Motoring Need help choosing a new car

[Damini]

So my dear old Vauxhall Astra Mark II has got a chipped windscreen which will need replacing (£200) and is sporting an indecent amount of rust, and is beginning to chug a little. We spent £600 putting in through the MOT last year, and it's definately going to fail this year again, so we're thinking of taking dear old Bessie out back and feeding her the Kool Aid.



Our other car is a Ford Fiesta, so we need a larger car with boot space for holidays, and for when I have to lug around loads of books. We really need something that costs less than a grand second hand, because the kitty is pretty empty, and because the chavs will fuck it up anyway, and something that isn't expensive to insure. Does anyone have any suggestions for what kind of car I should be looking for?

Also, has anyone bought a car through ebay before? I'm a TOTAL girl when it comes to vehicles, and would probably buy a Dodo if you plucked it, painted it green and stuck lego wheels on it, and Kenny's expertise is pretty much limited to computers. That's not to say he's not manly, because, beard, and rugby, and guinness, but his manliness doesn't extend to vehicular maintenance and diagnostic problems, so we're pretty much flying blind.

 

[Dark Orb Choir]

Vauxhall Vectra

Citroen Xsara

Peugeot 306

Ford escort



Auto Trader UK - Buy & Sell New & Used Cars, Car Loans, Car Insurance is your best bet tbh dams

 

[Belgerath]

Add to that list

Honda Accord

Audi A4 (97)

 

[MYstIC G]

Also, has anyone bought a car through ebay before?

Yes. The sum total of my advice is: Don't!.

We purchased a specialist business vehicle on eBay. Suffice to say, as the auction progressed I thought we were being played. Despite my protests the vehicle was 'secured' (bought and paid for). Long story short it didn't make the journey to its new home unaided. In the long run it's no bother to us because we sorted it and its more than paid for itself 3/4 times over, however you're after no-aggro and I doubt you'll get that with eBay. I must confess though I did feel validated when after purchase the paperwork in the vehicle showed how much the person we dealt with on eBay had paid for it (£5k less than the final bid).

 

[Jupitus]

I'm gonna sell my Vectra, but sadly she has no MOT at the moment.... she needs a couple of rear suspension bushes, which is easy, but also the emmissions were out, although I put a new catalytic convertor on, I think...

She's done many miles, but doesn't smoke at all. She needs a new camshaft sensor (a known vectra problem) and until that is fitted she is limited by the engine management to 4,500 RPM... I haven't really bothered about that as she is fast enough anyway I do have the part, mind.

I'm only after about 500 quid, unless to MOT her costs me alot more... interested?

EDIT Oh, she's a 2.0L 16V SRi, and I have had her since new in 97, R reg...

 

[Damini]

Can we have some pics, Jup?

 

[MYstIC G]

Oh, some further advice. I suggest when asking Jup for pics, you specifically exclude things you don't want to see or limit what you ask for, e.g.

"Can we have some pics, Jup?" will lead to Jup naked time

"Can we have some pics of the car by iteslf, Jup?" will hopefully lead to car pictures and completely avoid Jup naked time

 

[Tom]

Insurance will do the windscreen for £50ish and no effect on your policy.

Given your budget I would stay well clear of anything originally cheap. I'd go for something with a decent sized engine and a premium marque - yes the parts will be more expensive, but a better built car at that age will last far longer than your average Frogbox. Note that high mileage older cars aren't a bad thing - most of them will have lived on the motorway, much better a car like that than one that's only been to the shops and back (over all the bumps and potholes, with a million gearchanges on the way).

LHD Car Company : MERCEDES E220 ESTATE

BMW : BMW 520I SE 1997 / R (don't buy this one, but do look at E34 BMWs)

Stephen Hunter : Volvo 850 Auto Estate (had one of these, excellent car)

The key at this price range is not to worry about mileage or colour, or anything else. Condition is everything. If it looks like it's done a million miles but has only 20,000 on the clock, its obviously been clocked.

You're into the world of bangernomics, so don't get dewy-eyed about whatever you buy. Treat it like a rusty tool, when it becomes too expensive to fix get rid of it and get another.

Oh and learn how to do the basics, oil and filter changes, brake flush, coolant flush etc. They really are extremely easy when you know how and you'll save a packet. Oil changes you don't even have to get under the car, just buy a simple vacuum hand-operated oil extractor pump from a boat shop, they cost about £20 and make the process a doddle.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Vauxhall Vectra

Citroen Xsara

Peugeot 306

Ford escort

No, no, no and no. All terrible cars.

Whatever you do Dams, and this is serious, don't get anything French. They're simply awful and the build quality is shoddy. Your best bet for a reliable car that doesn't need to do anything fancy are your Toyotas/Hondas. Very good build quality, very good value, etc. etc.

 

[nath]

Ford mondeo?

 

[Trem]

No, no, no and no. All terrible cars.

Whatever you do Dams, and this is serious, don't get anything French. They're simply awful and the build quality is shoddy. Your best bet for a reliable car that doesn't need to do anything fancy are your Toyotas/Hondas. Very good build quality, very good value, etc. etc.

Ditto from me on that.

One of Samms best cars was a Toyota Corolla, yes my mates always shouted TAXI when she pulled up in it but it never let us down and they are cheap as chips now.

One of the worst cars I got her was a Peugeot, it was about 3 years old when we bought it and it was a steaming pile of shat in every way possible.

I personally like Jap/German/Swedish (although Swedish generally means GM owns them) cars.

 

[throdgrain]

Disagree chaps I had a V6 Vectra for three years bought it with 60,000 miles and sold it with 110,000 miles worked very well no mechanical problems. Had a ignition pack failure around 90,000 iirc but that is just a modern car garage speak. Could have been anything they just replace it en masse. All in a pretty good car I thought.

Edit

Audis excepted I dont like German cars much, they are quite over-rated and round here are always M reg 318's with the badges taken off driven by unspeakable wankers Get yerself a nice Jeep and get into the world of 11.9 miles to the US gallon round town

 

[Damini]

I had a french car before - a Citroen. Driving it felt like being punished for crimes in a previous life. It would actually go up on two wheels on roundabouts. I spanked an indecent amount getting it through its MOT, and two days later the radiator burst, pouring hot water into the car. I saw the steam, thought my car was on fire, and bailed in a parking lot crying "my car is on fire!". This woman ran over to help.

Or so I thought.

She just jumped back into her car and drove it as far away from mine as possible :/

No more french cars for me.

 

[Jupitus]

Can we have some pics, Jup?

Yep - I'll get some sorted for yous

 

[old.Tohtori]

Honda Prelude

I always give this suggestion. It's not the best, but not the most expensive either, but it's a good car from what i've seen/heard.

Espeially the semi-new ones.

 

[throdgrain]

Ford mondeo?

I had a 02 one of these too, in a rare moment of sensible driving. Cant say I enjoyed it much, but it was 100% reliable comfortable and fairly economic. For someone who wants a car but dones want some kind of status symbol I'd say they were a pretty good buy.

 

[nath]

Mine's a 97 and goes incredibly well. You can pick a decent one up of a similar age for under a grand (easily I should imagine). It makes you drive like a granddad but it's very comfy and reliable.

 

[throdgrain]

Agreed yup

 

[Wij]

Aye - old Mondeos go for nothing and may not be Jap quality but cost much less at 10 years old and aren't French.