Used Car inspection

rockdrummer

Would it be advisable to get AA or the like to check a used car before purchase? Can you recommend someone, not sure but I think AA are very expensive around €300 !!

Its a 1998 Mazda MX5, 75000 km's, €5500...

Thanks

dbar

Im in the same boat,
I found these guys
http://www.inspectacarorvan.com/inspection.html

and these

http://www.carsireland.ie/pre-sale-car-inspection-service-dublin.html

But have no experience of either of them.

robtri

rockdrummer wrote: »

Would it be advisable to get AA or the like to check a used car before purchase? Can you recommend someone, not sure but I think AA are very expensive around €300 !!

Its a 1998 Mazda MX5, 75000 km's, €5500...

Thanks

they are pricey alright, might be a lot cheaper to ring a local mechanic and ask him to quote you on a price to do the inspection...

rockdrummer

Thanks for the replies guys,

Very pricey for what your getting, I saw those two companies aswell but €150 I dont think so... the other one bring the car to south dublin (the garage / car is located in Lusk !). Both not really feasible

Also the AA dont have fixed price, it depends on car. So have filled in online form and waiting to see but I would say expensive....

rockdrummer

Just rang AA - €400,with 10% discount if AA member WOW !!

WTF - take a car in for service and they check the same, plus change oil, filters etc and it would cost half or less than half price !!

What if the car is s**t, lost €400, if use service a few times could run into hefty bill !!

Anan1

Start off by going through the service invoices, they'll give you a good idea of the previous owners attitude to maintenance.

rockdrummer

Jap import !! no FSH or anything !

Anan1

rockdrummer wrote: »

Jap import !! no FSH or anything !

Hmmm. Maybe get on to the MX-5 owners club and see if they can recommend someone to examine the car for you. I'm not a big fan of Jap imports, but a/c in an MX-5 is surprisingly useful.

rockdrummer

I thought Jap imports were good - low mileage and driven on good roads....

Anan1

rockdrummer wrote: »

I thought Jap imports were good - low mileage and driven on good roads....

And harder to get parts for and clocked and looted on the boat..;) Seriously though, i'd treat it like any other car with no history - assume it to be clocked, have it thoroughly examined, and pay no more than a fair price for what it is.

rockdrummer

what do ya tink then?- 1998, 75,000 km, €5500, body in excellent condition, hood good, interior as wud expect but in good condition.

Anan1

rockdrummer wrote: »

what do ya tink then?- 1998, 75,000 km, €5500, body in excellent condition, hood good, interior as wud expect but in good condition.

I can't help you with values, but i'm sure some of the other posters here will. All I can say is that the MX-5 is a great car, but I think you really need an expert to check this one over before you buy. As I said before, i'd start with the MX-5 owners club. You'll probably find someone who knows these cars inside out to examine it for 1/3 of the price the AA would charge.

rockdrummer

OK, will do thanks

Anan1

Good luck in any case, get a good one and you'll love it.

rockdrummer

Thanks again

cpoh1

rockdrummer wrote: »

what do ya tink then?- 1998, 75,000 km, €5500, body in excellent condition, hood good, interior as wud expect but in good condition.

SB Motors in Lusk yeah? Bought an mx5 off them for a friends mother february 2007. The car itself was mint but they had three cars out there in a row when I called in and the clocks were all hanging out of the dash, draw your own conclusions! I asked for the auction sheet before I picked the one I was looking at up and after a bit of humming and hawing they let me have a look at it. Car was a grade 4 but had 30000km shaved off her. Mecahncially and bodywork she was excellent but she had mileage stripped from her.

They also took a decent cash offer a good 2k below what they had advertised (11k car at the time) so go there with an open mind and haggle!

Dont worry about parts, jap parts are just as easy to get as european ones, mazda and honda parts for japanese cars are made in europe. Took me 3 days to get an oxygen sensor for my dc5.

rockdrummer

hey cpoh1 thanks for that, very interesting.... Im trading in a 01 Laguna with 101000 miles on clock, so getting the car for 4000 plus Laguna (getting 1500 for Laguna, which I think is a bout right !). Will try for 3,500 then...

Sleepy

Ring a garage near the dealer and ask if they'll give it the once over for ya. Did this recently and was charged only €80.

rockdrummer

Sleepy - have just organised that !!

Henry Ford III

cpoh1 wrote: »

SB Motors in Lusk yeah? Bought an mx5 off them for a friends mother february 2007. The car itself was mint but they had three cars out there in a row when I called in and the clocks were all hanging out of the dash, draw your own conclusions! I asked for the auction sheet before I picked the one I was looking at up and after a bit of humming and hawing they let me have a look at it. Car was a grade 4 but had 30000km shaved off her. Mecahncially and bodywork she was excellent but she had mileage stripped from her.

Is that not ever so slightly illegal?

beggars_bush

What about the garage i was in two years ago...

I enquired about the mileage on a Toyota car (in a Toyota dealership!) and the saleman said it was: xxxxx miles but then added "but sure we can let it have any mileage you want"

I didn't stay round much longer

katiemaloe

Hey, Look on webcars.net The guy who owns this site is an MX5 genius... he has a section about tips for when you buy an MX5. I would totally recommend him. There might be a tip or two that could help you.

rockdrummer

Hey Katie thanks for that, will have a look