2nd hand car, £20k?

[Lockhouse]

I couldn't drive one of those Chryslers. A friend's got one and the first thing I noticed is, when the boot's open, it comes up "TRUNK AJAR" on the dash. That sort of thing would just wind me up.

I drove one for two weeks in the US - it's cr*p - it can't go round corners!

[ChimpMaster]

Merc CLS?? ... very nice at around £25k but will have to support a 3.5L engine.

[Ardesco]

How about an Alpina D3? one of my friends got one not so long ago and it does 50MPG, is pretty nippy and most of them are classed as PLG for road tax purposes (too few around for there to be and emissions data) so you only pay £200~ a year for road tax.

They are relatively well stocked as well.

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evoc...alpina_d3.html

Worth a look.

[Bagpuss]

Times must be hard!

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[friday]

Everyone has their favourite cars but for the age/condition you're in the market for I'd go to a local car auction.

You can get an ex-lease/ex-fleet that's still in warranty for a bargain price. You're after something in warranty so the usual auction risks won't apply.

Ex-fleet are typically large hatchbacks and saloons. They're predominantly diesel too. A3's BMW 1,3 and 5 series along with Volvo S40's and Saab 9-5's are among the most common.

If you want to find out more BCA and honestjohn.co.uk are your friends.

If your other half is after something more parkable a spec'd up 1 series or A3 will appeal. I'd avoid S80s as they're an ageing design (with a new one in the pipeline). Your budget will go very far though - if you find yourself looking for diesel 3 series avoid the 3 litres and look at the 3.5 litre engine. It's a newer generation and is frankly monstrous. It first appeared in the 5 series two years ago but they've squeezed it in the 3 series more recently.

I picked up a just-out-of-warranty S40 for £7K a few weeks ago. It's a proper old man's car but I love it!

[ChimpMaster]

......
If you want to find out more BCA and honestjohn.co.uk are your friends....

Thanks Friday, that's very helpful.

[oracleslave]

S40

I have one of those too. Excellent car.

[Tensai]

Everyone has their favourite cars but for the age/condition you're in the market for I'd go to a local car auction.

BCA are a good auction house, but the models that appear (especially ex-fleet) are invariably high mileage and most of the ones I saw were out of warranty also (usually there's a fixed age or max mileage....)

Not to say that there aren't some good deals there, but you have to have your wits about you as there's not much time to check the cars over. When a decent prospect rolls into the bidding area and you get the chance to look inside, the dealers swarm all over it like ants while the bidding's happening

If you're feeling particularly brave, I think BCA are now offering live internet bidding...

[Bagpuss]

I wouldn't by a 20k car at an auction. Like property auctions, car auctions have got very popular, and there are plenty of mug punters clutching their What car price guide bidding. Loads of dogs at the auctions, and ex fleet and hire cars, no thanks. Hammered, abused,high miles, I don't care if they have a full service history.

Best place to buy a 2-3 year old is from privated ads, cast the net outside of the south east and you could find a bargain.


Auctions do have some uses though.If I were looking for a part time income I could make 1000s buying cheap second hand cars in Scotland and the North and selling them at 50-100% profit to mugs in places like Enfield. I couldn't believe the prices some absolute junk got there.
It always amazes me that people still have the cheek to put really old bangers in the classifieds in the south east, I guess that explains the auction prices.

[friday]

I take a different tack. If a car is 1-2 years old and it's got big mileage that speaks a lot of motorway miles to me (which I mind a lot less).

Bagpuss is right about the profile of the ex-fleet cars you find there though. Most are 3 years old or 60,000 miles (i.e. just out of warranty) and being fleet most are diesel and/or saloons.

That bias has to weigh against the sheer volume of cars they shift (over 1000 on the day I went to my local BCA effort) so you're bound to see a few you're interested in.

I avoid the car dealerships offloads their part-ex's though. You pay even less but the risks are more appreciable (although buying something with a warranty negates a lot of this).

My S40 has a book price of 10K but I picked it up for 7K. A quick search on Autotrader afterwards told a similar 10K story among the local examples.

It tells me how many of the back seatbelts are in use every time I set off, has built in booster seats (I don't even have kids) and Radio 2 came on when I switched it on for the first time but it's a great motor.

20K can get you a better badge with more kit and some warranty though!