Advice on buying a 2nd hand car

[Nichola]

You're probably used to this question, but I'm buying my first car, have about €8,000 tops to spend on it, looking for a 1999 - 2000 car, but don't know what to go for. Have been looking at the Renault Clio but not sure how reliable a car it is. If anyone has any suggestions on what car I should go for, I'd appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

[WhipLash]

Hi Nicola, and welcome to the forums. :)

Firstly I'd decide on which model to go for. You already seem to be keen on the Clio. Its a nice small car with good extras as standard like ABS, steering wheel stereo controls, central locking etc. Looks aren't bad either plus its a very safe car for its size (4/5 star NCAP crash rating I think). However you've already voiced one concern you have over this car - reliability. My last car was a Renault and I decided not to buy another. During its third year things didn't appear to be as well screwed together as I would have thought, with a few trimmings coming loose and the wiring on the rear lights producing a rather nifty but useless flashing sequence. Thats my personal experience anyhow, and I'm sure there are plenty of people who would disagree. Additionally I also owned a Peugeot 106 which, although was great fun to drive, started to wear quickly. Around the 3-rear-old mark I noticed small rust spots around the boot hinges, not a good sign. Also the head gasket blew, although one of the Peugeot dealerships covered this fully under warranty even though the warranty had expired.

You might also want to consider the engine size. If its going to be driven mostly in day to day city traffic or short daily trips then go for a 1-litre. Otherwise if you are doing regular longer journeys then a bigger engine and car would be more advisable. The engine size will also shorten the list of possibilities if it’s a concern.

So whats left then? Well the ones I’d consider are the VW Polo - make sure the model has power steering, electric front windows, central locking, Honda Civic - insurance might be dearer as it’s a 16v 1.4, Toyota Corolla – nice 16v 1.4 VVTi engine if it’s a pre March 2000 model, otherwise it’s a 1.3 8v. Mitsubishi Colt – not bad but its fairly dated now and perhaps not as solid as other models, Nissan Micra is a great car and there should be plenty of these to choose from.

If you are looking for a shrewd buy then the Daihatsu Sirion is the one to consider. If you like the looks (bit like a Clio) it makes a great buy. It should prove as reliable as you can get, and has great fuel consumption (over 51 MPG). Might be a bit harder to source than the more common Clio but I think it would be worth the extra effort in sourcing one. Overall cheap to own and run and well worth taking a test drive in one.

My other recommendation is the Toyota Yaris. The 1.0 litre 16v VVTi engine is gutsy for its size, the car should prove reliable, should be easier to sell and be cheap to run, plus its safe – as far as I can remember it scored 4/5 rating in NCAP crash tests. The only downside is the sometimes awkward centred drivers display panel with speedometer etc in digital display. This display is not to everyones liking and if you don’t like it then make sure you don’t end up buying one!

After that I’d consider the Micra, and if a bigger car is needed then the liftback version of the Toyota Corolla.

Hopefully thats some food for thought for you. Let us know how you get on with the search, and if you need any more suggestions, just fire ahead!

[jdwals]

Hi Nichola,

To add my 2 cents worth, I bought my first car a year ago and it was second hand. I found it very helpful to spend a bit of time buying and going through mags like Buy and Sell, Car Buyers guide, etc... becuse you can see what type of cars are available to you in your price range and can get a good idea of the type of year, milage and extras you can get for your money.

They are also helpful because they have both private sales and garage sales advertised in the same book and you can compare the differences in prices between the two, from the comfort of your own couch!

These mags also give good info and tips on buying a second hand car and some things to look out for.

When you have an idea of the cars you want, go to some car review sites on the net and see what others have to say. These sites can give you info on performance, reliability, safety, etc.. and also what past owners of the cars think of them.
A site I look at is www.parkers.co.uk and that gives very good info in the review section on most cars out there (but don't forget about all the useful info on the eforecourt site!). Parkers is a UK site but I think most of the models are very similar between the UK and Ireland but I am open to correction on that point.

Other than that, just take your time, find the right car for you, don't get rushed or pushed into buying a car by someone else and, as Dave O'Leary is fond of saying, at the end of the day - good luck and have many years of fun, trouble free motoring in your first car!

[WhipLash]

JD, you make a very good point there. Research all you can about the models you are interested in on the Net. However, if you make this an exhaustive search you may end up none the wiser, as there are always bad personal opinions somewhere to be read – do let any one bad report put you off any particular car, unless its something that’s being mentioned by others.

Also, as JD mentions, the review's of cars by their owners is a real good source too in my mind. You get the real every day experience of those who actually own the car, rather than the couple of hours/couple of days experience by a car reviewer.

BTW, the eForecourt car reviews can be found here:- http://www.eforecourt.com/php/user_car_review.php . Parkers is also a good source and there are many others too. The only thing to ignore in UK reviews is any specific mention of the cars spec like air-con etc as many of the Irish models don’t come with as much kit as standard compared with UK models.

Another car I forgot to mention is the Mazda Demio, and if bigger is what you want then the Mazda 323 1.3 is also an option.

[Nichola]

Thank you both for being so helpful. I'm finding at the moment that everyone has a different opinion about each car I'm contemplating buying. I've already started looking at the car review websites/magazines, but at this stage it's like information overload.

I've taken both your suggestions on board though, and will hopefully make an informed decision in the next few weeks...

I will let you know how I get on!

Thanks again...

[friz]

First off to WhipLash...

Regarding your opionion on the Renaults.
[insert Big Wet Raspberry sound]

True, they get a bit of a rattle here and there but that's what the stereo is for....

Now here is one thing I will recommend that I think is critical, when you find the car you want. Your heart is set on it. It's perfect. Get the AA to check it out. It'll cost you just under €300 but about six months ago it saved me from buying a car that had minor crash damage repair even though the dealer swore up and down it had never been in a crash. I relayed to the dealer the AA's exact words.

Me: The boot was badly repaired and the paint work won't win any awards.
dealer: But, but, we did that work here...
Me: Why was it repaired here if it hasn't been in a crash?
dealer: It's wasn't crashed. The prevous owner reversed it into a wall.
Me: Close enough. Gimme back my deposit.

Fortunatley I had a second car lined up that is now my Renault Megané Classic.

*Thumbs nose at WhipLash*

[WhipLash]

Oh dear Friz, I forgot your beloved Classic! See, I did say there would be plenty of people who’d disagree, and rightly so too.

Actually, my Megane was a 98 version; that was before the interior was facelifted and the engine uprated to a nice 16v version in 2000 (I think). I drove a newer 2002 version last year on holidays (diesel engine was way underpowered) and I have to say that the interior did look/feel a lot better - but then again this car wasn't even a year old.

Come to think of it, I do know someone driving a Clio for the last 4 years or so from new with no major issues to report as far as I know. I also know someone who had 2 Megane Classics from new in a row with no major issues either (now driving a Corolla!)

However, having said that, you have to ask how reliable they are in years 4, 5, 6 and so on, especially if you are going to be driving one around this age. Of course the lower the mileage the better - I'd rather drive a low mileage '98 than a higher mileage 00/99. The year on the plate is just a perception. IMHO the real mechanical wear and tear occurs with miles driven.

I suppose when someone mentions the word 'reliability' my mind automatically goes into Jap mode :) Of course this is all down to my own personal experience, along with a pinch of the high rankings Jap cars usually get in the reliability ratings.

[friz]

Originally posted by WhipLash
I'd rather drive a low mileage '98 than a higher mileage 00/99. The year on the plate is just a perception. IMHO the real mechanical wear and tear occurs with miles driven.


You'd be surprised at the number of people who wouldn't agree with that. Common sense really.