First time car buyer-buy now or after ssia's mature

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rkks

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Hello All,

myself and husband got our provisional licenses recently. looking at buying a second hand car now. Few friends have suggested that i should wait for SSIAs (not mine) to mature which will further reduce the cost of same kind of car in the market. what should i do? I feel that maybe SSIAs will only increase the cost of buying a car as people will have more cash to spend. Or is it that only new cars will become more expensive? I need practical advice on this please and I completely trust AAM :).

Also I have gone through the forum and have concluded that the following are best buys for first time buyers (L plate drivers): Am looking at 5 door car.
Toyota: Yaris, Starlet
Opel: Corsa
Nissan: Micra
VW: Polo (expensive for me right now)

My budget is 6000 euros (could stretch upto 7000 if i get a really good deal). Please advise as to which one should we go for (considering myself and hubby to be very new to cars). I want low maintenance, low insurance car. What is the maximum mileage that we should go for when buying a second hand car (i was thinking 30,000)? also I have heard it becomes very difficult to sell a car when its 9+ years old through dealers, so how old a car should i buy considering that we might want to sell it in 2 years?

I am sorry for so many questions, but am a complete novice at this so please help.

Best Regards
 
Because you have no car to trade in, your on a winner!, ssia means people will be buying new cars and trading in there old cars, which means there will be more 2nd hand cars on the market, sitting in garages , taking up dealers yard space.

You should treat the dealer the same way he will treat a person looking to trade-in a car.

Haggle like fun!

Enjoy!


majority of people will be trading in cars about 3 or 4 years old. so 2003/2004 might be in your price range when the SSIA's are in full swing.

Mileage , average mileage a year is 12 to 14K miles a year, so stay around that figure x number of years.

If the car is approaching 4 years old, make sure the dealer pays for NCT and any repairs needed from same in writting.
Ask for 1 year full guarntee also in writting

Walk away if the dealer plays hardball or the car is crashed/resprayed
or doesn't look right.
 
Of the cars you suggest, I'd have to say go for the Yaris for reliability and quality. From what I've heard, avoid the Corsa. Micra's will be cheap as chips come SSIA time though.

Still, Yaris wins it for me.
 
New car prices won't change at all although there may be some availabillity issues if the expected rush for new cars comes.

Most garages will be loaded with trade in cars which means a second hand bargain bonanza is likely as dealers try to shift them.

That said if anyone is planning to trade in a car and buy a new one they should think about doing it just before SSIA's kick in as dealers will be giving poorer trade in prices for cars as their yards fill up.

Likewise trying to sell privately will become more and more of a struggle as the market is flooded so again if changing cars do it sooner - if buying first time wait for a few months and get a bargain.
 
These days, pretty mcuh any car over 9+ years old is going to be hard to get rid of either privately or through a dealer.
 
Definitely go for the Yaris! Wouldnt go for an Opel... Micras are great although dont know how your husband will feel driving one!!
I would wait, agree with other posters. Garages will be over run with 2nd hand cars once everyone starts trading their 2nd hand ones in for new cars! You'll get a good deal... Best of luck!
 
a friend was advised by his uncle who owns a garage not to buy 2nd hand until end of year, as they have heaps of new cars on order and he expects the prices for 2nd hand to drop hugely by year end. Its anecdotal, I know, but if the industry already have the orders, then it does bode well for 2nd hand buyers.
Of the cars listed above go for the Yaris, just sold mine after 4 years and never a problem... its very effiecent fuelwise and feels very secure when driving. As an aside the prices for 2nd had have dropped on them, I needed to cut mine to sell!
Good luck
 
Thankyou all so much for putting my mind to rest. I am going to wait for couple of months now and will defo go for Yaris (preferabbly year 2003/04). I will keep you posted. I will keep a lookout on all websites. Also can someone tell me what are the most important things to take care and check when buying a second hand car (both technical and general). am sorry for all the questions, but am very new to all this.
Best Regards
Ruby
 
rkks said:
Thankyou all so much for putting my mind to rest. I am going to wait for couple of months now and will defo go for Yaris (preferabbly year 2003/04). I will keep you posted. I will keep a lookout on all websites. Also can someone tell me what are the most important things to take care and check when buying a second hand car (both technical and general). am sorry for all the questions, but am very new to all this.
Best Regards
Ruby
Click to expand...

Be clever bring a mechanic or somebody who knows about cars with you when you have decided on what car to buy get them to have a good look at it a good mechanic will spot any obvious hidden surprizes and will advise you to buy or not to buy.

Good Luck ;)
 
If you don't know anyone mechanical, the AA do provide a service where they will check the vehicle for you - i've looked at their website and its around the Eu200 mark - but better to spend it buying a good car, than not spending it and buying a clunker that will cost you multiples of that!

The only other general advise I would give you is to try and keep time between your tax and insurance... year one you will probably have a loan and paying up won't make a dint on your finances, but come year 2 you owe for the tax and the insurance in the same month!!! If its not already taxed, look at getting 6 months only, so you have a 6 month gap! Thats my all abiding memory of my first car!
Get a friend to give you a general education about cars, checking oil, tyre pressure, refilling your windscreen wash, the lights settings (I learned to drive in the summer and never got shown the difference between dipped and full lights...), or how to change your mirror so that you weren't blinded from behind at night!!!
You may already know a lot of this, but I'm digging up my memories!
 
So ignoring thereturn on the money itself, you made 25% on yur savings.

You a re now going to just hand it, and some more, right back to the government in VRT/VAT.

Think harder.

Buy a 18 month old car after the maturities. The prices will be sooooo much cheaper as the trade in market is already flooded, and will only get worse.
 
RS2K said:
Buy a 18 month old car after the maturities. The prices will be sooooo much cheaper as the trade in market is already flooded, and will only get worse.
Click to expand...

agree with everything your saying, but why an 18 month old car?
 
Thanks everyone
Mell thanyou for the digging up ur memory. will definitely take note of ur points. Will definitely go for 18 years old car if I get one for my budget (6000-7000). Have been saving for the car. We missed out on SSIAs as I wasn't even in Ireland and my husband had just arrived in 2001. Am happy for those who took advantage of the oppurtunity. I will talk to AA people and take their help when i finalise the car. will also take along 2 of my friends who know a bit about cars.
Thanx once again to all.
Regards
Ruby
 
ooops!!!:):)
I meant 18 months old car...hahaha...am sorry. Thanks for pointing that out CmTaz.
Regards
Ruby
 
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