Recent events have given me a good excuse for living for today so my wife said to me a month or so ago, if a nice Charade comes up for sale, buy it. She said its the car she knows I missed and as soon as I test drove it I realised why I missed the little munchkin, it really is a quite charming small car.
Well I did it, this morning. a 25000 miler, 2 lady owners with full history for £2k, higher spec 5dr with working air con. Few cosmetic issues on the bodywork but nothing you really notice though all the alloys could do with a refurb which ill get done in the next year.
Chopping the Kenari in, didnt get much for it but its only money, cant take it with ya.
As it turns out, with the PAS pump now deffo on the way out, a wheel bearing thats looking in need and a certain vague feeling from the steering, by the time one factors in the next MOT its almost a cost neutral change with the new car having a new MOT and service. Im also getting about £70 back on the tax disc.
Should also save atleast £40 a month on fuel as Im doing 20,000 miles a year nearly running to and from the hospital as well as other commitments so the extra 11 mpg will be very welcome.
The wife is hoping it will stick better than other cars, history suggests it will, but Im just going with the flow now, though I did have a big grin on my face when I drove it, so clearly I kept the lilac Charade over two years because I liked it.
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>> As it turns out, with the PAS pump now deffo on the way out, a
>> wheel bearing thats looking in need and a certain vague feeling from the steering, by
>> the time one factors in the next MOT its almost a cost neutral change with
>> the new car having a new MOT and service.
The old car had 11 months MOT in January, didn't it, assuming it was the same one as in your "getting itchy" thread. Might as well factor in the cost of the next MOT - if not the next twenty five MOTs too - and just buy yourself a brand new Panda like Rattle did. Face it, you have to be lucky in buying second hand cars, and you're not.
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I suspect FoR posts his "change of car" news, if only to snare and rile Mapmaker. ;-)
Last edited by: John H on Tue 29 May 12 at 17:28
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I may not get my moneys worth out of a new car, my wife needs the money if something happens. Rattle doesnt have any responsibilities other than to himself, I do, different circumstance.
My last Charade was a good buy, few niggles but minor and im having those items checked as condition of sale, it will be fine :-)
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I guess looking at that green Kenari thing everyday would have made anyone feel ill Stu. I reckon you'll perk up no end now.
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Actually I dont mind the Kenari, its a solid, workhorse kind of a car, but I really wanted a Charade, there just hasnt been one in the right place at the right time in the last 18 months, theres never many on the market at any one time which is why I pounced on this one an hour after it went online.
Id been lining up to do the bits on the Kenari but then I saw this car this morning and my wife said dont spend a load of money on the Kenari if spending a little more would get you a car you know you want. The woman makes sense :-)
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Would you like the link to the advert Zero, save you searching for it?
www.adamsandsons.co.uk/4457/used-cars.htm
Page 3, should still be on there.
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What could possibly be wrong with that car? Has it really only done 25,000 miles?
Just the sort of car we could do with as a tender and to save money on petrol for short journeys. I've a damn good mind to try and buy it. If anything goes wrong with it no doubt I can find out where you live Stu...
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It certainly looks clean Stu
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North Somerset seems to be where Kenaris go to die, send it down there!
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>>What could possibly be wrong with that car? Has it really only done 25,000 miles? <<
Nothing I could find other than the sort of cosmetic you would expect on a car of its age - a few pin dents, couple of minor scuffs and the wheels need a refurb as they have that polished finish which doesnt look so hot now, but its minor details. Sure has done 25k, drives as tight as you would expect, felt lovely to drive, interior backs up miles, theres barely a scuff or mark anywhere, even smells new.
>>North Somerset seems to be where Kenaris go to die, send it down there!<<
Im sure they will have no trouble selling it - £1k small auto from a main dealer with 68k on the clock, someone will buy it just for the sheer cheapness of the thing.
Id not be suprised if it popped up at £1200, it would still look cheap at a glance and some old fella in the village will prob be taking it home and it will retire to a life of going to the local shops as opposed to hammering down country lanes that its been doing for 5 months.
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The Charade must be very similar to the Canary under the skin I'd have thought?
2 grand seems a tad pricey for an 11-year old 1 litre Daihatsu maybe?
Did the Sirion make its way to the UK shores? Newer and pricier I'd presume though.
Good luck & enjoy Stu!
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Similar engine yes, built in Japan rather than Malaysia, make your own mind up about what difference that might make. There isnt much crossover otherwise, the Perodua is based on slightly older Daihatsu models.
9 years old and its the cheapest Charade with under 30k in the country, not to mention prepared by an experienced Daihatsu dealer, so its worth buying through them on something this age.
Actually small economical cars are seeing very firm prices atm I suppose due to living costs and fuel prices, Ive seen VW Lupo diesels with 150k sell for £1500 on Ebay despite being well past their best, its all MPG these days.
My wife has a 4 year old Sirion, still doing fantastic service, never puts a foot wrong and just tipped 41k now.
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2k for a decade old car with a 2 pint engine seems like quite a lot. Just twice the price would get you a car that's still got 2 years of warranty left. You cannot take it with you but with a car like this it shouldn't be the same money pit. And therefore it would be worth something if something happened to you...
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201222473707383
postcode removed from link
Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 30 May 12 at 10:39
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2 grand is a lot of money Mm, when you haven't got it.
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>> 2 grand is a lot of money Mm, when you haven't got it.
+1
That's exactly my point...
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The irony is the size of the engine pushes the prices up, not down. I could buy a Mondeo of similar age for similar money, but I like Charades, ive wanted one since I had to get rid of the last one so Im happy to pay what they go for.
I think your being over dramatic about the money pit thing, my last Charade was a good motor, hence Im happy to have another, its a car I know very well.
Nice little suggestion ill grant you and maybe if I have the opportunity in the future I may well buy something like that, but right at this moment I dont want something that expensive, I set myself a budget of £2k and I found a car I really wanted to own again, within budget and locally from a good source.
You have the approach of an accountant, its all about money for you and thats fine, I understand the thinking, but lifes too short to always be looking at the bottom line, sometimes you just have to go for something that pleases you.
Im trying the latter while still not throwing away what is to me a huge sum of money.
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>> You have the approach of an accountant, its all about money for you and thats
>> fine, I understand the thinking, but lifes too short to always be looking at the
>> bottom line, sometimes you just have to go for something that pleases you.
That's a good point. This is a motoring forum after all, and t'would be dull if everyone here bought appliances like......er, me. Cough.
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>> You have the approach of an accountant, its all about money for you and thats
>> fine, I understand the thinking, but lifes too short to always be looking at the
>> bottom line, sometimes you just have to go for something that pleases you.
>> Im trying the latter while still not throwing away what is to me a huge
>> sum of money.
>>
Accountants know the cost of everything, and the value of nothing!
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I am trying to think how many cars you've owned since I bought my Panda! I have a feeling it might be in double figures. I don't know how you do it.
I love my Panda because I can forget all about the hassles of car ownership, I just pay the loan, give it a quick check over once a month and take it to the garage once a year for a service. Only hassle I have is sorting out the insurance each year or any accidents etc.
Nothing makes me ill more than buying and selling cars.
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Not sure when you got the bamboo muncher, but when I take delivery of the new car, it will be nine cars since 2009 though some of them were only for a week or so.
I dont find changing cars much of a hassle, ive been doing it so long, though Im a bit lightweight atm only owning one car at a time instead of the peak which was 2 cars and a van.
Im less inclined than I used to be to change it, but when the wind changes theres always a chance I will.
This Charade is the first model ive ever repeat bought on the basis of previous ownership so maybe Im trying harder than I want to admit to find something id like to keep. Wont hold my breath :-p
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>> I am trying to think how many cars you've owned since I bought my Panda!
>> I have a feeling it might be in double figures. I don't know how you
>> do afford it.
Corrected it for you, Rattle.
Last edited by: Mapmaker on Mon 11 Jun 12 at 15:36
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>>>> I am trying to think how many cars you've owned since I bought my Panda!
>> I have a feeling it might be in double figures. I don't know how you
>> do afford it.
Corrected it for you, Rattle.<<
You wouldnt believe me if I told you.
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>>Accountants know the cost of everything, and the value of nothing!<<
Indeed, good when it comes to the taxman though.
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Well ive got it, all seems in order pretty much.
Only niggle is a clicking driveshaft on full lock for which this model is known - most were fitted with upgraded parts early on but on a car with such low miles its possible mine never showed symptoms within the warranty period, but ill have them sort that when it goes back in next week.
Discovered there is no definative record of the cambelt being done so the dealer is doing it FOC including tensioner and waterpump. Oh and they lost the aerial ( no idea why they took it off, perhaps car wash? ).
Other than that its going very nicely, Ive already cleaned up the wheels and while they do need re-laquering, thats actually as bad as it is.
The valeter who cleaned it was a complete muffin mind you, exceptionally rubbishy effort including mould on the rear seat, a tide mark on the front seat, some sticky stuff that looks like glue on the windscreen and the glovebox contained what I think was originally some Trebor mints melted into one corner. They also made a valiant effort to cover every plastic surface in a silicone spray that is both slippery and attracts all the dust they failed to clean out of the car.
In short it all needs doing again. I know Im picky but does nobody even try and do a good job anymore?
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>> I know Im picky but does nobody even
>> try and do a good job anymore?
Thing is Stu you know what constitutes a good job in this case - they might have been trying, in an incompetent sort of way.
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Perhaps but why would you let an incompetant try? Whoever 'valeted' the car didnt even clean the spokes on the alloys, they just ran a sponge over the outer surface so the spokes were still coated in brake dust - I thought until I started cleaning it that it must have been burnt on, but it just wiped away.
You can cut corners in valeting, but the basics have to be right or you may aswell not bother, it was a seriously lazy job, id hate to see what their valeter did on a dirty car.
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Its a cheap car with low profit margin, you don't eat into that with expensive prep.
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You could take it down Tesco and the eastern europeans would do a better job for £10 if cost was the issue.
The Porsche in the showroom is just as tatty on the cleaning front, leather is dirty, stained alloys, windows filthy and lots of scratches which would easily polish out - I suspect money is not the issue with the valeting Zero, given that a car up for £37k should have enough for a pro valet in the margin.
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Well lets hope its not indicative of the garages general attitude then.
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I dont think it is, the cambelt/waterpump was offered rather than requested, all I did when I signed up was asked them to confirm if/when it had been done, so its a sign of good practice.
Car valeters are usually contracted in these days so tend not to be staff operating under the management ethos.
Its quite rare now to find in-house valeting teams such as the one I was trained in, even we got replaced by contractors in the end though their standard was acceptable given the number of cars they knocked out a day. This place has a stock of 20 cars though which should be childsplay for any decent valeter to keep on top of, the stock turnaround isnt that fast.
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offer them a contract then!
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>>offer them a contract then!<<
The thought crossed my mind, too busy though, ive got too many trips abroad this summer to commit.
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Chances are then, that if the guy is contracted in he may be on a very tight margin, so everything just gets a quick bucket thrown over it. There may not be enought money in it for him to spend more than 20 minutes on it.
I would like to think I would have some pride in my work, but we all have bills to pay
Or maybe its the Apprentices job, and he thinks its beneath him......
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The ownership experience continues to impress thanks to the superb customer service. Ive not had to push for anything to be done, its all been offered and it buys a lot of goodwill with me.
When I asked had the cambelt been done when I looked at the car, I wasnt looking to have it thrown in, I just wanted to be sure of when it needed doing but the salesman offered that if it was due they would do it.
Then when I asked a few days before collection he checked and they had no record so he instructed the workshop to phone me to arrange the job inc waterpump - comprehensive belt and braces approach, I like that.
I mentioned before there was a potential driveshaft issue, the only common fault on these cars, notable by a horrible clicking when you pull out of side roads with a fair amount of lock and occasionally reversing into spaces etc. I enquired when I arrived to drop it off today for the work whether I needed to demo the fault - no Im told, we have a pair of driveshafts ready to fit. You have to love that level of service, its the no quibble attitude that makes you want to go there again and again.
What is most pleasing is that this is the level of service they give on a two grand, 9 year old car. I feel almost guilty. Almost. Hats off to the dealer though, they are quite a rare breed but fully deserve to survive. They certainly seem busy whenever Im there.
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Good Lord I changed me car again - Mapmaker
