frustrating day looking at cars. different approach!

[johnhenry]

Afternoon

Yesterday, i posted a thread asking for suggestions on cars, filled with optimism, i checked the bank, adjusted my budget, down to around 1.K-1.5K (might have gone a tad crazy last month :/ ) and off i searched. found some stuff, went to look today, (que moan)

I have spent since 9:30 this morning driving round with a friend, looking at cars, i have got home and am literally no further forward, every car there was something very wrong with or incredibly dubious about. So, I am trying a new approach.

PISTONHEAD'ers within 25 miles of Bridgend. If you are selling your car within the price tag of 1-1.5K and it meets the following criteria i am interested in your car.

1) It does not have a used condom in it...
2) It is mechanically sound, ie - not broken or bodged to sell
3) You are not from a swamp
4) You have looked after your car, maintained it, have some proof of this and are generally a nice person to it.
5) Your car is not a daewoo, kia, or something horrifically beige.
6) It hasnt done spaceship miles, i need it for a daily hack and cant be dealing with bits falling off at regular intervals.

If you fit these criteria, please get in touch! I'll need to get insurance quotes and the like to make sure i can afford to run the car, but if its all good-
Im free this weekend and would be overjoyed to possibly have a good viewing/buying experience.

A miserable PH'er

John

[johnhenry]

hah - seems alot of people are in the same predicament
I can up the radius to maybe 30-35 miles if people have something that fits criteria, this weekend i need a car by monday hah,its got to happen!

I just wanted a nice PH car, and most importantly a car that isnt dead or full of questionable things...

regards
John

[johnhenry]

there seems to be a plethora of 'economy' hatches on ebay around that price, it's what ive been to see today

I had to explain to one chap why he should get the oil changed and service a car, as the dip stick revealed there to be no oil in the car along with many other issues under the bonnet.
Cars at that range in traders possession just seem to be problems waiting to happen.
im making pretty bold statements based on my experience today not just what i think.

PH'ers at least enjoy cars, and if you enjoy cars, you look after them. The direct opposite to most of what i saw today.

[johnhenry]

Riknos said:

I would widen your search, personally. I never understand people who are not willing to look further away from home to get a better deal on a car, but are willing to buy one closer to home for more? doesn't many economical sense. You only have to drive to visit a car once or twice when purchasing, so why does it matter if it takes more than 30 minutes to get there?

I am totally with you on this one! However - I am currently relying on others to ferry me to these viewings and whatnot, if i say - seen a car, give them the details ( seems correct, as some did today) then drive 100 miles to see it and it turns out to be a dud then its just a total waste of time effort and money.

But on the whole i totally agree with you on a wider search for the right car.

[johnhenry]

Ill certainly try and maybe build a 'route' to see lots of cars, maybe one turns up gold!

I hear about idiot buyers though, had one trying to buy my dads sailing boat, was faultless and well maintained and he offered about £1000 under asking, (it was for sale at like £4000 or something like that) and just refused to move. mindless.

[johnhenry]

im not complaining about the field out there. what i find issue with is as stated above;

if it went straight, worked as it should and didnt sound like it was going to die. i wouldnt have a problem, the stuff ive seen today didnt do this.

[johnhenry]

vit4 said:

Just done a quick autotrader search in the area, this caught my eye


http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...


Do a 30-mile search set to a grand, loads of st but a few ones that look in good nick. Volvo S40's seem to be a lot of car for their money, as do Rovers of any model.

been there this morning! something didnt quite seem right, both me and my friend (experienced car buyer) both got a really bad feeling about it and walked, something just seemed very very wrong.

[johnhenry]

vit4 said:

How very odd Was everything as described? If it's too good to be true...

things just did seem a little too good to be true.
my friend with me knows the service department at audi where it was done, they said it had its MOT's there, thats it, but yet he presented a fully stamped book, seemed legit and all. totally threw us didnt add up.
Plus it was decalred as a disabled car for taxation purposes, with no signs of any disabled assistance systems and he just denied all knowledge of it. It was missing slightly as we test drove it, but we put this down to it being stood for a while.
The chap was nice - seemed genuine, but yeh i cant put my finger on it, both me and my mate just had that gut feeling it wasnt right. so walked. frustrating as the car seemed straight, everything appeared to work okay.

although it did better than the others we went to see!

[johnhenry]

Fox- said:

Errrr what? Most disabled drivers don't need to a have a highly modified car in order to drive you know.

I know, again sorry its early! It just looked like a completely standard car, I wasnt sure why the car had been notified as disabled so it just kind of made me wonder.