Which of these cars would you buy?

[HauntedLittleLunatic]

Both same make, model and specification, and virtually the same engine. Both ex motability.

Blue car - not the nicest blue in the world.
2 1/2 years old. 10 plate.
Average mileage for age 27k.
Few very very minor marks on paintwork.
I have not driven or fully inspected interior but obviously would.

Black car
3 1/2 years old. 09 plate.
V v low mileage 9k
Virtually immaculate outside
BUT previous owner was a smoker. Garage have treated this since I saw it and say it is clear. I will re-inspect before I commit.

Which one would you go for?

I would have to test drive both and see which had he better feel. Identical cars can feel very differen inside. Drive both and go with your gut.

I would have to make sure the second one didn't smell of smoke first then take a drive.

I'd drive them both before deciding, but on paper the black one.

never buy a black car -they are a nightmare to keep clean!

drive both and go with whichever you prefer.

I have a black car and it is fine to keep clean BTW!

LOL at arguments over keeping a black car clean!

I don't like the blue colour.

In terms of engine. Both same tax.

Black is 1.6l petrol, 105bhp, 42mpg
Blue is 1.6l 16V, petrol 115bhp, 39mpg

So one marginally more economical, the other marginally more powerful.

The blue one.

The black one has probably never got up to proper operating temperature so there could be all sorts of wear going on inside the engine. Depending on make, it might also be unhelpfully out of manufacturer's warranty.

It is a zafira. Blue one will be supplied with 6m third party parts and labour warranty. Black one will have just over 6m remaining on manufacturers warranty.

How come the blue one is younger but doesn't come with the balance of manufacturer's warranty, and the older black one still has some remaining?

Oops - got that the wrong way round.

Blue has balance of manufacturers warranty. Black has 3ed party warranty.

Bump for more thoughts.

I think that I have 1 vote for blue, 1 vote for black and a few sitting on the fence.

I am leaning towards the blue I think...the low mileage usage being a point I hadn't thought of. Based on the dvla database the black one hasn't been taxed since April so has been sitting around doing nothing for 4-5 months although I haven't check that for the blue.

I am also thinking that in 5 years time the 20k extra miles on the blue will have less impact on value than 1year newer status.

But then I wonder. The engine on the blue one will have been one of the newest cars built with it. I know that some engines have teething troubles when they are first introduced...

A quick check suggests the 115bhp engine was introduced in 2006, so you should be OK.

Wiki

Oh ok. I was only basing that on the cars I has seen and correlating it with ages