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Help and advice please

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  • 30-01-2004 12:53am
    #1
    Yavvy
    Registered Users Posts: 2,598 ✭✭✭


    HI All

    Im buying a car next week and I have between 2000 and 3000 to spend.
    I was wondering what are the important questions to ask and look for in your opinion?
    Obviously before I hand over any cash I will be having a grease monkey look at it for me ... but you know...before he looks at it ?

    It seems to me that the best options out there are

    The FIAT Punto 1.1 (97-99)
    The Fiat Punto 1.2 (96 -98)
    VW Polo 1.1 (97-99)
    Mutsiu Lancer 1.3 (96-98)

    and a few others ... Astra 1.3, corsa 1.2, fiesta,

    ay opinions what one might be a better option tha the others?


Comments

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    #2
    Tommy Vercetti
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,105 ✭✭✭Tommy Vercetti


    Out of those, I'd go for the Lancer. You'd be doing well to get one for less than €3k though. I wouldn't bother with a Punto.


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    #3
    Yavvy
    Registered Users Posts: 2,598 ✭✭✭Yavvy


    1.3 lancer 96 €2,300 in the herald last week


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    #4
    Tommy Vercetti
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,105 ✭✭✭Tommy Vercetti


    Originally posted by Alany
    1.3 lancer 96 €2,300 in the herald last week

    If it's the last model (the one that has just been replaced) then it sounds like a good price.


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    #5
    yop
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators, Regional West Moderators Posts: 16,724 Mod ✭✭✭✭yop


    Was in same situation in Dec, buying for the young one.

    Ended up getting a 98 Corsa, 50k, PAS, immaculate car, but it was only a 1 litre.
    Her insure on a provisional is less than mine (with 8 years no claims!) and I think she paid only 140 tax for the year.
    She is not doing long journeys and she is is getting about 400 miles out of 30 Euros of petrol, think it maybe running on water!! :p
    But the biggest factor I found was the PAS, big difference.

    Any 97 Fiestas I drove did not have it, Polos as far as I remember did not have it until 99, make sure u get a 1.1 litre Polo, heavy car and u will need it.

    The Corsa is a very nice car, would not have it for long journeys though, no pace in it at all.

    Stay a mile away from the Puntos, the engine is waaay to lite for the size of the body, it will be too heavy and will have serious fuel consumption especially if u are going to be travelling.

    The lancer is defo a good choice there, never driven or heard anything about them but try it out.

    Suppose things to watch out for are thick sticky dipstick, not a good sign.
    Worn pedals, seats, steering wheel means the car has about 80k or more on it.

    Uneven dials on the mile gauge could mean that the miles have been fiddled.
    Never buy a car in the rain, it hides the blemishes.!
    Check for little cracks or chips on the windows and lights, if they crack they will cost u or fail ur MOT.
    Check for white paint or dust (if not a white car!!) under bonnet, around doors, boots, could mean that they car was resprayed and this is the under coat used on new panels.

    Run your finger along the gaps at doors side panel, lights, boot to make sure that the gap is the same, if it differs badly then it could have been crashed.

    Tap the panels for difference in tone, deeper tone means polyfill used.

    Lift spare wheel and check for damage in case of rear ending.

    move steering wheel and if there is play could be problem with steering.

    Check for leaks around sun roofs, will be wet around handbrake carpet.

    Hope this helps

    Oh ya, kick the tyres :p:D


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