problem with the throttle/engine management or something - it was constantly revving like mad even though the accelerator was static - the main dealer that I sold it to (part ex for a Honda) took it for a test drive and noticed it (it was difficult to miss!)

However, he diagnosed it as a sticky cable and easily fixed - so I felt that was his problem from then on. He had a full service centre available to ask but he didn;t - probably because they would cross-charge his for it

Legally - I don't know what would happen so don't take my word for it - but it could get a bit sticky if they decided to be awkward - but the chances of a big dealer trying that if low - the publicity would cost them more than they could gain!

SO what you're saying is if they don't ask then I don't tell but if they do I should point it out to them...

 

I agree with @mikeprice that it sounds like a good swap.

If you know about an issue, then it's good karma to mention it. If it is just a new sump, then it's likely not going to make much difference as it's something they can easily replace.

You won't be able to drive the new car off the forecourt straight away.. there is this little thing called Insurance and Road Tax to sort out, but that can be anything from collect the next day to next month.. up to the dealer.

If we where to buy the car there and then couldn't we just call up her current insurance and get them to change the insurance to her new car? Then also couldn't we just tax the car on our phone at the dealership?

 

Sorry just unsure, not sure if we have to wait for documents etc..?

 

Deciding on a new car is always a difficult decison because you'll get all sorts of advice (good and bad) about people's preferences and manufacturers to avoid. Since your OH already has a Mini, I take it that's the preferred size of vehicle, a supermini?

1) I wouldn't mention the crack and no repocusions will come back on you. Once the vehicle is sold, it's then their responsibility, regardless. That's why private trades/auctions/eBay, etc are all so risky. The seller doesn't have to say anything (unless it's been written off and repaired) and it's at the buyer's risk.

2) Have you considered Mazda? Their little Mazda 2 is a great car, or at least it has been for me. I have a 2010 Mazda 2, which I bought in 2013 with <12k miles on the clock for £6000. I have no reason to get rid of it and I've only had to replace the usuals, like break discs/pads, springs/shocks. Maybe take a look at the newer Mazda 2 models as you may find one within your price range and they're also in your preference of Japanese manufacturers.

3) I think it depends on when and where you go. The larger sales places like Arnold Clark would be able to process everything faster, but they'll likely want to vallet the vehicle before you drive it away, which would prevent you from driving it away that day. The other thing that can slow down a purchase of a vehicle is the taxing. I had issues where there was a paperwork mixup and by the time it was sorted, it was Saturday afternoon and the car couldn't be taxed until Monday morning because they had to go to the Post Office. (That might have changed now because taxing can be done online)

4) A sales person will try to sell you everything under the sun. If it's not in writing, don't count on it. Things I tend to look out for are scratches/scuffs and misaligned body panels, where they don't meet where they should...that indicates it's been involved in something. They'll have likely cleaned up the engine bay, which would remove any signs of oil leaks in the area so you can't really check that. Maybe check for uneven wear on the tyres? These places are usually good at hiding potential issues putting buyers off. ALso, I'd recommend going during daylight, to get a good look at the vehicle, especially with later opening times and earlier sunsets now we're approaching winter. Lastly, check that all optional extras are working. My air-con doesn't work because the radiator is smashed to bits at the front. I didn't realise at the time and by the time I did, it was out of it's 3 month warranty period. My ex bought a new car that had a USB socket for connecting a phone to listen to music with and didn't realise the USB port was mangled. She caught it in-time and had to fight with the garage to get them to repair it.

Love Mazda's my mum had an old Mazda 323f for years when I was younger, best car she ever drove! I like most Japanese brands to be honest. I've had bad experiences with anything French or German (even though German cars are supposed to be reliable) but everything Jap I've brought has been a dream! Problem is not many Mazda's near us and because we want a quick turn around and for the dealership to be local just in case we need to take it back for any reason it's a bit gutting! Love the Mazda 2's even if they are a little girly!

 

Thanks for your advice on what to keep an eye out for it's a big help!

 

Oh you do know that a replacement sump is only about £36

It's the labour cost more so than anything, plus hers is a diesel Mini so they're quite hard to come by, loads on eBay for Petrol but her sump is almost attached to the gearbox... Carp design I know!

 

for that kind of budget look at the Dacia range 6K will go a long way

 

Like the Dacia's would definitely be a car I'd look at getting if I was to get a new car. I know they're French so I'm going against my rule but I did have a Renault Clio and that was a brilliant reliable little thing, but I looked after it well! So I would personally consider a Dacia!

 

Problem is the OH isn't to keen on the looks of the car...

 

 

Thanks everyone for your help it's most appreciated! It'll be the first car I'll be buying on my own without my parents there so I'm not used to bargaining etc..

[LeMarchand]

If we where to buy the car there and then couldn't we just call up her current insurance and get them to change the insurance to her new car? Then also couldn't we just tax the car on our phone at the dealership?

 

That's what I did for my last 3 cars. Mind you, all 3 combined cost less that you want to pay for one car and so weren't from big dealers.

[LincolnE]

Personally I go with the logic of better the devil you know. Getting a new car isn't going to have any guarantees that things are going to be up to scratch anyway (Or well, not for long until the warranty finishes).

 

What have you done so far this year to spend £2000 on fixing it? Seems steep for most cars, silly even.

a

(Side note edit: Shouldn't be that hard to get a sump for it, moreso it being a diesel. That engine is used by about 7 different car manufactures, it's a bog standard Ford engine)

Edited October 17, 2019 by LincolnE

[CHiLL]

Love the Mazda 2's even if they are a little girly!

Eh! I'll have less of that! My green Mazda 2 Tamura is a great car, even for guys!

In all seriousness, Mazda have really upped their game and the newer cars look more aggressive than my model, and they're generally well equipped in terms of features and gadgets. If you go for a large dealership and they have one in a far away branch, you can often get it shipped down if you're serious about it. Mine came from the Stirling branch of Arnold Clark to St Helens, so a fair distance! I had already moved to Birmingham by that point and I believe I could still take it to the local Birmingham branch, had it developed a fault within their limited warranty period.

Edited October 17, 2019 by CHiLL

[mikeprice]

On that note - if you go through a non main dealer the warranties they offer are often worth less than the value of the paper they are written on

 

A 'back street' garage I used to use used to give used cars a once over for me when we were thinking of buying one

 

they ALWAYS said - don'e even think of bringing one of the used car warranties to us - they had had so much trouble with them that they just refused to even look at them

 

they claimed they had NEVER been able to get the money from one of them without a huge effort and having inspections from "experts" come out to inspect the vehicle who don;t seem to know what they are talking about

 

 

so - if the place has it's own facilities and mechanics - OK - if not - it may be up to you so get a proper full inspection first!!

[MatthewL]

Avoid we buy any car, I got double what they were offering me when I went else where. Couldn't trade mine in due to ECU issue (long story).

 

If it was me I wouldn't disclose any issues, your not a mechanic do you don't know there is an issue

[sippo]

So a few months ago you were moaning about moving jobs and money etc. You can't move jobs because you can't afford it. Now you are on about buying a new car...

[DJ-1701]

Love the Mazda 2's even if they are a little girly!

 

Eh! I'll have less of that! My green Mazda 2 Tamura is a great car, even for guys!

 

We're nearly in 2020... gender stereotypes are so last century.

[DJ-1701]

So a few months ago you were moaning about moving jobs and money etc. You can't move jobs because you can't afford it. Now you are on about buying a new car...

 

To be fair, it's not brand sparkly new, it's pre-owned and they have a max budget. In this world of cut backs to public services, lots of us need reliable cars to get around... shhhh @Boredguy.

[Davit2005]

Get a quote from webuyanycar, they're crazy, they'll literally buy any car.

 

For anything old with little value they are not interested in giving you anything more than you can get from a scrappy. I've sold a couple of cars on ebay and am always honest and never have any issues.

 

I tried them with a 1998 Volvo V40 T4 I bought a year Earlier for £450 and they offered me £50, I put the Volvo on Ebay and got £350 after advertising the car for 1 week. For a quick no hassle deal it may mostly be worth it in some cases.

Edited October 18, 2019 by Davit2005

[sippo]

To be fair, it's not brand sparkly new, it's pre-owned and they have a max budget. In this world of cut backs to public services, lots of us need reliable cars to get around... shhhh @Boredguy.

 

Still quite a good budget of £6k. You can still get decent cars for under £2k and reliable.

[Dos_Box]

And they’ll rip you off.

 

Personal experience: We went to webuyanycar with a price from their website online - faults declared. They then go over the car and offer you about half that. Turned them down, drove to a local second hand dealer and got a better price than webuyanycar had offered online.

 

We once had an office next to the local WBAC years back. They relied on those desperate for cash.

The local rep did tell me that their biggest money spinner in the area was footballers getting rid of 'gift cars'. These would be ones they are given by garages/companies in exchange for media coverages (appear at garage/company several times a year to meet customers etc.) and usually large 4x4's or luxury saloons.

They used WBAC as they could get rid of them quickly for cash and didn't have to mess around at third party garages/privae buyers. Apparently they gave them very good rates as a 12/18 month old high-end used car with dealer servicing is where the money is.

[abillybob]

Personally I go with the logic of better the devil you know. Getting a new car isn't going to have any guarantees that things are going to be up to scratch anyway (Or well, not for long until the warranty finishes).

What have you done so far this year to spend £2000 on fixing it? Seems steep for most cars, silly even.

(Side note edit: Shouldn't be that hard to get a sump for it, moreso it being a diesel. That engine is used by about 7 different car manufactures, it's a bog standard Ford engine)

 

Trust me in this case it isn't. I have always worked on every car I've ever owned myself but the mini's are just designed badly and it's not just my OH's mini either she has spoken to 4 of her work colleagues and my dad's partner all of which have a Mini and they've had the exact same problems with them. My dad used to be a mechanic and hates Mini's with a passion I also know a fair few mechanics near me very well due to my dad and they all hate working on them because everything's designed badly. A small little issue can take hours to fix because of where it's placed or how it is on the car.

 

An example of this is one of her sidelight bulbs went not that long ago and needed replacing, although Mini don't seal the bulb housing properly in the front bumpers and to even get to it properly the wheel needs to be taken off.. A wheel for a flaming bulb seriously! Anyway whole ordeal took me 5 hours and a lot of brute force as the housing had gotten wet and the plastic had fused to the other plastic within the housing causing almost like a weld. Garages (unless the mini is less than a couple of years old) don't even bother doing this and just quote for a brand new housing... all over a £2 bulb which then costs around £80. I checked with 4 garages all of which laughed and practically told me "Good Luck" knowing I'd struggle getting the bulb out.

 

That's a small issue though, we have had problems with the interior falling apart (again all the other mini's have the same issue) we have had problems with the brakes often, this car goes through brake pads and discs around once a year, FYI she drives on a motorway. Had problems with her head gasket and the gasket for the fuel tank... I could go on. Anyway all these other things have costed on average around £300 a time and it's been every other month something else has gone wrong with it. Just becoming a money trap now, the car itself is only worth £2,000 so there's no point putting more money into it. Her clutch is high now as well, I'm sure that's the next thing to go and it's going to be silly money!

 

Eh! I'll have less of that! My green Mazda 2 Tamura is a great car, even for guys!

In all seriousness, Mazda have really upped their game and the newer cars look more aggressive than my model, and they're generally well equipped in terms of features and gadgets. If you go for a large dealership and they have one in a far away branch, you can often get it shipped down if you're serious about it. Mine came from the Stirling branch of Arnold Clark to St Helens, so a fair distance! I had already moved to Birmingham by that point and I believe I could still take it to the local Birmingham branch, had it developed a fault within their limited warranty period.

 

Lol - I can't talk, used to own a Peugeot 206 convertible when I was younger... Now that's a car used for hairdressers!

 

I agree with you though love the Mazda's, so does she. We're hoping to find one on our trip out that they just haven't uploaded to the internet yet, but only if we're lucky I suppose, she likes other cars too but I would like to try and keep it as local as I can.

On that note - if you go through a non main dealer the warranties they offer are often worth less than the value of the paper they are written on

A 'back street' garage I used to use used to give used cars a once over for me when we were thinking of buying one

they ALWAYS said - don'e even think of bringing one of the used car warranties to us - they had had so much trouble with them that they just refused to even look at them

they claimed they had NEVER been able to get the money from one of them without a huge effort and having inspections from "experts" come out to inspect the vehicle who don;t seem to know what they are talking about

so - if the place has it's own facilities and mechanics - OK - if not - it may be up to you so get a proper full inspection first!!

We're quite fortunate as all the dealers near us are large well known dealers so I'm not too worried and with my dad knowing some mechanics locally we have a pretty good idea on who to avoid. My Peugeot I bought from a back street dealer in Wolverhampton, worst choice of my life. The car was falling apart literally only had it 3 months, exhaust nearly falling off as the support brackets had been bodged, paint would strip off the metal if you washed it, clutch went. It only had 65,000 miles on the clock.

 

I learnt my lesson with that one so don't mind paying a bit extra in order to make sure it's from somewhere reputable.. if car dealerships can be these days!

 

Get an electric car, so few moving parts there's basically nothing to go wrong, no engine, no radiator, no engine oil, nothing to refill/check except windscreen wiper fluid. No catalytic convertor, no exhaust, no gearbox, no spark plugs. Rarely used brake pads, and no one in front of you after you go from 0-30 at the traffic lights.

Also no road tax, and no petrol tax.

Would love to, like electric cars the Nissan Leaf is nice but the cost of the cars goes up considerably, plus the cars she's looking at are exempt from tax anyway and have very good MPG so by the time I've made my money back in fuel costs etc would be a long time away.

 

Agreed, the only thing you have to worry about is the cloud of smug that can build up.

 

A South Park fan... Like it

 

So a few months ago you were moaning about moving jobs and money etc. You can't move jobs because you can't afford it. Now you are on about buying a new car...

You've got the stories mixed up. It's not that I can't move jobs because I can't afford to take a lower wage because I could live on a lower wage as a temporary measure. The main reason is I'm unhappy where I am and the toxicity that is this place, some things have calmed down a bit now so I'm chugging a long, trying not to think about it too much.

 

The reason I want to stay in this job is because the pay is good and we live a comfortable life. It also means that we can save well in the event of an emergency I want to try and stay out of debt as much as I can and so savings are very important to me. We have budgetted and gone through everything to ensure we can afford it without loans etc... I'd rather not spend this money to be honest at 6k is a lot but I also don't want my wife driving along the motorway unable to get to work because something else has gone which has happened twice this year.

 

Though cars are a bad investment as they depreciate I'd rather spend £6,000 that will get me a car almost new (10,000 miles 17 reg Nissan Micra for instance) than spend £2,000 with 80,000 miles and an 11 plate which is what she's already got only to find out the owner previously has raced it round and bashed it into things within it's life the younger the car is the more "likely" it will be more reliable as worst case scenario Mr boy racer has only raced it around for 10,000 miles of it's life compared to 80-90,000. I want to minimise my chances of anything going wrong for her with this, it's been a stressful year for her this year with her car and it's important she can get to work and back safely.