Buying a used car in Ireland guide

colm_mcm

I wouldn't bother with an Astra to be honest. My choices in that segment would be the Toyota Corolla, Kia Ceed or Hyundai i30. Finding the last two for €3k will be harder as they came out in 07, but they're a very good car, nippy engine, more modern safety features than the Corolla and all 3 have a timing chain on the engine. The Corolla is a good choice once you get one with a few extras. You'd probably be looking at 05-06 examples for a nice one.
All 3 will be more powerful than your golf while still being 1.4 litre.

€3k might also get you an 04 onward Toyota Prius 1.5 hybrid. These are a great car for commuting and are all well equipped. They're very economical too.

scamalert

NaiveMelodies wrote: »

Hi Folks,
I have about 3k to spend on a car. Used to drive a 1.4 golf so looking for something similar. I know very little about cars so I just want something reliable and stress free to keep me going for a few years. Short commute to work daily.
Came across this Astra this morning and it seem reasonable/decent value to me-https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/opel-astra-club-1-4i-16v-5dr/15261411

Any feedback on above or any advice on a particular model I should go for? Thanks in advance.

Kia,Mazda2-3,civic.If you want reliable better go with likes of jap/asian granted with that budget youll be hard pressed to get 08 thou.hardest part is to find decent model and that it would be serviced, since recently got car myself and thou paid 2k,but spent nearly 1k on servicing,since past 100k miles your looking at changing belts-if chain no need,timing belt needs to be done, oil service ,new tires, balancing/alignment,brake pads just few minor ones of top of the head, since while you can get nctd car and all at that price but in many cases if its 8-10 yrs old your looking at many parts that will be on the way out so reserve some cash if possible for needed servicing/fixes if you intend to keep it for few more years.

bazz26

NaiveMelodies wrote: »

Hi Folks,
I have about 3k to spend on a car. Used to drive a 1.4 golf so looking for something similar. I know very little about cars so I just want something reliable and stress free to keep me going for a few years. Short commute to work daily.
Came across this Astra this morning and it seem reasonable/decent value to me-https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/opel-astra-club-1-4i-16v-5dr/15261411

Any feedback on above or any advice on a particular model I should go for? Thanks in advance.

I'd be looking at something like this if you want hassle free and reliable motoring:



https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-corolla-nct-tax-low-km/16274861

NaiveMelodies

Thanks folks for the extremely quick advice! Appreciate it.

Like the look of this- https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/2008-hyundai-i30-deluxe-1-4-petrol-5dr-nct-09-18/16069783

and above Corolla.

Will make enquries!

colm_mcm

The i30 above would be a much nicer drive than the newer type Corolla. It'll also have stuff like air conditioning and iPod/USB input. Corolla is a good car, but it's a heavy car for the engine, and the driving position isn't great. I had a good few of them as company cars back in the day. The one linked is the middle spec Strata model which gets alloys and fogs over the base trim.
Parts for the Hyundai are a bit dearer than Toyota and harder to get second hand.

Conchy

Just looking at getting a car after not driving for a year. I need a smallish car because I have only been a named driver before. I can get a 07 1.2 opel corsa for 2200 (seems a good deal to me) from a friend of the familys. Has roughly 160,000 km on it and NCT till August next year. Do people think this is a good deal or is it too expensive or too much mileage?

Also what sort of questions should I ask when I go to look at it? From my limited knowledge of cars they seem have a problem with a head gasket, Should I ask when that was last replaced.

bazz26

There are certainly better small cars out there than those Corsas, if the budget is low then I'd prefer to drop back a year or two for a Yaris or Fiesta.

Reesy

EDIT: Fixed the broken links

Hi guys,

Thanks for this guide, really useful. I used it when I changed my car a few months ago. Now time to give something back.

My company's created a data visualisation dashboard (that's a report that you can adjust yourself to dig into the data) of 2016's NCT test results. You can use it to see which makes & models of car (and of what age) failed the NCT most, and what category they failed on (i.e. what to look out for). I thought it would be a useful addition to the guide.

The dashboard: https://public.tableau.com/profile/idiro.analytics#!/vizhome/NCT2016Top20MakesResults/NCT2016-20MostPopularMakes

Instructions on how to use it: http://idiro.com/2017/08/idiro-analysis-2016-nct-results-helps-car-buyers-choose-wisely/

It's covered in last Sunday's Indo: http://www.independent.ie/life/motoring/car-reviews/put-your-car-to-the-test-36049372.html

acronym Chilli

Sounds great, but neither of the links work for me

Reesy wrote: »

Hi guys,

Thanks for this guide, really useful. I used it when I changed my car a few months ago. Now time to give something back.

My company's created a data visualisation dashboard (that's a report that you can adjust yourself to dig into the data) of 2016's NCT test results. You can use it to see which makes & models of car (and of what age) failed the NCT most, and what category they failed on (i.e. what to look out for). I thought it would be a useful addition to the guide.

The dashboard: https://public.tableau.com/profile/i...stPopularMakes

Instructions on how to use it: http://idiro.com/2017/08/idiro-analy...choose-wisely/

It's covered in last Sunday's Indo: http://www.independent.ie/life/motor...-36049372.html

Reesy

acronym Chilli wrote: »

Sounds great, but neither of the links work for me

Sorry, fixed now.

The dashboard: https://public.tableau.com/profile/idiro.analytics#!/vizhome/NCT2016Top20MakesResults/NCT2016-20MostPopularMakes

Instructions on how to use it: http://idiro.com/2017/08/idiro-analysis-2016-nct-results-helps-car-buyers-choose-wisely/

It's covered in last Sunday's Indo: http://www.independent.ie/life/motoring/car-reviews/put-your-car-to-the-test-36049372.html

mini5476

I have just returned from a few years abroad and am kind of out of the loop as to whats the go to good/cheap car at the moment. I need to pick something up pretty fast and my budget is about 1500.

Any thoughts on this?

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/02-toyota-corolla-1-4-new-nct/16315347

or

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/ford-focus-new-nct-amp-tax-price-drop/16096640

Esel

mini5476 wrote: »

I have just returned from a few years abroad and am kind of out of the loop as to whats the go to good/cheap car at the moment. I need to pick something up pretty fast and my budget is about 1500.

Any thoughts on this?

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/02-toyota-corolla-1-4-new-nct/16315347

or

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/ford-focus-new-nct-amp-tax-price-drop/16096640

Two 02 cars. Get quotes for insurance before buying anything. Many insurers are not quoting new business on cars over 15 or even 10 years old.

Have a look at the Bangernomics thread and seek opinions / recommendations there.

Lord TSC

Hey lads,

Clutch just went on the 15 year old car the family has been using for a while. Worried that at the price, a smarter investment would be to buy a new car rather than spending the cash fixing the old one, only for it to break again in six months.

What should I be looking at with a burdget of 7k ish? It's mostly used to drive in and out of town every day. Would like something spacey enough; it regularly sits three adults going up and down to Dublin and we use it enough that we don't want compact, so to speak. But I've zero clue how far our money would go in that regard. What should I be expecting or looking for at that price? Thanks

colm_mcm

What car have ye got now?

Lord TSC

colm_mcm wrote: »

What car have ye got now?

A Toyota Avensis.

colm_mcm

That would be the old shape 1996-2003 shape then? Petrol or diesel?

Lord TSC

colm_mcm wrote: »

That would be the old shape 1996-2003 shape then? Petrol or diesel?

It's 2005 plate on it (I miscounted. 12 years, not 15). Petrol. Wiki says it was the 2003-2009 model.

colm_mcm

I'd still get the clutch done, should be under €500. It's worth feck all with the clutch gone.


For a replacement car, does it have to be at least as big as your current car?

Lord TSC

colm_mcm wrote: »

I'd still get the clutch done, should be under €500. It's worth feck all with the clutch gone.


For a replacement car, does it have to be at least as big as your current car?

Jaysus, the garage is quoting the damage could cost me €1400

Doesn't have to be as big. I'm not the type that needs the big flashy car

colm_mcm

Honda Civic 1.8 saloon might be worth a look. Tax is a bit more than your own but they're very reliable and economical.

Mr Moon

Anyone know a good car inspection crowd to use before buying?

Manutd623

Hi all,

I'm buying a car next week and am just wondering the best/easiest way to pay for the car? I will be buying through a local garage.

Is bank draft the best form of payment?

Thanks in advance.

grogi

Manutd623 wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm buying a car next week and am just wondering the best/easiest way to pay for the car? I will be buying through a local garage.

Is bank draft the best form of payment?

Thanks in advance.

For you it definitely is the best. You don't carry cash, the transaction leaves paper trail. Dealer should not have issues accepting it as well.

Dashticle

Mr Moon wrote: »

Anyone know a good car inspection crowd to use before buying?

Interested as well if there are any suggestions or recommendations please.

Know feck all about cars

beccaam94

Hi,

I was hoping someone might be able to help me.. I'm on the verge of buying a 2012 Mini Cooper 1.6D for 8K with 123,000 km through a garage. I did the cartell.ie check, and the car was imported from the UK in 2012. The Irish side of the report says that the car was manufactured in 2012, but the UK side of the report says that the car was manufactured in 2011.

Can someone help shed some light on this?! Thanks in advance

Also, I think the car is still registered to the person who traded/sold it to the garage instead of the garage itself. Why would that be? Is that cause for concern?

grogi

beccaam94 wrote: »

I was hoping someone might be able to help me.. I'm on the verge of buying a 2012 Mini Cooper 1.6D for 8K with 123,000 km through a garage. I did the cartell.ie check, and the car was imported from the UK in 2012. The Irish side of the report says that the car was manufactured in 2012, but the UK side of the report says that the car was manufactured in 2011.

Can someone help shed some light on this?! Thanks in advance

In vast majority of cases, the car is manufactured in the previous year from what is shown in the Irish number plate.

Irish plates are based on year of first registration.

Also, I think the car is still registered to the person who traded/sold it to the garage instead of the garage itself. Why would that be? Is that cause for concern?

Yes.

The car should have been transferred to the dealer. Any self-respecting dealer will not have any issue doing so.

beccaam94

Hi Grogi,

Thanks for your help! From the cartell check the car had one owner from 2012 until December 2016, where they traded/sold it to a garage, and was then bought privately in March 2017. The garage told me they only have this car for a few weeks, but that's still after giving them plenty of time to change ownership. So I'm not sure why they didn't do it... You have any insight into why they might not?

I haven't seen the log book yet, but I'm assuming it's going to have the old owners name on it judging by the cartell report.

I'm not very knowledgeable about cars, and this is the first 'nice' car I'll be buying so I really don't want to be taken for a ride. (Pun intended )

DOSLUFC 92

All help is much appreciated. Im currently on the look out for my first car but to tbh I havent a clue about cars which means I'm a bit nervous when it will come to parting with cash in case I buy a dud which will cost me more fixing it than what it is worth. What I want to know is what should I look out for when purchasing a second hand car and what should I expect to get if my budget is 2,500 to 3,000.
Thanks again.

colm_mcm

At this level I would very much think that you need to pick the right model to begin with. I would buy privately from the owner rather than from a small time dealer selling cars from their house.
Insurance will be a factor so don’t go too old.
Bringing a mechanic with you to check the car out will eat into your budget but would be worthwhile. I would involve the mechanic once you’ve gone to see the car and like it, bringing him to every potential car wouldn’t be that cost effective.

I would look for something like a 1.0 Daihatsu Sirion / Subaru Justy as they are a very underrated car, are reliable and you should get a pretty modern one within budget. The Yaris would normally be my suggestion, but they’re making strong enough money and insurance isn’t kind to older cars these days.

DOSLUFC 92

Thanks for the swift reply. I've been lookin at 07 vw polo 1.2 with 161,000 kms with a dealer for 3,000 but when I first enquired it was 3500. When I first had a look it I noticed a few scratches and W&T which is the norm however I did notice a little condensation in the left rear indicator light and when I further inspected there was a little crack. I said this to the salesman and kinda fobbed me sayin that he'll knock 200 off the asking price. Do you think this is a good car for the price or should I look else where. Thanks again for the reply it's much appreciated