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Where can look for cheap cars on line

16 replies

Beepbeep2024 · 07/09/2024 08:44

Hi need to find a cheap car ideally below 1500. It needs to be ulez free. Small engine and must be automatic.

Have already looked at auto trader, Gumtree, car grus.

OP posts:
Beepbeep2024 · 07/09/2024 10:27

Just bumping this

OP posts:
FinallyYouSaid · 07/09/2024 10:36

I'm not very familiar with ULEZ but rough understanding is that they'll be newer registered cars to be compliant?

Plus you want automatic...I think you'll struggle for £1500.

Ebay is a good shout IF you have a decent knowledge of cars and you're willing to travel to collect. You'll often get garages who flog their part exchanges on Ebay for ease and there are some real bargains possible.

Beepbeep2024 · 07/09/2024 10:41

FinallyYouSaid · 07/09/2024 10:36

I'm not very familiar with ULEZ but rough understanding is that they'll be newer registered cars to be compliant?

Plus you want automatic...I think you'll struggle for £1500.

Ebay is a good shout IF you have a decent knowledge of cars and you're willing to travel to collect. You'll often get garages who flog their part exchanges on Ebay for ease and there are some real bargains possible.

Definitely know it will be a struggle. It does not have to be new reg that are ulez free alot of cars from 2004 are ulez free

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ALovelyCupOfNameChange · 07/09/2024 10:47

Oooh that’s going to be a tricky one. Your after the holy grail there.
there isn’t any specific place it’s just a case of trawling eBay and autotrader I am afraid.
and good luck.

For what it’s worth, id go older shape micra or Yaris.
just watch for rust on the Yaris. Get as low miles as you can and as much history as possible.

Beepbeep2024 · 07/09/2024 11:05

ALovelyCupOfNameChange · 07/09/2024 10:47

Oooh that’s going to be a tricky one. Your after the holy grail there.
there isn’t any specific place it’s just a case of trawling eBay and autotrader I am afraid.
and good luck.

For what it’s worth, id go older shape micra or Yaris.
just watch for rust on the Yaris. Get as low miles as you can and as much history as possible.

Yes I was thinking them type of cars . And your probably right. Was hoping I had missed something.

OP posts:
ALovelyCupOfNameChange · 07/09/2024 11:17

Beepbeep2024 · 07/09/2024 11:05

Yes I was thinking them type of cars . And your probably right. Was hoping I had missed something.

No sorry.
you could risk an auction, but I think being able to look over the car more at leisure and knowing what the price is rather than risk being outbid or fees biting you.

honda jazz used to be my recommendation but their auto box hasn’t aged well. They are also succumbing to rust.
the Hyundai and Kia boxes of that age were old design when they went in new so are a bit clunky compared to the newer ones in the Yaris.

Be wary of the clutchless manuals like in corsa’s, they are shit to drive and prone to going wrong as it’s essentially a load of shit bolted to a normal manual box - some driving license issues came up when they were released as well. Volkswagen of that age aren’t bad, you’d be looking at lupo which won’t have many gadgets as standard, but what they do have will just keep working. Parts are thin on the ground for them as they age though.
fox engines are shit. They’ve managed to fit the two shit engines Volkswagen ever made.

micras, although perceived as uninspiring are cute and fairly bomb proof and are starting to get a bit of a following among the youth!

MoyoGaza · 07/09/2024 11:20

Have you tried Facebook marketplace?

ginasevern · 07/09/2024 11:38

I've just bought a 2009 plate Hyndai i10 for £1,000. MOT'd for a year, really nice condition. I bought it from a private bloke on Gumtree. Before that I bought a Hyndai Getz 2007 plate for £450, again from a private seller on Gumtree, which lasted me 7 years and was easy on the MOTs. It's just died. I can only afford old cars but they have to be 2007 or onwards for the CAZ (we don't have Ulez here).

FinallyYouSaid · 07/09/2024 11:45

Don't forget to check the MOT history too op.

So many people just look at the '12 months MOT' and think great - without checking for advisories which are going to be your possible fails next year.

It's also problematic seeing MOTs with NO advisories at all ime, whether pass or fail (except new cars obvs). Cars several years old always have them but dodgy garages who do dodgy mot passes often don't bother putting them on. Huge red flag if a 10 year old car apparently has no advisories at all.

KnickerlessParsons · 07/09/2024 11:48

Have you tried Auto Trader ap?

Beepbeep2024 · 07/09/2024 11:53

MoyoGaza · 07/09/2024 11:20

Have you tried Facebook marketplace?

FB market place is very bad place to look from my understanding. Wish it wasn't though had there's a good few on there

OP posts:
Beepbeep2024 · 07/09/2024 12:00

ALovelyCupOfNameChange · 07/09/2024 11:17

No sorry.
you could risk an auction, but I think being able to look over the car more at leisure and knowing what the price is rather than risk being outbid or fees biting you.

honda jazz used to be my recommendation but their auto box hasn’t aged well. They are also succumbing to rust.
the Hyundai and Kia boxes of that age were old design when they went in new so are a bit clunky compared to the newer ones in the Yaris.

Be wary of the clutchless manuals like in corsa’s, they are shit to drive and prone to going wrong as it’s essentially a load of shit bolted to a normal manual box - some driving license issues came up when they were released as well. Volkswagen of that age aren’t bad, you’d be looking at lupo which won’t have many gadgets as standard, but what they do have will just keep working. Parts are thin on the ground for them as they age though.
fox engines are shit. They’ve managed to fit the two shit engines Volkswagen ever made.

micras, although perceived as uninspiring are cute and fairly bomb proof and are starting to get a bit of a following among the youth!

We are looking for automatic only. Definitely would not go to an auction. No idea what I would be doing 😅. Yes was thinking mirca also. But I have Been told thry are not grast on insurance due to being driven by young people

OP posts:
Beepbeep2024 · 07/09/2024 12:01

KnickerlessParsons · 07/09/2024 11:48

Have you tried Auto Trader ap?

No I just looked at the standard site. Does it make a difference?

OP posts:
ALovelyCupOfNameChange · 07/09/2024 20:02

FinallyYouSaid · 07/09/2024 11:45

Don't forget to check the MOT history too op.

So many people just look at the '12 months MOT' and think great - without checking for advisories which are going to be your possible fails next year.

It's also problematic seeing MOTs with NO advisories at all ime, whether pass or fail (except new cars obvs). Cars several years old always have them but dodgy garages who do dodgy mot passes often don't bother putting them on. Huge red flag if a 10 year old car apparently has no advisories at all.

Yes that’s a good point. I’ve got the mot check app “mot history” you can check mileage history as well as advisories etc on that

ALovelyCupOfNameChange · 07/09/2024 20:04

Beepbeep2024 · 07/09/2024 11:53

FB market place is very bad place to look from my understanding. Wish it wasn't though had there's a good few on there

Yeah I’d steer clear. You’ll miss some decent cars on there, but its so full of scams.

ALovelyCupOfNameChange · 07/09/2024 20:07

Beepbeep2024 · 07/09/2024 12:00

We are looking for automatic only. Definitely would not go to an auction. No idea what I would be doing 😅. Yes was thinking mirca also. But I have Been told thry are not grast on insurance due to being driven by young people

I’ve not heard that, that’s not me saying it’s not the case, just do a couple of quotes and compare the sort you’re looking at - just pick a few reg numbers off an advert.

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