Dodgy dealer? Another opinion needed!

[.blue]

Sorry for another noobie car buying thread... (also, for those who avidly followed the Proton thread, I've instead set my sights on a Micra - the Sport version, naturally).

Just done a MyCarCheck on it (finance, write off etc. ok) - dealer has been the owner of this car since October 2009. It's around £300 - £500 cheaper than similar models elsewhere. Apparently, the dealer bought it from a motability scheme. First off, I've never come across this - normally dealers don't count as owners so why would they have bought this one on their name?

Test drove the car, it felt fine. However there was a noise coming from the boot (not a rattle, more of a clunky type noise) but we couldn't find where it was coming from. Initial thoughts were that the car had been rear ended - the boot for example is slightly misaligned on one side but the bumper and other parts of the car look fine. The dealer says he can fix this though...

Next up, it looks like the car has been messed with a bit - the on screen computer says it's 13,000 miles till the next service... normal service intervals are 10,000 miles and the Nissan dealer who's done the first 2 services says he hasn't serviced it since September 2008.

These are all small things in isolation but I'm put off a bit by the boot thing and servicing malarkey. Rightly so or am I blowing these facts out of proportion?

[edo]

run forest, run.

[TwistingMyMelon]

How much is the car?

Having spent a few months in past looking at micras, there are millions for sale, if one looks slightly dodgy , walk away....

Its not a specialist car there are loads around, as the cars are bullet proof, I judged the seller selling it for trustworthiness than the actual car itself in the end

[Targarama]

If you are in any doubt then walk away. There will be plenty more cars coming on the market in the coming weeks, even if you don't see any others at the moment. Of course the dealer will say things will be fixed etc. they want you to buy the car and possibly regret later.

[Deluded]

Sounds like it was rear ended and the dealer knows it (hence being cheaper than others). No recorded damage though so it's upto the dealer if he wants to tell you or not (if he even knows what actually happened).

Might be a perfectly good car though. IF you are that bothered about a few hundred quid then buy it, but if you want a car that probably hasn't been rear ended then don't.

[.blue]

Thing is it's the Sport model and there's not many around in 1.4 - most are either 1.2 or 1.6. (1.4 desirable because it strikes the insurance-performance balance nicely).

So far, have asked:

- Pay the full service (major) cost as I'll have to do this before I can use the car anyway. They're willing to contribute to half the cost.

- Sort out the boot noise. I won't commit to buy until I've drive and am satisfied that it's been sorted out.

TwistingMyMelon, the asking price for the car is just under £5000. Plenty of Micra's on the market but this one's great in that it's a 1.4 Sport (the sports wheels/spoiler make it look less like a frog) and I've actually got an insurance quote on it...

Also, strange things are happening to me now that I've spent a week at home without my own car. I don't know if I can take much longer.

Edited by .blue on Monday 22 March 13:00

[Chris_w666]

Walk away

[bazking69]

If in ANY doubt at all, walk away.

Plenty more fish in the sea.

[Deluded]

You have just under £5000 to spend and you have wittled it down to a Micra Sport?

Why?

There are plenty of other nippy, insurance and young driver friendly cars out there that aren't a Micra. If you're having doubts about this one being genuine, why not have a look at other cars rather than just focusing on the boring abomination that is the Nissan Micra?

Of course, if the Micra really is "the one" then still have a look elseware, further afield for example. You have to be willing to travel to get a good car.

[Targarama]

.blue - the collective view seems to be in the negative, but we haven't seen/touched the car in question. You last reply seems like our input isn't so valuable (fair enough!). Howver, if you're going to buy the car whatever we all say then why bother posting/asking? You can get a lot of car for £5k and I would never spend that much on something I was unsure of.

Crikey, even my Panda 100HP is only worth £5,500 or so. Owned by me from new - spotless, no clonks, 10k on the clock. Plenty of perfect £5k small cars out there (I know the insurance price on a 100HP might not be good for you, this is just an example).

Edited to add: An Autotrader search just returned a number of Micra 1.4 Sports for under £5k. There seem to be plenty out there if you look.

Edited by Targarama on Monday 22 March 13:15

[V8mate]

TVR Moneypit said:

Hows about one of those Daihatsu Choire Avantatzo TXVVVZTRSXVQW-RR things? Or a Suzuki Cappachino?

Or the Mitsubishi Colt CZT

[MrLou]

.blue said:

Test drove the car, it felt fine. However there was a noise coming from the boot (not a rattle, more of a clunky type noise) but we couldn't find where it was coming from.

Noise could be a loose jack or tyre spanner. Some cars have a way to fasten these bits down, in others they can move about and clunk, maybe the case here?

[paoloh]

Is the car taxed?

The dealer would have to register it to get rid of the disabled tax classificationn.

[.blue]

Targarama said:

.blue - the collective view seems to be in the negative, but we haven't seen/touched the car in question. You last reply seems like our input isn't so valuable (fair enough!). Howver, if you're going to buy the car whatever we all say then why bother posting/asking? You can get a lot of car for £5k and I would never spend that much on something I was unsure of.

Edited by Targarama on Monday 22 March 13:15

Not at all! I realise that none of you have seen the car or know my tastes/situation exactly but most PHers have had a lot more experience buying and selling cars than I have and it never hurts to ask for some more opinions I'm not going to make a decision based solely on replies here, but the overall negativity is something I'll factor in to considerations.

I haven't made up my mind about the car yet. While it ticks a lot of the boxes, as you say it's not worth buying until I'm confident the car is genuine.

Something I forgot to ask in the original post was if it's possible to gauge how bad the damage was if the car has, as it appears, been rear-ended? I'm not bothered if it was just superficial but want to make sure it hasn't affected anything mechanically. Anything I should be looking out for in regard to this?

[Soovy]

RUN. LIKE THE WIND.

[sday12]

.blue said:

Targarama said:

.blue - the collective view seems to be in the negative, but we haven't seen/touched the car in question. You last reply seems like our input isn't so valuable (fair enough!). Howver, if you're going to buy the car whatever we all say then why bother posting/asking? You can get a lot of car for £5k and I would never spend that much on something I was unsure of.

Edited by Targarama on Monday 22 March 13:15

Not at all! I realise that none of you have seen the car or know my tastes/situation exactly but most PHers have had a lot more experience buying and selling cars than I have and it never hurts to ask for some more opinions I'm not going to make a decision based solely on replies here, but the overall negativity is something I'll factor in to considerations.

I haven't made up my mind about the car yet. While it ticks a lot of the boxes, as you say it's not worth buying until I'm confident the car is genuine.

Something I forgot to ask in the original post was if it's possible to gauge how bad the damage was if the car has, as it appears, been rear-ended? I'm not bothered if it was just superficial but want to make sure it hasn't affected anything mechanically. Anything I should be looking out for in regard to this?

If you have concerns, walk.

Oh, and don't buy a Micra.

[falkster]

It's not worth taking the gamble whey there are other options - if I ever smell something slightly wrong I walk away!

[C8PPO]

Quentin Wilson once said:

If there's anything remotely wafty about a car purchase, walk away, there will always be another one

Very old, but sound, advice which has stood me in good stead.

Edited by C8PPO on Monday 22 March 14:37

[Targarama]

.blue said:

Targarama said:

.blue - the collective view seems to be in the negative, but we haven't seen/touched the car in question. You last reply seems like our input isn't so valuable (fair enough!). Howver, if you're going to buy the car whatever we all say then why bother posting/asking? You can get a lot of car for £5k and I would never spend that much on something I was unsure of.

Edited by Targarama on Monday 22 March 13:15

Not at all! I realise that none of you have seen the car or know my tastes/situation exactly but most PHers have had a lot more experience buying and selling cars than I have and it never hurts to ask for some more opinions I'm not going to make a decision based solely on replies here, but the overall negativity is something I'll factor in to considerations.

I haven't made up my mind about the car yet. While it ticks a lot of the boxes, as you say it's not worth buying until I'm confident the car is genuine.

Something I forgot to ask in the original post was if it's possible to gauge how bad the damage was if the car has, as it appears, been rear-ended? I'm not bothered if it was just superficial but want to make sure it hasn't affected anything mechanically. Anything I should be looking out for in regard to this?

Only real way is to talk to the last owner - look in the V5 document and write down their name/address and contact them. Now they no longer own the car they will be able to give you the lowdown on any damage (if there is any). They will probably know why the service history looks wrong too.

However, if this car 'smells wrong' to you then listen to the PH populace. Go to autotrader.co.uk and find another car in a nicer colour. If its a long way from home then put a deposit on it over the phone on the condition it is as described and go over and view/pay for it. Lots of people buy cars this way, and you can still walk away.

[Targarama]

sday12 said:

Oh, and don't buy a Micra.

I've never understood why people don't like Micras. Park one next to a new Fiat 500 and see how similar they are (seriously). The only negative thing is the stereotypical driver, but its not like a MINI or Fiat 500 is sex on wheels either anyway. Cheap insurance, cheap to run, nicely equipped, won't break down.