|
I'm planning to go to auction tomorrow with my brother and a friend. They both know quite a bit about cars. But I would like your professional advise on what to look for when buying a car from the auction. Whats the best way of approaching from finding the right car to bidding and everything. I'm looking for a diesel car and my budget is around £2k mark.
|
www.honestjohn.co.uk/buy_sell/index.htm?blk=BuySel...n
--
I read often, only post occasionally
|
|
spikeyhead thanks for the link but mate it doesn't given any info about auctions and stuffs.
|
|
there is information at the the drop down menus ot the right of the screen on the link suggested.
|
£2k - the worst amount in the world to spend. It'll get you a dog-tired repmobile that's been thrashed within an inch of its life, and then been beasted rotten by another owner after the fleet manager consigned it to auction 50k miles a go.
It'll likely as not need loads spending on it as the last owner was trying to avoid spending any on it before he disposed of it. You'll feel obliged to put more into it, as it stands you £2k, which you can't afford to lose.
You think you want a diesel because of your 80 mile trip to work - which may make sense, but only if the car comes as cheap as a petrol model and needs less spending on it to keep it on the road.
I really do suggest you look around the lovingly maintained mid-market cars that old boys sell when they give up driving or get a smaller car. Mondeos, Cavaliers and Primeras do a fine job, cost pennies to maintain, and will give very high 30s mpg if you are sensible. They'll cost you £600 a time, will last at least two year (more for the Nissan) and will be no cheaper than a diesel.
|
|
Edit - last line should read "and will be no more than a diesel to run, probably cheaper in fact.
|
Hmm for £2000 you will not get hold of a 3 year old ex company car unless it is very high mileage or tired. You will be looking at older cars submitted by owners and part exchanges from garages. These cars are owned by private owners and not companies so there is no guarantee on how well they have been maintained.
You have to ask yourself why have they been admitted into the auction. What faults are they hiding. This is sometimes untrue with part exchange cars where they are too old/high mileage/average condition to go the forecourt.
You will be unable to check the car for faults such as slipping clutch, overheating, worn bushes etc.
my advice is to buy from a private seller via newspaper/autotrader etc where you can test the car thoroughly.
I usually advice someone to go to an auction to buy ex company cars which has evidence of being well maintained. Advice against buying older private cars unless it is dirt cheap which leaves you with some cash to rectify any problems
|
I think you're setting yourself up for problems, as you won't get a fleet car. You'll end up with a trade-in that a dealer isn't prepared to put on their forecourt. The only car I ever bought at auction that wasn't straight out of a fleet was a real minger. Fortunately, it was sold on an engineer's report, and its power steering was bad enough that I rejected it within the hour and got my cash back. My chief problem that day was that I NEEDED a car.
Wazza is bang on the nail. Look for a private sale and give it (or equally importantly, perhaps, the owner) a good once-over.
Older Cavaliers/Mondeos can be diamonds. Look for proof that they have been services (rather than repaired when they go wrong) and you'll be heading in the right direction. You can reject 70% of the cars on the phone by asking about servicing.
Good Luck!
V
|
from vin's reply i would go for a cavalier. Only consider a mondeo/vectra if there is proof the clutch is in good working order. It is an engine out to replace the clutch assembly. With the cavalier the clutch can be replaced while the engine is still in place.
i have a 'N' reg mondeo TD from nearly new and has been a pleasure and reliable to own and drive. After 125k still on original clutch. Would strongly recommend it as a cheap bargain as long as the clutch has plenty of life left
|
|
|
|
I think you need to increase your budget to about 3K.
I just noticed you went to the auction yesterday, so the question has to be Did you buy a car? And what did you get?
If you did not buy....
Are you buying at an independent auctions or the national chain BCA?
I always choose the make and model I want before I go, I also then only go if the model I want is on sale. I then get there early and give the car a complete external inspection, underneath tyres etc, check if the doors are open, and look inside if they are and in the engine bay, then be there when it is started.
I was once looking at a pair of cars (Omega 2.0) both the same, one had a new exhaust but inside was stinking of fags, the other was clean inside but did not have a new exhaust. I ignored the 1st one which sold for roughly the same money as I bought the second (clean) one for. It turned out to be a good car - it was about 4 years old when I bought it. and cost about 2,800 but I can't remember.
|
|
|
![2023 BMW 1 Series 118i [136] Sport 5dr Step Auto [Live Cockpit Pro]](https://img.common.prod.group-mobility-trader.com/unsafe/trim/90x60/smart/filters:quality(70):no_upscale():format(webp)/https://cdn.uk.prod.group-mobility-trader.com/images/cas/8f880fcabd37557d908c28a4d66bdb53/3fbad8b2291927dfff4a517b10b43a88.jpg)
£20,252was £20,915Details:no_upscale():format(webp)/https://cdn.uk.prod.group-mobility-trader.com/images/cas/3541ab6c55c241daa536e7011376e00a/2ade89a4638733a7b49c56a4ed052ac8.jpg)
£18,340was £19,200Details:no_upscale():format(webp)/https://cdn.uk.prod.group-mobility-trader.com/images/cas/50317e11790e78d451cd7ea1034db948/945052e3f5e296502220368946402172.jpg)
£14,662was £14,989Details:no_upscale():format(webp)/https://cdn.uk.prod.group-mobility-trader.com/images/cas/1a7d4474b17676684a348cdd448c4b92/08bb122aa412bc7f4fd14d51efe0f7ec.jpg)
£29,937was £30,619Details
