Trying to buy a car

somebody_else · 09-09-2019 8:22pm #1

Hi

I never thought that buying a car would be harder than selling.

I took me almost two months to sell my old car (Clio '07) at the end reduced 200 euros and sold it.

Since last Friday I'm car-less and trying to purchase new one.
Been calling, texting and sending message to four of five "sellers" on donedeal and - nothing.

No one answers, no reply to text (understood that one) no reply to messages on donedeal !

At the moment I just searched for a cheapest car around my location and guess what - no answer when I called.

I thinking 'bout bike to work scheme at work

Tom

Andrewf20 · 09-09-2019 8:32pm

Leave voicemails. They usually ring back. The seller might be trying to suss you out by the tone of your voice and what you say before talking over the phone one on one.

somebody_else · 09-09-2019 8:34pm

only if there was option to leave vm !

Atlantic Dawn · 09-09-2019 8:50pm

Ring them at lunchtime or between 6-8pm and not a some pain in the hole time.

The cheapest for sale is normally for a reason, complete shed most times. Try to buy from someone only selling one car and not a fleet of them from his front lawn. Additionally anything for sale for over 10 days is junk too at that pricing level.

somebody_else · 09-09-2019 8:59pm

I'll try again 2morrow.

Maybe they work like anpost around my area ?
Monday is too soon after weekend and Friday is weekend already -- never ever got any e-mail on those days!

Tom

bazz26 · 09-09-2019 9:37pm

You will also find that some sellers just don't bother updating their donedeal advert when their car is sold and their burner phone is thrown in a drawer forgotten about until the battery dies. Also make sure your phone is not set to private number as most smartphones now can block private numbers.

Tbh buying and selling privately is just a nightmare these days though. Time wasters on both sides of the argument.

biko · 09-09-2019 9:42pm

That's mad. Whenever I sell a car I always respond to every message.
Just don't text "best price bud?" please

Fmradiofan · 12-09-2019 10:33pm

The main problem with some is that they don't know what their car is worth and think their car is worth far more than it actually is and refuse to accept reasonable offers as the are ignorant to the fact that cars that are more than 10 years old are worth little or nothing regardless of nct/tax or service history etc especially anything older than 08.
Then on the other hand you have chancers and in my opinion morons offering €150 on a car thats say advertised for 8 or €900.
I can't stand either buying or sellin anything especially on the likes of adverts!

somebody_else · 13-09-2019 2:25am

But to even bargain about price/car they need to answer phone or reply to message/text.

At the end I bought car from 1st person which answered their phone !!

So far so good.

Tom

Fmradiofan · 13-09-2019 7:29am

Agreed. Too many muppits nowadays

Cee-Jay-Cee · 13-09-2019 9:33am

Forget about Donedeal, go to your nearest large town and visit the car dealers there, they will always have trade cars to clear or visit the second hand car dealers.

somebody_else · 16-09-2019 6:26pm

Funny thing.

Car have 159 thousands miles on the clock.
After removing engine cover (was checking air and oi filters) discovered that someone put white markings on timing belt cover, they read 290 !
Nothing except 290, no miles no km.

Wonder that to thing about it.

Tom

kindalen · 16-09-2019 7:23pm

Walk away

somebody_else · 16-09-2019 7:26pm

kindalen wrote: »

Walk away

Can't
Bought it last week.

There is engine cover which you need to unscrew to see timing belt housing.

On the other hand car is in very good condition and it doesn't show usage of almost 160 thousands miles.

Anyhow timing kit cost around 100 euro including water pomp so need to find out how much for labour.

Tom

colm_mcm · 16-09-2019 8:45pm

What kind of car is it?

somebody_else · 16-09-2019 8:49pm

Volvo S40 1.6 Diesel

mgbgt1978 · 16-09-2019 8:56pm

somebody_else wrote: »

Funny thing.

Car have 159 thousands miles on the clock.
After removing engine cover (was checking air and oi filters) discovered that someone put white markings on timing belt cover, they read 290 !
Nothing except 290, no miles no km.

Wonder that to thing about it.

Tom

If the Odometer is in miles (not Km) then it's a fairly safe bet that the Belt was changed at 290k......miles. But if it's running well then hopefully you get a decent bit of mileage out of it. Fingers crossed.

somebody_else · 16-09-2019 9:01pm

yeah but odometer shows 150k miles
and on timing belt cover says 290

Tom

colm_mcm · 16-09-2019 10:05pm

How cheap was the car ?

somebody_else · 17-09-2019 8:07pm

1700

So far model on logbook is R Design Sport but vin decoder shows it as Kinetic (which make sense as it lack fog lights, cruse control and steering wheels controls) and air condition condenser had a leak and all stuff from air condition is gone.

And cabin filter looked like it wasn't replaced in ages (but it isn't easy to replace it - took me over two hours).

Tom

Fmradiofan · 20-09-2019 9:38pm

somebody_else wrote: »

yeah but odometer shows 150k miles
and on timing belt cover says 290

Tom

NO
Sounds like engine was replaced at some stage i see it all the time!
Roughy 250 for labour give or take.

somebody_else · 20-09-2019 11:32pm

Fmradiofan wrote: »

NO
Sounds like engine was replaced at some stage i see it all the time!
Roughy 250 for labour give or take.

I have appointment with a mechanic next Monday to replace fluids so I'll check engine then.

road_high · 21-09-2019 12:17am

Those 1.6s were a total let down in terms of reliability. Which was a real shame as the S40 itself was a very good car and otherwise very reliable. The 2.0 d and petrols were fine

Trying to buy a car

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