What to do what to do?!

Cianos

I have a 95 Honda Civic. It has been through the wars as its my first car. There is damage to the left door panel and a few dents here and there and theres also a massive dent in the back after I reversed into a bollard:o Currently the boot window wont lock. I'll post pics up very shortly.

A friend of mine has told me he will buy the car off me for 900euro provided the boot is fixed. It will be his first car and he is not worried about cosmetics, just as long as the car runs well (which it does) and that he can lock the boot.

I am not sure whether to sell the car to him and put it towards another car, or spend the money on fixing it up fully so I can sell it on for closer to what I paid for it (2k).

I still have to do my full test so I want a decent looking car for that and also just for my own sake in driving a car that doesnt look like its ready for the scrap yard. (does it matter if the car is seriously dented for the test by the way?)

What do you think is the most sensible thing to do? Get rid of the car to my friend while I still can, or spend time and money fixing the car up in the hopes I'd get a better price for it?

Thanks

C_Breeze

it would help if you mentioned which civic it was.

vti sir lsi dx 1.3 1.5 1.6 ?????????

layke

I'd have to see the damage to the boot before making such a decision.

You may be able to get a 2nd hand boot from a scrappy and have it sprayed or may be cheaper to have it repaired.

If it's not too bad you may even get be able to sell the car as is for €900 which would nearly be enough for another decent 95 civic.

Cianos

Its a 1.3 Jap import. I've gotten a quote of 200 to fix the boot already.

C_Breeze

A 1995 1.3 civic(Carb i assume) would be worth no more than 900 even with boot fixed. Take your mates money now I would suggest.

cormie

He never mentioned that he'll only be using either his current or new car for about another 2 months, so he'll have to get rid of them both in the next 2 months anyway.

Cianos

ok here are the pics. Thoughts? Thanks for all input guys much appreciated

Cianos

cormie wrote:

He never mentioned that he'll only be using either his current or new car for about another 2 months, so he'll have to get rid of them both in the next 2 months anyway.

Well more like 3 months, but yeah I hope to go travelling after about 3 months. So the fact that I have a guaranteed sale with my friend for a car that would otherwise be probably hard enough to shift is important.

Vikings

Cianos wrote:

ok here are the pics. Thoughts?

.....Good luck with your test

In all seriousness though, get what you can out of him without fixing it and run, theres no point getting that fixed up to sell on, you will only end up losing more money on it.

cormie

He also never mentioned that the damage at the wheel was caused by a truck driver who claimed responsibility, but Cian, about 6 months later, still hasn't got it repaired:eek: :rolleyes: so the repair for that could be free if the Trucker pays.

Does nobody else thing that selling this car and buying another when he's just going to be getting 3 months use out of it, is a bit of a waste, he's going to be buying a more expensive car, that he'll probably have to sell cheaper than he bought it. So when you weigh it up it's like this:

Option A - Keep the Civic
-Civic bought for 2K
-Spend 200 to get boot to close
-Save loads of time not worrying about changing ownership
-Not have to pay any outstanding tax etc on possibly untaxed new car
-Secure that he knows he has a mechanically sound car
-Not having to spend €150 on carcheck.ie if he wants assurance the new car is ok
-Have a better chance of passing his test because he will be used to the car he has now and he's thinking of getting a saloon which will be much more difficult for him to do his test in.
-Sell on for about 1K easily

-total spent: €2,200
-total received: €1,000
= minus €1,100

Option B - Get rid of Civic and buy new car
-Civic bought for 2K
-200 on boot repair
-Sell civic for 900
-Buy new car for €1,600 approx
-Carcheck.ie €150
-Time spent between changing ownership of 2 vehicles, travelling, test driving etc - approx 10 hours
-Sell new car for €1,400 approx

-total spent: €3,950 + 10 hours
-total received: €2,300
=minus €1,650 + 10 hours minimum

The reason I've bolded minimum is because that's best case scenario, if buying from buyandsell, there is a chance that the first car wont be ok'd by the likes of carcheck.ie, for them to test a 2nd car will be €125 plus all the time and effort of finding another one that suits him.

Interceptor

NEVER sell a car to friends or family. Its a simple principle but no matter what happens it ends up leaving a bad taste in everyones mouth.

'cptr

Cianos

cormie wrote:

So when you weigh it up it's like this:

The amount I have spent on the car is irrelevant. That money has been spent either way. Whether I paid 2k or 20k for the car it doesnt matter, what is most important is what is the best value for me at this point in time.

cormie

yeah, well the end savings are still the same without them.

I personally think it's a pointless waste of time and money.

Volvoboy

well instead of paying out €200 how about making €200? your car looks like stevie wonder did HIS driving test in it, think about it your car is a base model, pleanty of them around i'd estamate 600-700 (i'm a panel beater) to get it repaired and road worthy, on a car thats 12 years old, your mate will not sell the car once he is finished with it and as Interceptor said its never a good idea to sell cars to f&f.

so my offer of 200 stands, pm me


-VB-

Cianos

Volvoboy wrote:

so my offer of 200 stands, pm me

200 for the car?! Our friendship is definately worth less than 700 sorry. Only messin, but still, no thanks

cormie

Volvoboy, what are you offering for €200?

The car is roadworthy as it is now. Dents etc don't matter for the likes of the NCT and the driving test even as far as I'm aware. Unless they obstruct the ability to drive of course.

The car is worth far more than €200 if that's what you're offering €200 for:eek:

I've been offered €500 for my 91 Ford Fiesta (no power steering, electric windows or anything fancy, it even has a choke), by more than 1 person, just need it still so haven't sold it. Cian could easily get €1K for this, even as is. It's a car that can get people from A-B, that's what a lot of people only need.

Unless you're offering €200 for a nixer to get the car into shape?;)

Volvoboy

250? c'mon think of all the things you could do with 250 snots in yer bags, funderland, shopping, pay off loans, shopping, subscribe to boards.ie, pay off some speeding fines, shopping, chocolate,

*off down the shops to buy some chocolate*




Right i'm back from the shops, got a dairy milk biscuit, mmm


so 250 then?

what you're offering €200 for

He who dare's win's sunshine;)
Wanna bit of dairymilk?


-VB-

cormie

Haha, what a chancer. How much would you charge to get it into shape as a nixer?

Cianos

I dont want this thread to turn into a for sale thread or anythin like that...was just looking for some advice. If you are interested in doing work on the car though drop me a PM

Fey!

I did similar damage to my old accord. What stopped the lock was the mis-shapen bootlid. I stripped the interior of the bootlid, got a block and used it to straighten the metal. Boot started locking again, even though there was still a crease in the metal on the outside.

Cianos

Fey! wrote:

I did similar damage to my old accord. What stopped the lock was the mis-shapen bootlid. I stripped the interior of the bootlid, got a block and used it to straighten the metal. Boot started locking again, even though there was still a crease in the metal on the outside.

Unfortunately the bollard landed directly over the keyhole so its not just a question of the metal being out of place

old boy

nice yoke in adverts for 1500 taxed and tested 95 saburu, volvo boy isint 2 far wrong

cee_jay

Why not keep the car, and if you are still worried when it comes to take the test, get a driving lesson, and ask the driving instructor can you use their car for the test? That's what I did cause the car I was driving at the time wasn't the best.
If you are going to be selling a new car again fairly shortly, why fork out the money now when you might be selling the new one at a loss as well?

cormie

He's decided to keep the Civic;)