Advice on buying a new car required

[DaBouncer]

I'm going to buy a car tomorrow from a dealership.

I'm a little dense when it comes to knowing what questions to ask and what to look for when it comes to possible repairs that may be needed etc.

 

I've had an HPI check done and it came up clear so all seems well from that end.

 

If anyone has any questions that I should ask or advice on what to look for please post it here.

I'll check this topic in the morning and jot down the advice before going to see it.

 

Cheers folks!

[Rich]

Does the car have 4 wheels? Has it ever had any technical problems? How old is it?

 

All good questions.

 

Hope that helps

 

Oh and I still say Segas are crap

[mat1978]

Its probably abit late now but the best thing if you still have time is to have a look around the net for a forum that's dedicated to the car you're going for, for example I use the Mondeo Enthusiasts Group for everything I need car wise.

 

There worth there weight in gold mate. What you going for? I take it you sold the Z3??

[WallBuilder]

At such short notice it's difficult to suggest much. If you've got a friend who knows a bit about cars drag them along. Remember the dealer wont actually lie to you but they'll not give you ANY negative comments on anything they're seling.

Has the car got a full service history? [if it's second hand]

Can you take it for a test drive?

Are spare parts for it easy to get?

I suppose you could try asking them directly to tell you about any forseeable problems but you probably wont get an answer, even if it was a clapped out Lada Riva they'd still say it was the most wonderful car of all time.

[Cyclone]

make sure you compare whatever finance the dealer is offering with the rates you could get elsewhere (should be looking for about 6% APR).

Don't be talked into buying any extra's like the 3 months parts warranty.

 

And if you are p/x'ing get a copy of glasses guide and find the value of your car.

[evildrneil]

Take a look on:

 

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk

 

and

 

http://www.parkers.co.uk

 

To see what they say about the car in question - they will give yo a good overview of the car and also highlight any problem areas to check up on / ask about and honestjohns also lists any recalls which you should know about

[Strix]

Have you read the results of the Top Gear survey? Have a prod about their site for some unbiased views from owners.

 

Are you still going for the toyota? Did you manage to hire one?

[DaBouncer]

Didn't go for a Toyota Strix no.

 

Thanks for the advice everyone - went to see the Jeep Cherokee this AM but decided it wasn't for us.

Just something about it - a gut feeling that put me off, so I changed my mind.

 

Still looking for a cherokee but will keep checking out whats available.

 

Thanks for the suggestions, and if you have any more feel free to add them to this thread so I can build up some questions for my next viewing

 

And yes Mat the Z3 has now been sold

[jackthedog]

Your HPI will show if the mileage is genuine, but there are a few clue as to what sort of mileage a car has done. Not how many, but what sort.

 

Ie, on a fairly low mileage car, if the drivers seatbelt doesn't spring back promptly, it should suggest that it has been on and off an above-average amount of times. Which would suggest that the car has been used for lots of short journeys, with much stopping and starting of the engine.

A high-miler that has spent much of it's time on the motorway can be a better buy than a low-miler that has done nothing but a 1 mile commute every day since new.

 

There were a few other tell-tale signs of how a car has been used during it's life, but I can't remember any of the others

 

Check the tread of the tyres the whole way across - make sure it is evenly worn across the entire width of the tyre. 4x4s tend to be treated a bit more harshly than other cars, and may have been bumped up and down kerbs with little care by their previous owners, leading to wheel alignment/tracking problems etc. They are tougher, but still suffer if treated badly.

 

Check all the levels - oil, coolant etc - if they are all okay it suggests a well-cared for vehicle. If they are a bit off, maybe it has been neglected?

 

Feel the engine bay - is it warm? If so, tell them you'll come back when it's cold, so you can see how it starts and runs from cold. If they wanted to warm it up before your arrival perhaps they wanted to cover up cold-runnig problems.

 

Skatiechick is the resident car expert on the forum - maybe she can give a few words of advice?

 

 

Last year you were asking how much a GMC van would be. What happened to that idea? You'll never get to feel like Mr T in a Cherokee...

 

 

 

PS. Of course it's unlikely that it's ever been used off-road, but just in case, when looking at 4x4s (okay, not Rav 4s and CRVs etc, but Jeeps, Landrovers and stuff) have a quick scan of the underbelly - it's possible that the chassis rails and other low slung stuff has come into contact with pointy rocks and other sharp, rough objects.

 

I know it's unlikely but it doesn't hurt to have a check. Take a little torch with you and wear scruffy clothes!

[fredsredhat]

as said before, take a pair of overalls, a metal poking stick and a torch. the dealer will s*&* himself when he sees you put on the overalls and get right under the car. even if you dont know what you're looking at he thinks you do so he's more likley to tell you of problems cos if you find them out .......