Buying a car

RaymondLin

Emp_Fab said:

I've rang them and they still have it.  I'm trying to get away from work early to check it out.

I don't want to tempt fate but....  This thread might...  Possibly....      I can't say it!  I'll jinx it!!

Remember this is a £2500 car so expectation is a £2500 car, not a £25000 car.

Ignore little scuffs, scratches, wheel scraps, dirt or clouded headlights.  Concentrates on the core of the car.

Does it drive straight?  Is the Clutch bite easily, is under the oil cap nice and clear, no mayo?

Check that the car was cold when you turn up, so it starts fine on cold start, when test drive turn off the radio, don’t talk and listen on gear change up and down, brake etc.  Check all the switches that they work, air con works etc.  If anything minor that doesn’t work, use it as a bargaining tool.  Don’t walk away from the car because a light bulb doesn’t work.

HerrMetal

Assume nobody has test driven that for the last couple of months as the MOT is expired. Old price on the photos so that has been hanging around. Haggle hard old chap.

stickyfiddle

RaymondLin said:

SteveRobinson said:

strtdv said:

Another vote for the Port Talbot Civic

If you don't buy that Civic which ticks every box then you might as well give up.

Don't want to jinx it but there's always a reason not to buy a car...

But is that mean someone here can buy that MX-5 now?

Can someone buy it, convert it to LHD and send it to me please?  

Revolting1

Also turn heater on

  Badly applied liquid head gasket sealant will often block heater matrix.

PC_Dave

Please don't actually buy a car, @Emp_Fab - this thread makes for awesome lunchtime reading. I'll have nothing to do on my break if this ends!!

TimmyO

I really want that MX5 now - and I hate MX5s. This thread is addictive lol 

RaymondLin

PC_Dave said:

Please don't actually buy a car, @Emp_Fab - this thread makes for awesome lunchtime reading. I'll have nothing to do on my break if this ends!!

We are more than 2/3rd of the way to 100 pages!

HerrMetal

EricTheWeary

Had to take my Civic in this morning, nothing that should worry his Highness, and have a brand new Jazz as the courtesy car. Objectively I guess it goes from A to B and everything works but it's incredibly tinny and the engine complains when you hit 70. I can't work out how to adjust the steering wheel so that it doesn't obscure the speedometer. Lots of bells and whistles for city driving though. 

Emp_Fab

I'm with it now.  The last service in the book was 2010.  It smells like a farmyard and the discs are fucked. Almost no oil in it.  

digitalscream

Emp_Fab said:

I'm with it now.  The last service in the book was 2010.  It smells like a farmyard and the discs are fucked. Almost no oil in it.  

Celica, dude.

Gonna keep saying it until you go and see it. If you can safely get in and out without wrecking your back (it's quite low), and it's not been stored in a cowshed...it's probably your best bet at this point.

SteveRobinson

Sounds ideal

RaymondLin

Civic down, MX-5 left ! 

Got to give it to the guy who still take it to get it serviced after 15 years....most people tend to service it themselves hence no stamps.  Some cars is quite easy to change the filters and oil.

100 pages here we go!

LordOxygen

The Civic is from late 07 early 08. So approx. 12 yrs old.  The advert says 6 service stamps. If the last one is 2010 it means it had 6 services in less than 3 years. 
Very strange...

Emp_Fab

It's rough as fuck guys.  Drives nicely though, but everything points to serious neglect.  Clutch reservoir empty, no oil, calipers look like they've been at the bottom of the sea for a decade.  Broken handbrake plastic, broken mirror, Aircon doesn't work.

LordOxygen

The 1.8 vtec is one of the most reliable mass produced 4 pot engines ever made. Here is one that is abused and uncared for yet still driving well with nearly no oil.

If it really is in a bad state walk away.

TTony

Emp_Fab said:

Ieverything points to serious neglect.

Doesn’t sound like that’s the one.  Move on.  Next ....

Emp_Fab

What the fuck are people doing in their cars?!!  The Merc smelled like an ashtray, this civic smelled like they'd been keeping pigs in it!  They did have a beautiful Mazda 6 Sport in a fabulous purple metalflake.  I'll be checking the history of that when I get home.  Also a couple of very tidy small Peugeots.  Right now I'm on my way to look at a Volvo v60 that has a full main dealer service history and 112000 miles.  Update to follow!

TimmyO

Emp_Fab said:

What the fuck are people doing in their cars?!!  The Merc smelled like an ashtray, this civic smelled like they'd been keeping pigs in it!  They did have a beautiful Mazda 6 Sport in a fabulous purple metalflake.  I'll be checking the history of that when I get home.  Also a couple of very tidy small Peugeots.  Right now I'm on my way to look at a Volvo v60 that has a full main dealer service history and 112000 miles.  Update to follow!

Sounds like some decent options - fingers crossed 

DiscoStu

Mazda 6 Sport sounds worth a look!