Used car buying advice

[The Duke]

Car dealers hate me, as I know exactly what I want when I walk through the door.

I’ll say ”I want model x, eginge x in this spec. And maybe x option. What’s your price?”

They start the patter, and I’ll say, ”I know what I want, as do you, all I want is a price.”

If they carry on with the patter I’ll just leave. They always call with a price. Then back again with anther offer within 24h.

I don’t blame them for their tactics of up selling as if some is going to send upward of 20k and they don’t know what they want, haven’t put any effort in, to me it’s their fault they are about to be fleeced.

I said call me back, for my last car, I didn’t give them a number, I gave them my email. They hate that as they can’t sweet talk you. Email haggling is the way to go. And when you stop responding they get twitchy.

It also helps to mention rivals cars in detail that are in direct competition to the one your looking at.

Ie if say a fiesta St, I’d drop in, it’s a shame it doesn’t have a LSD like the corsa vxr, or just drop in ”god this interior would really suit them vxr seats”, compare hp figures.

Not in an obvious way and not directed at the sales man, just in a browsing way.

As they they are continuing their patter, look at your watch, or have the wife say ”have you seen the time”, you I’ll reply with, I’ll leave that price with you, as we have an appoint ment at Vx in 30 mins. Then leave and go home.

You’ll have an email in 30mins with their first best price. My reply would be somthing like, ” really, ford of (next town) is x cheaper, but I’d rather not go that far to get it, leave it with me. Thank for your time”

Tomorrow you’ll get anther offer.

My old man was a haggler, as a kid he would embarrass me. He could walk into a shoe shop and come out with a second pair for half price. Ive never been able to do that.

[Bob Williams]

My mam was like your dad! As a kid, about 9 or 10, she dragged me to a Mansfield shoe shop to return the shoes that had broken a heel after one day’s wear. The manager got shirty: “You can have a Credit Note madam.” The result was a loud explosion from a 5foot tall redhead with a hair trigger temper. People were leaving the shop as mam held up the shoes – LOOK! Worn the ONE DAY! ONE ******* DAY!” Thirty B****y Shillings* for one day’s wear! My husband does not work his tail off down the pit for s*** like this on my feet.”

She got her money back from a terrified salesman, who now knew how my whole family falt when mam took the Warpath.

*Thirty shillings (£1.50) was a lot of money in ’54 or ’55.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[PlaneMan]

Just been offered a 10 month old Swift SZ-T for my car and £6,800, 3434 miles on it, first service thrown in as well. Tempting deal, it’s the dealerships runabout and is as new.  Right colour as well, red.

Been offered some good deals on PCP contracts but I’m not sure about them, ATM the payments wouldn’t be an issue, could afford the top spec over 25 months easily but if my PIP was messed about with (always possible with the DWP) then my savings would go down quickly, the trouble I had with my current PIP award puts me off the idea.

Decisions, decisions.

 

[JayCeeDee]

I suppose you could always take out some PPI to cover your PIP!!

[PlaneMan]

If only JCD!

Having another test drive on Tuesday, even though the new car is slightly shorter than mine (10mm) the space inside is amazing. It’s like going from a Citigo/Up!/Mii to a Mondeo.

If all is as good as I remember it being it’s time to apply the thumbscrews!

[PlaneMan]

Had the test drive and it’s better than I remember it. Feels really fast for a 0-62 of 10 odd seconds, everything is like mine but better.

After some negotiations I was about to leave as they wouldn’t go more than £3k for my car. Was asked to sit down and 10 minutes later I shook on £9.4k for the car and £3k for mine. TBH it’s worth the £9.8k they offered it to me for before so I’m chuffed. ?

Pick it up next Tuesday after the first service has been done.

[The Duke]

Wife was in the ozzy today, for a long appointment. So as I do I got bored, left her plugged in to the machine, and went window shopping.

I took out a Peugeot 308 gt line 1.2 (125bhp/130lb-ft) with a 6 speed auto. I have no recall in treat in the car, or didn’t untill I drove it.

The engine was fine, very pokey for its size, but the star of the show was the auto box. It was amazing. They let me out on my own, and I was almost an hour. It was hardly fast, but by no means slow, also it was no where near as direct as my GTC, but they are designed for different purposes. But it was still a fun car, had all the mod cons (bar android auto/apple car play?) , including a full glass roof as standard.

The overall package was great, apparently the manual box and clutch arnt great, but OMG the gearbox was like butter, and super fast. Whacked it in sport mode and rang everything it had out of it.

A great way to spend an hour. After that it got me thinking about engine size and how far small engines have come on, this 1.2l 3cyl is pushing out more power than the first golf gti, and I bet with that box it beats its 0-60. (maybe). But iirc it want that quick compared to today’s cars  It was around 9 to 10 seconds.

Anyhow, driving back to the ozzy, I found myself at the SEAT garage (totally different direction), as I needed to see if I could substitute power for toys and prettiness. So took out the Leon FR tech 1.8petrol estate with 180bhp,(don’t know the torque figure) which come with most of the toys but is a but “grey” as a car.

My issue with the small 1-1.2 3cyl engines is effiancy, they are all crap. They may have low pollutants, but they eat fuel, the guy(kid) in the pug garage said, “it will do 60mpg all day”, so I then turned it on, opens the trip menu which stated it has done 6k miles and averaged 36.1 mpg. He said that must be wrong, I told him it’s exactly in the region of all the other oems mpgs for this car. He said I was wrong. I just said ok.

And this is where I get that nagging doubt about these smaller cars. I don’t mind burning fuel if I’m having some form of fun.

So back to the SEAT garage. I Pulled out the garage, and within two mins  I knew I could substitute power for toys and prettiness. The arona is a lover car, and it’s getting a 1.5l petrol that delivers 150bhp (same one skoda use in their non VRS that still looks sportyish)

I took the Leon on a similar but sharer route, had a young lady accompany me that was a bit of a petrol head, so she egged me on, and it was quick, felt really light, (the DSG is good, but the pug was better), quite direct, and it was effortless s on the motorway, one place all the small engines come up short.

So yea, I can’t do the smaller engines. Oh the trip on the SEAT was 42mpg over 2k miles. So about the same as my current car, (slightly better), but far more efficient than the smaller “economy ” engines!

Also i was late picking doris up. She want impressed.

Side not, the SEAT garage I’ve been a few times and know a guy in there, but wasn’t speaking to him about this. I was asking about usb or 12v access in the rear, the cupra version has them but no other Leon trim does. the guys said to me, if it’s a deal breaker, he is sure they could put in the duel usb ports the cupra has in after they take delivery and before they hand it to us. Now that is service.

I can’t even get Vx to fix a door card rattle. Or the ground loop buzz! Seat are offering to bastadise a car for a sale. Even when I said it would be a motability sale. He said no one would ever know or realise. Just for his attitude alone bumps SEAT up my pecking order.

[PlaneMan]

The new Swift is a super light car, 915 kg. That’s about a rugby player less than mine and a lot less than any other car the same size. The Up! GTI weighs 1070 KG.

That makes it great to drive and fairly efficient, of course if you drive at 70 in third it’ll be crap, economy wise.

The best thing is the turbo comes in at about 2,000 rpm so you don’t need to nail the throttle to make rapid progress, as a comparison the turbo in my mother’s Captur doesn’t kick in until about 3,200 rpm and you need to nail it to make rapid progress.

[Ed P]

The whole world is a lot FATTER than it used to be. The original mini clocked in at under 600Kg!

[PlaneMan]

Yes Ed, one of the reasons it was such a good drive.

[Bob Williams]

FYI guys:

1963 Hillman Imp
This vehicle has a 2 door saloon (sedan) body style with a rear mounted engine powering the rear wheels. It is powered by a naturally aspirated engine of 0.9 litre capacity. This powerplant features single overhead camshaft valve gear, 4 cylinder layout, and 2 valves per cylinder. It develops 39 bhp (39.5 PS/29.1 kW) of power at 5000 rpm, and maximum torque of 71 N·m (52 lb·ft/7.2 kgm) at 2800 rpm. A 4 speed manual gearbox transfers the power to the wheels. Stated weight at the kerb is 711 kg. Maximum claimed speed is 129 km/h (80 mph).

Cut off one half-coil from the rear springs and it corners better than an original mini, sliding out the rear completely under control.

Then there’s this:     http://tinyurl.com/y88llbak

Spec’s don’t read very well in comparison to today’s small cars, but it was innovative in its time and it was ahead of its time. Driving one of these light little motors, was much more fun than a Mini, in any form. Doing 90 in a Sunbeam Sport, always gave me an ear-splitting grin. Throwing it around corners and dragging its ass out in the wind, was something else. The all-alloy engine began life as a Coventry Climax Fire pump.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[PlaneMan]

When there was very little passenger protection cars could be a lot lighter. Now with crumple zones, side protection and multiple airbags, not to mention all the gadgets and gizmos, weight is a real issue.

[Richard]

Bob, what you said was true, but they were not well developed. There were some really daft design flaws, a pneumatic throttle for one. The engine was interesting, but from what I recall the production of both the engine and cars themselves had issues. Linwood being one of them, Rootes were undercapitalised for what hit them. They were forced to build their new factory in a depressed area and production costs alone became a serious issue as cars travelled hundreds of miles before they were finally ever thrown together The Imp itself was underdeveloped, and the build quality and reliability problems, coupled with buyer apathy towards the design were reflected in poor sales. After a reasonably successful start in 1963–65, the Imp did not sell well. Lost production caused by frequent strike action at Linwood and escalating warranty claims left Rootes no money to develop other models. It was a sad end to the company, it model range and yes the Imp which might have fared better without so many odds stacked against its progress.

[PlaneMan]

Had the first of 2 parcels for looking after the new car today, a Bilt Hamber kit.

Mats and other stuff were also due today but UK Mail messed that up, despite delivering the other parcel exactly on time. ?

 

[PlaneMan]

New car picked up, mats came earlier along with a small rubber insert for the ‘phone shelf’ to stop stuff sliding about.

Bit of a faff to install the drivers mat as there is a retaining system that means removing 2 small squares of carpet from underneath the drivers seat. I’m sure for someone without my issues it’s a 2 minute job but it took me about 15 minutes and much groaning to get it done.

Super happy with the car so far, will have to keep an eye on the speedo though, it really wants to go.

[JayCeeDee]

PlaneMan wrote:

Super happy with the car so far, will have to keep an eye on the speedo though, it really wants to go.

 

My TomTom Speed Camera app performs that function for me!! It’s set up to  pair to the car when the ignition comes on.

 

Enjoy the car!!

[The Duke]

I use the Tom tom app, overplayed onto Google maps.

Though my girl uses here maps, she has it set to beep as hits speed limits, as she has a black box and is terrified of upsetting her insurers and getting a price hike.

Daddy is band from driving her car now! That’s the thanks I get for all the hours I Sat in the things teaching her! Lol.

Glad your liking your new motor.

[PlaneMan]

It’s got Android Auto so I can plug my phone in and use Google maps for the sat nav. I might take a chance on the sat nav upgrade sd card (only the top of the range gets it as standard ot the new Sport) on ebay for £38, that uses Here maps. It just seems too cheap, the RRP is £200 and the dealership has offered it to me for £100. That’s a lot for an SD card and a licence. It can’t be transferred to another car either, it’s tied to the original by a unique code.

Need to play around with Android Auto and see how well it works with various apps.

[The Duke]

I know waze is supported on Android auto, and that does the speed limit of the road, your current speed, and iirc will give you a nudge if your going to quickly

I don’t know if here maps works on AA. But I defo wouldn’t be paying out any money for a car sat nav, even it it did use Here.

I refused the option of a Sat nav on my current car. It was a 700£ extra at the time. The only down side was if you wanted BT you had to get it. As I didn’t want the car nav, I’ve never seen one as good as Google maps, waze or here, so I couldn’t justify 100s just for BT. So I bought a £10 BT to aux in that has done the job for 3 years now.

Android auto and car play is now almost the ideusty standard, and is coming in many entry cars for free, but you can still “up grade” to built in maps (just like in your case) if you wish. I wouldn’t. I can’t see why anyone would, but then again I couldn’t see why people opted for the older built in Sat nav.

Tom Tom Garmin and navman units was always better than in car units, and upgradable, then Google maps waze and here on phones trumped the standalone Sat navs. I’m just glad we have finally merged the two. A dumb screen that polls your phone.

Also the latest breed of screens shouldn’t look ancient in 5 years time, and your phone is forever up datable. Saying all that, there will undoubtedly be a time when the version on android auto and car play in the car, won’t be able to speak to the version on your phone. I wonder how long it will be supported.

I suppose only time will tell on that front. The one thing that may keep both Google and apple honest on the at front is non will want to be the first to drop support for older cars. Due to headlines, but as soon as one does, the other will soon follow.

[Bob Williams]

Going back to PM’s car mats:

I checked the price of mats for the iX20 on the Hyundai website, as I got floor mats and a boot mat for <£80 for the Tucson only last April. For the iX20, a smaller car: >£110 on the Hyundai website. So I sourced made to measure floor mats from the Czech Republic and boot mat from Poland, for a total of <£55, from eBay: Both items very well made, good materials, fitted perfectly, quick delivery. Left 5 Star feedback for both.

The rear floor of the iX20 is completely flat, so the rear mat was a one-piece ‘wraparound’ that covers about 90% of the rear floor. From the Hyundai website, their mats are 2 separate rear ones. Go figure. Both the eBay floor mats have reinforced holes for the lugs on the floor, and tough undersides that keep them in place. The boot mat has a lip which pushes right up to the back of the rear seats, the sides and edge of the boot. It completely covers the carpet and the underside is tough-textured, non-slip material. I am very pleased with these mats, but yet again I am driven to ask: why cannot British manufacturers make stuff like this? The Polish and Czech manufacturers have obviously measured up the dimensions of a 2018 car and produced something that works well. With all the cars still produced in the UK*, why cannot some enterprising Brit company do the same?

*For now?

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

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