Thoughts on this car or recommend another?

SmokeyEyes

Hi there,

We're looking into getting a bigger car (we're hoping to start family in next year or so) and out budget is max €5,000. We spotted this car tonight and it looks great and seems like a very good price but it has very high mileage so we're not sure if this should be a big red flag!

What are people's thoughts on this?
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Volkswagen/Passat/1.6-FSI-/33213622243901160/advert?channel=CARS

Would anyone recommend any other specific models we should be looking at?

Bigus

Looks like a bit of value alright , see what service history comes with it, it's only one owner so I wouldn't be put off by the high miles subject to inspection.
It's also at least a 1.6 but check the reg cert for actual cc in case it's a 1.8

colm_mcm

All I can see from that service book is that is went 2 years and 34000km between a service.

I wouldn't buy an early Passat and I wouldn't buy anything from that part of town. That's just me though.

Reg number looks original Irish car.

Also cartell lists it as a 1.6 Comfortline.

Bigus

Bigus wrote: »

...........check the reg cert for actual cc in case it's a 1.8

SmokeyEyes

Thanks for the replies we'd ideally like to go have a look at it this week!

So people's wouldn't be too concerned on the high mileage?

And what are people's general views on the Passat?

bazz26

It would be interesting to know what sort of warranty that garage is offering given the asking price and mileage.

€5k for this higher spec one too but with 40k miles less on it:

http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Volkswagen/Passat/1.6-FSI/201246210990091/

So it would be interesting to see which is the better buy, a private sale with 100k miles or a garage with 140k miles and min warranty cover.

Or a slightly more expensive one here:
http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Volkswagen/Passat/PASSAT-1.6/201305212250654/

Now, I have no problem buying high mileage cars but €5k seems alot to me to spend on one, I'd be spending a fraction of that on one where if you get stuck with a big repair bill you can cut your loses and get rid of it. Spending €5k doesn't allow you to do that.

colm_mcm

colm_mcm wrote: »

All I can see from that service book is that is went 2 years and 34000km between a service. ..........

I reckon it's a year ish, Dec 08 to Dec 09 so not too bad

SmokeyEyes wrote: »

...........

So people's wouldn't be too concerned on the high mileage?

And what are people's general views on the Passat?

It's a fair lash of miles.

Idbatterim

how long do you plan on keeping the car for op?

The Big Lebowsky

141 thousand miles is quite a lot for a petrol car....What is the car going to be used for...ie stop-start city driving...Or longer runs?
VW passat is a good solid car..but the diesel is really the one to go for.

shooter88

Over priced and comming into the high maintenance mileage for a petrol..why nit com up to a 1.8 or 2.0 diesel mpg will be a big difference..1.6 petrol and a big body is a disaster and it will he pretty slow

Mickiemcfist

I bought a car from that garage for the same price, like most they promised the world until the cash was in their hand. Luckily the car I got was a decent one but the dealer said that after a couple of days driving it if there were any problems it would be fixed by them outside there engine & gearbox warranty. There were some niggly problems which I then called about, but they wouldnt return calls/texts etc.

Either way its caveat emptor when buying a car from anyone, and Id probably buy another car off them if they had the right one, just dont expect aftersales care.

PS. I wouldnt touch a 1.6 high mile petrol dragging around a passat body with a 50 foot pole.

SmokeyEyes

Idbatterim wrote: »

how long do you plan on keeping the car for op?

It would be for a few years until we're fully settled with jobs and could afford the bigger car we're set on for the future, max 2 years!

The Big Lebowsky wrote: »

141 thousand miles is quite a lot for a petrol car....What is the car going to be used for...ie stop-start city driving...Or longer runs?
VW passat is a good solid car..but the diesel is really the one to go for.

It would be mainly city driving back and forth from work or across the city to visits parents. There would be a couple of big drives a year as we tend to visit the country but that's about it.

Mickiemcfist wrote: »

I bought a car from that garage for the same price, like most they promised the world until the cash was in their hand. Luckily the car I got was a decent one but the dealer said that after a couple of days driving it if there were any problems it would be fixed by them outside there engine & gearbox warranty. There were some niggly problems which I then called about, but they wouldnt return calls/texts etc.

Either way its caveat emptor when buying a car from anyone, and Id probably buy another car off them if they had the right one, just dont expect aftersales care.

PS. I wouldnt touch a 1.6 high mile petrol dragging around a passat body with a 50 foot pole.

Hhmmm don't like that they didn't return your calls, the last garage we bought from were awful so we're trying not to repeat it!

SmokeyEyes

Ok we spotted these two, they're both older (and each are from different garages) but have significantly less miles on the clock than the first one we were looking at. They're also a lot cheaper! This would be a car for the next couple of years until we're more secure financially and can upgrade so what would people's thoughts be on these two?

Thanks in advance!

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Nissan/Primera/1.6-ACEN/32913601529087490/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Nissan/Primera/1.6-H%23B-/31513595696812620/advert?channel=CARS

BMJD

I'd recommend this Mazda 6:

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mazda/Mazda6/1.8-SEDA/31713594561522380/advert?channel=CARS

I bought a car from them 3 years ago and they were good to deal with, sorted out a couple of small problems for me without hassle.

C.K Dexter Haven

Get an independent emissions test done and full independent check completed before you buy. A new catalytic converter will be very expensive. Considering the mileage, it's a real possibility.
1.6 is sluggish for overtaking and loud over 100kph but fine for around town driving. You're getting a fairly basic spec too. Personally I'd look at stretching the budget or choosing a car with a good reliability record but that doesn't come with the premiums that VW do.

ninty9er

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Citroen/C5/DIESEL/31913507370799470/advert?channel=CARS

JohnBoy26

If you want reliability a petrol Honda Accord will be hard to beat
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4255282