Proud bargain car purchase!

[iAlex]

Well, thought I'd post as I reckon I picked up a bit of a bargain tonight.

OH has been wanting a new car for a while, a strict £2k budget was imposed. Insurance had to be realistic, i.e. we had a quote of £900 on a 1.3 KA and a 1.3 KA was what she had her heart set on.

I posted something a couple of weeks ago about a KA we had spotted which she did the "I love it, I want" thing but when we arrived, the £1,700 KA was covered in rust, had dodgy brakes and when I drove it, I really felt like it was a piece of st.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

So I told her no way was I parting with any dough, at all, under any circumstances, on that piece of st.

Originally, I had told her she wanted an MX5, but apparently she had visions of taking her girly friends out (she's 22, what do you expect - oh and she wanted to fit her little dog in as well, and well... we couldnt risk her (the dog) jumping out of the roof) so it needed at least 4 seats.

So the usual "I really want a car by xmas" and "FFS iAlex, I bet we don't find one before xmas" etc etc found its way into every single conversation we had.

So tonight, I'm driving along and spot a bright red Ford Puma at the side of the road, not only that but the lady is putting an A4 sheet of paper in it, advertising it for sale. I stop and have a chat. Her daughter is starting uni shortly and has just had a kid... (go figure...) and she would be required to have her on a daily basis and it was hard putting a kid in the back of a Puma. So she'd bought an IS200 - it was on the drive - and she wanted rid of the Puma.

Full Ford service history, very minor signs of rust but don't they all? Nothing anywhere other than the edge of the doors. Oil looked fine, had the A/C, it had the luxury pack and the platinum stereo. I know quite a bit about the Ford Puma from having the same (1.6) engine in my first car, which was a Focus, which I was obsessive about.

The nice lady had just told me son told her she needed the cambelt and suspension bushes changing, so she did it. It needed new tyres, so she'd put them on all round to be safe, and apparently her son had told her to change the water pump, so she did. They were powerplus (i took this as powerflex!) bushes apparently, as that was the best thing to do. This lady was about 50 years old and her son was obviously an avid reader of the Ford Puma owners club!!!

"Let me do some research and come back to you..." I say.

So I come home, and I do my research, and I head back tonight with some money in an envelope. I take the car for a drive, not a rattle to be heard, sharp brakes, no knocks from the suspension, no whine in the steering, spotless interior, a few little scratches on the bodywork I noted earlier but this car is 10 years old (on a 51 plate) and 60,000 miles...

So, enough already, most of you have stopped reading, I appreciate that. But for those of you that haven't;

- What do you think the lady had it up for?
- What do you think I offered?
- What do you think I drove it away for?
- What do you think the insurance quote was? (22yr old as RK etc/me, 24 yr old male, no claims etc/46 yr old mother and father, both with no claims/endorsements etc)

Specs;

51 plate, bright red Ford Puma (1.6)
60k miles
Full Service History
Looked to be in fantastic condition
Minimal signs of rust
Lux pack
A/C
HPI Clear etc etc

Humour me here and play the game, we've celebrated with a glass of wine.

Edit: to add insurance details and engine size.

Edited by iAlex on Monday 22 November 21:10

[MiniMadMike]

I reckon it was up for £1750 and you had it for £1500.

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

If you drove it away for less than a grand, you've done well! Good cars too.

[martin mrt]

She had it up for a grand you offered 500 and drove home for 800 what do i win?

[STW2010]

Sounds like a good find.

I reckon you paid £500

Edited by STW2010 on Monday 22 November 21:13

[iAlex]

Bloody hell guys, less than £1k? Really?

You've ruined my game.

[STW2010]

iAlex said:

Bloody hell guys, less than £1k? Really?

You've ruined my game.

I was going to be a child and come in at a tenner!

[MoonMonkey]

A game you say..... No more than £500 or she saw you coming

[Garlick]

Few been in SOTW for a grand, this must be £1150/ £1200?

[iAlex]

You shower of stes. My excitement has been rained on, my fireworks well and truly extinguished.

I went home and got a value on it, private sale in the order of £1,800. She had it up for £1,500 and I drive away £1,200 down.

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

iAlex said:

You shower of stes. My excitement has been rained on, my fireworks well and truly extinguished.

I went home and got a value on it, private sale in the order of £1,800. She had it up for £1,500 and I drive away £1,200 down.

That sounds ok for a nice, genuine car with history etc. These cars have a dedicated following and lots of big fans!

[Garlick]

What do I win?

[busta]

A bargain at half the price

Seriously though, good deal, sounds like a decent car for the money.

[iAlex]

Garlick said:

What do I win?

A pat on the back.

[RB26DETT]

Well my Dad bought this....


Ford Puma
1998
1.7 Zetec
NCT (Irish MOT) and Tax just out.
Slight bubbling on the rear arches (Nothing serious)
Recent brake overhall and new tyres.
130,000Miles and there was a slight missfire from the engine.

For €180 !!

I bought mine for €420. (Although engine had to be replaced at an extra €400)
2000
1.4 Zetec
115.000Miles
Engine was fked so picked up a replacement on Ebay for €400 to my door.
Fitted it on a week-end.

Car stands me about a €1000.


Sorry for the thread hi-jack.

Im guessing you got yours for around a £1000 ?

It just goes to show there is bargains out there.

ETA just seen you got it for £1200, thats still cheap enough.

Enjoy

Edited by RB26DETT on Monday 22 November 21:30

[iAlex]

I told her from the start that if she wasn't having an MX5 then she was having a Ford Puma 1.7 but the first one we saw was a dog and it put her off.

OK, so the 1.7 was a bit heavier on the insurance, but I'm as excited for me to drive this as I am for her. Maybe take me back to my days of the interesting and nice handling Ford Focus - but even better!

[iAlex]

adycav said:

Controversial post removed.

Rude... probably uncalled for too. Ah well, fine.

Edited by iAlex on Monday 22 November 21:42

[southpaw]

Don't worry about people guessing the price - people guess based on the price of 1.7's but the 1.6's seem to hold value a bit better, probably due to the lower insurance and no problems with the Nikasil engine lining as on the 1.7's.

Sounds like a brilliant little car, I've had two (had them as first and second car!), just watch the rear arches for rust as they are a right bugger!

Edited by southpaw on Monday 22 November 21:37

[RB26DETT]

iAlex said:

adycav said:

Like your house no doubt.

Rude... probably uncalled for too. Ah well, fine.

Uncalled for, the first pic is from the add we bought the car from and the second pic is my house.

Its actually an old national school build in 1848 and closed in the early 1960's.

[Thankyou4calling]

adycav said:

RB26DETT said:

Well my Dad bought this....


Ford Puma
1998
1.7 Zetec
NCT (Irish MOT) and Tax just out.
Slight bubbling on the rear arches (Nothing serious)
Recent brake overhall and new tyres.
130,000Miles and there was a slight missfire from the engine.

For €180 !!

I bought mine for €420. (Although engine had to be replaced at an extra €400)
2000
1.4 Zetec
115.000Miles
Engine was fked so picked up a replacement on Ebay for €400 to my door.
Fitted it on a week-end.

Car stands me about a €1000.


Sorry for the thread hi-jack.

Im guessing you got yours for around a £1000 ?

It just goes to show there is bargains out there.

Like your house no doubt.

HARSH!! But fair