Buying a Honda Accord

fifth

Hi, I was advised to create a new thread for this subject after I made a few posts in another thread re: buying an accord (a car held in high regard here on boards).

here's the ad.

Already, note the price is significantly lower than most other accords in that year/model.

I did enquire about another accord (2005) and was told that it was sold, but there would be a 2006 accord coming in and I would be given a (very significant) discount on the price because the one I had my eye on was gone.

So this intrigued me, enough to run a cartell report on the vehicle - some of the results were:

Fuel Type PETROL
Engine Capacity (cc) 1998
Transmission Manual
Power 114KW
CO2 Emissions 176

Imported No
Last Date of Sale Not Recorded
Tax Expiry Date 31-Jul-2008
Date of First Registration 19-Jul-2006
Date of First Registration in Ireland 19-Jul-2006
Country of Origin JAPAN
Manufacture Date 2006
Previous Registration Not Recorded
Manufacture Details Honda Japan

NCT Due Date 18-Jul-2010
Never been used as a taxi

Finance check came back next day to say it is under a finance agreement. I contacted the garage straight away and they came back and said that the finance was just cleared and they will have a letter from the bank on monday to confirm this (bank of ireland).

They are offering a fsh and explained the previous owner was a sales rep for a car dealership (im presuming honda..) and all services done by the main dealer.

Mileage is 73000 miles for a 2 year old car which is extremely high. I went to view the car today and took it for a drive. Tested everything, all gears, knobs, electrics.

Only thing was when I went to start the car, battery was dead. Car needed a jump start, garage owner explained that one of the guys there had left the ignition on all day?? and ran the battery down.

Once the car started, was fine, and could turn on and off at will. Only other gripe was a few scratches on the rear left side but nothing I am worried about. Said the car was never crashed either.

I put a deposit down on it to hold it. So am thinking of picking it up on saturday.

Am I being over paranoid, could this actually be a good deal?

Or should I just use the 'if it's too good to be true, it usually is' rule here?

colm_mcm

unusual for a Galway reg car to end up in a small Dublin garage, probably picked up in the auctions?
I'd be checking the service history too. Honda Ireland wouldn't have been using G reg cars.

Confirm with the bank in question that the car is no longer under finance, verify the service history with the Honda dealer on the stamps,

Compare the Chassis number with that on the Licensing cert. don't be embarrassed to demand this, you'll be a lot more embarrrassed if you end up with a lemon.

I'd find it hard to believe that a garage so close to the city centre would leave the keys in the ignition of a car all day, while a flat battery in itself is not a problem, I'd be wary of a salesman who possibly makes things up to keep me quiet.

Leadership

Solid cars and I think you are being a bit paranoid, a flat battery is nothing usually but mileage is high. As long as you do not do 30k miles per year this should last you a few years yet.

As for price cannot help you there.

fifth

Will be checking with the bank tomorrow re the finance. Lady from cartell rang me about it and said I could call them with any queries on it so I might do that just to be safe.

I've wanted one of these for so long and I'm happy enough with it so far just a little weary - also I should mention the guy in the garage offered me pretty much what i was asking for my Honda civic that I'm trading in. Didn't test the car, just asked me to get in and start it.. and said "yep thats fine we'll offer you X amount for that." Made his mind up pretty quick - whether that means anything or not I do not know.

Ok so I just get a hold of the fsh and contact honda to verify the history?

He just said he 'got the car cheap'. He mentioned something about belonging to a toyota rep now that I think about it!!

That's a bit puzzling to me but I'll do those checks anyway and I'll bring someone with mechanical knowledge up with me saturday to look over the car.

I'm not worried about the car's reliability as much as I already own a honda and I know they can be bomb proof almost.

colm_mcm

The Toyota thing doesn't add up. Even the Toyota Finance guys tend to drive Toyotas, and they never would have G reg cars. Try to see the name on the Licensing cert.

Could have been a buyback from 2 year contract hire.

fifth

colm_mcm wrote: »

The Toyota thing doesn't add up. Even the Toyota Finance guys tend to drive Toyotas, and they never would have G reg cars. Try to see the name on the Licensing cert.

Could have been a buyback from 2 year contract hire.

Yeah I guess I should of asked him to elaborate a bit more on that but I never thought about it. I assumed before I viewed the car that it must of belonged to some kind of sales rep anyway.

The G reg I do not understand at all though.

VH

funkyflea wrote: »

The G reg I do not understand at all though.

was registered to a company in Galway - could be any one of hundreds, but not honda or toyota

ask the garage who the previous owner was - or phone honda and ask them

MugMugs

High mileage car, especially for a petrol.

Strange for a rep to be given a petrol aswell..... Especially with Honda having that capsulated CDTCI engine of theirs.

colm_mcm

I wouldn't say the car is too good to be true, generally the diesel models get all the attention, and they're higher spec than this. this is also high mileage.
That said, take all the precautions mentioned above to set your mind at ease.

Captain Slow IRL

Don't worry - the dealer will provide you with a warranty anyway, although I'd doubt you'll need it!

That model accord along with the new civics are fitted with low capacity batteries (and high output alternators) - it's very easy to flatten a battery in them.

Best of luck with it!

fifth

Little update here nearly a week has passed. Cartell informed me as of ten minutes ago finance is still owing on the car.

The garage gave me a (mobile number) for a guy in bank of ireland who can confirm the finance is now cleared and will provide me paperwork to say this.

I was a bit fishy about the mobile no so called bank of ireland head office and they confirmed the guy does work for them and that is his mobile number. So he just called me back there and said he's going into the office now to check the finance on the car.

Can I get my deposit back on the car ? If this doesn't work out. €200 I would not like to throw away.. but it could be worse.

Stevie Dakota

This would make an infinitely better buy, albeit for a euro more (around €21K all in).

2008 diesel, low tax, nearly new....

http://www.motorpoint.co.uk/(S(0vg1uievuuecsy45uirsf0vi))/Search/VehicleDetails.aspx?vehicle=197541&diesel=yes

what_car

funkyflea wrote: »

Hi, I was advised to create a new thread for this subject after I made a few posts in another thread re: buying an accord (a car held in high regard here on boards).

here's the ad.

Already, note the price is significantly lower than most other accords in that year/model.

I did enquire about another accord (2005) and was told that it was sold, but there would be a 2006 accord coming in and I would be given a (very significant) discount on the price because the one I had my eye on was gone.

So this intrigued me, enough to run a cartell report on the vehicle - some of the results were:



Finance check came back next day to say it is under a finance agreement. I contacted the garage straight away and they came back and said that the finance was just cleared and they will have a letter from the bank on monday to confirm this (bank of ireland).

They are offering a fsh and explained the previous owner was a sales rep for a car dealership (im presuming honda..) and all services done by the main dealer.

Mileage is 73000 miles for a 2 year old car which is extremely high. I went to view the car today and took it for a drive. Tested everything, all gears, knobs, electrics.

Only thing was when I went to start the car, battery was dead. Car needed a jump start, garage owner explained that one of the guys there had left the ignition on all day?? and ran the battery down.

Once the car started, was fine, and could turn on and off at will. Only other gripe was a few scratches on the rear left side but nothing I am worried about. Said the car was never crashed either.

I put a deposit down on it to hold it. So am thinking of picking it up on saturday.

Am I being over paranoid, could this actually be a good deal?

Or should I just use the 'if it's too good to be true, it usually is' rule here?

thats the most basic accord spec. the SR spec. you can get 06 irish registered type S accords now for 23k!

very high mileage, look around better deals to be had!!

petrol accords , have deprecited a lot in recent times!

fifth

Thanks for the feedback. I'm not looking for leather seats or anything. Just like honda's and wanted one of these for a while. And 20,000 is a little out of my price range to be honest.

Still waiting on bank to get re the finance.. so on the phone to them again now.

E92

Seeing as the car has a speedo in km, shouldn't it be 73k km as opposed to 73k miles?

Either way 73k km or 73k miles is nothing for a Honda, indeed 73k miles is only decently run in on most cars, it should be able to top 150 k miles with the minimum of fuss provided it has been well maintained of course.

fifth

Yeah I'm not so worried bout the mileage anymore now.

Bank says car still under finance despite garage assuring me has been paid. Called garage, they're going to call me back about it.

Not looking good, have seen another one I might get instead, just wondering can I now get my deposit back? I'll ask when they ring back anyway.

Update:

Finance cleared according to bank. will pick car up tomorrow.

Thanks for all the advice , will post update soon and let you know how the car is.

stek

well, how is your accord? Im just about to buy one meself. Although i heard a new model is to released mid november this year, I find this usually deprciates the value of 2nd hand ones...

what_car

stek wrote: »

well, how is your accord? Im just about to buy one meself. Although i heard a new model is to released mid november this year, I find this usually deprciates the value of 2nd hand ones...

well i saw today a 2006 honda accord type S , with 35,000miles, for 22,500 euro.. that car was 35,500 yoyos new!

i saw another garage with one a 2006 accord type s as well, looking for 25k for it, and they have it on their forecourt since feb this year!! and its still there today!!

when a new model is released , it usually knocks a years value off the old model straight away..