i've seen a car that i like that has 99,000 Miles on the clock. is that too much? it's a vw polo. what sort of mileage should i be looking for when i buy a used car?
any other tip and knowledge about buying a car would be greatly appreciated.
2007-06-27 01:00:48 · 9 answers · asked by A New Mrs 3 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Buying & Selling
the car is 1998 r reg
2007-06-27 02:32:14 · update #1
In my opinion the most important thing in a used car is the condition of the power train (engine, transmission). If those things are working well, then the car is work spending money on (to buy and to repair).
I have 94 Honda Civic with 182K miles. There lots of small things wrong with it. But the engine and the transmission is powerful like it is brand new. So I prefer to drive that over my 2000 Audi A4. I think my civic had at least another 100K miles left in it. So you can get a high mileage in good condition you'll save $$ and be happier than getting a car with low mileage.
The only thing is that 1 year I got the Civic, the car started rattling. That's because here in NYC, the road is really bad, and old cars tend to go loose faster. But that's not the fault of the car but NYC.
So as written above, have a pro check out the car and specially the engine. Insist on having the valve cover removed and check for engine sludge (major cause of heavy engine damage). They can't catch everything, but they should catch the obvious.
Once you get the car use good oil (synthetic preferred) and change it often. As soon as you get the car, do your high mileage maintenance (radiator coolant flush, transmission flush, new motor oil, new timing belt if not done recently, etc.) I recommend that you find a VW specialist (not necessarily the dealer) to do the work. VW are kind of funky so regular mechanics tends to mess things up (like the transmission and coolants are not regular stuff).
===
Don't forget to vote for the BEST ANSWER - please - whoever it may be.
FACT: You also get +3 points when you vote for BEST ANSWER
2007-06-27 01:09:29 · answer #1 · answered by Lover not a Fighter 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A VW has a good engine with a long life. They have a very high standard of build quality. So thats a good start. Milage shouldn't matter too much if the cars been looked after.
If thats the sort of car your after, may I suggest a "Seat Ibiza". Seats are made by VW using all the same parts. So you'll be getting the same car as the Polo with 2 major differences.
1 - The looks. Thats a personal thing.
2 - Because the Seat is made by VW it will last. But because it doesn't have the VW badge it is considerably cheaper.
2007-06-27 08:15:11 · answer #2 · answered by Michael G 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You get what you pay for so be careful if you have not got much to spend. Firstly, check the cost of insurance for the type of car you are looking for so that you can budget accordingly, then select the models you are interested in. Then look for the cars in your selection that you prefer and go for the one that is in best all round condition, not too many owners (say 3 max) and has a full service history and MOT from a reputable garage. Mileage is important because if the car has not been properly maintained the engine will fail or something else will go wrong. Having said that most small cars are good for 120,000 - 150,000 miles. larger cars are good for that plus another 20,000 miles. VW Polos are good cars. Visit Parkers on-line and read the free reviews and valuations. http://www.parkers.co.uk/
2007-06-27 08:22:56 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Vw are good reliable vehicles, but for peace of mind why not join the AA or RAC and get them to carry out an inspection and have it HPI credit checked as well it might cost a little but if the seller has got nothing to hide they wont mind loosing a few quid, my grandad a mechanic for over 40 yrs RIP said always remember when you buy a second hand car your buying someones cast off
2007-06-27 16:26:50 · answer #4 · answered by gav552001 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The most important thing for you is going to be someone who knows a bit about cars. 99,000 is a lot for a Polo, it'll be ok as a banger but don't expect reliability. You don't say what your budget is, but as a novice I would suggest you try to get say 5 year old at around 45000, with a warranty.At that age you still have access to the competent dealer network, and you might need it
2007-06-28 06:57:52 · answer #5 · answered by The original Peter G 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
check round the doors when shut the gap should be roughly the same all round if its not it could have been in an accident and the frame is slightly bent check for rust or holes behind the headlights inside the engine bay and at the back by where the hinges and battery are and round the top of where the suspension towers are , take the carpets up in the boot make sure there is no water in the tyre well ,the boot seal is leaking if its wet try too pull away in 3rd gear if it dont stall the clutch is gone 99k is not to bad you dont say how old it is i go on about 12k per year
2007-06-27 08:13:47 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
How old is the car you're looking at? Mine is a 2001 Corsa with 110,000 miles on the clock and it's in excellent condition so milage isn't everything.
Your best bet is to get a reliable mechanic to have a look over the car before you buy.
2007-06-27 08:09:08 · answer #7 · answered by morrigin 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
vw, good engine for a start! any service history? smoke from the exhaust.? whos the last owner> old gran or boy racer? any paint colour differences? theres a lot of things to take into consideration.
Take a look at :http://www.parkers.co.uk/advice/
2007-06-27 08:05:37 · answer #8 · answered by chris 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Look for Japanese cars especially Honda and Mazda, they are very reliable
2007-06-27 08:15:26 · answer #9 · answered by merck 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋