Buying Advice for a newbie

[bodeboo]

Hi all,

 

Just joined the forum after having spent hours on this site researching my upcoming purchase. It's a great site, with loads of useful info a lot of clued up people, sure it will come in useful once a have completed the purchase.

 

I currently drive a TT as a company car but after a role change the miles are quite low so I've decided to send the car back and instead get a proper drivers car that I can use for unbridled fun at the weekends. I have definately decided the Z is for me!

 

Anyway after weeks of research and hunting I am on the verge of making a purchase but given my relative lack of knowledge it would be great to get some advice from anyone. Mu budget is around £10k and so been looking at 04-06 cars but would prefer a MY06 car, I think the extra £200 a year tax is worth it for the upgraded spec.

 

I viewed a car at the weekend and I'm hoping its one the one for me. Its a 56 plate GT and it looks great. Its done 50k miles, has a full service history (although no receipts) and the guy said he would put 12m MOT on it. (Its a trade guy but he deals in small numbers on the side and works out of his home which is where I viewed the car). It drives well and whilst I'm no mechanic I couldnt see any obvious issues, I have verbally agreed a price with a view to picking up at the weekend. But theres a couple of things nagging at me...

 

1. It was last serviced in Jan this year with 49k on the clock. It was taken as a part ex from the original owner (I spoke to the garage) who sold it on to another private buyer. Six months later and its for sale again and with only an extra 1000 miles on the clock. Does this seem strange. The guy said he bought if from the trade and the second owner must have traded it in. I have just mailed the guy to try and get the current registered keeper address and thinking I could call to find out what he had done with it between Jan and Jun and why only 1k miles.

 

2. The guy has a HPI certificate and I have also just done my own and its all clear - I have asked for the VIN number aswell to get this checked. Is there anything else I can do to get more reassurance ?

 

3. We have agreed a price of £9100 which after all my research seems a great price - thoughts ? Buy if anything its adding to my doubt..my dad always said 'if it seems too good to be true it probably is!'

 

Just worried that something sinister has happened between Jan and Jun that would explain the quick resale and low mileage...accident ? ragged as a track car ?!

 

Am I being overly suspicious ? Really want the car, just dont want to get stung.

 

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated and thanks for all the info so far!

[Sarnie]

1) 1000 is not that strange at all, some people only use the car at weekends etc or maybe they just couldn't aord to run it...

 

2) Get the car inspected by AA/RAC or a mechanic. HPI is worthless if any damaged was not recorded

 

3) £9100 is a good price

 

Get the car inspected, research recent MOT's and contact the garages where it was serviced and find out what was done etc. I it checks out, just buy it

[Keyser]

Hello and Welcome

 

As Sarnie says - check MOT milage if certificates are available? - how many previous owners? I'd only be worrieid if its in double figures

[HassanZ]

Get the document reference number off the front page of the log book and full number plate. You can do a full MOT history check on http://motinfo.direct.gov.uk/internet/j ... equest.jsp.

 

If you need a hand, let me know and I'll carry out the check for you and send you the history. This will give you the most accurate mileage verification as it's carried out through VOSA's MOT systems.

 

With regards to the service history, I would call the garages up. I've done that before with my BMW 330ci M sport and obtained a lot of information about the previous owner, what they were like, their occupation and what they had done to the car. This put my mind at rest and gave me the peace of mind that I was buying a straight car.

 

Best of luck,

Hassan

 

PS -

[slimjim]

When I bought a SEAT Leon, I managed to look at the owners manual, and the owner had written their name, address and phone number in it!

 

I called them and they told me they had hit a Deer which was why the wing was fitted wierd (something the dealers said was just how they came standard, and this was a SEAT DEALER)

I told the dealer I have spoken to my brother in law who was a copper (no, he isn't) and that as it was bigger than a dog they had to report it to the police.

They dropped a GRAND off the price as it was THEM who had done the repairs

 

Just try to gather as much info as possible. The link HassanZ posted is a great place to start

[bodeboo]

thanks all for the posts so far.

 

I have got hold of further information from the sller thats allowed me to check the car details, VIN number etc and used mycarcheck to check things out a bit further all stacks up. Also spoke to the two garages that have performed all the services and again everything ok, garages were v good actually and gave details of when tyres/brakes were replaced.

 

Also got hold of current keeper to try and understand why its being sold only 6 months after it ws bought and why only 1k miles since. Got through to the chap and it was his sons car but he lost his job after 2 months of owning it so had to sell it at auction. He also confirmed it wsnt damaged other than one scratch on rear arch which again sdtacks up with what the guy said in terms of work he had done.

 

So everything looks to stack up and am pleased i've gone to trouble of digging around. Sure, it might still have mechanical issues or maintenance needed in the near future but atleast nothing sinister.

 

As a result I have just paid the deposit, it's being MOT'd tomorrow and I'm picking her up at the weekend - smiling already!

 

cheers!

[gangzoom]

thanks all for the posts so far.

 

I have got hold of further information from the sller thats allowed me to check the car details, VIN number etc and used mycarcheck to check things out a bit further all stacks up. Also spoke to the two garages that have performed all the services and again everything ok, garages were v good actually and gave details of when tyres/brakes were replaced.

 

Also got hold of current keeper to try and understand why its being sold only 6 months after it ws bought and why only 1k miles since. Got through to the chap and it was his sons car but he lost his job after 2 months of owning it so had to sell it at auction. He also confirmed it wsnt damaged other than one scratch on rear arch which again sdtacks up with what the guy said in terms of work he had done.

 

So everything looks to stack up and am pleased i've gone to trouble of digging around. Sure, it might still have mechanical issues or maintenance needed in the near future but atleast nothing sinister.

 

As a result I have just paid the deposit, it's being MOT'd tomorrow and I'm picking her up at the weekend - smiling already!

 

cheers!

 

OMG your thorough when buying a car, I'm just happy with a stamped up service book, an uptodate MOT, a free cup of coffee, and few £££s off the sticker price

Good luck with the car, am sure your love it

[rabbitstew]

Welcome to the world of the zed!

 

Sound like you have found a nice one. I know people on here who only do 3000 miles in 12 months. Its nothing unusual. Some people only use them for a sunday driving car. As for selling so quick, well these are not cheap cars to run, same as any similar sort of car. Some people buy them and only have them for the summer, or sell them before a major service comes up. Its not just the zed this happens with, any expensive to run / maintain car is the same. I actually looked at a clio v6 a few weeks back, and it had had 8 owners in 10 years! (or something like that!) Everyone had fun in the car for a year, but just couldnt afford to keep it.