15k for a chim?
Discussion
hippychick said:
Hi all - currently looking to buy a chimaera for around 15K.I've noticed a pistonheads classifieds ad for a silver 450 from 2000. Priced at 14,950 due to a HPI record. I've yet to make any enquiries but has anyone else looked at this one?
Why buy one with an HPI record - jut to get a later model/
False economy in my book.
Buy the best you can and the latest you can for your budget - but don't touch one with this sort of record unless you really have to.
Just my opinion. At this time of years it's very much a buyer's market so don't rush. ... anyway it's gonna snow this week.
MikeyT said:That depends IMHO If I had the choice between a 99 serpentine Chim with 10,000 miles or a 94 pre-serp with 60,000 I'd go for the one with less miles and a crash
Why buy one with an HPI record - jut to get a later model/
False economy in my book.
In fact that's exactly what I did
You can't guarantee the an older one hasn't been in an accident, and if a car is HPI registered the chances are that the accident repair will be well documented. Although if you ask why was it written off and you don't get a clear and concise answer, be suspicious
This seems inconsistant to me
Couldn't the best and latest one have an HPI record ??
>> Edited by Incorrigible on Monday 20th October 11:28
MikeyT said:and
Why buy one with an HPI record - jut to get a later model
MikeyT said:
Buy the best you can and the latest you can for your budget
Couldn't the best and latest one have an HPI record ??
>> Edited by Incorrigible on Monday 20th October 11:28
This car is down to £13950 on autotrader now. The advert says it is on the hpi list due to water damage. The problem with water damage, is you cannot see what electrical components are rusting away, so I guess the car will be more unreliable in the future, than say a car which has just had a smash.
Being on the hpi list, the car will be worth less than a normal car at re-sale time for the next few years (although things might even themselves out after 12 years or so). However, if you already know you are probably going to have a few more gremlins than normal, it does look good value doesn't it? Especially as you probably don't have to worry too much that it has been repaired right, the damage having been caused by water, instead of say, a tree.
Do get it checked out properly before you buy.
Being on the hpi list, the car will be worth less than a normal car at re-sale time for the next few years (although things might even themselves out after 12 years or so). However, if you already know you are probably going to have a few more gremlins than normal, it does look good value doesn't it? Especially as you probably don't have to worry too much that it has been repaired right, the damage having been caused by water, instead of say, a tree.
Do get it checked out properly before you buy.
Like what has been said already don't rule it out at all!!. Check why it is on the HPi register first. It might be for example that someone has backed into it and its had a new nose. If that was the case and it was repaired by a good bodyshop chances are its better than new anyway. Its only fibreglass, certainly not a reason to not buy it!!!! all IMHO anyway!!
Water damage, I agree with what's said before. It's a lot easier to see if a crash has been repaired properly
Get a very good auto electrician to have a look, things like ECU sit in the footwell so are likely to be affected and are bloody expensive to fix if they go wrong, not to mention leaving you one the side of the road
Get a very good auto electrician to have a look, things like ECU sit in the footwell so are likely to be affected and are bloody expensive to fix if they go wrong, not to mention leaving you one the side of the road
Incorrigible said:
This seems inconsistant to me
MikeyT said:
Why buy one with an HPI record - jut to get a later model
andMikeyT said:
Buy the best you can and the latest you can for your budget
Couldn't the best and latest one have an HPI record ??
>> Edited by Incorrigible on Monday 20th October 11:28
Maybe a genersalisation Ben, but the best' one surely wouldn't have an HPI record?!
'Best' in what anyway? Condition, history - it's the whole thing I'm sure you'll agree and an HPI whatsit in the history I personally wouldn't want.
Sorry, should have quaified it more but it was late and I was still at work ...
What I meant was that if I had the straight choice I wouldn't automatically buy the later model with the HPI history whether it be for water damage or accident damage etc.
Sure you're going to save some money and get a later car but I would (personally) buy an earlier car (think the two models you mentioned Ben were slightly too far apart to be the same price surely) just because I would want my car to be the best I could get, and for me, if it had an HPI record, there may be the chance of something wrong with it I couldn't see/couldn't find out about ... etc.
And I wouldn't want one with that kind of history - nothing against HPI cars - just not for me.
MikeyT said:Like you say it does depend, the example I gave is the car I bought and the others I was considering at the same time (2 years ago) A facelift model with a decent repair is going to be better (huge generlisation granted) than the earlier high milage model
Sure you're going to save some money and get a later car but I would (personally) buy an earlier car (think the two models you mentioned Ben were slightly too far apart to be the same price surely)
I had to do a lot of work on the car, but got a much better car as a result. Mine had been hit front and rear. If these accidents had happened separately the car would have been repaired twice and been HPI clear, wouldn't have been a better car though
If you can afford the car you really want, and the associated depreciation etc etc, of course get a clean one but when I was looking facelift models were £20k-£24k, mine cost £11k (plus parts and a lot of work=~£15)
The £24k cars are now worth about £17k, mine would have to have depreciated to ~£8k to be a worse deal
MikeyT said:HPI is only an indication that something was wrong with it, that may well be fixed. What about a car that was written off 5 years ago ? The only way to judge a car is it's current condition and it's maintenance regime this may or may not show up any inadequacies, a car that has done 12k miles is less likely to have been misstreated in it's life than one having done 40,000 IMHO anyway
just because I would want my car to be the best I could get, and for me, if it had an HPI record, there may be the chance of something wrong with it I couldn't see/couldn't find out about ... etc.
MikeyT said:Ooops missed this bit
What I meant was that if I had the straight choice I wouldn't automatically buy the later model with the HPI history whether it be for water damage or accident damage etc.
Of course, any choice like this needs to be considered carefully. but cars have desirable features, low mileage, service history, in the case of the Chim the later engines and gearboxes are worth a premiuim
From the adds
classifieds said:Doesn't mention that this car had a small knock and was repaired (to an extremely high standard BTW) but then mine's been repaired to a high standard too, but mine has the stigma of HPI
FTVRSH Garaged, superb condition inside and out. Lovingly cared for and looked after
Don't forget some people maintain a car with polish and wax, the body work on mine has a few gruby hand prints becase I check the geabox oil level more often than reccomended in the service schedule (hmmm greased propshaft UJs)
At the end of the day, the only way to be sure about a cars history is to buy it new. OTOH the day I've got a spare £40k to spend on a motor is a looooong way off
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