Viewing Panda tomorrow - Autolink Blanchardstown - advice needed!

FionnK86

Hi folks,

I'm handy enough with cars, have been driving an '01 Yaris & I do a bit with cars like oil, brakes & service but nothing heavy like engine part overhaul.

I'm in a bit of bind, I convinced my girlfriend last year to buy a 2003 Yaris for €1000 last year of a private seller on DD. It was alright on the test drive but I began to notice noises when changing gears. :eek:

On Sunday the oil light came on and after swapping the switch I figured now the pump is gone and she needs a new car for work. I'd do the pump myself but the insurance is after going up and she wants something new. Her father's an Italian mechanic and wants her to buy a Fiat Panda c.2011. She needs something quickly & he's found this car.

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/fiat-panda-2011-1-2-low-insurance-low-tax/23476611

I don't want to interject with my opinion on 'Fix It Again Tomorrows' but feel after my last recommendation, I don't really have a say, but I'll be the one viewing the car tomorrow and want to have my homework done this time before I go an accept & it turns out to be another lemon.

So... tomorrow I'll go to Autolink for a test drive but if you'd have any opinion or feedback I would appreciate it - knowledge is power . :cool:

1. Is there additional protection i.e. warranty, on dealer cars even if old?
2. There's no mention of Service history of timing kit replacement, is this bad sign?
3. Any particular reliability issues with this model?
4. Can insurance be transferred immediately to drive home if she wants it?
5. Would I be cheeky going over there with a checklist, I intend to use the sticky tips given in this forum on buying a used car.

ba_barabus

Nothing wrong with a Panda but that one seems expensive to me.

You'll probably just get the basic 3 months engine and gearbox and nothing else.

Many times nicer and end up the same price

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/fiat-panda-2011-nct-10-2021-only-11-k-miles/23449187

Lower price but similar model

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/fiat-panda-2010-nct-today-10-21-tax-and-low-miles/23487003

Engines are proven and easy to maintain.

FionnK86

ba_barabus wrote: »

Nothing wrong with a Panda but that one seems expensive to me.

You'll probably just get the basic 3 months engine and gearbox and nothing else.

Many times nicer and end up the same price

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/fiat-panda-2011-nct-10-2021-only-11-k-miles/23449187

Lower price but similar model

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/fiat-panda-2010-nct-today-10-21-tax-and-low-miles/23487003

Engines are proven and easy to maintain.

1. Yellow Westmeath - called & she's got someone viewing tomorrow & it's actually in Roscommon but I'll ring her back tomorrow, very good find!! :P
   
2. Red One - concerned about the paint a bit.
   
3. Grey Autoline one - I'm not going near the one in OP below why.

Emailed for viewing today at 4, did some background and found this ! :pac:

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/district-court/car-dealers-cleared-of-misleading-mileage-charge-1.2510228

I'd a list of things to checked & Robert told me to put it away, I brought girlfriend and he did say though he doesn't usually sell Fiats or cars below €4000 in fact, he did see lots of Italians in Ireland buying them. He said car was his accountant's wifes. I asked did it have service history & he said he didn't know, but remarked 'any car that's cosmetically fine should have good service'. This rang alarm bells because you can put lipstick on a pig. :rolleyes:

He let us take it for a spin, so I took it around the corner and opened book in glovebox but no service history. The oil wasn't above low mark on dip & timing belt was tipexed at 117k but it's at 148k now without any evidence of service since. Clutch gave good bit of resistance when pushed in so that was a no from me.

Girlfriend liked that it was clean, and so we asked would he give warranty. He said he doesn't usually but would give us a month ! I told him about Roscommon one and he said 'the further you go from Dublin the more they drive the arse out of the cars and the further you are from civilization'. I wasn't impressed with that, my own Yaris has been running smooth and I picked that up from Tipperary.

A lesson learned today, most of the stuff I checked could've been sorted over the phone.

colm_mcm

General rule of thumb is that Dublin dealers selling stuff for less than a few grand are usually chancers.

FionnK86

Hopefully I can go take a look at Yellow one if it ain't been sold by tomorrow morning.

FionnK86

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/fiat-panda-2011-nct-10-2021-only-11-k-miles/23449187

Sent Kate message this morning to see if guy hasn't taken it. I'll ask how there fixed on price €3200 seems ok.

FionnK86

FionnK86 wrote: »

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/fiat-panda-2011-nct-10-2021-only-11-k-miles/23449187

Sent Kate message this morning to see if guy hasn't taken it. I'll ask how there fixed on price €3200 seems ok.

Car gone

colm_mcm

Car wasn’t greenlight verified, the seller is obviously a bit of a goon as the ad is still up. You might have had a lucky escape.

FionnK86

Saw another one,

Was planning viewing one at McAndrew motors, tomorrow at 1030. Mileage in advertisement said 68,000 km.

Mileage on NCT said 87,966 miles or 141,567km.

I’ll have a think about coming tomorrow as I had read mileage in advertisement and organised with dealer.

Flutes everywhere.

User1998

Bit strange that it’s advertised as very low mileage and 68k km’s yet shows the nct disc with 87k miles. You should probably confirm over the phone what the actual mileage is first? If they say its 68k km’s then surely its been clocked? They couldn’t make the same mistake twice. Don’t see why they’d show the NCT disc tho if it had been clocked. Probably 168k which for a Panda is not low mileage like they say on their add

https://www.donedeal.ie/view/23505305

FionnK86

User1998 wrote: »

Bit strange that it’s advertised as very low mileage and 68k km’s yet shows the nct disc with 87k miles. You should probably confirm over the phone what the actual mileage is first? If they say its 68k km’s then surely its been clocked? They couldn’t make the same mistake twice. Don’t see why they’d show the NCT disc tho if it had been clocked. Probably 168k which for a Panda is not low mileage like they say on their add


https://www.donedeal.ie/view/23505305

Yes that’s the one with 141k that I referenced above

FionnK86

Hi Fionn,
Only saw the typo error,the mileage on the clock is the correct one.

Regards,

Kenny.

Sent from my iPad

He’s updated now to correct mileage. Still says ‘low Kms’ on ad.

Dia_Anseo

Does it have to be a Panda?

I would fear if any of my off spring were transported in a Panda

colm_mcm

OPs missus was driving a mk1 Yaris.

terrydel

FionnK86 wrote: »

Saw another one,

Was planning viewing one at McAndrew motors, tomorrow at 1030. Mileage in advertisement said 68,000 km.

Mileage on NCT said 87,966 miles or 141,567km.

I’ll have a think about coming tomorrow as I had read mileage in advertisement and organised with dealer.

Flutes everywhere.

That **** does my head in, how hard is it to get that right. Fecking amateurs.

FionnK86

terrydel wrote: »

That **** does my head in, how hard is it to get that right. Fecking amateurs.

Mileage not even close to be amateur mistake ( used to claim 68,000 km - now states 87,000 mi). I'd a filter set for all vehicles lower than 100,000 km so it popped into my search emails. :mad:

Won't be calling to him tomorrow! Bit of an update on search in general. After visiting Robert in Autolink yesterday, missus is more open to different models as Robert did say Yaris are usually bulletproof.

So opened communication lines with the Mafia missus' father and he's opened his choices. Reminder that I made mistake buying first one so he's skeptical over my choices. We've agreed on following, which I've set filter up on.

1. <100,000 km
2. Valid NCT ( > 6 months preferable)
3. Engine < 1.2 litre
4. Price < €4,000
5. Dublin Area (Leinster, possibly if it's a real bargain)
6. 2007 - 2012 (lower based on insurance, priced out of higher).

Then he's agreed on following, which he thinks are reliable & I think are insurable

1. Panda
2. Punto
3. Micra
4. Corsa
5. Yaris :P

I can only add 4 models on a search so thinking of adding 3 more to make 2 saved searches. I'd like to get it sorted by weekend - she's busing at the moment and is sharing her car with our housemate (we are all best mates - they moved into house with me 3 years ago, and haven't kicked me out yet )

They'll split insurance so are looking at €2,000 for renewal on current Yaris (2003) and were quoted €2000 on 2011 Panda :eek:

mankteln

The "mistake" of dropping a digit on done deal mileage is a common one, same way there's lots of people that don't include the "000" (i.e. advertising as 100k miles and still shows up in my filter for 150000km). Makes sense for them I suppose because it pops up in more searches but like all the other indicators on ads (other ads for sale, way pictures are taken, how the add I'd phrased) makes me think a lot harder about who is actually selling the car

ba_barabus

The list is very restrictive.

Other and better cars are available.

I'm will to bet the hit on insurance of a slightly bigger engine is very small. Anyway, I present to you a 2011 Kia Rio petrol. Think of it as an old school Corolla, very plain but very reliable.

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/11-kia-rio-1-4-low-kms/23264961

Other cars to consider would be a Fiesta, Clio, Picanto, i10 or i20. Or my current small favourite the Suzuki Swift.

I'd avoid the Corsa models, I don't believe they age well.

terrydel

ba_barabus wrote: »

The list is very restrictive.

Other and better cars are available.

I'm will to bet the hit on insurance of a slightly bigger engine is very small. Anyway, I present to you a 2011 Kia Rio petrol. Think of it as an old school Corolla, very plain but very reliable.

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/11-kia-rio-1-4-low-kms/23264961

Other cars to consider would be a Fiesta, Clio, Picanto, i10 or i20. Or my current small favourite the Suzuki Swift.

I'd avoid the Corsa models, I don't believe they age well.

The amount of ads lately with no interior pictures, even from dealers. Very frustrating.

+1 for the swift.