Used car prices in new year

Furious_George

Hi,

Is there is any benefit to waiting for the new year to buy a used car from a dealer. Im currently interested in a 04 from a local dealer with under 80,000 miles. The price quoted on the website is 3,500. Would I have better bargaining power in January, if the car is still there, to try and get the price to 3,000 or below. After all as of January 2013 it is a 9 year old car.

It might be a stupid question but I really am not in the know and this will be my first car.

Thanks

Stheno

Furious_George wrote: »

Hi,

Is there is any benefit to waiting for the new year to buy a used car from a dealer. Im currently interested in a 04 from a local dealer with under 80,000 miles. The price quoted on the website is 3,500. Would I have better bargaining power in January, if the car is still there, to try and get the price to 3,000 or below. After all as of January 2013 it is a 9 year old car.

It might be a stupid question but I really am not in the know and this will be my first car.

Thanks

There was a bit of chat about this on here recently and the consensus seemed to be that you'll not save a huge amount.

After all in January, it's just a month or six weeks older than it is now

Also dealers at this time of the year might be looking to clear older stock to make way for newer cars in the new year.

Just my opinion though, I'm sure others will have more advice to offer

Throw up a link to the car and you'll get a bit of feedback from people too?

RandomAccess

Christmas is an expensive time of year, he might be looking to free up some cash to get him over it. Can't see a great reason to wait really.

Furious_George

Stheno wrote: »

Throw up a link to the car and you'll get a bit of feedback from people too?

Thanks a million for your reply, its almost what I was hoping to hear because I really want to try get it before christmas but I think 3500 is a bit much. People have been telling me to wait until the new year as price may drop and more choice due to people upgrading.


typing on phone so cant paste link.

It a 04 1.3 petrol Hyundai Accent GLS with 78k miles as far as I recall, all the usuals; ABS, passenger airbag, central locking etc.

Stheno

Furious_George wrote: »

It a 04 1.3 petrol Hyundai Accent GLS with 78k miles as far as I recall, all the usuals; ABS, passenger airbag, central locking etc.

I'd consider that overpriced a little bit to be honest.

Pj!

Dealers have a lot of money coming in in January. And not a lot in November/December. So they may be more willing to do a deal on a low budget car in these quieter months. Get a few euros through the books.

Or so I've heard. Makes sense.

Idbatterim

Op have you checked the comparables? Its not worth more than high two's & even at that I wouldnt pay it!

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Hyundai/Accent/5DR-GLS-/32013523918760300/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Hyundai/Accent/5DR-GLS/29213464426676280/advert?channel=CARS


http://www.carzone.ie/search/Hyundai/Accent/5DR-GLS/31713504841426170/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Hyundai/Accent/5DR-GLS/31513534222525340/advert?channel=CARS

why are you going for the hyundai accent?

crazyFeet

very bad choice, especially considering the price...
buying private before Xmas is a way better idea, most of folks be delighted to sell before the Xmas shopping etc
this is just an example, there is so much out there for your budged, make sure you have some1 with you when buying
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4212137

colm_mcm

I'd look at this if I were you

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Toyota/Corolla/COROLLA1/201247211064166/advert?channel=CARS

Or this if its still for sale

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Toyota/Corolla/COROLLA1/201236209947735/advert?channel=CARS

Tragedy

Op, I sold a similarly specced 2004 Kia Rio 1.3 with around 20-30,000 more miles for €1,500 less than that.

Three years ago.

And people weren't knocking down my door.

(Dad had this model Accent before the Rio, it was only marginally different)

Elvis_Presley

My mum drives an 03 Accent - it is the worst piece of crap I have ever driven. Don't by it, you will regret it. For that money there is so much more out there.

Furious_George

Thanks a million for the advice all. Based on the comments I have responded to below I might consider expanding my search outside Galway. Here is the car
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Hyundai/Accent/gls-4DR-/30213468371154240/advert?channel=CARS

Idbatterim wrote: »

Op have you checked the comparables? Its not worth more than high two's & even at that I wouldnt pay it!

why are you going for the hyundai accent?

I looked at the comparables but only in Galway where I am based. My main criteria is reliability. Also it will be used in the city mostly so a large diesel engine would not be needed. I cant afford to be pumping money into a car constantly as my wages aren't that high. My ideal picks based on my research were Corolla, Golf, Polo, Accent, Accord, Octavia, Fabia, Astra,Vectra due to reliability records. I had initially included almeras into the mix but I would be terrified the timing chain would stretch and I wouldn't be able to afford to replace it. I ended up looking at this Accent because I have been unable to find low milage corollas or volkswagens in my price range in Galway dealers. I knew it was overpriced but thought that if could get it below €3,000 it would be ok. Based on other posts, maybe it would be worth considering looking further afield.

crazyFeet wrote: »

buying private before Xmas is a way better idea, most of folks be delighted to sell before the Xmas shopping etc

I was initially looking private but my gfs father told me not to buy private unless you know the seller in advance because you could end up buying a crashed car or one driven around everywhere in second gear by some young one/lad who doesnt know how to drive. I decided to only look SIMI dealer because I believed their hype. I was searching the motors forums here last night and read a thread about the value of a SIMI badge on a dealer :mad:. So it seems its a lottery either way

Elvis_Presley wrote: »

My mum drives an 03 Accent - it is the worst piece of crap I have ever driven. Don't by it, you will regret it. For that money there is so much more out there.

Thanks for the advice, is the car just lacking power or is it constantly breaking down?

Stheno

Furious_George wrote: »

Thanks a million for the advice all. Based on the comments I have responded to below I might consider expanding my search outside Galway. Here is the car


I looked at the comparables but only in Galway where I am based. My main criteria is reliability. Also it will be used in the city mostly so a large diesel engine would not be needed. I cant afford to be pumping money into a car constantly as my wages aren't that high. My ideal picks based on my research were Corolla, Golf, Polo, Accent, Accord, Octavia, Fabia, Astra,Vectra due to reliability records. I had initially included almeras into the mix but I would be terrified the timing chain would stretch and I wouldn't be able to afford to replace it. I ended up looking at this Accent because I have been unable to find low milage corollas or volkswagens in my price range in Galway dealers. I knew it was overpriced but thought that if could get it below €3,000 it would be ok. Based on other posts, maybe it would be worth considering looking further afield.



I was initially looking private but my gfs father told me not to buy private unless you know the seller in advance because you could end up buying a crashed car or one driven around everywhere in second gear by some young one/lad who doesnt know how to drive. I decided to only look SIMI dealer because I believed their hype. I was searching the motors forums here last night and read a thread about the value of a SIMI badge on a dealer :mad:. So it seems its a lottery either way



Thanks for the advice, is the car just lacking power or is it constantly breaking down?

There doesn't seem to be any mention of an NCT on that ad at all either?

I'd a friend with one of those, the interior was poor, and the car itself just wasn't very nice to drive. I also seem to recall that their NCAAP rating was not great.

The two Corollas Colm posted up look to be great alternatives and with the money you'd save you could have a weekend in Dublin

At that year and budget, you really are for the most part looking at non main dealers when it comes to dealers selling cars and it's as much a lottery dealing with them as it is with private sellers. If you don't know that much about cars, as a start read the the guide on buying a used car here, and if you find a car feel free

Alanstrainor

Buying cars in your price range from a dealer doesn't offer any benefit imo. There's just as much chance the car has been driven around in 2nd gear by some clueless chump as a private sale. At least in a private sale you get to meet the driver, and suss them out yourself.

The warranty you'll get on a car of that age will be minimal.

So long as you bring someone along with you, who knows even the slightest bit about cars you should be grand. It'd be worth getting a mechanic to take a look at anything you think you want to buy also.

rocky

Arch Motors was caught clocking cars...

http://corporate.nca.ie/eng/Media_Zone/news-archive/news-2008-2/Galway_company_clocking_undertaking.html

FrontDoor

Furious_George wrote: »

My ideal picks based on my research were Corolla, Golf, Polo, Accent, Accord, Octavia, Fabia, Astra,Vectra due to reliability records. I had initially included almeras into the mix but I would be terrified the timing chain would stretch and I wouldn't be able to afford to replace it.

To be honest, I'd include Nissan's in the search. Almeras are a grand car, but dull as ditchwater. As a result they are cheap as chips. This chain thing isn't a big deal and most of these cars won't need it replaced at all. There are thousands of them on the road.

I'd probably steer clear of larger cars if mainly city driving, but on the other hand, you can get some of these really cheap.

Go private and take your time. Look on donedeal and size up the house the pictures are taken at as much as the car.

The market values cars differently and cars like Nissans depreciate hugely, but are relatively reliable. On the other hand, a 2nd hand Golf could cost a lot relatively speaking and not be any more reliable.

pred racer

colm_mcm wrote: »

I'd look at this if I were you

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Toyota/Corolla/COROLLA1/201247211064166/advert?channel=CARS

Or this if its still for sale

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Toyota/Corolla/COROLLA1/201236209947735/advert?channel=CARS

Buy something like these,
Stay away from that model accent, absolute heap!

Furious_George

Ok thanks a million guys, I'm really learning a lot here. I had read the buying used car thread previously but then after the advice of others regarding buying from dealers I forgot about it as I thought dealers would be a safe bet. Thanks rocky for letting me know about ARCH, if they have been unscrupulous in the past then I have no doubt they would have no problem selling me a crock of **** for twice what its worth.

I am going to take your advice and take my time, consider private sales, and in the mean time put the feelers out and get people i trust to keep an eye out for something.

FrontDoor wrote: »

To be honest, I'd include Nissan's in the search. Almeras are a grand car, but dull as ditchwater. As a result they are cheap as chips. This chain thing isn't a big deal and most of these cars won't need it replaced at all. There are thousands of them on the road.

I have been reading a lot of threads on other motoring sites and some on boards also and people seem to claim this is a pretty big problem with Almeras. Of course the people who take the time to post are the ones who have experienced the issue but I just got the impression that it would be wise to avoid them. I have read posts from people saying that the timing chain stretched on a number of Almeras belonging to friends/relatives of theirs and even after replacing the problem reoccurred after 20k miles. Is the problem as big as its made out to be?

Del2005

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Buying cars in your price range from a dealer doesn't offer any benefit imo. There's just as much chance the car has been driven around in 2nd gear by some clueless chump as a private sale. At least in a private sale you get to meet the driver, and suss them out yourself.

The warranty you'll get on a car of that age will be minimal.

So long as you bring someone along with you, who knows even the slightest bit about cars you should be grand. It'd be worth getting a mechanic to take a look at anything you think you want to buy also.

You have a lot more protection buying off a dealer, at any price, than private.

If you buy private you technically have protection if the car you bought is dangerous, but getting it enforced is the problem. But every other defect is up to the buyer to find before thesSale. Buying private there is no requirement to volunteer information, but they can't lie if asked a question.

When buying from a dealer you are protected by the Sale of Goods act(SOGA) , which means that they have to tell you if it's been crashed. The car also has to be of merchantable quality. The dealer can tell you that there's no warranty, but a warranty is in addition to your consumer rights so the SOGA covers you for defects that a warranty usually covers and then some. The only way a dealer can get out of a defect is if it's pointed out prior to sale. Sold as seen or trade sale on the receipt doesn't affect your rights if a consumer buys from a dealer.

It doesn't matter if you buy private or from a dealer you need to get someone who knows cars to throughly check it over.