first time car buyer

shano_88

looking for some advice. i dont know alot about cars but ill be buying my first car in the coming months and i honestly dont have a clue what to be looking out for when buying a car. should i be haggling? should i def buy from a dealer? I also dont want to pay over the top on insurance so thats a factor as well when i choose a car.

I have about 4k to spend on a car and hoping this car will last 4 to 5 years min...... what type of car would you recomend? Is it worth travelling to england to look with the current exchange rate? all advice welcome....

patchybaby

haggle till you get the right price...it's a buyers market. Take someone with you that knows about cars and i don't mean a tyre kicker....take your time in buying don't go rushing in. enjoy the whole experience

S.I.R

haghle but be practical, dont insult the dealer with a silly offer,


bring a mate or anyone with any sort of mechanical knollege...


get somethign that will have a decent re-sale in years to come

and Never let the dealer know how much you have to spend.


spot a car you like for 1-2 k above your rpice range, talk him down, then get the next best to it, and talk him down on that...

never let him know how much you have, when it comes ot the end of the deal, pay the price, leave with your saving, enjoy your new motor.

Tony Broke

What do you like?

I think mitsubishi's colt/lancers are great starter cars, very reliable and cheap to buy.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/854954

This Lancer here looks a steal, if you could get it for 1k with a brand new nct, you would have a great little motor.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/856732

I think you should be spending around 1 - 2k on your first car, you'd pick up a great little Honda, Mitsubishi etc for that.

shano_88

I was thinking ford focus or opel astra. I hear the focus is a fairly relaible car. true? what litre is the lancer, lke the look of it. not sure about insurance tho.

CharlieCroker

That lancer is only 1.3.
Wont win any Grand prix but economical, reliable and shouldn't cost any more to insure than the focus.

They're not the most exciting cars but fom your origional thread, sounds ideal for what you want.

Another option would be a Honda Civic. pleanty of 5dr versions out there in your budget
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Honda/Civic/1.4I/200838190011450/advert

shano_88

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Honda/Civic/1.4/200840190269891/advert

mileage on this seems too good to be true??

Tony Broke

shano_88 wrote: »

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Honda/Civic/1.4/200840190269891/advert

mileage on this seems too good to be true??

Its over priced anyway, 3500e for a 98 1.4 Civic, is he mad :pac:

EPM

Plus it's an automatic and that wouldn't be of much use to the OP doind their test in the future as they would only be allowed drive automatics

S.I.R

that civic is rather clean but hey, its still well over valued...


1.3 corrolla would be ideal... or 1.4 vvti... there rather nippy...