10 year old car?

Question

What's everyone's opinion on buying a 10 year old car? it'll be my first car and either a fiesta, corsa or peugeot 106.

Answer 1

There are very few problems with older cars providing you buy sensibly and 10 years is nothing for a car nowadays. My advice would be forget the Corsa and Peugeot, the Ford is easier to obtain parts, especially second hand spares, for and should be cheaper to repair. If anything does go wrong take the car to a local garage you can trust, main dealers will charge much more and do no better a job. Don't buy a car that has been owned by a boy (or girl) racer just because it has fancy bits added, you can always customise it yourself later, buy one from Mr & Mrs average who use the car regularly and are not afraid to take it down the motorway. Look for one which covers reasonably distances daily not one that has only been used for a half mile school run and a local shopping trip, short journeys can do more harm than good. If you are unsure get someone who knows a little about cars to go with you when you buy and don't be afraid to ask questions. If you are at all unsure about the car, walk away.

Answer 2

My Mum did exactly that 4 years ago when she passed her test. Bought a 1994 Peugeot 106 for £500 from auction. This was a brilliant car and NEVER went wrong in the 3 years we had it. Looking at your 3 choices now, the Fiesta can be broken in to in a matter of miliseconds and the Corsa is crude and dated. The 106 still manages to look great even today and has I have said, is utterly reliable.

There's also a huge range of them... there is one badged the 106 'Roland Garros' and comes with leather trim even though it's ten years old!

Answer 3

Choosing carefully is the key, more than the age, and there should be plenty to choose from among the cars you've listed. So be picky.

Cars that age will likely just need a little more looking after and more minor service items doing, but there's no reason why you couldn't find a perfectly good one.

I've had two ten year old Volkswagens - both Jettas - which never caused me any major problems.

There's a guide to checking a used car for faults and test driving at the link below. But if you're not confident, get a professional inspection done. It's expensive - around £100 - but will likely either turn up something you can use to bargain the price down, or save you making a much more expensive mistake.

Answer 4

For a 10-year-old car, the Fiesta and Corsa are both dodgy and the Peugeot is rubbish. Look for a Honda or a Toyota.

Answer 5

Whatever you buy, I would go for the safest model. The Peugeot 106 isn't that, I think the Corsa is, but I agree with another answerer, the KA is the best 'supermini' on the planet, safe, cheap, reliable, simple, air-con, power steering, elec windows, central locking, some have leather too, very good car, cheap to insure, better than the ancient 106 tin can and fiestas noisey old tappets. Theres loads of KA's around.

DONT get a cheap Vauxhall 'Chevrolet' or a Fiat Cinqecento or Seicento, as they are particularly bad, as are the Rover 100 and Rover CITY Rover.
mmm...

What is good??

Corsa after 2001onwards,
Skoda Fabia (1999 on),
Hyundai GETZ 1999 on
Renault Clio 1999 on,
Peugeot 206 (1998 on)
Mercedes A class 1998 on,
Fiat PUNTO after 2000!

All these are under £2,000 to buy.

But

What is your budget? For £1500 you could get a good diesel Focus or Astra from 1998-99 which will be just as good on fuel as the superminis, and drive much nicer, be safer and smoother, better all round with bigger bootspace, etc etc.... There's lots of them out there and the crash test results are good for both.

Also none of the cars that you mention will have air-con, as they are all ancient by design and it couldnt be fitted or power steering!

http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/www/cars_search.jsp?searchform=&modelexact=1&lid=search_used_cars_full&photo=1&state=none&sort=3&hassearched=Y&make=FORD&min_pr=500&source=0&model=FOCUS&max_pr=&miles=100&agerange=&mileage=&postcode=cv77nr&bodyid=0&fuelid=0&colour=&transmissionid=0&ukcarsearch_full.x=50&ukcarsearch_full.y=6

Anyway have a look at the crash test results for yourself, persinally I'd rather spend £300 a year more on running costs and drive a safer car.
Look at the results to get an educated stance on things. http://www.euroncap.com/tests/rover_25_2001/99.aspx

Answer 6

Ok then, a fiesta is a common car, every1 has 1, but that means its easy to get spares. Also they come in a 1.25 litre engine upwards, which means insurance will be that little more expensive.
A corsa in your basic everyday car, its known for getting you from A to B, and it also is available with a 1.2 litre engine so cheaper insurance, but the down side is its a little ugly and known to rust after 10 years.
The peugeot 106 is my personal favourite because it doesnt rust, its 1.0 engine, so cheapest insurance and there not as common as the rest of those cars.

Answer 7

so long as your not paying too much and so long as you pay to have a mechanic put the car up on the hoist in the shop and have a very good look over it before buying it a car of any age can be just as good as the next.
i drive a 12 year old car . i have spent less on the repairs and up keep on the car then i would even in half a year of having to make payments on a new car.
so just tell the seller you must be allowed to take the car to a shop of your choice to have it checked out then if the report is good you will continue to consider buying that car.
if a person says no you cant take it into some shop for a check up then leave drop the idea of that car all together.
good luck .

Answer 8

If buying a 10 year old car choose carefully, pay for an inspection by the RAC / AA / reliable mechanic. Unfortunately it is really easy to spend £1000 on a car only to find it needs £1000 spent on repairs in the next 6 months.

Be careful! Loads of 10 year old cars are virtually worn out.

Answer 9

.
Sorry but no one is going to be able to give you the answer you are looking for, but if you are just looking for a cross section of opinion?
I bought a 10 year old car (Astra diesel ) with 150k on the clock, and as I do very little mileage and it ran sweet as a nut , I went for it. That was 3 years ago it has passed every MOT test during that time, and not cost me much at all.
So all I can say with any certainty is if your getting an old car get a diesel, no matter what make
Good luck with your choice!

Answer 10

how much is roadtax for 10 years car