Dublin to Sligo to buy-go or no?

cormie

Some of you may have seen a thread or two of mine looking for an astra estate, I've found a decent enough sounding one but unfortunately it's all the way down in Sligo. The seller sounds legit and has told me a lot about the car. All sounds good. It's got high mileage, 170K+ miles but has a service history to boot.

Just one thing I'm curious about, my Astra van has 175/70/R14 tyres but this estate 2001 Estate has 185/65/R15

Why would they be different and what could it mean if 175/70/R14 are MEANT to be on the estate, but they've been changed to the R15's? Would this affect the odometer, the MPG I get or anything else?

Also, does anyone know off hand, the easiest way to get from Dun Laoghaire to Sligo? If anyone is heading from Dublin tomorrow I'll throw a few quid for fuel if I can hop in

Passenger car so no bother with the 15s, left the factory like that I'd imagine. Dublin to Sligo may not be too bad now depending on what part of Sligo you are going to, Sligo is a big county, bits of it are close (ish) to Galway. 170k miles :eek: I wouldn't, you'll find another one in a few weeks no doubt.

crosstownk

cormie wrote: »

Also, does anyone know off hand, the easiest way to get from Dun Laoghaire to Sligo? D

DART to Connolly Station then train to Sligo.

I'll be heading that way the week after next but that's probably too late for you.

User Friendly

fLY aer arann there was a deal going on the Bargains thread,Basquille((mod) got a flght,dubin to sligo,17 quid! check it out;)

cormie

RoverJames wrote: »

Passenger car so no bother with the 15s, left the factory like that I'd imagine. Dublin to Sligo may not be too bad now depending on what part of Sligo you are going to, Sligo is a big county, bits of it are close (ish) to Galway. 170k miles :eek: I wouldn't, you'll find another one in a few weeks no doubt.

They are very hard to find, been looking for weeks, to be honest, it's not going to get much use anyway I don't think and if it has a FSH that could be much better than buying one with 70K without?

It's just off the N4 I think on the way to Sligo town

That's great about the 15's anyway!

Thanks for the offer cross, but I'll probably need to get this tomorrow! Can't get a price on the Irishrail site for that for some reason.

17 quid on a flight isn't bad, must check it out

galwaytt

cormie wrote: »

...... I've found a decent enough sounding one but unfortunately it's all the way down in Sligo. .......

for balance, we need the seller to come on here and say something like 'found a buyer, but he's all the way from Dublin - should I trust him, or sell to to local guy for xxx ?'

I mean, really. .........edited due to 'skim reading' (tks RoverJames heh heh.).......btw, Sligo, is only 126 miles.

Secondly, we have people going to Newry to save €5 on a packet of Pampers, but are bothered about 100's, or 1000's, on a trip up the road ?

Thirdly. It's a secondhand, old, high mileage car (which is great, btw - it's exactly what you wanted, after all........). Those types of cars are not, and never will be, available on your local forecourt. You will have to go where they are. What next, you want to pick the colour as well ?

Fourthly. We have posters on here going further, for worse: UK.

I completely fail to see the issue, tbh.......

galwaytt

galwaytt wrote: »

I mean, really. It's nowhere near 170 miles. Drumcondra to Collooney, Sligo, is only 126 miles.

....

Skim reading fail, the car has 170K miles on it

Anan1

I'd make the trip if, and only if, I knew beyond reasonable doubt that it was a good one.

cormie

cormie wrote: »

if it has a FSH that could be much better than buying one with 70K without?

Don't buy into the boards.ie euphoria about service history, a fresh 70K mile car without one is a far better option that a verified by service history 170K miler.

Also if it will get little use why is the option restricted to an Astra. Focus, Corolla etc not do you ?

galwaytt

RoverJames wrote: »

Skim reading fail, the car has 170K miles on it

Ooops Good spot


'skim reading' ? cool - another phrase for the lexicon, that

dunsandin

Missus drives an Astra estate, 1.4 with 170k on the clock and it is as solid as a rock, a very hard wearing car - it hides it miles well. Dub -sligo is a good stretch, back should be no prob, but there by Pub.transport is leggy. Could you maybe ask a mate to give you a lift down? At least then if the car was no good, you would have an out?

galwaytt

galwaytt wrote: »

'skim reading' ? cool - another phrase for the lexicon, that

I'll add lexicon to my lexicon

Kristopherus

Cormie, I thought you were a van man! Anyway Dublin to Sligo oneway is €48:eek:

pcardin

Anan1 wrote: »

I'd make the trip if, and only if, I knew beyond reasonable doubt that it was a good one.

Back in 2006 people from Blanchardstown wouldn't take a job in Sandyford because it's soooo far away and involves traveling. Seems that you still have that kind of habit.
Seriously, Ireland is not Russia where travel from Dublin to Sligo would take a week and crossing 10 different time zones. :eek:

peasant

Our cormie ...

He'd happily drive pianos cross continent but is afraid of driving to Connacht

Seriously though ...170k miles?
Watcha thinking of paying for this? Coupla hundred? Hardly worth the expense of driving up and down (and possibly up and down again)

cormie

Thanks for the replies folks

Ah I've driven to Sligo a number of times, just never got there by public transport

Peasant, it's €1,250 I'll be paying for it. Looking at other Astras of the same model, miles and years, it's a pretty good deal.

Kristopherus, don't worry, I'm still a van man Where did you see Dublin-Sligo is 48eur? I got a price, the 11:05 train to sligo is €10 for adult? Not sure if that's right though, irish rail website isn't the most intuitive.

The reason I want an Astra estate is because I've already got the Astra van and I just want to keep some unity. Just makes it easier in the long run with buying parts etc and I'm quite happy with the astra too

I guess the mileage is the only thing about it that's off putting, everything else seems fine and from comparing prices it doesn't seem so bad, if it was just around the corner, I'd have probably bought it by now

Edit:
Ticket Web Price
Adult € 10.00
Child € 5.00
Railcard/Taxsaver Loyalty € 24.00
Student € 22.50
Reserve Seat € 3.00
Some fares may only be available from the website.
A transaction and credit card fee may be applicable to online bookings.

Adult ticket is €10 and student is €22.50? Something not right there!

high horse

Is the car you're looking at a white '01?
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1626467


Why not look at this one, its a bit closer to you
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1599892

Del2005

cormie wrote: »

The reason I want an Astra estate is because I've already got the Astra van and I just want to keep some unity. Just makes it easier in the long run with buying parts etc

You want to change your motor factor. Any I've been to stock spare parts for nearly all cars. I've yet to meet a mechanic would could only service one type of car.

cormie

Thanks again for the replies. Ah it's not about my motor factor I'd just prefer not to have to re-learn a new vehicle, I've a few threads so far on my astra van, all with valuable info I can look back on any time and if I get another Astra I can just cross ref with that same info Plus the unity for signwriting etc is important to me.

That's the one alright high-horse, for the same reasons as above, I want to stick with a white one though. This is pretty much the only one on the market at the moment, there's one other but it's done up to the nines and looks like a boy racer car so wouldn't feel to comfortable getting that as it could have been driven to bits, more so than the 170K one, plus it's also 2Keur, for a 98. This is how rare they are unfortunately and the only cons on the one is Sligo is distance from me and distance again with the high mileage.

cormie

Also, what's the story with motorcheck.ie versus mywheels.ie. Seems a full report on motorcheck is €35 versus €7 on mywheels.ie?

unkel

We've known it for a long time. You're a looper, Cormie, making life unnecessarily hard on yourself

Spend a day travelling (at expense) to buy a high mileage car with a very short test? A car that isn't even a bargain? See the bangernomics threat for sweet cars for about a grand, many have low mileage, a long test and are in the Dublin area...

cormie

Haha, ah come on, I've been keeping an eye for a white astra estate for about 4 weeks on every Irish website on a daily basis and this seems to fit the bill

I can get a ticket to Sligo for €10 anyway if I book online which is pretty good. Then I only have to pay for the fuel back and can do some work on the train down anyway have to decide soon though!

So does anyone know is the mywheels check for €7 just as good as the motorcheck one for €35 I wonder?

cormie

Ok, just bit the bullet for €7 and got a history check, all is good, given the green light there have to wait a working day for a finance check but on a 9yr old car, I don't think I'll have much to worry about, 3 owners too.

Think I'll just go for it anyway! Have 15 minutes to get my train ticket for €10 as opposed to €46 at the station, you can only book 90 minutes in advance online

unkel

cormie wrote: »

Haha, ah come on, I've been keeping an eye for a white astra estate for about 4 weeks on every Irish website on a daily basis and this seems to fit the bill

Yeah but you are limiting yourself severely only looking for a white astra estate. At least try and find one with the old diesel lump if you have to buy a high miler. 170k miles on the 1.4 petrol (on a workhorse white van / estate) is pushing it completely already, even with a perfect service history. Don't expect too much about the life left in that engine

unkel

Ah well, I give up. Good luck with buying it and well wear

cormie

Haha, I know I'm limiting myself quite a lot here and I know there's probably better motors out there for the price, but in terms of branding and keeping things simple (in my own way, hehe) I think this is the best option

Let's just hope I'm not posting back soon with XY and Z problems

cormie

I apologise in advance for what may come of this and any threads which may follow. Train booked, sorry :P

Anan1

pcardin wrote: »

Back in 2006 people from Blanchardstown wouldn't take a job in Sandyford because it's soooo far away and involves traveling. Seems that you still have that kind of habit.

You're actually dead right, I wouldn't! That kind of wasted effort every day would kill me, it's two full hours of potential productivity/sleep/farting around gone.

Anan1

cormie wrote: »

I apologise in advance for what may come of this and any threads which may follow. Train booked, sorry :P

Good luck with it anyway, we hope we're wrong.:D

unkel

cormie wrote: »

Let's just hope I'm not posting back soon with XY and Z problems

With a bit of luck you'll make it from Sligo to maybe Longford

cormie

I made it

Car seems fine, worst thing about it is a very sensitive clutch/accelerator, conked out twice already

Glad to say the steering wheel cover wasn't hiding anything underneath, haven't taken off the leather covers yet but if I see anything, it may be due to a dog as there's a load of dog hairs in the boot. Exhaust is a bit rusty but only at the exit pipe and it's only the outer layer and should last another bit.

Timing belt is down as being changed at 150K and next at 181, it's at 171 now.

Paid 1,250 in the end, 2.90 toll, 15eur dart and train (which I almost missed!), 7eur history check and I'd say maybe 20eur in fuel if even. I did spend 7 or so hours with the journey but if you take into consideration that I don't have to visit donedeal etc several times a day anymore until what is a rare car comes up, I don't have to start any more threads on should I or shouldn't I buy and don't have to spend any more time going to view cars I think it's worth it. Also have to spend very little time in photoshop aligning signwriting since it's pretty much going to be exactly the same as the van.

Thanks for all the help and hopefully I won't need much more on this one

Sweet Je*** :pac:
I presumed 'twas a diesel you were getting. Anyway, fingers crossed she does the job for you, these cars are good at snapping timing belts so do get it done on schedule.

Basq

User Friendly wrote: »

fLY aer arann there was a deal going on the Bargains thread,Basquille((mod) got a flght,dubin to sligo,17 quid! check it out;)

That ended last Sunday unfortunately.

Best bet is probably a cheap train ticket.

unkel

Well wear

cormie

Thanks

Travel worked out fine, even the lady in the dart station was surprised at how cheap the Connolly to Sligo leg was, €10 (+ €2 laser fee), it would have been €46 if I bought it there as opposed to booking online. Dart station is also only a 4 minute walk from my front door and the chap picked me up from the train station down there so worked out well

Yeah went for the petrol in the end. It's not as nippy as the 1.7DTI but it's fine really.

dunsandin

Cormie, mine was €450, and i thought that was dear. Anyway, its still buttons, and they are a good, solid bus, best of luck with your new white warrior. Change that belt, and do the oil pump while you're at it. micksgarage.ie are good for bits.

cormie

€450? Not bad! How about we split the difference so to make it fair? :P

It's going on it's first mission tomorrow so hopefully all goes well!

Esel

*Awaits thread on winter tyres....