tips for buying used cars?

[HTH AMPS]

I'm selling my old Punto and am gonna pool all my cash into a Saab 900 (I just love the styling).

It's gonna be a fairly old car (around ten years'ish) as I've only got around £1200 to spend.  However, I'm seen plenty of them around this price with mileage in the region of 75,000 miles upwards.

Being pretty green with cars and not having any mates that are much better, what simple things can I do to minimise the risk of buying a knacker?

[Lazy_McDoesnothing]

You could maybe take the car to a mechanic that you trust to look it over.

[Will]

I am sure that the AA provide a cheap service that validates stuff.

I just got a Punto, the guy changed the cam belt, I guess a new belt is good, as its a costly job I believe

[HTH AMPS]

I am sure that the AA provide a cheap service that validates stuff.

I just got a Punto, the guy changed the cam belt, I guess a new belt is good, as its a costly job I believe

the cam belt costs next to nowt (about a tenner I think) but the labour is quite alot because of the work involved getting to it.  I got mine done at the same time as something else last time the car was in the garage, seemed sense to spend an extra tenner whether it needed a new belt or not.

btw, it's £136 for a basic AA inspection (ouch!)

[Johnny Mac]

Have a listen to it running to check for unusual mechanical noise. Check oil to look for milky colour which indicates a blown head gaskit or oil seals. Rust in the structure. Brakes, all the lights ect. Exhuast for blowing, gearbox for whining.  Generally people who don't know much about cars kick the tyres!

[Ratrod]

Saab 900's are built like tanks but parts and sevices are very expensive.

If you don't know much about cars, bring along someone that does.

And try to contain your emotions. And if something doesn't look, sound or feels right, think twice.

[HTH AMPS]

Generally people who don't know much about cars kick the tyres!

that describes me, I even did it when I bought my Punto, ha ha  :lol:

[HTH AMPS]

Saab 900's are built like tanks but parts and sevices are very expensive.

If you don't know much about cars, bring along someone that does.

And try to contain your emotions. And if something doesn't look, sound or feels right, think twice.

I won't be getting services at a Saab dealership, not on a car I'm paying around a grand for.  Normal back-street garage will do fine, same one as I've used for years.

I don't know anyone that knows much about cars, hence all the questions here.

I'm gonna look at quite a few 900s to get a feel for them before buying one - best way to see what they're like in general and note any common 'quirks'.

[shobet]

The Saab will also be rather expensive to run, they are thirsty $%&#ers and with the price of gogo juice heading to the stratosphere is that what you want?

Like all the Swedish cars they are well put together apart from their gearboxes. It will whine in 3rd and 5th if it's on its way out.  

Power steering that's slow to get responsive from cold is a sign the steering rack could be on it's last legs.

Are you looking at Turbo or non-turbo models? Air con as well can be expensive to fix but not essential. Is the left footwell damp or musty, usually a sign that the water system has a leak?

Rust tends to appear at the bottom of the doors, the petrol cap and somewhere else I can't remember at the moment.

If you're unsure at all take a mate who knows oily bits or as stated pay a pro to look at it. If it's a lemon the money spent will save you so much more than if you'd bought it.

[Johnny Mac]

Generally people who don't know much about cars kick the tyres!

that describes me, I even did it when I bought my Punto, ha ha  :lol:

Tyrekicker is the term a secondhand car dealer would refer to you as he would spot you a mile off!

[Nadz1lla]

Tip: Don't buy anything from anyone who smiles slyly, rubs his hands together and says "eeeeexcellent".

Hey, it's valid advice!  :D

Apart from that, check the mile counter and make sure all the numbers are aligned. If they aren't it could be a sign that they have "clocked" it. (A special tool that "rewinds" the miles so it looks like it's done less).

If you are buying from a reputable 2nd hand dealer this shouldn't be a problem.

Also, again if you buy from an actual 2nd hand dealer, the car should come with at least a 3 month guarantee. In the first 2 months I would pay special attention to everything your car does, what sounds it makes etc and put it through its paces, right down to the brakes. I've had a bad experience before where I bought one from a dealer and the handbrake wouldn't work properly. Took it back twice and the guy said it was fine and all I had to do was pull the lever up more. Took it to a mate who isn't even a mechanic and he spotted it straight away. The handbrake pads were down to the metal. By then, the dealer had fobbed me off until I had gone over the 3 month mark so that he wouldn't have to pay for it.  

[Lazy_McDoesnothing]

I'm not sure if this works in the UK or not but try www.carfax.com

You pay a fee and get full reports on used cars by entering their VIN number.  It tells you if a car was in an accident, flood, fire, or if it was stolen, rolled back, or salvaged.

[Nadz1lla]

If that doesn't work I think the RAC or AA have a similar thing on their site.

[HTH AMPS]

this is the type of thing I'm looking at, though I'll probably end up with a hard-top as the convertables are more expensive.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220241336817&_trksid=p3907.m32&_trkparms=tab%3DWatching

and this garage down York seems to specialise in used Saabs, they all look nicely turned out...

http://www.specialistcars.net/newspecialistcars/saab.htm

[Nadz1lla]

def a good idea to buy from a specialist if you can, chances are if the car was sourced locally they know the history of the vehicle anyway. Plus they are really going to know their stuff on the make in particular.