Options for Used Cars Without NCT

bettywatts

I bought a 1999 Peugeot 206 6 months ago on a private sale. It is my first car and I had planned to buy a newer one but was lured by this as it seemed so well kept and had only 64,000 miles.

However it has since given me nothing but trouble and I need to upgrade to something newer. Failed the NCT and I'm told it needs a new catalytic converter to rectify this, which is going to set me back about €250. There also seem to be various noises cropping up and I think I will have trouble selling it privately without pouring more money into it than it's probably even worth.

What is my best option? I'm hoping to make some kind of money back on it! Garages offer 1000-2000 for trade-in over the phone, but I'm afraid after driving it they'll offer a lot less despite the fact that it looks completely perfect and has low miles! I know trade-ins are pretty useless because they'd offer you the same price for a cash sale really - the only advantage is that they'll take my car away.

Please help!!!!!!!! This car has eaten so much cash on me, I would be completely heartbroken if I had to scrap it for less than nothing, especially because I love it so much!

Thanks.

Anan1

Why not just do the work and keep it?

Cosmo K

If it only failed the NCT because the catalytic converter is gone, I would simply fix it and keep it.

OldmanMondeo

bettywatts wrote: »

Garages offer 1000-2000 for trade-in over the phone,

Is not a bad price for a trade in. Why don't you just go to a dealer and see what they offer after looing at it. The Cat will cost you €250 to replace, it will cost a dealer much less.

Darragh29

bettywatts wrote: »

I bought a 1999 Peugeot 206 6 months ago on a private sale. It is my first car and I had planned to buy a newer one but was lured by this as it seemed so well kept and had only 64,000 miles.

However it has since given me nothing but trouble and I need to upgrade to something newer. Failed the NCT and I'm told it needs a new catalytic converter to rectify this, which is going to set me back about €250. There also seem to be various noises cropping up and I think I will have trouble selling it privately without pouring more money into it than it's probably even worth.

What is my best option? I'm hoping to make some kind of money back on it! Garages offer 1000-2000 for trade-in over the phone, but I'm afraid after driving it they'll offer a lot less despite the fact that it looks completely perfect and has low miles! I know trade-ins are pretty useless because they'd offer you the same price for a cash sale really - the only advantage is that they'll take my car away.

Please help!!!!!!!! This car has eaten so much cash on me, I would be completely heartbroken if I had to scrap it for less than nothing, especially because I love it so much!

Thanks.

How has the car eaten so much cash on your up until now???

I wouldn't be getting all stressed out just because it failed an NCT on emissions. Just get the work done and keep it, it could be a lot lot worse...

bettywatts

Thanks for the advice so far.

Well I had to have the brake shoes & brake cylinders replaced a couple of months ago, that seems to be fine now. But then it failed the NCT on emissions. Mechanic put a new oxygen sensor on it, cost me €150, but it failed again and apparently now the cat is the problem.

I was tempted to just fix it and keep it, but it's started making all these weird banging and rattling noises too. My brother reckons the drive shaft is on the way out. The gears are starting to feel dodgy as well. I'm just afraid it's going to continue to fall apart and I'd rather spend money on a reliable car than on constantly patching this one up. It's a 99, it's only getting older!

Unfortunately I'm fairly sure the man who sold it to me knew all these problems were around the corner, but that's just the risk you take on private sales I guess.

Any more ideas would be appreciated, like anything about scrappage, trade-in, or how I can get rid of it with any prospect at all of making some cash back.

Thanks!

Henry Ford III

Fix it properly. I'd be asking that mechanic why did you have to shell out €150 for an oxygen sensor that failed to sort the emissions.

Selling/trading it without an NCT will loose you even more cash.

Darragh29

That noise could be the radiator cooling fan. I've changed a good few of them, the bearings go on the fan and make an awful racket. Nothing that you've posted there OP would be inconsistent with the age of the car. The lambda sensor/cat issue was just misfortunate.

I'd be keeping the car, but that's me...

old boy

keep it, the sensor can be got from the motor factors, you should be able to replace it yourself, the cheapest item you can get is a haynes manual.

Stoogie

breakers have cats from €60