3rd-party check on manufacturer-approved used car?

Turbulent Bill

Is it necessary to perform the usual 3rd-party checks (history etc.) on a manufacturer-approved used car that supposedly already has these done? A bit wary about independence here.

Looking at an Octavia from a Skoda dealer under their approved used car programme. Is there any value in this?

colm_mcm

Yeah, if you want to be certain. To be fair it's not like they won't retail cars with gaps in the service history or that had previous damage etc as part of this approved used car thing.

Most people will just convince themselves the one from the main dealer is perfect and they ca always fall back on the warranty if it isn't.

Depends how much you're spending really. Can you get a 2 year warranty on used Skodas at the moment?

Turbulent Bill

colm_mcm wrote: »

Yeah, if you want to be certain. To be fair it's not like they won't retail cars with gaps in the service history or that had previous damage etc as part of this approved used car thing.

Most people will just convince themselves the one from the main dealer is perfect and they ca always fall back on the warranty if it isn't.

Depends how much you're spending really. Can you get a 2 year warranty on used Skodas at the moment?

Thanks Colm, pretty much as I expected. Dealer is looking for about 17k for a 3 year-old petrol, but there aren't many available so I'm not sure if this is fair or not. An equivalent new one is about 26k.

Standard warranty is a year.

grogi

colm_mcm wrote: »

Most people will just convince themselves the one from the main dealer is perfect and they ca always fall back on the warranty if it isn't.

That warranty is not really enforceable if the car will collapse at a crash or goes sideways...

In my (very picky in fairness) search for wheels half a year ago I've seen cars with significant damage at the reputable dealers, and I am not talking about bumper or fender replacement...

My favourite was a 25k car with roof filled and painted and couple of windows replaced (I'm guessing a fallen tree). Has been sold since to a happy buyer I guess...

grogi

Turbulent Bill wrote: »

Thanks Colm, pretty much as I expected. Dealer is looking for about 17k for a 3 year-old petrol, but there aren't many available so I'm not sure if this is fair or not. An equivalent new one is about 26k.

Answer to yourself - is it worth paying 17k for a perloved one with unknown history or spent that 17k and finance the rest over 3 years and get a new one?

With new VAG gives three (you can extend to 5 IIRC), French brands and Hyundai - all give 5. Kia 7, Mitsubishi 8... Toyota not far behind... I wouldn't touch anything with less than 5 years these days.

colm_mcm

Toyota is only a 3 year warranty in Ireland. Uk gets 5 years

If it's an Octavia TSI it would want a good warranty.

Turbulent Bill

grogi wrote: »

Answer to yourself - is it worth paying 17k for a perloved one with unknown history or spent that 17k and finance the rest over 3 years and get a new one?

My line of thought was that saving 9k on a good second-hand one (lowish mileage, assumed kosher history etc.) over a new one was a decent deal. Plan is to keep it long term, so the better resale on a new car isn't a big factor.

Cost is at the top end of what I'm willing to pay; going new doesn't look realistic.

Turbulent Bill

colm_mcm wrote: »

If it's an Octavia TSI it would want a good warranty.

Even on a 2013 1.2TSI? I'm aware there are issues with some of the 1.4s and possibly some early 1.2s, but thought this size and vintage would be OK.

Turbulent Bill

Any other comments on the 1.2 TSI reliability?