Petrolheads help me please!

RuailleBuaille · 25-02-2008 4:55pm #1

Is it a bad idea to buy a car whose NCT is just up? I'm looking at a Nissan Almera 98, 35,000miles for 800euro. It's not clocked before you ask, but it's NCT and tax are up. My BF's friend is doing a deal and I think it's a bargain but I'm a total newbie so any input is gratefully appreciated thanks!

Anan1 · 25-02-2008 4:59pm

How do you know it's not clocked? Assuming the condition to be good, it sounds like a good buy to me. I wouldn't turn it down on account of the NCT - good cars for €800 don't tend to hang about.

RuailleBuaille · 25-02-2008 5:00pm

Anan1 wrote: »

How do you know it's not clocked? Assuming the condition to be good, it sounds like a good buy to me. I wouldn't turn it down on account of the NCT - good cars for €800 don't tend to hang about.

I only know cos I had a few people look at it who would be au fait with such divilment and they said it looked clean. Why, do you think that mileage is too good to be true?

Steve · 25-02-2008 5:04pm

If it sounds too good to be true it normally is!

Cionád · 25-02-2008 5:08pm

Get it checked out but sounds like a bargain, my 98 Almera has 146k miles!!

RuailleBuaille · 25-02-2008 5:10pm

stevec wrote: »

If it sounds too good to be true it normally is!

I think it's this cheap cos a) the dude is my BF's friend and b) I have to pay the tax on it, does this make sense? I've never owned a car before so I'm really unsure what to do!

miju · 25-02-2008 5:11pm

stevec wrote: »

If it sounds too good to be true it normally is!

agreed, on average at 98 Almera is listed on cbg.ie for €2,500 . is someone that nice to selll their car that much under the approx market value ???

i very much doubt it

R.O.R · 25-02-2008 5:16pm

Sounds like it's probably been used mainly for heading to and from the shops. Mother in law has just passed 8,000km in 2 years on her car so there are the odd few that do nothing all the time.

Take it for a good blast on a test drive - Motorway or at least dual carriageway to make sure it will go in to 5th gear and doesn't $hit itself past 30mph. Probably never been higher than 4th gear.

Steve · 25-02-2008 5:21pm

ItchyInside wrote: »

I think it's this cheap cos a) the dude is my BF's friend and b) I have to pay the tax on it, does this make sense? I've never owned a car before so I'm really unsure what to do!

It sounds like a great bargain - it's the milage that doesn't make sense.

The only way it could have 35K on it (bar clocking) is if it was left lying idle for a few years - this can damage an engine just as much as driving the stones out of it.

Jap imports tend to have low milage - more the exotics / sports though. An Almera is not really a weekend car!

Tell him you'll pay the NCT fee to have it tested and you'll make a decision based on what's wromg with it. (cheaper than getting a garage to look at it)

kodute · 25-02-2008 5:50pm

stevec wrote: »

The only way it could have 35K on it (bar clocking) is if it was left lying idle for a few years - this can damage an engine just as much as driving the stones out of it.

What kind of damage can happen in this case that a full servicing wont fix? (bar rust!)

Steve · 25-02-2008 6:09pm

kodute wrote: »

What kind of damage can happen in this case that a full servicing wont fix? (bar rust!)

Mainly internal rust - the bearings / cylinder walls / valves / camshafts will corrode from lack of oil for a long time.

A full service won't fix this - the damage is done the moment you start the car after being idle (unless it's handled properly).

conical · 25-02-2008 8:26pm

stevec wrote: »

Tell him you'll pay the NCT fee to have it tested and you'll make a decision based on what's wromg with it. (cheaper than getting a garage to look at it)

+1.
Good advice there. It'll be 50 quid well spent to have either bagged yourself a bargain or to have avoided a lemon.

-C

JHMEG · 25-02-2008 8:47pm

Assuming it passed it's last NCT, then go fot it. Even if you have to fork out for a catalytic converter or a pile of sensors, you'll still be getting a bargain.

bazz26 · 25-02-2008 10:23pm

I might be a bit cynical here but why doesn't the seller just NCT it if there is nothing major wrong with it and then sell it for double what he is asking the OP for it?

carchaeologist · 25-02-2008 10:40pm

bazz26 wrote: »

I might be a bit cynical here but why doesn't the seller just NCT it if there is nothing major wrong with it and then sell it for double what he is asking the OP for it?

I agree, iv seen alot of cars for sale that arent tested, if it was me id test it and then either fix the stuff thats wrong and get a bigger price or let it go cheap if it wasnt worth doing,dont almeras have weak gearboxes too?

The best way aas has been said already,is to get him to test it, pay the test fee if you have to, then if it passes you have a cheap car, and if it fails horribly itl have just cost you 50quid or so.It would be the safest way to go if you arent used to dealing with cars. Hope it goes ok for you.

Oilrig · 25-02-2008 11:32pm

stevec wrote: »

Mainly internal rust - the bearings / cylinder walls / valves / camshafts will corrode from lack of oil for a long time.

Rubbish. Internals are not a problem.

The biggest problem with a car laying up is usually the battery, followed by suspension joints, they tend to deteriorate rapidly when a laid up car is reintroduced to service.

Speaking from experience...

unkel · 26-02-2008 1:43am

bazz26 wrote: »

I might be a bit cynical here but why doesn't the seller just NCT it if there is nothing major wrong with it and then sell it for double what he is asking the OP for it?

My thoughts too, but some people are just lazy / want rid. I would offer (a bit like stevec suggested) to pay full asking price plus the cost of the NCT, if the car passes...

RuailleBuaille · 26-02-2008 8:12pm

k guys, update - the car actually has 43,000 miles on it, not 35,000 as I oroiginally was told. Does this make it more plausible?

sparkyjo · 26-02-2008 8:28pm

the mileage isn't a proplem what most people have said is that it dosen't make sence or has to have been laid up for a while or be clocked it simply could have been bought with low mileage off someone who only had it to get to the shops and back i have seen a load of cars like this it sounds like my first car it was 19 years old and owned by an old lady there was only 26000 miles on it when i bought it and it never gave me any problems

just cause it seems to good means nothing if you know anyone that knows anything about cars get them to have a look it is not hard to spot a heavily run car but just so you know that car is 10 years old so i would expect it to be perfect and at that type of mileage you will probably be lookin at things like breaks and timing belt starting to go which and other thing it come with buying an old car but for your first car you will probably run it in to the ground anyway

good luck with it though

Petrolheads help me please!

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