I am looking to purchase a second car, ideally to last me approximately 6 years (60,000 miles). Local garage has a '51' plate Primera 1.8 Activ for sale (shape before current one). It is silver, has alloys, climate, 48,000 miles and will be offered with 3 months warranty.
Is £5995 good value for this car?
Is this car a good proposition for another 60,000 miles?
Thanks in advance.
Jason
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'51' Plate should still be within the 3 year manufacterers warrantee. Is it an import?. I think you can find a lower mileage example for that money, probably with a better spec. It pays to shop around a bit.
Note Primeras make ideal taxis. Your 60K on top will not be a problem IMHO.
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Primeras are one of the best built upper medium cars you can buy and at that price (you will almost certainly get it for much less if you haggle properly) it will prove a great buy, providing it has been serviced regularly.
Mileage is relatively unimportant and a car that has spent most of its time, for instance, up and down the motorways should prove superior to one that has only had short runs around town.
I'm on my third VW in 10 years. The first was an F-reg 66,500 mile Jetta 1.3 bought in 1992, the second a G-reg 52,000 mile Jetta 1.6 TX in 1995 bought because of the 1.3's lack of power, especially when overtaking.
Both had been and were subsequently serviced regularly, neither used any oil nor suffered from oil leaks and both were completely reliable.
The TX would still be with me despite being 13 years old last March, but a car dealer friend who now works from home took a late 1999 46,000 mile silver VW Bora 1.6SE in part ex. The cost was 50 per cent less than it would have been at a dealer's showroom and meant I could sidestep the Vento route because of the Bora's remarkable price.
The next day it was on my driveway after agreeing a part ex deal for my Jetta, which I still see being driven in the area.
Like the Jettas the Bora is oil leak free but does use some oil between changes, a point referred to in the manual.
In case you wonder why I've never gone for the Golf, the reason is simple. I don't want to drive the same car as everyone else i.e. Mondeo, Astra etc and have always preferred saloons anyway.
So, providing the Primera is in good shape and properly serviced, be assured that build quality and reliability always win through in the long run.
Just one more point - Ford based the original 1993 Mondeo's ride and handling on those of the Primera...:-)
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Just spotted whilst re-reading your query, that you are seeking to keep your second car for six years and 60,000 miles - I wrongly assumed it had done that mileage...:-)
Even more reason to buy the Primera which, strangely, has never found much interest among UK buyers even though the range is built in Sunderland.
That's the reason, of course, why residual values are far lower than you might expect of a range that offers such excellent build quality.
As I say, go for it, do some haggling and also work on getting a 12 month warranty thrown in - the dealers pay much less for them - but make sure it's a comprehensive one.
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