Advice for first time car buyer

mp3ireland2

Hi,
I've just got a job, and now want to get a car. I will be driving about 40km each day to form work, 400km roughly every 2nd wkend, maybe a bit more....
So roughly maybe 650km a week on average i'm guessing! taking other bits into account.

I want to buy something under €3,000. I'm just wondering what you think my most economical options would pay, when everything is taken into account - cost of the car, cost of tax, insurance etc. I'm a 25 yr old male with full licence and about 3 years driving exp so insurance shouldn't be too bad i'm guessin.

Main question I suppose is whether you think petrol or diesel would be my best option? And any other advice people might have!

Thanks

Under the CC system tax on a 1.4 is €300 ish and on a 2.0 €600 ish so considering the miles you will be going I'd consider that €6 week fairly negligible. I'd consider 20,000 miles a year and a €3000 budget diesel territory. Peugeot 406HDi and Rover 75 auto diesels are great value for money and you'd get a very decent example for €3000, both very comfy too and well regarded amongst folk who know their beans. VW stuff is awfully overpriced but a nice Passat would be within budget for you in 1.9 guise which was a relatively trouble free motor. Also you'd get a good Octavia diesel for €3000 too.

If you go petrol anything above a 1.6 Focus or similar will get costly at the pumps. It's no fun fuelling a large petrol car that returns 35mpg over 400 miles/week with today's fuel costs.

mp3ireland2

Cool thanks for that. What would be a ball park figure for the mpg on those diesel cars?

Also, not knowing a lot about cars, I'm a little weary of buying private (which would obviously offer a lot better value).

Even with a guide like this
http://www.samarins.com/check/index.html or something similar i'd be weary! I prob could get somebody to go with me who'd know more... but i'm still cautious!
I know to look for service records and see when the timing belt has been changed... How often should that be changed or does it vary a lot from model to model?

You should easily see 45mpg on those diesel cars, timing belt frequency depends on the make and model. Basically buying a recently NCTd car privately off someone who has owned it for years and can provide a service history is a safe enough proposition, add in someone with you who know their beans and you can't really go wrong. Just try and avoid the wheeler dealer types (although I'd have no prob buying off them either to be honest but there are a good % of them crooked bastads).

mp3ireland2

Cool, I'll look into the timing belts as I'm going to view cars so, and quiz them individually.

If I was going to a garage, I'd have a local fella that we've gone to for years, Dad, mam, sister have all got cars off him. He's a decent bloke and has a very cheap service, he wouldn't screw me over or anything... but jus don't know how much extra cost it'll add... do the garages normally jus cover the engine and gearbox for a few months? or does it vary a lot?

Thanks for all your help, least i know i should be lookin at diesel anyway....Have 2 weeks before I start, would be handy to have the car before then, as i'd have time to be looking etc. but don't want to rush it either as I could burrow dads van for the first while

If he knows ye that well it may be wise to buy off him, he could pick up a straight car to suit your needs for €2000 or less trade, service it and quick clean up and through it your way for well within your price range. He makes a handy few hundred, everyone's happy. You may well do no better privately.

May be worth having a chat with him