Can a good deal be gotten on a high mileage car?

bottletops

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Alfa-Romeo/156/1.9-140bhp/967292/

Hey folks!
I'm looking at this car at the moment. Went down and had a spin in it and the guy is right in the description. It looks and drives like a 30000Km car. I also rang the main dealer and it has been serviced to the book with timing belt done at 94000 and it had a turbo valve done at 44000.

I have 15000 to spend and my question is this. Is this a good car for 10k leaving some money aside for the inevitable repairs and services? I could also get a 60000mile car for 15000k. So what to do, 10k for the high miler with money left in the car repair fund or 15k for an average miler which could still have problems? The two cars are the same spec.

This is not intended as an Alfa bashing thread so if your only point in posting is to have a pop at Alfa, don't bother, because I'm buying one either way!!

Del2005

The car may be fine, but if you're only keeping it for 10k kms and then selling it on you'd do well to get someone to buy a 4 year old car with 130k on it. If you intend to keep the car for a long time then the €5k saving could pay for itself, but if only keeping for a short while it may not be a good idea.

Gary ITR

The thing about that car is it's an ex fleet car so it means there was no expense spared anytime it was serviced or repaired. as the poster above says it's really down to how long you're going to keep it. If it's a case of driving it for 3 years then it probably is worth it

cjt156

What's the history like on the 60k car? I'd be happier with a well maintained high-mileage ALFA than a neglected low-miler. Especially for €15K. The MJet is a great engine & should be good for plenty of miles in either case.
How's the suspension in both - 156s eat wishbone bushes but are cheap enough to replace.

Personally I never buy a car for resale value; I buy the car I want. If the €10k car is as good as you say and you're prepared to keep it and spend a bit on maintenance I'd go for it.

Redsoxfan

Import one from the UK. You get more choice with half the miles for pretty much the same money.

There's a few on Autotrader at the moment-now could be the time to buy with the exchange rate the way it is, but you have to weigh that against reduced VRT in July.

The one you are looking at doesn't have the multi-function steering wheel-I would wait until I got that to be honest.

In fact, if you have €15k to spend, I would get the Ti version-this one in Roscommon was mentioned recently

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Alfa-Romeo/156/1.9-16V/961943/

Good looking car-nearly went for one myself.

Best of luck

Lex Luthor

Suppose it depends on 2 things....how long you plan to keep the car for and how long you plan not to keep the car for? :rolleyes:

I agree with Redsox, (for once ), if you got 15k then spend it. On the other hand, thats a nice motor for 10k. It should be well maintained and if it has a full history, then you're

The one thing about an Alfa, always buy the one with the full service history, regardless of mileage and then pick the one with the best spec and leather interior. An alfa without leather is like Madonna without botox

Anan1

I'd have no problem buying that car, except that I think it's far too expensive. I'd say a fair price for it would be €6-7,000.

siralfalot

my 156 has 108k miles and drives like its just out of the factory, the secret is maintenance, I generally always replace worn parts with superior aftermarket ones, like powerflex for example

that grey one looks like good value


ps. buy a 2.4 jtd!!

siralfalot

Anan1 wrote: »

I'd have no problem buying that car, except that I think it's far too expensive. I'd say a fair price for it would be €6-7,000.

the grey one? its actually quite cheap, diesel Alfas make far better money then the petrol ones, and they are way way more reliable

Anan1

siralfalot wrote: »

the grey one? its actually quite cheap, diesel Alfas make far better money then the petrol ones, and they are way way more reliable

Diesel or not, I just don't see an 05 156 with 100k miles as being worth €10,000. That said, I wouldn't exactly be an expert on Alfa values.

siralfalot

here's a selection of whats on offer

Redsoxfan

This person should be found and punished.

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Alfa-Romeo/156/Toyota-Caldina/573838/

250882

If there is an option to buy a car with lower milage go for it. once you go over 100K you are severly restricting your market when it comes to reselling and you'll probably end up trying to trade into a garage for a patethic price in a year or two.

bazz26

There seems to be alot of focus here on the resale value of the car further down the road, if resale value is important then the OP would hardly be looking at a used Alfa Romeo in the first place.

To me buying this car makes alot of sense, as long as it has a full service history and has been checked out by an Alfa Romeo specialist then it could be a good buy. The previous owner(s) have already taken most of the hit for depreciation so even if the OP keeps it for only 2 years it will still probably loose less value than a 08 average family car will.

Haggle a bit more on the price though as high mileage cars have a very limited market, most people seem to be think that as soon as the odometer hits 100k miles bits start to break or fall off so stear clear of them.

Best of luck.

techie

bottletops wrote: »

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Alfa-Romeo/156/1.9-140bhp/967292/

Hey folks!
I'm looking at this car at the moment. Went down and had a spin in it and the guy is right in the description. It looks and drives like a 30000Km car. I also rang the main dealer and it has been serviced to the book with timing belt done at 94000 and it had a turbo valve done at 44000.

I have 15000 to spend and my question is this. Is this a good car for 10k leaving some money aside for the inevitable repairs and services? I could also get a 60000mile car for 15000k. So what to do, 10k for the high miler with money left in the car repair fund or 15k for an average miler which could still have problems? The two cars are the same spec.

This is not intended as an Alfa bashing thread so if your only point in posting is to have a pop at Alfa, don't bother, because I'm buying one either way!!

Something fishy here, the ad you have listed has pics of a car that is for sale in Old Chapel in Bandon , Cork and its petrol?????????

Lex Luthor

techie wrote: »

Something fishy here, the ad you have listed has pics of a car that is for sale in Old Chapel in Bandon , Cork and its petrol?????????

linky?

techie

Lex Luthor wrote: »

linky?

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Alfa-Romeo/156/1.6-T.Spark/900849/

Redsoxfan

He's right you know!

It's not that unusual though-the photos of this GT on carzone are not of the car that is actually for sale.

It's not easy to take decent photos at the moment with the weather and the dark etc.

unkel

bazz26 wrote: »

There seems to be alot of focus here on the resale value of the car further down the road, if resale value is important then the OP would hardly be looking at a used Alfa Romeo in the first place

Completely agree. Not a used Alfa and surely not a high mileage one on top of that! By all means buy that car (after getting more money off and having it checked out), keep the rest of your budget for contingencies and find a good independent Alfa specialist. Odds are that you'll drive a great car for very little money

Give up on the idea of selling it. Buy it for say €8k, drive it for 4 years and the car owes you nothing. Any salvage value at that stage is a bonus

bottletops

Thanks everyone for the opinions. Well spotted on the pics. I did notice that the car has the multifunction steering wheel and the photo does not!!

I'm not expecting much from resale to be honest cause I'll be travelling from Carlow to Naas in it every day. Even a 60000 car will have 100000 within a year or so!!

Again thanks for all the comments and opinions.

S.I.R

milage isnt a worry man , wonce the car's kept half decent i think you'll find that mileage isnt a worry though parts Will need replacing from time to time that shouldnt be a concern as we all know how expencive it is to run a car...

Del2005

bazz26 wrote: »

There seems to be alot of focus here on the resale value of the car further down the road, if resale value is important then the OP would hardly be looking at a used Alfa Romeo in the first place.

I miss read the OP's 1st post and thought they where only keeping it for 10k kms, thats why I mentioned resale. But as can be seen below they are planning on keeping it.

bottletops wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the opinions. Well spotted on the pics. I did notice that the car has the multifunction steering wheel and the photo does not!!

I'm not expecting much from resale to be honest cause I'll be travelling from Carlow to Naas in it every day. Even a 60000 car will have 100000 within a year or so!!

Again thanks for all the comments and opinions.

siralfalot

S.I.R wrote: »

milage isnt a worry man , wonce the car's kept half decent i think you'll find that mileage isnt a worry though parts Will need replacing from time to time that shouldnt be a concern as we all know how expencive it is to run a car...

exactly, I would always buy a well mentained high milage car over a dubiously mentained low milage model

a 100k car will most likely have the major consumables that would last to approx 80 to 90k miles (guestimation) changed, shocks bushings, anti roll bars, turbo in the case of some diesels, timing belts, whereas with a 60K car the bills could waiting in the wings