should i buy this car? (first timer)

[jb32hss]

Hi, Im new to the forum, just signed up to get some good advice.

Ive found a 60 plate 1.25 fiesta for sale 90 minutes away from me for £4500...
but its due its first MOT next month. Its only done 15k miles, and reason for sale is apparently due to upgrading to a ford.

I was planning on driving down to purchase the car today as my current insurance as a named driver on my partners car is up very soon.

would this be a very silly choice or should it pass its MOT without any issues due to its age and mileage?
what should i look for when viewing the car?

Thanks for the help.
Jennifer

[mikeyr]

Do you have a link to the advert? Don't know if price, etc are reasonable but I'd question why they wouldn't get it MOT'd themselves in that circumstance.

[VolvoT5]

Sounds too cheap to be true if it really has 15k miles. Personally I wouldn't want to buy a car due for an MOT unless it was cheap and I had a contingency fund........ even if it needs a couple of tyres, brakes and a couple of other bits and bobs it soon adds up. Plus why have they not done the MOT? It would be so much easier to sell with a full MOT.

[jb32hss]

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/60-p...

do you think i should ask them to do the MOT first?

its been on 10 days, im thinking the fact that the first MOT is due soon is putting people off..

its just the fact that ive been looking for a decent fiesta for a while now and my insurance is nearly up that im rushing into it.

Jennifer

[barryrs]

There are traders selling similar cars but with higher miles (70k) for £4500-£4800 so as a private sale that might well be its value.

It might be worth contacting the nearest MOT test center to the seller and see if the seller will let you MOT the car at your cost prior to completing the purchase as some reassurance?

Also get a HPI done and beware of potential logbook loans on the car.

[Petrol Only]

Sorry but Birmingham is a big no no when buying cars.

[CYMR0]

If it's a decent car, you should buy it.

Undoubtedly I would put it through an MoT and I would also HPI it (full fat, not a £3 text check). If it has outstanding finance, it's not the end of the world as long as you can pay off the finance with your debit card (this might explain why it's stuck around).

Search online for a guide to test driving and buying a car and, if it passes those tests, consider very seriously getting a professional inspection done.

[VolvoT5]

jb32hss said:

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/60-p...

do you think i should ask them to do the MOT first?

its been on 10 days, im thinking the fact that the first MOT is due soon is putting people off..

its just the fact that ive been looking for a decent fiesta for a while now and my insurance is nearly up that im rushing into it.

Jennifer

Looks like a trader pretending to be a private seller to me - pictures are clearly taken outside of business premises.

I'm very cynical so to me it just seems a bit too cheap and the short MOT as well. Also the add was posted 10 days ago so is the car actually still available?

By all means go and have a look.... get a HPI check, make sure you inspect the paperwork very carefully and take someone with you who knows a bit about cars.

As it is only due its first MOT and the mileage is very low I would be concerned about clocking also.

[CampDavid]

The things that would put me off are the following

1. It's in Kingstanding. I used to live near there. It's a dump
2. No mention of history
3. It says it "drives superb" as it fking should at under 3 years old

Dunno, I'd tread carefully

[mnkiboy]

If it was me selling privately, i'd certainly get an MOT done now, and sell with a 13 month MOT.

Why would you not get one done, unless you thought it was going to fail miserably?

There's thousands of Fiesta's out there. No reason to buy the dodgy sounding one.

[evoivboy]

bet its cat c/d

[jb32hss]

There are quite a few on at this price but are normally a year older or have cat C/D repaired damage.

I may ask the seller to put it through its MOT first and see what his response is.

I did notice the fact that its outside a garage, though when i asked him for the postcode and address where the car is located it was on a house on a street.

If there is finance left on the car and i buy it, what happens?

Jennifer

[Fleckers]

sorry love

walk away from this

its got pain written all over it

[Janesy B]

Yeah I'd steer clear of that.

[jb32hss]

il ask him to MOT it, and if it passes il pay the price of the MOT, if he refuses il leave it.

Thanks for the help

[gowmonster]

It sounds to good to be true so it probably is, at the very least, get a RAC/AA check and HPI check and check for panel gaps incase it has been repaired. At that sort of money I'd buy buying from a dealer just for piece of mind.

[funkyrobot]

Anyone who needs reverse sensors on a car of that size can't drive.

Due to that minor fact, I'm out.

[jay140285]

Well its a Cat C on the 28th Jan 2013 and had 4 owners!!!!!!

[Torquey]

If it has finance on it then the car will belong to the finance company, not you!

I'd probably go and look at it but tread carefully.

I'd want an MOT done, preferably somewhere mutual and not the sellers mate.
Get a full hpi check done.
Get an aa inspection too if you don't have a very compitant person to go with you.

When you add the cost of all that a dealer is reasonable value with added warranty.

[mgtony]

jb32hss said:

il ask him to MOT it, and if it passes il pay the price of the MOT, if he refuses il leave it.

Thanks for the help

Glad you've taken everyones advice to steer well clear then!