Mechanic and buying used cars

Dan fnuts · 23-10-2015 7:11pm #1

Hi guys.
I am going to look at a car on sunday. its a private sale and i want to bring a mechanic along to check it out. Is it possible to get a mechanic to look at something on a sunday? I work everyday during the week so wont be able to view during business hours. also what would they charge?

Any info or experience you have had would be helpful.
Thanks

Also if anybody is a mechanic around the slane area give me a shout

colm_mcm · 23-10-2015 9:29pm

Post a link to the ad. You can tell a lot from the ad.

Dan fnuts · 23-10-2015 9:36pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

Post a link to the ad. You can tell a lot from the ad.

https://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-celica-t-sport-vvtl-i/10690654

colm_mcm · 23-10-2015 9:45pm

Worth knowing

VEHICLE
Vehicle Registration Number 04D74523
Vehicle Details TOYOTA / CELICA
Change Of Vehicle Ownership
Transferred to an Individual on :

Notified on : 26/08/2015

01/09/2015
Vehicle Registration Certificate
Most recent Vehicle Registration Certificate issued on : 03/09/2015

grimmys · 23-10-2015 9:50pm

colm_mcm wrote:

01/09/2015 Vehicle Registration Certificate Most recent Vehicle Registration Certificate issued on : 03/09/2015

colm_mcm wrote:

Notified on : 26/08/2015

colm_mcm wrote:

VEHICLE Vehicle Registration Number 04D74523 Vehicle Details TOYOTA / CELICA Change Of Vehicle Ownership Transferred to an Individual on :

How can you get this info?

Cortina_MK_IV · 23-10-2015 9:51pm

"is not a jap import" but a UK import.

Dan fnuts · 23-10-2015 9:55pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

Worth knowing

VEHICLE
Vehicle Registration Number 04D74523
Vehicle Details TOYOTA / CELICA
Change Of Vehicle Ownership
Transferred to an Individual on :

Notified on : 26/08/2015

01/09/2015
Vehicle Registration Certificate
Most recent Vehicle Registration Certificate issued on : 03/09/2015

Thanks for finding that. so the guy has only had it since august. that a bad sign?

colm_mcm · 23-10-2015 9:55pm

Cortina_MK_IV wrote: »

"is not a jap import" but a UK import.

Which explains why it's registered as 140bhp

Dan fnuts · 23-10-2015 9:55pm

Cortina_MK_IV wrote: »

"is not a jap import" but a UK import.

How do you tell?

colm_mcm · 23-10-2015 9:57pm

Dan fnuts wrote: »

Thanks for finding that. so the guy has only had it since august. that a bad sign?

Nothing wrong with buying and selling cars, but it could be because it's not a good car, there are other possible genuine reasons too.
What I don't like about buying from someone that flips cars is that you can't get any idea from how the car has been treated. They can't answer questions about maintains de jobs done etc.

Dan fnuts · 23-10-2015 10:03pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

Which explains why it's registered as 140bhp

i don't understand why its registered as a 140. could you please explain the link between being a UK import and registered as a 140 when its a t - sport (190)

Dan fnuts · 23-10-2015 10:04pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

Nothing wrong with buying and selling cars, but it could be because it's not a good car, there are other possible genuine reasons too.
What I don't like about buying from someone that flips cars is that you can't get any idea from how the car has been treated. They can't answer questions about maintains de jobs done etc.

yeah i know what you mean. Thats why i would like tto have a mechanic along with me. they would know better the condition of the car than i would

Cortina_MK_IV · 23-10-2015 10:06pm

Dan fnuts wrote: »

How do you tell?

Motorcheck.ie

colm_mcm · 23-10-2015 10:06pm

Dan fnuts wrote: »

i don't understand why its registered as a 140. could you please explain the link between being a UK import and registered as a 140 when its a t - sport (190)

Dodgy declaration to get cheaper vrt is my bet. Or genuine mistake in the vrt office of course...

colm_mcm · 23-10-2015 10:08pm

grimmys wrote: »

How can you get this info?

Motortax.ie

Dan fnuts · 23-10-2015 10:11pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

Dodgy declaration to get cheaper vrt is my bet. Or genuine mistake in the vrt office of course...

Colm, you are deadly at sourcing information! think that would cause problems with insurance if their was a crash?

colm_mcm · 23-10-2015 10:24pm

If you insured it as 140bhp then there would be.

Dan fnuts · 23-10-2015 10:29pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

If you insured it as 140bhp then there would be.

damn. i wonder if telling the insurance company that its a t-sport and not 140 will resolve things or open a can of worms

colm_mcm · 23-10-2015 10:30pm

As long as it's insured as what it is then you'd be fine.

Dan fnuts · 23-10-2015 10:33pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

As long as it's insured as what it is then you'd be fine.

Colm you are a wealth of information. Thanks for telling me all this stuff. you wouldn't know any mechanics around the navan/slane area by any chance?

colm_mcm · 23-10-2015 10:39pm

I don't I'm afraid. The best approach is do your homework before going to see a car, then go see it, drive it. Only if you actually like it and are going to buy the car do you get a mechanic out.

Dan fnuts · 23-10-2015 10:44pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

I don't I'm afraid. The best approach is do your homework before going to see a car, then go see it, drive it. Only if you actually like it and are going to buy the car do you get a mechanic out.

alright, cool. I will do some more research then. Thanks Colm

colm_mcm · 23-10-2015 10:46pm

Have you driven other celicas? Priced insurance?

Dan fnuts · 23-10-2015 10:53pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

Have you driven other celicas? Priced insurance?

Yeah i priced the insurance using the reg. No, I haven't driven a celica before.

colm_mcm · 23-10-2015 11:02pm

Maybe try a reg of a 190 and see if the insurance is much more.

Dan fnuts · 23-10-2015 11:40pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

Maybe try a reg of a 190 and see if the insurance is much more.

checked the reg of a 140, a t sport and 190. The 140 and t sport were roughly the same price and the 190 was almost double the price of the 140.

Mintoe · 24-10-2015 9:12am

The 2 most recent owners including the current owner had the car for less than 2 months, buyer beware.....
Also if you insure the car as a 140 bhp model when it's clearly a 190 bhp, you're insurance company can refuse to pay out on any claims and at any point you're insurance can be declared invalid as you failed to declare full accurate information about the car when you purchased the policy. That fact that seller uses this as a selling point would make me definitely look elsewhere.

colm_mcm · 24-10-2015 11:37pm

Dan fnuts wrote: »

checked the reg of a 140, a t sport and 190. The 140 and t sport were roughly the same price and the 190 was almost double the price of the 140.

190 = UK model T sport.
Ie what you're looking at. Strange one.

mullingar · 25-10-2015 9:40pm

AFAIK....
There are a few quick checks to see which one.
- Rev counter. 7k red line is 140, 8k red line is the 190
- Engine, rocker cover, VVTi = 140, VVTLi = 190

Toyotafanboi · 26-10-2015 1:46pm

UK 190s are handy insured. Mine was only €70 a year more than my 1.4 corolla to insure and there was no song and dance like there would have been if it was a japanese import.

I reckon the car in the OP is a 140

mullingar · 26-10-2015 2:06pm

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

I reckon the car in the OP is a 140

Im thinking that too, but AFAIK the 190's speedo goes to 160mph, the 140's go to 150mph. That has the 160mph clock. However, the clocks could have been swapped to comply with UK laws if its a jap!

Toyotafanboi · 26-10-2015 2:17pm

I doubt it was originally Jap, there are no telltale signs, that and it has the european rear bumper and rear spoiler too.

190's were scarce enough by 04.

Mechanic and buying used cars

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