Recommendations on where to buy a used car?

sarahfancy

Hello again,

We are moving to Galway from Germany in mid-August and are bringing our one left-hand drive car with us. We will most likely be needing a second one pretty quickly though.

Initially we are looking for an older car that will get us from A to B. We have 4 kids, so it has to be at least a 5-seater. Any recommendations on where to go or where NOT to go to look for one? Any advantages to going to a dealer?

Thanks,
Sarah in Heidelberg

Dutchess

hi Sarah

I am looking for a car myself, small one though, 3 door hatchback 1.0l. So far I have been looking at www.donedeal.ie, www.carzone.ie, www.adverts.ie...

Those are just some websites. You can also check the Galway Advertiser (www.galwayadvertiser.ie) which comes out every Thursday.

Interceptor

You don't say what your budget is but if you are planning on buying a newer car then there are good deals to be had from dealers. Same as Germany, there are good ones and bad ones - when you start looking stick up more specific information. There are several good second hand selling sites (donedeal.ie buyandsell.ie and carzone.ie) Carzone is mostly a dealer portal, the others are mainly private sellers. Have a look and get a feel for asking prices.

'cptr

sarahfancy

Budget is low, somewhere under 3000. At some point we will buy something nicer, but with all the moving costs, that is the budget!

Thanks

browne_rob5

www.autodirect.ie is a website which has launched recently to sell second hand cars.

Anan1

I'd buy privately at that money, I think it's a lot safer.

biko

I suggest you wait until you get here. You can drive the old car around until you find a replacement. Then look around the dealers for good cars or look around on the sites suggested and then go to view.

Are you any good with cars? If not then either get a mechanic to look at it or buy a cheap crap car with recent NCT (National car test).

sarahfancy

My husband is an engineer and very good with cars, so that should be fine. We actually have to buy a second car so that we can both get to work, so it will have to happen fast.

Thanks for all your advice though!

sparkey1

has anybody ever bought a car from autodirect.ie and if so what are they loike to deal with ????