Just Put the Deposit Down on my 1st Car , What you think?
- Thread starter Sanzy
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Soldato
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- Knowle, Solihull, UK
Hi!
Sorry to put a downer on your new car but I agree with the sentiments of this thread
I wouldn't go for this car due to a few reasons, including:
- You haven't looked at it. I'd never ever buy a car blind. I'd always take my Dad with me (someone who's knowledgable) and have a good look over the car, take a test drive, inspect the documentation and do an HPI check before even haggling on the price (if we want it)
- 6 owners. I wouldn't buy a 6 owner car like that - it's very likely that it's been trashed and abused. My 1998 R Astra 1.4 had two owners when I wrote it off on Jan of this year.
- Loads of mods. These will really hurt your insurance. I wouldn't consider not declaring them as this will invalidate your insurance policy and constitutes insurance fraud. As an example, adding alloys to my Astra added £50. When I was looking at the MG ZS adding an induction kit added a further £100 - this is only two out of the many mods on the car
- Cat D write off. How do you know it's been professionally repaired? I'd always be very very careful buying a write off. My Astra was a Cat D write off and I wrapped it around a lamp post twisting the chassis. There's plenty of 306s around so I wouldn't buy a write off
- Very short MOT. If it would pass, he'd do it for the sake of £40 as it would add value to the car. The fact he hasn't would ring alarm bells in my head
- He only lists a mobile number for contact info. I'd always be wary buying from people who only list a mobile - it looks like they've got something to hide
- Poor cosmetic condition. If the car is in poor cosmetic condition this signifies that its had a hard life
- Dodgy airbag. If you have an accident and the airbag fails to go off/isn't present your injuries could be significantly worse. That and the fact that its been previously written off would make me wonder how it would structuarly stand up to another accident. I hope that you don't have an accident, but the statistics are against you
- Various other faults. This car is not a good example. Walk away
As mentioned, the 1.4 306 is slow but fine for a first car. If you want a quicker car with cheap insurance, the Mk 4 Astra 1.4 16V has 89bhp (vs 75bhp for the 306) and it's only group 4 (vs group 5 for the 306. The 1.6 16V is group 5 like the 306 and nippier). Don't get the 1.6 8v though
It's not all bad news though. You have a lifeline - even though under all normal circumstances you have committed yourself to buy the car with the £99 deposit you are exempt from this as the description is incorrect. He has to say that the car is a write off - he has not. The description is misleading so you can pull out - I'd strongly recommend that you do this
It's always tempting to buy the first car you see but I'd hang on, look at a few cars and buy a good example. There are hundreds of 306s, Astras, Focuses, etc available so buy a good one
Sorry to put a downer on your new car but I agree with the sentiments of this thread
I wouldn't go for this car due to a few reasons, including:
- You haven't looked at it. I'd never ever buy a car blind. I'd always take my Dad with me (someone who's knowledgable) and have a good look over the car, take a test drive, inspect the documentation and do an HPI check before even haggling on the price (if we want it)
- 6 owners. I wouldn't buy a 6 owner car like that - it's very likely that it's been trashed and abused. My 1998 R Astra 1.4 had two owners when I wrote it off on Jan of this year.
- Loads of mods. These will really hurt your insurance. I wouldn't consider not declaring them as this will invalidate your insurance policy and constitutes insurance fraud. As an example, adding alloys to my Astra added £50. When I was looking at the MG ZS adding an induction kit added a further £100 - this is only two out of the many mods on the car
- Cat D write off. How do you know it's been professionally repaired? I'd always be very very careful buying a write off. My Astra was a Cat D write off and I wrapped it around a lamp post twisting the chassis. There's plenty of 306s around so I wouldn't buy a write off
- Very short MOT. If it would pass, he'd do it for the sake of £40 as it would add value to the car. The fact he hasn't would ring alarm bells in my head
- He only lists a mobile number for contact info. I'd always be wary buying from people who only list a mobile - it looks like they've got something to hide
- Poor cosmetic condition. If the car is in poor cosmetic condition this signifies that its had a hard life
- Dodgy airbag. If you have an accident and the airbag fails to go off/isn't present your injuries could be significantly worse. That and the fact that its been previously written off would make me wonder how it would structuarly stand up to another accident. I hope that you don't have an accident, but the statistics are against you
- Various other faults. This car is not a good example. Walk away
As mentioned, the 1.4 306 is slow but fine for a first car. If you want a quicker car with cheap insurance, the Mk 4 Astra 1.4 16V has 89bhp (vs 75bhp for the 306) and it's only group 4 (vs group 5 for the 306. The 1.6 16V is group 5 like the 306 and nippier). Don't get the 1.6 8v though
It's not all bad news though. You have a lifeline - even though under all normal circumstances you have committed yourself to buy the car with the £99 deposit you are exempt from this as the description is incorrect. He has to say that the car is a write off - he has not. The description is misleading so you can pull out - I'd strongly recommend that you do this
It's always tempting to buy the first car you see but I'd hang on, look at a few cars and buy a good example. There are hundreds of 306s, Astras, Focuses, etc available so buy a good one
just walk away from it full stop man..
get that £700 spent on ya lessons.. pass ya test and then find a car that you can actually test drive
if you are wanting a car to drive about in while learning.. get ya dad or mum to insure you on there car..
you dont need your own car before you have passed your test
ya doing it all wrong trust me
get that £700 spent on ya lessons.. pass ya test and then find a car that you can actually test drive
if you are wanting a car to drive about in while learning.. get ya dad or mum to insure you on there car..
you dont need your own car before you have passed your test
ya doing it all wrong trust me
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
more or less, just get someone there who actually knows about cars and can tell if its a deathtrap or if there is anything seriously wrong with it, £700 is pretty cheap motoring.
the alloys must be worth a couple hundred when it comes to selling time too right?
but there is no point buying a car that is going to crumble, fall apart and generally be a threat to your own life lol
the alloys must be worth a couple hundred when it comes to selling time too right?
but there is no point buying a car that is going to crumble, fall apart and generally be a threat to your own life lol
Never presume your get your money back on a car like that. It might be a bargain but I wouldnt buy a car till I'd passed personally unless its going to save you money on lessons/experience or something
My car has 7 previous owners, at least one of them was very good and waxed all the internal panels and sills and added an immobiliser
My car has 7 previous owners, at least one of them was very good and waxed all the internal panels and sills and added an immobiliser
Soldato
- Joined
- 24 Dec 2004
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- 11,365
- Location
- Knowle, Solihull, UK
[TW]Fox said:
Ah - I didn't know this
That's unfortunate
ZG002 said:thats what i was thinking also...
ask him about the car.. get a email or what ever.. if hes a chav like it looks. he will probs say no
Good idea.
Ask him, hope he says no. If so then you can walk away without any commitment!
You've got to be careful as you've commited to buy the car
[TW]Fox said:
Good point.
However I would try to argue the following:
He is a private seller but he must make sure the car matches the description. In the auction he states:
"DRIVES VERY WELL AND HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM"
In English i guess this means 'has never had a problem'. I would argue that a Cat D write off is a problem. Therefore, car is not as advertised.
CONTRACT VOID
It's not airtight but the seller doesn't exactly sound like a commercial lawyer so I think he could pass it off.
On a serious note. Do not buy this car. It is not worth it. Contact Paypal and get your deposit back. They should side with you. Even if they don't just write off the deposit. Trying to sell it on is a big risk.
He's not obliged to do it, the seller has ended the auction because its no longer for sale...... he's not bound by anything within ebay due to this exact reason surely?
Eitherway a cat D with a non working airbag and short mot? Find another mate, there are plenty around.
Eitherway a cat D with a non working airbag and short mot? Find another mate, there are plenty around.
Matt82 said:
To be fair, according to the RAC website last owner change was in 2005 so he may well not have been told about this.
Manufacturer PEUGEOT
Model 306 MIAMI
Body type 5 DOOR HATCHBACK
Colour RED
Fuel type PETROL
Date manufactured 31 December 1998
Number of previous owners 6
Last owner change 04 January 2005
Paypal will only get you the money back if its still in the receiptants account. If you paid by credit card however you may be able to enlist their help.
Those grounds stated are a justifiable reason to have your deposit returned but its also possible he did not know about the write off so its hardly straightforward either.
However Cat D can be as simple as a dented door as far as I know, really could be barely noticable
Those grounds stated are a justifiable reason to have your deposit returned but its also possible he did not know about the write off so its hardly straightforward either.
However Cat D can be as simple as a dented door as far as I know, really could be barely noticable
Fulcrum said:
I don't want to say you're wrong, but... many a time have we come across this on this very forum and whether or not you take the money out, paypal will deduct from your account and some people have been known to have negative accounts.