[dimtimjim]

Ah... How things change. The work-horse is due to be replaced...

Since passing the 250,000 mile mark a few weeks back in France, I have decided to draw a line in the sand on spending money on her. With tax due, 4 new tyres needed and a couple of other minor things building up, I figured the £1000 or so that'd cost might be better spent on a deposit for a new car.

So, since I no longer do 1000 miles a week, I'm leaving LPG behind and making the switch to diesel - pick up the new(ish) car on Saturday!

Excited, and nervous, in equal measure! Gonna shudder the first time I fill the tank...

[Bonanzoid]

Sorry to barge in on your thread, but I was seeking some pointers if any of you lovely car people would mind assisting?

Basically, I'm trying to get a wee car for as little money as possible. I've only been in the new job a month so I'm still awaiting my first full pay cheque, but its location is annoyingly tricky without a car. I was looking at Gumtree and there are some cheap cars available, but I'm obviously wary about the quality. Is there anything in particular I should look out for? Making sure it's MOT'd and probably taxed is all I'm looking out for at the moment, bar the "spare or repairs" notices that crop up now and again.

Any tips/pointers shall be rewarded with a gold star, and much gratitude.

[bmstinton93]

I have just invested in a Y reg Nissan Micra for £850 off eBay. Dirt cheap to insure and does the job

[charla]

A Micra? Jesus wept.

[dimtimjim]

Sorry to barge in on your thread, but I was seeking some pointers if any of you lovely car people would mind assisting?

Basically, I'm trying to get a wee car for as little money as possible. I've only been in the new job a month so I'm still awaiting my first full pay cheque, but its location is annoyingly tricky without a car. I was looking at Gumtree and there are some cheap cars available, but I'm obviously wary about the quality. Is there anything in particular I should look out for? Making sure it's MOT'd and probably taxed is all I'm looking out for at the moment, bar the "spare or repairs" notices that crop up now and again.

Any tips/pointers shall be rewarded with a gold star, and much gratitude.

Without going in to a lot of detail regarding specific checkpoints - you're kinda going down the right route. Its worth speaking to a few local (independent) dealers to see if they have any dirt-cheap stock floating about - at least with a dealer purchase (as opposed to gumtree, ebay etc) you will have SOME level of comeback should things start to fall off on the way home.

Beyond that and without the benefit of general experience, all I can suggest is going for something which has 10-12 months MOT left on it, meaning its only been looked at recently...

Simple things to do are:

Check for rust, mainly wheel arches and the underside of car (between the wheel-base). Also check for water ingress around the A pillar (holds windscreen in) and C pillar (holds rear window in) and front footwells and around boot surrounds.

Open each front door in turn, stand on the cill and jump up and down a bit (thus rocking car side to side) to check for suspension creaks/clonks.

Try to turn steering from lock-to-lock, you're feeling for a 'notchyness' or does it turn smooth.

Press pretty much EVERY button on the dash which is related to an electrical system to check what still works and what doesn't - fog lights, rear wiper, heater etc.

Move the gear-stick around the box, check it goes into each of the gears nicely (especially 2nd and 3rd gear)

Open bonnet - check engine is cold (as in not pre-warned before you arrived). Assuming engine is cold, ask seller to start the engine while you stand near enough the back of the car to see the exhaust gasses. A little bit of white smoke is fine, if it has a blue tinge (burning oil) walk away.

But above all else: remember its a buyers market out there at present. Turning up with a handful of cash and making the right 'buying noises' (explaining one way or another you're getting a new car TODAY - even if that's a lie) should buy you great bargaining powers, always try to get the 'window price' reduced.

hope this helps.

[flyingbadger]

Great. Post.

[James H]

A Micra? Jesus wept.

I've had 4 and I run the Micra Club. We've got 30 of them descending on Wicksteed Park in September!

Excellent cars Ben!

[dimtimjim]

We've got 30 of them descending on Wicksteed Park in September!

Make sure you tell me what the date is so I can avoid going to Asda that day!

[James H]

We've got 30 of them descending on Wicksteed Park in September!

Make sure you tell me what the date is so I can avoid going to Asda that day!

We go to the Tesco Extra, and raid them of all their ice cubes for our beer paddling pool...


It's 12th-15th September. You should pop over and say hi!

[Bonanzoid]

Sorry to barge in on your thread, but I was seeking some pointers if any of you lovely car people would mind assisting?

Basically, I'm trying to get a wee car for as little money as possible. I've only been in the new job a month so I'm still awaiting my first full pay cheque, but its location is annoyingly tricky without a car. I was looking at Gumtree and there are some cheap cars available, but I'm obviously wary about the quality. Is there anything in particular I should look out for? Making sure it's MOT'd and probably taxed is all I'm looking out for at the moment, bar the "spare or repairs" notices that crop up now and again.

Any tips/pointers shall be rewarded with a gold star, and much gratitude.

Without going in to a lot of detail regarding specific checkpoints - you're kinda going down the right route. Its worth speaking to a few local (independent) dealers to see if they have any dirt-cheap stock floating about - at least with a dealer purchase (as opposed to gumtree, ebay etc) you will have SOME level of comeback should things start to fall off on the way home.

Beyond that and without the benefit of general experience, all I can suggest is going for something which has 10-12 months MOT left on it, meaning its only been looked at recently...

Simple things to do are:

Check for rust, mainly wheel arches and the underside of car (between the wheel-base). Also check for water ingress around the A pillar (holds windscreen in) and C pillar (holds rear window in) and front footwells and around boot surrounds.

Open each front door in turn, stand on the cill and jump up and down a bit (thus rocking car side to side) to check for suspension creaks/clonks.

Try to turn steering from lock-to-lock, you're feeling for a 'notchyness' or does it turn smooth.

Press pretty much EVERY button on the dash which is related to an electrical system to check what still works and what doesn't - fog lights, rear wiper, heater etc.

Move the gear-stick around the box, check it goes into each of the gears nicely (especially 2nd and 3rd gear)

Open bonnet - check engine is cold (as in not pre-warned before you arrived). Assuming engine is cold, ask seller to start the engine while you stand near enough the back of the car to see the exhaust gasses. A little bit of white smoke is fine, if it has a blue tinge (burning oil) walk away.

But above all else: remember its a buyers market out there at present. Turning up with a handful of cash and making the right 'buying noises' (explaining one way or another you're getting a new car TODAY - even if that's a lie) should buy you great bargaining powers, always try to get the 'window price' reduced.

hope this helps.

Great post indeed. Thanks a lot for actually taking the time to give such decent advice, I'll keep all of it in mind. As promised;

[dimtimjim]

No probs 'Zoid, happy to help where I can.

JimmHy, the beer pool looks tempting! Shame I'd have to drive there (and assumedly, back!). I only live ~8 miles from Wicky Park, y'see!

[James H]

No probs 'Zoid, happy to help where I can.

JimmHy, the beer pool looks tempting! Shame I'd have to drive there (and assumedly, back!). I only live ~8 miles from Wicky Park, y'see!

8 miles?! You could easily walk that!

[Topher]

A Micra? Jesus wept.

I've had 4 and I run the Micra Club. We've got 30 of them descending on Wicksteed Park in September!

Excellent cars Ben!

Aren't they basically ugly Clios? I know Renault have shares in Nissan (or vice versa) and if I remember correctly, as a consequence, Micras and Clios are basically the same thing? Except Clios are quite nice looking, of course.

Wicksteed Park though - not been there for yonks, must go back there.

[James H]

A Micra? Jesus wept.

I've had 4 and I run the Micra Club. We've got 30 of them descending on Wicksteed Park in September!

Excellent cars Ben!

Aren't they basically ugly Clios? I know Renault have shares in Nissan (or vice versa) and if I remember correctly, as a consequence, Micras and Clios are basically the same thing? Except Clios are quite nice looking, of course.

Wicksteed Park though - not been there for yonks, must go back there.

The first two were nothing to do with Renault.

The K12 (frog eyed one) was built on the Clio platform, and the diesel variants shared the Renault dCi engines.

The new one that came out in 2010 was built on Nissan's new V-Platform (I know this cos I talked to the chief engineer at the K13's launch in Copenhagen ) and uses an all-Nissan engine range.

Wicksteed Park is a great venue though, and for 4 days a year it's packed full of Japanese performance cars!

[dimtimjim]

Japanese performance cars!

Oh, you not taking the Micra's anymore!

[James H]

Japanese performance cars!

Oh, you not taking the Micra's anymore!

We've got about 4 turbo'd Micras there this year, and a supercharged one!

[chrysostom]

I don't often foray into here, but my key fob's unlock button has broken.

Particularly annoying as it renders the remote locking completely useless, as if I lock the car with the fob, it has to be unlocked with the fob. Otherwise the car alarm goes off.

So my question is, what is the most cost effective way of getting this fixed? The unlock button itself has come off the circuit board, so I definitely can't to a DIY on it - but I know that might cost around £150 to get a new one.

Help!

[Yudster]

Take out optional fob insurance when you buy your cover.....

[dimtimjim]

I don't often foray into here, but my key fob's unlock button has broken.

Particularly annoying as it renders the remote locking completely useless, as if I lock the car with the fob, it has to be unlocked with the fob. Otherwise the car alarm goes off.

So my question is, what is the most cost effective way of getting this fixed? The unlock button itself has come off the circuit board, so I definitely can't to a DIY on it - but I know that might cost around £150 to get a new one.

Help!

ok. Easiest, but most expensive - go to main dealer and organise a new one. Expect to pay £100-1500 (depending on car).

Or... take it to an electrician. From what you say has happened, it sounds as though someone with a mild knowledge of what they're doing will be able to sort it, for only £20-30 (5 min job). (TBF, if its what I think it is, you could probably repair it yourself with a heatgun/hairdryer - but if you do so, don't do it on my advice!).

If you search for Ads, you'll find 3rd party places who will offer to re-supply (2nd hand) key and re-code to car - if so, use with caution, most are reputable, many are not and you'll find ya car goes missing in a few days/weeks.

[Topher]

Can any car geeks tell me what car these have come off please? They are from the front of the car. Driver hit my sister-in-laws car, span round and sped off... only got a partial number plate.





Long shot, but thanks in advance.

[Topher]

Alright, I'm inflicting this story on you lot now, as it's pissed me off rather (names have been changed to protect the innocent to the highly imaginative 'Person A' and I know the driver doesn’t want the fact they’ve got a brand new car on the internet):

Basically what happened was, this moron was speeding along the road at The place we were staying over the weekend (a narrow and twisty street in a built up area) and swerved to avoid another car, smacking into Person A’s car (which is a brand new 63 plate by the way - couple of months old). He sped off, but meanwhile, we went outside and started speaking to the witnesses, who had been in their car and darted down a side street to get out the way - I think he had swerved to miss them. This guy gave us a number plate of S481 - and then he wasn't sure, but there was an E in it and it ended in C - so either S481?EC or S481E?C. The witness also said it was black and he thought it was probably a Hyundai Coupé - so then we got our detective hats on.

Person A rang the police, they said they would send someone round but never did (they have made a complaint about at least two or three police officers now).

We managed to basically confirm it was a Hyundai Coupé by posting the photos above of parts on Facebook. I appealed to car geeks and my friend's cousin said he thought it was from a 90s Hyundai Coupé - the bit behind the glass on the headlight.

See figure A:

which matches up exactly to figure B (I zoomed in on that and matched the part up at the right angle - it's spot on):

By the way how fast must he have been going for that to break (Person A’s car actually moved quite a way from being parked straight with the handbrake on).

Anyway - the next thing we did was put different possibilities of that number plate into Compare the Market's car insurance quote engine (because it tells you what car you've got) and Cat got the only one that came up with the right car. I put that into the DVLA website and it came up as a black car as well. Put it into the Motor Insurance Database, it came up as uninsured, which explains why he was so quick to flee. That is good though, as that means Person A won't lose their no claims because they have uninsured driver cover.

Person A rang the police with the number plate and they said he's from Tipton just outside Birmingham.

But this is the bit that pissed me right off: the police have told him "it's not our policy to do anything about it unless he's caused an injury"… so despite the fact that he's driving without insurance (or tax), he's left the scene of an accident, he was clearly driving extremely dangerously and there are witnesses who will testify that.

[dimtimjim]

Shit T-Pain, I've only just caught this. From post 1 I would have said 'headlight backing plate' - but then read on...

that's poop mate. And the police attitude is even worse! Other way round I'm sure they'd be all over you (us). Boils ya blood doesn't it?!

Not sure really what more you can do; your detective work is already more than most would/could achieve, but if Plod isn't interested?!! I dunno - I can't recommend vigilante actions. As you say, at least Person A will not lose any No-Claims as a result of this.

Plus, as you well know Toph, everyone from Birmingham is 'a bit dodgy'.....

[Topher]

Ha. I've spoken to my aunt who is a civilian who works for the police and she clarified with colleagues that they should be issuing an NIP (Notice of Intended Prosecution) and he should then nominate who was driving the car at the time; there is at least one definite offence (leaving the scene of an accident without exchanging details). There is a potential offence of driving without insurance, but of course there is a small possibility someone with a fully comp policy on another car that insures you third party on any car was driving. Driving without due care and attention is something that the police would have to decide, but frankly he definitely was. I think the person whose car it is is going to get a meeting with an inspector and see where it goes. I know the person will not lose any no claims, but still - boils your blood to think people will get away with it.

[dimtimjim]

I think the person whose car it is is going to get a meeting with an inspector and see where it goes.

Good. Well done for pursuing it.

[James H]

There is a potential offence of driving without insurance, but of course there is a small possibility someone with a fully comp policy on another car that insures you third party on any car was driving.

I'm not so sure about that now. Since Continuous Insurance Enforcement came out, all cars that have a valid tax disc MUST have insurance, so there's probably at least one more offence here too.

Quite a few insurers also state in their policy wording that third party cover on other vehicles only covers you if the driver of the original car has insurance.