I recently bought a used car for my 18 year old son - a 10 plate Fiesta Zetec S.
What a stressful experience on two levels - one the choice of car and my own fight with myself over wanting him to have a "cool" car like I would have wanted at his age but also , as a father, wanting it to be safe and not too powerful.
Secondly finding the suitable car and that's not as easy as it sounds!
So on the car, after weeks of Autotrader searches and suggestions, we agreed that a Fiesta Zetec S would fit both our criteria. It has a "bodykit" and looks cool but it also has a 1.6 engine, non turbo, parts are cheap and wife has a Fiesta so its a known quantity.
Saw a good number of these advertised, many high milers or trashed and many non existent. Surprised that the amount of dealers who advertise cars that are non existent (yes I know its to get you to call but long term has a negative impact), and also the dealers who just will not budge on price at all. No trade in, cash sale, and people like Evans Halshaw, Peter Vardy, Lookers won't offer a penny in discount. Another worrying development is most of them operate call centres so you can't phone the branch direct and speak to a sales guy who can vouch for the car!
So what did he end up with - well I did something that I have never done before. I bought a car without viewing it, I paid for the car before I physically saw it and signed all the documents before I had driven it! Oh and I never even negotiated on the price as I knew it was priced favourably in line with others we had seen.
Why - well this is where it gets interesting. I saw the car advertised at a dealer 4 hours away from me in the North of Scotland. Phoned him, he is a one man band, but came over very genuine and knowledgeable. The sort of guy that you can just immediately put your trust. Asked a question on Pistonheads about him and all the feedback was he was very genuine and recommended 100%. He dealt with emails immediately and gave me a facetime walk round the car to prove that it was in the condition he stated.
So a big thank you to Nev at www.pickwickperformance.co.uk/ , a right , good proper old style customer service approach. When we drove the 4 hours to get the car he had just sent 2 high end Audis down to the South of England that had also been bought and paid for without viewing.
And what makes it even better, if you can be bothered, Google Map his address! It is an old farm (I am guessing) that is up a farm lane, off a farm lane, off another farm lane, down a single track road! His garage is cleaner than my house, his gardens is his showroom and he also lives there so not much commuting to work!
Oh, he also races Caterhams in his spare time!
|
|
Was the body-kit standard ?
|
>> Was the body-kit standard ?
>>
I hope so, otherwise insurers will see the £s rolling up. Am surprised that a 1.6 even gets quoted for a 18yr old.
|
yip! For insurance purposes I guess you are asking?
That was another challenge, many of these cars are modified and when looking at used examples, were advertised with different alloys, K&N filters etc etc etc.
I insisted he got a factory standard version as the insurance quote process was bad enough without having to start declaring non standard items!
Insurance (with a black box) , one year driving and one years named driver (but no no claims) was £900 with Admiral. Which wasn't bad considering the cheapest quote I could get for him on any car was something like £650 for a Group 1 car!
|
|
Yes. A colleague had a horrific experience with his insurance being cancelled for some vinyl covering...Mark helped to try and sort but to no avail.
|
Ah, now then, interesting. We've a slightly different dilemma in that we're looking at cars for my son to learn on in the new year. There are multiple levels of man maths going on here so stick with it and it might all make sense.
"He" likes Fiestas, I like Fiestas, his mother, isn't so keen. His Grandad has a Fiesta, it's fairly old, ( 56 plate I think ) but in good condition only 30,000 miles and is a 1.4 Zetec in that sporty bright blue Ford do.
His Grandmother ( my wife's mother ) doesn't think his Grandfather needs a new car but Grandad would like one anyway. Do you see where this is all going yet?
Grandad wants an excuse to buy a new car, son wants a Fiesta, I like Fiestas, but my wife doesn't and her mother doesn't want Grandad to buy a new car...
It's going to get messy this isn't it ?
;-)
|
That's interesting Runfer.
When son passed his test in July 2015 he was desperate to get his own car and the one he wanted was a Fiesta 1.4 Zetec 3 door of that era. Similarly, we had a relative with a 30k mile, 57 plate example who was selling. However we persuaded him that it would be best to get a years driving under his belt for insurance purposes (and he only had a p/t job at the time).
So in the meantime he has been driving my wife's Fiesta 1.25 Zetec (newer shape) and then this is the model he has got (albeit different variety).
So if you want to save money, go for granda's Fiesta because in a year's time his wants and expectations will have doubled or trebled!
|
Indeed Bobby, that is exactly where he, his Grandad and I are on this. We just have a wee bit of work to do...
;-)
|
Ive bought several cars sight unseen. I wanted a cheap runaround after my nephew bought my BobMarley as a put me on. My mechanic pal rang to say he thought a Focus he'd MOTd a few weeks ago was for sale, circa £2k. The only info I had was that it was an '11 plate, 115k miles, 5 door diesel @£2k. Fair enough, I'll buy it says I.
Turns out it was a second gen 1.6 Tdci Sport ( haha) with 137k miles. Turned out to be immaculate inside and out, and once I'd fitted 4 Michelins & a belt change it cost me £2600. Sat Nav shows I'm somewhere in Denmark but hey ho.
I also bought my previous BM for £9950 without even driving it... It was under 6'' of snow at the end of a long private drive.
|
|
oh come on chaps its lesson one stuff ! Let them think it was their idea :-)
|
>>
>> It's going to get messy this isn't it ?
>>
>> ;-)
>>
Now, I'm no expert, but...
If you were to get your wife a new car (maybe a slightly narrower one), the Qashqai (is that right? Looks odd...) would make an ideal car for the grandparents, what with its good visibility, easy access and slightly higher seating position. It does, regrettably, mean that there'll be a Fiesta going spare... Shame to waste it and all that.. Worth nothing second hand. Better the devil you know...
Then of course, a few months later, the grandparents will really love the practicality and comfort of of the slightly larger car, but, well, you know a diesel would be better... New car for for the grandparents too ;)
|
>>It's going to get messy this isn't it ?
Now look, I sorted this out for you once and she would have gone for the old Landrover if you'd left well alone. You should have just gone for it.
Stop being such a jessie, man-up, storm into the house, flex your muscles, point out who earns the larger wage, get down on your knees and beg her for permission to buy the car you/he want.
|
When my son went from a 52 Punto 1.2 to a 06 Fiesta Zetec S a couple of years ago (then 21), his insurance went down slightly. Perhaps a safer car, maybe less "1st car" and hence a more mature choice. Don't know.
Agree with OP, there were an awful lot of knackered examples around, dressed up by the sellers as the best example on sale. After a few months of looking we found one being sold by the workshop manager of an independent Ford garage that was well cared for. Just took some patience waiting - especially for my son.
|
Drag this up from last year purely as the dealer has now put a youtube video which demonstrates what I was trying to describe about the location of the place!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K27xB47_UMw&feature=share
|
Recent car buying experience - R.P.
