Used car valuation

Parmenides

I was looking at a used car on DoneDeal and thought it was overpriced.

It's a 2004 Honda Civic with 108,000 miles, 8 previous owners, and NCT until September 2024. It looks in decent condition from the photos (I don't think I'm allowed to post a link). The asking price is €1450.

I was just wondering what people think about it here: Is it a fair price?

Atlantic Dawn

In these times with a NCT yes it's a fair price. The days of a €500-€750 runabout are gone.

bazz26

What are you comparing it against to think it's overpriced? €1450 with a year's test and low mileage seems pretty decent these days if the car is genuine.

If it's the silver one for sale in Tipperary then the seller has 2 other cars for sale so isn't a novice. The gearboxes in those 1.4 petrol Civic hatchbacks had failing bearing so make sure to check the gear change is smooth and not notchy or hard to get into gear. Also no whining sound from the gearbox either. If there are any of these issues then the gearbox will need rebuilding or replacing which might explain the asking price.

antimatterx

If you have the reg and milage, you can check the valuation on marketplaces. Donedeal have one, and I think Carzone do as well.

https://www.donedeal.ie/value-my-car

Parmenides

What are you comparing it against to think it's overpriced? 

I thought for that year it might be €1000 or less. But like Atlantic Dawn said above, it seems those days are gone.

Yeah, it's that silver one in Tipperary. If I go look at it, i'll keep what you said in mind.

bazz26

1000 gets you nothing these days unfortunately. There are lads on dd asking more money for scrap with no test these days so on the level it seems reasonable. But that might actually raise a red flag with me. Go in with your eyes wide open is my advice. If it sounds like a duck and looks like a duck then it probably is one.

Parmenides

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121089751#Comment_121089751

It seems you think it might be a bit underpriced. I would do a car check online anyway, to be sure, before I handed over money.

bazz26

I'm not sure what useful information a car check is going to tell you about a 19 year old car to be honest.

I'd rather rely on what a good mechanic would tell you from inspecting it.

Parmenides

I was just thinking about mileage verification in regards to a car check.

Thanks for your time and replies.

Buddy Bubs

If you got any roadworthy car for 1500, got a year out of it without any repair costs before it needs an nct, don't have to service it and sell it for absolutely nothing, then repeat next year, you are doing very well these days.

In reality you'll get a few hundred for it somewhere if you sell within a year.

Danger is it will need major repairs at some stage quickly and you won't get anything like a year out of it.