The pleasures of looking for a new car....

[NewcastleFalcon]

Yes I have begun to consult the usual sites, bearing in mind the demise of my Picasso. I casually see what is available from time to time, but I am in what I would describe as semi-serious mode at the moment, and more likely than not to go and see a couple of possibilities.

Can't say I particularly enjoy the process, but at least this time, I'm looking without the pressure of absolutely having to find a new vehicle immediately.

I tend to go for Gumtree at first, although descriptions are sometimes pretty sketchy. I have never bought anything off e-bay, and in general am not that keen on autotrader. I also have never bought a car out of my comfort zone....ie more than 40 miles from home.

I find the DVLA MOT Checker a good new source of evidence, with history on line for any vehicle since 2005 including failures and advisories.

One of my "possibilities" has a pretty clean MOT record since 2005 is on for a decent price, but uses the phrase "Won't be here long First to see will buy". The seller obviously doesn't realise that I'm easily put off by an overused cliche I also never like to see a car decribed as "absolutely mint" or for an advert to include the phrase "no timewasters" and possibly worst of all those that include "bargain" or "drives perfect". Clearly my dislike of such phrases reduces the range of possibilities I will go and look at dramatically.

I also like to buy a car off someone who has owned the car for a period of years.

Regards Neil

[xantia_v6]

Another source, if you are looking for something a few years old, is to have a chat with the sales manager at a franchised dealer. They often have regular customers who wasn't to trade in well maintained cars, but if the car is too old to go back on the forecourt, then the dealer may be happy to get a quick sale rather than send it to auction or similar.

[Peter.N.]

I always use ebay, you know you are paying about the right price and you can check the sales of previous cars of that model, see how much they made. You can also often learn a lot about them from the descriptions and if they are not as described you are not under oblation to buy them. But I usually view/try them first.

Peter

[RichardW]

I dislike buying 'new' cars. Anything under about £1500 is a shed these days - especially if at a dealer. There's usually apparently loads available right up to the day I start seriously looking, when they all magically disappear. It seems to me that some people break things off cars for fun - bits of trim, car keys etc etc. A couple of 'services' in 8 years is considered FSH. Lots of advertisers that don't answer the phone , or call back. The whole thing's a bit dispiriting. Just occasionally you find one that's been looked after and is genuine - my current 307 falls into that, although even that has needed AC condenser, both front wheel bearings, TREs, ball joints, a drop link and a CV joint in the 2 years I've had it - I've put 30k on it mind you, mostly on country roads, so can't complain really.

[Peter.N.]

I bought a really nice 406 Hdi estate for £400, stacks of history and even the aircon works, but not until I had seen about half a dozen and covered several hundred miles.

Peter

[daviemck2006]

I have just bought a corsa diesel from the small ads at a reasonable price, and described very accurately on the phone, about £300 less than they seem to go for on ebay, as there is a very slight dent on one quarter panel. Don't worry, it's not for me, I had it for about 15 minutes and 12 miles driving it to its new owner. No hassle and it looks and drives well. I also got 25 quid for my bother, although I refused, he insisted I took it. I will buy stuff for the grandchildren with it [emoji2] There are reasonable cars out there less than a grand. I know of a good 205 that would sell for £300! [emoji54] [emoji4] [emoji23]

[Peter.N.]

There are some bargains about but you have to look for them and be prepared to travel, especially if you want a specific car. I once went to Edinburgh to see an XM estate - it was rubbish.

Peter

[daviemck2006]

And you take that chance! This one was lucky only 12 miles from home. I've been as far as Doncaster to buy a car. That was a long day. If the car hadn't been as described it would have had to be train home again and the loss of the train fares. So far every time I have travelled like that they have been as described, or in the case of my first c5 better than described!

[Peter.N.]

Fortunately I have always had my wife to drive back and I have bought cars from all over the country. Most ebay descriptions are pretty good, or at least you can read between the lines, you can learn a lot about that particular model too. My Peugeot I bought from a garage in south of Bristol so not to far at all, it was a trade in, sold as scrap but it was the best one I had seen.

Peter

[NewcastleFalcon]

Well the semi-serious scan of the market translated into a viewing today.

Reinforced exactly why I am not that keen on the process of buying a different car, and how "feel" completely takes over from logic. No matter how much of a "bargain" the car I am viewing is, I will never progress to buying unless I connect with the seller, and find them basically friendly, open, honest and polite.

Very rarely if ever will I buy a car of someone who calls me "mate" and never off anyone who calls me "pal".

The viewing tonight was a case in point. I knew within the first few seconds of the interaction that I didn't want to buy the car off the seller.. Not that there was too much wrong with it, and probably good value at £100 less than his asking price.

I'll just have to dust myself down and go and have a look at another one!

Regards Neil

[jgra1]

its a pain and agree with all posts.. the only thing I would say is that, trying to sell (with some regret) my trusty c5 Hdi 110, I had to start using terms like, no PX, no offers, no time wasters! as no matter how I worded the add, I wasted a lot of time on phone and visits for people to offer silly money because there was dust on the stalks or similar..
I would much rather buy a car than sell one, especially with all the emotional attachments of the car (work done, holidays completed, time owned etc )

I can handle 'mate' if used in a nice way, but Pal is very bad.. someone at works says that and it really doesn't smooth anything over it sounds like fighting talk!

[daviemck2006]

I can handle mate and hate pal also. Permanent Ass Licker is what I use pal for. If I don't really like someone they are liable to be called pal lol. When it comes to selling a car it ceases to be "mine" and just becomes an asset which I want to dispose of at the best deal. That may be a bit less than I would ideally want, it depends if I already have the replacement, or I just want rid. Anyone moaning about minor faults which I have pointed out, whether rust, scratches, dents,mechanical ectgets told to bog off unless they offer the full asking price, espically if it is a few hundred pounds banger.

[Peter.N.]

I tend to stick with the same cars - ones I know well. I ran CXs for about 10 years and XMs for 15+, by that time I knew exactly what I was looking for. I'm sticking with 406s and early C5s they are the only ones I know enough about and are simple enough for me to be able to repair.

Peter

[BenC5HDi]

I hate buying cars, it's a complete pain in the backside to me now. It used to be fun, 10-15 years ago, and I went through loads! Now it's just a nightmare, and just about everyone apart from those I've bought cars from off this forum seems intent on shafting me!
Being from East Lancs, and having a part-Geordie family, "Pal" doesn't bother me in the slightest, but "mate" really irks me, especially when used by a certain type ...

I don't like selling cars much either! The amount of knob-heads trying to get money off is amazing. I usually over price any motor I'm selling by about £450 now unless it's to someone I know!

[jgra1]

Yes a fair point re north east rootes