December 2022
I am in discussion with a private seller to buy a brand new car they have not taken delivery of yet from the manufacturer main dealer (it is awaiting PDI). They want to meet at the dealership on collection day, and do the deal there and then. They want no risk of potentially damaging it on the way home before the deal is done. My main concern is making sure I don’t buy a car that has finance secured against it.
The seller is advising both he and the dealer will be able to confirm it was paid for by bank transfer, so I think that rules out the risk he has finance through the dealer. I know it is possible to get a secured loan against a vehicle you already own, however I think that is very unlikely to be possible for a vehicle you haven’t taken delivery of yet. I know it is possible to get a personal loan, that would not be secured against the vehicle, so that would be fine.
My question is, is there any risk the seller could have a private secured loan secured against a brand new car (ie not through the dealer) which means he could have paid in cash, however still have a loan secured against it? I am unable to find example of that type of loan through google, so wanted to ask if anyone is aware of one. Read more
I'm assuming you're paying a premium to take the seller's place in the queue.
Perhaps you could pay the dealer direct, and simply pay the 'seller' their fee for releasing their place?
Hi guys! My Maf sensor is missing the 2 screws that hold it in place. The Maf itself doesn’t wobble or move but I was wondering if the missing screws can cause a vaccum leak? Where can I get replacement screws or does anyone know what size they are at least? Thanks Read more
Unlikely to cause an air leak. The screws are usually torx head self tappers, but use anything that fits the housing that have Philips or pozidrive heads .
Hello,
This is my first ever post.... Read more
I think you’ll find the charging lead is a bit more technical than a 5metre 13amp extension lead .
How to get a Car Loan with Bad Credit? Read more
As GB says above. If you can find one for sale, buy an old reliable car which has little left to depreciate, so you aren't watching your 'investment' trickle away. You can learn to DiY it and save some more.
Sort-of-tempted by a (suspiciously)(relatively) cheap LR Series 3 (2500 quids) in an Edinburgh used car dealer, I did a bit of poking around on't nyet.
People enthusiastically refer to LR "sturdy box-section frames", but I've always considered "box-section" to be big hint of mortality, and a bit of poking around confirms that the frames rot out extensively from the inside. You can buy a new galvanised frame for Series III, but of course it aint cheap.... Read more
Bit more poking around reveals its actually (or has been) a live debate in the USA, where trucks matter.
Electric car owners face charging issues as drivers say 'the situation is not improving' (msn.com)
... Read more
The only thing I’ve heard about VW’s that have a 22kW AC charging capability is a couple of instances of them burning out an onboard charger (not to be confused with the box you’re plugged into) when drawing 22kW.
Not specifically re charging, but the software for their infotainment certainly seems to have had (possible still does) more than its fair share of problems.
For the past 3 years, I have only used it for driving short distances in my town so it has been driven at about 30mph max during this time. Today I decided to visit a relative about 20 miles away.... Read more
It’s a timing chain on these , rather than a belt . Very common for them to stretch on this engine and cause running faults . If the engine still runs , then it hasn’t snapped.
Having looked at that suggested playlist I can think of nothing more stressful to listen to at any time, but especially when driving.
Bah Humbug! Read more
A “silent majority” of car companies is concerned that electric vehicles will not alone be able to end reliance on fossil fuels, according to a senior Toyota executive.
Akio Toyoda, the company's president and grandson of its founder Kiichiro Toyoda, said that many concerned senior figures are reluctant to say what they really think because of the pressure to go green.... Read more
Tesla have grown from nothing to produce ~1.4m cars in 2022 and made ~138m US$ - about $10k per car. They took a risk:
- invested in capacity to maximise volumes to reduce unit costs
- building own battery plant
- delivering vehicle with range and performance (not milk floats)
- investing in supercharger network
- limited dealer network vs other companies selling similar volumes - eg: Suzuki
Tesla sold 35000 EVs in 2021 - three times the second placed Kia e Niro....
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In those early days, race cars often had a "riding mechanic" to fix problems which were inevitable.