General Thinking of buying a mk2b need some advice

[samperry209]

Clio ! With friends like that, who needs.........................................
Seriously, did you snap the cable or had it been that way for some time ?

Yeah that was a honest response I got from my friend.. buy a 53 plate clio

and Im not entirely sure i just said whys this bit of metal sticking out and he said its a temp fix to open the bonnet? I mean its not obvious but i noticed it

 

[PuntoHowTo]

What every you do don't buy a Renault of any description be it a 53 plate or a brand new one

 

[samperry209]

What every you do don't buy a Renault of any description be it a 53 plate or a brand new one

It's fine I dont like clios anyway..

 

[Brendan W]

He may have personal experience of a good one and we are creatures of habit.
Temp fix thing is a bit offputting. Not saying haven't done temp fixes in my time but not the kind of thing to expect a prospective purchaser to swallow.
Have a look at a few more in the area. It will give you a better perspective on what is out there.

 

[samperry209]

He may have personal experience of a good one and we are creatures of habit.
Temp fix thing is a bit offputting. Not saying haven't done temp fixes in my time but not the kind of thing to expect a prospective purchaser to swallow.
Have a look at a few more in the area. It will give you a better perspective on what is out there.

Cheers man thank you! I feel a bit blind, I'm a new driver, I'm nervous as it is.. not got alot of money.. just want a run around for a year so my insurance will drop.

 

[varesecrazy]

I went for a test drive with him and there was no whurring noises from the steering wheel, and brakes seemed fine, only issue i could spot was i needed a new bonnet cable as it snapped, and a bloody good hoover inside ha but my friend is adamant its too high mileage and i should buy a clio..

best advice I can give;

go and see another punto - ideally at a trade seller

you and a knowledgeable friend share a test-drive, then both drive this one again..,

then you'll know what is "normal "+ not

check all 4 x tyres for uneven wear.., AND see if they are in "pairs" =4 different tyres points to BAD news

uneven wearing out / kerbing / pothole damage,
AND cheapskate maint..

the stuck bonnet is similar TBH, takes @£10 and 1 hour to sort properly..!!

BUT - as I said as long as there is nothing TOO bad, and has decent amount of MOT = £400 is fair,
Charlie

 

[Brendan W]

We've all been there, some of us still are, moneywise at least
I'm sensing you have a dream car in mind for next year. One of my boys wanted it real bad after his test. We went to the main dealer for the hell of it, knowing full well that they would have nothing within an ass's roar of his budget. We got talking to a senior salesman who bluntly told him his dream car, A4, would break his heart and wallet at his price range and directed us to go back to the smaller outfit with the very tidy 1.4 Focus in his range across the road. It pays to talk.

 

[samperry209]

best advice I can give;

go and see another punto - ideally at a trade seller

you and a knowledgeable friend share a test-drive, then both drive this one again..,

then you'll know what is "normal "+ not

check all 4 x tyres for uneven wear.., AND see if they are in "pairs" =4 different tyres points to BAD news

uneven wearing out / kerbing / pothole damage,
AND cheapskate maint..

the stuck bonnet is similar TBH, takes @£10 and 1 hour to sort properly..!!

BUT - as I said as long as there is nothing TOO bad, and has decent amount of MOT = £400 is fair,
Charlie

Oh it has MOT till october and the guy had a folder with alot of paperwork I looked at the wheels they didnt seem that bad.. but thanks for the advice man! Im worried, the mileage is too much? but hey I only go by what others say

 

[samperry209]

We've all been there, some of us still are, moneywise at least
I'm sensing you have a dream car in mind for next year. One of my boys wanted it real bad after his test. We went to the main dealer for the hell of it, knowing full well that they would have nothing within an ass's roar of his budget. We got talking to a senior salesman who bluntly told him his dream car, A4, would break his heart and wallet at his price range and directed us to go back to the smaller outfit with the very tidy 1.4 Focus in his range across the road. It pays to talk.

Oh god yeah I'd love a Grande Punto or a DS3 LOL But I need it purely at the moment to commute to work and do a few private jobs, I'm a IT Technican!

 

[samperry209]

http://www.gumtree.com/p/fiat/fiat-punto-2003-/1111805762

This is the ad guys?

 

[varesecrazy]

Oh it has MOT till october and the guy had a folder with alot of paperwork I looked at the wheels they didnt seem that bad.. but thanks for the advice man! Im worried, the mileage is too much? but hey I only go by what others say

drive again, gauge against better - more expensive punto's

see when cambelt + waterpump were last changed - great indication of general servicing

colour of brake fluid also:yuck:should be almost clear when new, yellowy tinge is normal,
BLACK = yeas old..!!

it's an older car, but IF maintained properly could do another 5 years / 50k miles without issue,

hence the advice to take more eyes/ experience .. before committing,
if I was nearer I would help you,
Charlie - Oxford ( Tunisia)

 

[samperry209]

drive again, gauge against better - more expensive punto's

see when cambelt + waterpump were last changed - great indication of general servicing

colour of brake fluid also:yuck:should be almost clear when new, yellowy tinge is normal,
BLACK = yeas old..!!

it's an older car, but IF maintained properly could do another 5 years / 50k miles without issue,

hence the advice to take more eyes/ experience .. before committing,
if I was nearer I would help you,
Charlie - Oxford ( Tunisia)

Thank you for a really useful post, I wish you was about!

But okay I reckon I wont do more then 8,000 miles a year anyway, I was hoping to take my mums friend with me prehaps..hes a driving instructor.

But okay they are good points I shall use! Thanks Charlie!

 

[varesecrazy]

no problem ,
I spent 20 years driving, "end-of-life" Fiat cars..

it's only when you buy a "nice/well kept one" that you get more of a feeling for the wear + tear signs.., in your older vehicles,
a Driving Instructor should be a great choice there..,

Charlie

 

[samperry209]

no problem ,
I spent 20 years driving, "end-of-life" Fiat cars..

it's only when you buy a "nice/well kept one" that you get more of a feeling for the wear + tear signs.., in your older vehicles,
a Driving Instructor should be a great choice there..,

Charlie

Yeah I completely agree my mum brought a mark 2 with 52k on the clock and it had loads of repairs done all the way up to about 80k when mum traded it in for a idea with 37k on clock. So its really how well its looked after.. as I say it looked really well looked after man..

 

[oXRUSSXo]

samperry209 did you buy the car in the end?

 

[samperry209]

Not yet dude