Private, independant official dealer?
Discussion
The Noble bug has been biting hard since I was stupid enough to drive one 12 months ago and I've now weakened enough to take the plunge.Have hovered on the Noble forum for a while and have gathered a lot of relly useful info from other peoples contibutions.I would like to know opinions on where to buy.There seems to be a huge difference in prices on late 2.5/early 3.0. Originally I thought that the independants might be the way to go but their total lack of knowledge of the Noble marque and even the particular car they are selling has put me off and negated the thought of the saving I might make over an official dealer.So that leaves private or official with a difference of sometimes £5K-£7K on the same car.
Any thoughts please.
Any thoughts please.
I think a lot of the variation is down to it still being a pretty young used market. No one's really sure what to price them at !!
If you go for a 2.5 you must make sure it's a well sorted one. The ECU seems to be the big worry. I belive this problem was also in some of the early 3's.
I'm a 2.5 man myself & can vouch that it is still plenty of car ! Get a good one and I don't think there is anything better for the money.
O.
If you go for a 2.5 you must make sure it's a well sorted one. The ECU seems to be the big worry. I belive this problem was also in some of the early 3's.
I'm a 2.5 man myself & can vouch that it is still plenty of car ! Get a good one and I don't think there is anything better for the money.
O.
Andy, glad to hear of your excellent choice of future motor!
When Owen comments on the ECU upgrade I believe that this also requires a new, and very expensive wiring loom replacement job - hopefully born by the previous/first owner - so do check first!
I've considered what I'd do right now to get into an early M12... I'd go to a main dealer and pay their price, plus I'd beg/buy a 1-year warranty with the car.
Alternatively, how about finding a car and getting it to the factory (or nearest main dealer) for a full status report and health-check - could be well worth the 100-200 squids investment?!
Don't just rely on accurate factory records over the phone as these won't always reflect the vehicle's current status!
Good luck!
When Owen comments on the ECU upgrade I believe that this also requires a new, and very expensive wiring loom replacement job - hopefully born by the previous/first owner - so do check first!
I've considered what I'd do right now to get into an early M12... I'd go to a main dealer and pay their price, plus I'd beg/buy a 1-year warranty with the car.
Alternatively, how about finding a car and getting it to the factory (or nearest main dealer) for a full status report and health-check - could be well worth the 100-200 squids investment?!
Don't just rely on accurate factory records over the phone as these won't always reflect the vehicle's current status!
Good luck!
Many thanks for the advice so far and to be honest the link posted above was a thread I followed at the time with great interest and was very impressed with the way Noble handled it as I couldn't see that they had done anything wrong, a refreshing change from my TVR days. Of course another way would be to swap with someone on here looking to get into a bigger car (see add in HSV section)!
Personally I wouldn't go anywhere near an independant when buying a Noble. I looked at loads over a period of a few months and to be frank they knew a lot less about them than I did. I would spend a few weeks picking up what to look for and then when you find what you think is the right one privately get the factory to check it out for you.
I went private and would do it again, but I did slightly underestimate the cost of the small things that a dealer does for free (well part of their mark up) so don't forget to factor in.
Rob
>> Edited by mr2turbo300 on Friday 29th October 20:58
I went private and would do it again, but I did slightly underestimate the cost of the small things that a dealer does for free (well part of their mark up) so don't forget to factor in.
Rob
>> Edited by mr2turbo300 on Friday 29th October 20:58
CRB1 said:
Andy,
I think its about time you treated yourself to a new car. Go on, you know you deserve it. M400, GT03, 3R, the choice is yours.
I'm in a bit of a dilemma. A 2.5 appeals because of the small cost to change (the Noble will be a third car like the HSV was) and the smile I'll make with the wastegate noise. The GT0-3 appeals because I felt it was a bit more sorted in the driveability stakes but I'm also sold on the better looks of the 3R but of course there is a far bigger cost involved...I'll get there eventually.
sjc said:
Andy,
I think its about time you treated yourself to a new car. Go on, you know you deserve it. M400, GT03, 3R, the choice is yours.
I'm in a bit of a dilemma. A 2.5 appeals because of the small cost to change (the Noble will be a third car like the HSV was) and the smile I'll make with the wastegate noise. The GT0-3 appeals because I felt it was a bit more sorted in the driveability stakes but I'm also sold on the better looks of the 3R but of course there is a far bigger cost involved...I'll get there eventually.
I know just what you mean. I wanted a 3R because they are prettier, but in the end it wasn't worth another 5-10k for me. Also my friend decided to sell his GTO3 which saved me having to go via a dealer as I already knew the cars complete history. I think you'll like whichever you go for, although my minimum req was 3l engine and 6 spd box.
Like anything, an object is worth what you can get for it. Or if you're buying, it's worth the minimum you have to pay to get one.
Just do your homework, don't rush into a decision and be 100% happy to shake hands when you do. Above all else, get one! You'll never regret it, allmost at any price. Martin.
Just do your homework, don't rush into a decision and be 100% happy to shake hands when you do. Above all else, get one! You'll never regret it, allmost at any price. Martin.
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