A close escape
Discussion
My new g\friend has been talking about Mini Convertibles for a couple weeks. Her current then car was a 09 Corsa.
Browsing the usual places she had a budget in mind which didnt add up to me. She would be using the 09 Corsa as part ex with the balance in cash. I queried her figures and she said WBAC offered her £50 so she night sell it for scrap for £100 if she could. Now the Corsa wasnt the worst in condition, and had a lengthy MOT I said she would get a lot more even as a part ex.
And so ensued the search.
Firstly a few tentative enquiries by phone with her PX value anywhere between £1000 and £1300 unseen. You should have seen her face ! Immediately the budget increased by a grand and thus threw up more options.
Car 1. Described as immaculate and to be fair looked good in the photos. An hours drive away. So off we trot. Phoned the place beforehand to advise our ETA and our request to test drive. Soon as we set foot on the forecourt and announce who were " ah Ive just had someone else test drive it, you must have passed them at the gate, they will be back later". At this point I wanted to leave however was over ruled. On closer inspection the Mini had rust, a ding on every panel, laquer peel on almost all panels and was manky inside. We didnt even drive it.
Car 2. Every panel was scored and scratched, again hadnt been cleaned inside for long enough. The brake disks were death traps despite it just passing an MOT - again didnt even drive this.
Car 3. Looked OK cosmetically, inside would make you sick. To the point I refused to even sit in the car. G\friend was brave enough to sit in it but couldnt test drive as the gear selector linkage was seized. "we will fix it for you if you buy it". Needless to say we walked away again.
Car 4. Red, laquer peel and just a general bad feeling about it. Walked away before the salesman even managed to approach us.
Car 5. Seemed better, looked slightly tired but maybe I was being too picky coming from a long line of Merc, Audi and BMW ownership. G\friend takes it a drive, comes back , really likes it , wants me to drive it. I lasted a couple of hundred yards and turned back. Again the brake disks were as much use as tea bags, paint chips, it just didnt sit right with me, so I told her to walk away.
Car 6. Sitting in showroom ( 2nd hand used car place ) Gleaming inside and out, looks well cared for, pile of history, test drive was flawless, warranty for 6 months, years ticket, In all honesty a peach of a car. So deal done, insurance and tax arranged and driven home that afternoon.
I dread to think of how some people can easily get ripped off on part ex values then talked into buying a hunk of junk.
Browsing the usual places she had a budget in mind which didnt add up to me. She would be using the 09 Corsa as part ex with the balance in cash. I queried her figures and she said WBAC offered her £50 so she night sell it for scrap for £100 if she could. Now the Corsa wasnt the worst in condition, and had a lengthy MOT I said she would get a lot more even as a part ex.
And so ensued the search.
Firstly a few tentative enquiries by phone with her PX value anywhere between £1000 and £1300 unseen. You should have seen her face ! Immediately the budget increased by a grand and thus threw up more options.
Car 1. Described as immaculate and to be fair looked good in the photos. An hours drive away. So off we trot. Phoned the place beforehand to advise our ETA and our request to test drive. Soon as we set foot on the forecourt and announce who were " ah Ive just had someone else test drive it, you must have passed them at the gate, they will be back later". At this point I wanted to leave however was over ruled. On closer inspection the Mini had rust, a ding on every panel, laquer peel on almost all panels and was manky inside. We didnt even drive it.
Car 2. Every panel was scored and scratched, again hadnt been cleaned inside for long enough. The brake disks were death traps despite it just passing an MOT - again didnt even drive this.
Car 3. Looked OK cosmetically, inside would make you sick. To the point I refused to even sit in the car. G\friend was brave enough to sit in it but couldnt test drive as the gear selector linkage was seized. "we will fix it for you if you buy it". Needless to say we walked away again.
Car 4. Red, laquer peel and just a general bad feeling about it. Walked away before the salesman even managed to approach us.
Car 5. Seemed better, looked slightly tired but maybe I was being too picky coming from a long line of Merc, Audi and BMW ownership. G\friend takes it a drive, comes back , really likes it , wants me to drive it. I lasted a couple of hundred yards and turned back. Again the brake disks were as much use as tea bags, paint chips, it just didnt sit right with me, so I told her to walk away.
Car 6. Sitting in showroom ( 2nd hand used car place ) Gleaming inside and out, looks well cared for, pile of history, test drive was flawless, warranty for 6 months, years ticket, In all honesty a peach of a car. So deal done, insurance and tax arranged and driven home that afternoon.
I dread to think of how some people can easily get ripped off on part ex values then talked into buying a hunk of junk.
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