Hello! Purchase advice pls: 1.6i Desire, 2004

[krasejc]

Hello, thinking of buying the above Blingo, has 113k on it. Mainly to be used for runaround/commuter, maybe starting paid dog walking again, and occasional camping with bikes/dog. I'm 28 and though I've been driving since 17 I've not needed a car till now because of living in a city and never being able to afford one. They're asking £1000 and where I live these don't come up too often in my sub-£2000 price bracket. Would you buy this car? It's my first purchase. We can afford repairs just haven't got a big wad of cash saved up for a purchase. Since moving to the country we find the buses are not so convenient anymore!

The door handle thing I've already googled and it sounds like a common fix. By gaiter I'm not sure if this is the gaiter near the tyre or the gear stick gaiter but they're also apparently not rocket science to replace as long as what they're protecting is OK. This is what the seller said:
....
No actual service history but I have had the car for eight years and has been regularly maintained and serviced by a garage and my partner. There were 2 minor advisories, a tyre and the gaiter is beginning to perish but still doing its job. I normally use my car from A to B daily to my work and for family runs. New airbag module was fitted in 2013. Timing belt and clutch was fitted in 2012 and has since done 20,000 miles. New radiator, plus cooling fan fitted in 2014. Very reluctant sale as we required smaller car for my daughter learning to drive. The only negative of this car would be the rear o/s door handle needs replaced as door will not open from outside only inside.

[homeruk]

Have you got a link?

[krasejc]

Yes although this was from the email reply not the link. Car is here: http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motor...gn=adreply

[homeruk]

Those pics are useless, price is ok although I would try to knock him down a bit.

You must go have a look at it first though and take a mechanic if you can.

The handle is minor issue its normally a small part has broken in the door mechanism , cheap to fix.

Gaitor will be cv gaitor again minor to fix same with the tyre.

You could see if they would replace the tyre and gaitor and take a grand.

[Ol'Jeffers]

Good Things:
Mileage reasonable for the year and its a petrol engine so no
suspect turbo problems.
If the owner has had it for eight years and it isn't a wreck
then its likely to have been cared for.
You don't get much for £1000 and it's always a punt!
Bad things:
The photos are poor and it will require a visit. But IMO worth it.

[krasejc]

Those pics are useless, price is ok although I would try to knock him down a bit.

You must go have a look at it first though and take a mechanic if you can.

The handle is minor issue its normally a small part has broken in the door mechanism , cheap to fix.

Gaitor will be cv gaitor again minor to fix same with the tyre.

You could see if they would replace the tyre and gaitor and take a grand.

Yes we're going to visit and test-drive on Friday afternoon. Not sure that I can take a mechanic with me as I don't know any, but a good check over and a drive should reveal anything really obvious. This might sound really silly but can you really just ask a mechanic to come along with you? I mean if they aren't your friend already?! Having never bought a car before this is a whole new world of strange and interesting business interactions.

I'll have a look at whatever service documentation and receipts they do have! Thank you very much for your help.

---

Good Things:
Mileage reasonable for the year and its a petrol engine so no
suspect turbo problems.
If the owner has had it for eight years then and it isn't a wreck
then its likely to have been cared for.
You don't get much for £1000 and it's always a punt!
Bad things:
The photos are poor and it will require a visit. But IMO worth it.

Good to know, those were my conclusions as well. Think I will see if they will wiggle on price or have repairs carried out included in the amount they are asking... but if it's a solid driver I'm hoping we'll get it.

[Ol'Jeffers]

Keep us posted!

[Trevor]

Those pics are useless, price is ok although I would try to knock him down a bit.

You must go have a look at it first though and take a mechanic if you can.

The handle is minor issue its normally a small part has broken in the door mechanism , cheap to fix.

Gaitor will be cv gaitor again minor to fix same with the tyre.

You could see if they would replace the tyre and gaitor and take a grand.

Yes we're going to visit and test-drive on Friday afternoon. Not sure that I can take a mechanic with me as I don't know any, but a good check over and a drive should reveal anything really obvious. This might sound really silly but can you really just ask a mechanic to come along with you? I mean if they aren't your friend already?! Having never bought a car before this is a whole new world of strange and interesting business interactions.

I'll have a look at whatever service documentation and receipts they do have! Thank you very much for your help.

---

Good Things:
Mileage reasonable for the year and its a petrol engine so no
suspect turbo problems.
If the owner has had it for eight years then and it isn't a wreck
then its likely to have been cared for.
You don't get much for £1000 and it's always a punt!
Bad things:
The photos are poor and it will require a visit. But IMO worth it.

Good to know, those were my conclusions as well. Think I will see if they will wiggle on price or have repairs carried out included in the amount they are asking... but if it's a solid driver I'm hoping we'll get it.

If you are a member of the AA or RAC you can book for one of their mechanics to come along with you, cannot recall what it cost but it could save you some money.

Just a thought it was quite a few years ago I did this when buying a car, not sure if they still do it?

[Ol'Jeffers]

I had an RAC buyers examination some years back and they're
not worth the money. In fact if the brakes had not been working correctly the
examination would not have discovered it. I did have a major league row
with the RAC about misleading advertising and got my money back.

[krasejc]

No worries. I looked and they're not cheap anyway. I have a good checklist from Popular Mechanics and I found a garage close to where I am viewing the vehicle that was very helpful on the phone. I've also gotten recommendations for a few from coworkers. So hopefully that should be all good. Thank you everyone!!