Need a mechainc to help check out a car before buying...

Zascar

My friend crashed her car and now needs to buy a new one. She's just buying something cheap (2k) - so most cars in her price range are fairly old with a fair bit of mileage on them. She want to make sure she does not buy a lemon so realistically she needs a mechanic to come check out any car that she is thinking of buying. I just don't have the time and my mechanical knowledge is very basic.

Can anyone recommend a person, company or service or something, so that when she picks the car she wants, she can get it checked over - or what is the best way to go about this?
Thanks

Zascar

Anyone?

Anan1

I can't recommend a mechanic, but two things she can do to greatly reduce the risk are to buy from a private seller who has had the car for a good while and who appears solvent and trustworthy, and to only look at cars that have a documented service history. If you call the mechanic who looked after the car for a chat, they'll generally be helpful in terms of giving you a feel for whether it's a good one. If you can give a general idea of what she's looking for then we can have a quick look through the main sites - with practise, it's possible to tell a lot from just reading the ad.:)

MidlandsM

Where is the car? etc

Zascar

Thanks. Have not found an exact one now but currently looking at a few. Best option right now seem to be a Ford Focus. Found one with a full dealer service history which looks good. Telling her to avoid any ones that have been done up by boy racers etc.

I think she's better to buy from a dealer than private just in case, what do you guys think?

colm_mcm

I wouldn't rule out a 2 grand car without service history. The model you choose will have a bearing on how good the car will be.

Zascar

Cheers. Any other suggestions of what makes/models are safe bets?

MidlandsM

Civic, Corolla,Focus, all worth looking into if she wants reliable no fuss motoring.

colm_mcm

As above really, Suzuki baleno and mazda 323/demio are often overlooked but are mega reliable. As they're not as popular as the focus, civic or corolla they should be that bit cheaper/newer.

I bought a xsara with 60k and full Citroën history. Clutch collapsed 2 months later.
Service history will only tell you so much.

MidlandsM

Yep, and hyundai's too, or kias, hard to bate them if you want a yoke to go forever, and are cheap to buy and live with.

colm_mcm

I wouldn't rate the accent post 00. There's a fair bit to go wrong with clutches, abs, electric windows, engine sensors etc. At this money the difference between a japanese and Korean car age wise isn't massive and the jap stuff still has quite an edge in my opinion

That said they're better than a lot of European stuff albeit without the finesse or style

argosy2006

2k car at a dealer will probably have been traded in coz its not worth repairing, no dealer will stand by a 2k car,
so easy by a 2k car with new test and new tyres to boot,
what type of car is needed
type
engine size
fuel type
3,4,5 door?
saloon estate?

Anan1

Zascar wrote: »

Thanks. Have not found an exact one now but currently looking at a few. Best option right now seem to be a Ford Focus. Found one with a full dealer service history which looks good. Telling her to avoid any ones that have been done up by boy racers etc.

I think she's better to buy from a dealer than private just in case, what do you guys think?

I'd avoid dealers - the kind of dealer who sells €2k cars is generally not someone you want to be dealing with if you don't know cars. Plus, when you buy from a dealer you don't get to meet the owner. Re the service history, always read through it yourself to make sure it's really complete and then call the dealers who stamped the book to make sure it's genuine. Here's one that jumped out at me - it's a 2.0 so tax is a bit high for a focus but it'll be a lot nicer than most to drive: http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201114201942227 . It's been advertised since April, so if the owner still has it (which wouldn't surprise me one bit) it should be buyable for €1300ish.

Anan1

colm_mcm wrote: »

I wouldn't rule out a 2 grand car without service history. The model you choose will have a bearing on how good the car will be.

Maybe not for me or you, but if I were advising a friend who didn't know much about cars i'd always recommend they bought from a private seller they trusted, who'd had the car a while, and who could demonstrate that it had been maintained.

MidlandsM

colm_mcm wrote: »

I wouldn't rate the accent post 00. There's a fair bit to go wrong with clutches, abs, electric windows, engine sensors etc.

some of this is erronious but still.........horses for courses etc.

colm_mcm

That's based on ones my mother and brother had, as well as seeing them come in when I was working in a Hyundai garage. Granted there are some good ones but theres better out there for 2 grand

MidlandsM

And my comment was an informed one too, having owned both kias and hyundai's and bought/sold them, all of which gave great service with no issues bar standard servicing.
Some are too quick to slate some marque's on a narrow view.

unkel

colm_mcm wrote: »

I bought a xsara with 60k and full Citroën history. Clutch collapsed 2 months later.

You shouldn't have fallen for the "one lady owner from new" :pac:

colm_mcm

Twas the release bearing that killed it, no telltale signs that it was about to calf!

colm_mcm

MidlandsM wrote: »

And my comment was an informed one too, having owned both kias and hyundai's and bought/sold them, all of which gave great service with no issues bar standard servicing.
Some are too quick to slate some marque's on a narrow view.

I've never said that KIAs or Hyundais are rubbish. I'd be quick enough to recommend a cee'd, Tucson, newer accent etc. 5 years ago I would have recommended a 01-ish accent to those looking at an alternative to a much higher mileage and older version of a class leader.

Now that all these cars are 10 years old, the price gap has narrowed, the cars themselves have gotten older, and peoples expectations have gone up.

MidlandsM

colm_mcm wrote: »

I've never said that KIAs or Hyundais are rubbish.

nor did i say you did? why are you so tetchy?