Am I crazy?

FOGOFUNK

Went down to have a look at this car today...

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=799782

Now, i have a budget of 8000 all in, 1700 for insurance in and around 600 for tax, and this guy said he'd give it to me for 4500.

heres the catch

It has no NCT,No service reciepts, has a cracked winshield and drivers side mirror.

It is also at 121000 miles so the timing belt will have to be done.

What do you think i should do?

Tipsy Mac

FOGOFUNK wrote: »

Went down to have a look at this car today...

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=799782
this guy said he'd give it to me for 4500.

heres the catch

It has no NCT,No service reciepts, has a cracked winshield and drivers side mirror.
QUOTE]

Well what I would do is tell him to get it through the NCT, then I would consider it, otherwise avoid. NCT could find a minefield of problems.

pete4130

I'm thinking do you really want to spend €8k in total on an almost 12 year old car with high mileage, is in need of repair (at your cost perhaps?) that has no service history and is yet to pass its NCT?
Maybe if the seller got it through its NCT, repaired the windshield and drivers mirror and got it serviced prior to selling and got the timing belt done if its needed (but whos to kow with no service history) might be worth considering albeit it will probably be a bit more than €4500 your looking to get it for but you'll have a bit more piece of mind...and you would have had to get the windshield/mirror and NCT done at your own cost anyway.
Thats just my thoughts anyway.

JohnCleary

If you want the car, haggle. Get an NCT for it. If the seller thinks it's a clean car he'll have no problem doing this. If he's reluctant.. well then, you know the answer to that...

Cracked wing mirror? Got a wing mirror (heated) for my e46 for 50euro delivered not so long ago

Cracked windscreen? Um... get yer own policy and after 6 week's you'll wake up some morning and some knacker will have cracked your windscreen in the middle of the night, oops, better get it replaced*

* This is not fraud, sure it's not yer fault some drunken fool decided to throw a rock at yer windscreen

FOGOFUNK

Thats what i was thinkin, but it wont pass the NCT without the windshield, and i cant get insurance without the NCT. How much is it usually to do the timing?

JohnCleary

FOGOFUNK wrote: »

Thats what i was thinkin, but it wont pass the NCT without the windshield, and i cant get insurance without the NCT. How much is it usually to do the timing?

Of course you can get insurance without NCT.

Is he currently insured? Get him to fix the windscreen himself. I could get over the wing mirror

Eoin

FOGOFUNK wrote: »

Thats what i was thinkin, but it wont pass the NCT without the windshield, and i cant get insurance without the NCT. How much is it usually to do the timing?

Is there a timing belt in these cars? Anyhow, I probably wouldn't buy privately if there was that list of issues to sort out, unless I was getting an absolute bargain - which that car doesn't seem to be. I would have the dealer fix all those problems first before even thinking about it.

Edit - AC Cars are selling this car - these guys are very good, I'd check it out.

L-M

I work in a dealership and if a car doesn't have an nct it's a big no no... Maybe it's because i've been brainwashed but i would stay away from it, unless ur mechanically inclined... A bmw can be a big thing to walk into if u don't know what ur buyin, especially without an nct... If u could get a trusted mechanic to look at it all the better. As for the timing belt, most of the cost is in the labour, fairly long old job, so if u can DIY all the better... I just had a quick look on carzone and there seems to be a few nice ones... Myself personally, i would rather buy one and modify it myself, rather than buy one that had been modified..(u never know how hard it could of been driven for the last 20,000 miles of it's life)...

mick.fr

This is not even a M3 body kit...

A bimmer with 200k and no service history, no way.
It is well known at this stage of life a bimmer will very likely have overheat problem, water pump, radiator, head gasket issues...

For the same price and even cheaper you can get a lot cleaner.
Example:
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=699395

Andrewf20

I wouldnt touch it. The 316i is very slow, and it looks ugly in modded form imho. Service history is more important than skirts and spoilers. You can do much better than this. My E36 is over 10 years old and after about 10 years the cat died, costing me 1000 euro for a new BMW one, brake lines & hoses corroded, costing me 400 to fix these, & I got a new clutch, spark plugs, new discs & pads all round, cam postion sensor, bushings, 2 wheel bearings, water bump, coolant change, diff & Gbox oil etc etc. Id put about 3-4k into the car in 2.5 years. With no service history to show some big bills have been taken care off, Id walk away.

Wait and save for a nice 318is.

Oilrig

Definitely, no NCT no deal.

unkel

Andrewf20 wrote: »

Id put about 3-4k into the car in 2.5 years

That's more than I've put into my V8 petrol BMWs for maintenance over nearly 7 years. That includes specialist labour. I don't do any of the work myself

Andrewf20

3k is probably more accurate. That figure includes regular servicing stuff and theres a few more things I did as well. (Backbox, handbrake shoes, brake fluid renewal etc). Some stuff was preventitive maintence like the clutch (old one was stiff, changed both wheel bearings when one died, water pump as plastic impellers known to break etc etc.) I guess the few Mondello track days dont help. Over 100k on the clock too.

FOGOFUNK

I am mechanically inclined(aircraft engineer in training), but i wouldnt have the confidence to do a timing job myself.

Im looking at coupes more so......

Im only 19 so the 316 may be slow, but i cant afford to insure anything with a bigger engine and i need to get a car sharpish as i live between ennis and dublin during the week.

So i would like to buy a car that looks a bit sporty and not like a 40 yr olds daily driver(no offence to anyone).
This is why im looking at 316's with the M-pak.

Andrewf20

FOGOFUNK wrote: »

I am mechanically inclined(aircraft engineer in training), but i wouldnt have the confidence to do a timing job myself.

Im looking at coupes more so......

Im only 19 so the 316 may be slow, but i cant afford to insure anything with a bigger engine and i need to get a car sharpish as i live between ennis and dublin during the week.

So i would like to buy a car that looks a bit sporty and not like a 40 yr olds daily driver(no offence to anyone).
This is why im looking at 316's with the M-pak.

What I did was bite the bullet and got a Ford fiesta until my insurance costs dropped and I saved a little more to get something better. Id be very nervous of no NCT or history. I wonder why it has no history?

Masada

plenty of cars have little service history, its not a reason to automatically write them off as potential purchases., the owner could be a mechanic and do the service work themselves and that could be why theres no dealer stamps., judge the car on its condition and how well it runs etc and not on the amount of stamps in the book,

the link at the top isnt working now but with that price and no NCT id just aviod it unless your handy with the repairs, as far as expecting the owner to fix the window, mirror, change timing belt, service, NCT etc as someone mentioned, thats just stupid, it would cost a fortune and the owner is never gonna do that and still sell at the same price.,
I remember when I was selling a spotless civic once and it was going for 800quid, i had this bloke around and he was interested in it but he wanted to give me 650, then me NCT it, service it and tax it aswell all at my cost, the car would have been worth 1700-2000 by then., all that for a cheap car.,lol, needless to say he was told to put his nikeys on his bikeys, .,lol

Skyuser

It's an ugly out of date piece of scrap! Avoid!

bbam

hi..
If it was easy to NCT this car the current owner would have as this would command a better price... I have a fear of cars which have been mod by previous owner, In my experience many have been trashed..
If you dont have much experience buy something within your budget with warranty from a garage, not necessarly a dealer.
If you are set on purchasing this car you need to drive a hard bargin as you may need cash in reserve for repairs...
Slan,
bam

Bluefoam

its very pricey for a bucket...

JohnCleary

vtec wrote: »

plenty of cars have little service history, its not a reason to automatically write them off as potential purchases., the owner could be a mechanic and do the service work themselves and that could be why theres no dealer stamps., judge the car on its condition and how well it runs etc and not on the amount of stamps in the book,

Yeah but a bright mechanic would keep all receipts and keep a log of all work carried out. My car has a FSH When I bought it but since then (its out of warranty anyway) I just keep all receipts for everything and write it in a little log book for my own reference

optiplexgx270

Run...

peasant

OP

I think it would be slightly crazy to sink a lot of money into a slow, mechanically doubtful old jaloppy just because it says BMW on the badge, when you need a car that can munch the miles every day.

If i were you, I'd cast the net a lot wider.

Here is an example of what your budget could get you:

1.4, so cheap but still driveable; realistic miles, new NCT and not too bad looking (ok ..it's no head turner, but alright) ..all for 4 k and a 01 as well

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carid=689294

GB15

I would be much more concerned about it having no service history than no NCT.

Andrewf20

JohnCleary wrote: »

Yeah but a bright mechanic would keep all receipts and keep a log of all work carried out. My car has a FSH When I bought it but since then (its out of warranty anyway) I just keep all receipts for everything and write it in a little log book for my own reference

Agreed. Most people would have something at least.

Volvoboy

peasant wrote: »

1.4, so cheap but still driveable; realistic miles, new NCT and not too bad looking (ok ..it's no head turner, but alright) ..all for 4 k and a 01 as well

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carid=689294

You'll get more tail with a car like that than a clapped out 316 12 year old, i speak from experence!!



-VB-

JHMEG

GB15 wrote: »

I would be much more concerned about it having no service history than no NCT.

The only cars I've seen for sale with no NCT haven't got one cos they've failed. And the owner has decided to sell the problem on because it's too expensive to fix. I'd put money on it single expensive part, like the catalytic converter, is gone.

OP, that car has blinkers on the headlights. That says enough.

Volvoboy

Just had a look at that car OP that car has been driven HARD! Even look at the state of the interior!




-VB-

CarLover

FOGOFUNK wrote: »

Went down to have a look at this car today...

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=799782

Now, i have a budget of 8000 all in, 1700 for insurance in and around 600 for tax, and this guy said he'd give it to me for 4500.

heres the catch

It has no NCT,No service reciepts, has a cracked winshield and drivers side mirror.

It is also at 121000 miles so the timing belt will have to be done.

What do you think i should do?

Genuinely? You shouldn't be allowed out on your own to pick cars.
That has LEMON written all over it. If you enjoy throwing 4500 euro down the pan then go for your life...
Sorry...don't mean to be so cutting but seriously...look at it!!!!!!!

Andrewf20

Check out the wording in the add: "Central Locking, Remote Central Locking" & "Drivers Air Bag, Passenger Air Bag, Multiple Air Bags". Seems a bit pumped up.

Add says it has rear head rests and tape deck. Cant see them in the pics.

Eoin

JHMEG wrote: »

The only cars I've seen for sale with no NCT haven't got one cos they've failed. And the owner has decided to sell the problem on because it's too expensive to fix. I'd put money on it single expensive part, like the catalytic converter, is gone.

OP, that car has blinkers on the headlights. That says enough.

The eyebrows aren't that uncommon, especially on the e36. It wouldn't be an instant no-no for me. This car isn't helping my point though!