Car buying diary

[Kev_Mc]

That looks very nice for the miles. I'll watch that ad to see if it's still for sale - not a million miles from me.

Is that a lower spec sound system - some have a screen, though this one doesn't.

[sgould]

It is the 4 speaker system.  It can be tweaked a bit with better speakers.

[Geoff1951]

The rear bumper looks a different shade from the adjoining panel?

[Audax]

The rear bumper looks a different shade from the adjoining panel?

It might be but I had lots of trouble photographing that colour of 9-3 (and black cars) in the past because for some reason they do look different colours when you photograph them in some lighting conditions. Looking at that car in particular it's parked under some trees so the front is a very different shade to the rear but I suspect it might be the light/camera. I suspect (and have no way of verifying this!) that for some reason the metal parts have a more reflective paint than the bumpers.

[CitTone]

The X-type Jag is one on my list of possible replacements for my 9-5.  ...... it is basically a Mondeo underneath.....

Looked at one a while back. The problem when comparing with 9-5 is interior space. It's only really 9-3 sized, which, when you consider how gargantuan the Mondeo is inside (especially estates) seems a bit of a reverse-TARDIS trick. Snug for the front-seat occupants, but plain cramped for adults in the back.

The space and tales of hidden but catastrophic corrosion rather put me off, so I bought....a 9-5 again.

[Audax]

The space and tales of hidden but catastrophic corrosion rather put me off, so I bought....a 9-5 again.

I think this is the thing with the 9-5. It was never best at anything (apart from maybe crash protection) but it was *good* at everything. Every time I look at a possible replacement I find you see lots of benefits in some areas but major downsides in others.

[sgould]

Way back, I had a Rover 620.  My teenage sons refused to go on holiday in it as there was no room in the back. My wife was looking to change her car and went from a Metro to a Renault Espace, which we used for holidays. 

When the time came to change the Rover, i looked at several cars and found them lacking.  I went to look at a Rover 75 and that had the double problem of being too cramped for the driver and no room in the back.  It was later described by a journalist as "The latest in a long line of Rovers 4 door 2 seaters!".  The dealer had a Saab 9-5 on the forecourt and the rest is history.

[Kev_Mc]

I've not seen one yet with matching tyres let alone matching premium tyres.

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I'm considering seeing this even though it's a manual, doubt it has cruise control, and it doesn't even have a CD player! Expensive though it does look good in the pictures!

Saw the Skoda Octavia vRS mentioned above. Refreshingly good condition with excellent bodywork and premium tyres with loads of tread all round. I'm a bit torn with this one - it is easily the best car I've seen, but I didn't love it after driving it. Didn't feel as fast as I was expecting, and this is a manual with no cruise, so not ideal for long journeys. My thinking is that if I really like a car, I can let it off the fact it might not have everything I want. Only felt as quick as a 9-5 2.0LPT, though I haven't driven one of those for about 10 years.

I did offer the chap £1800 (asking £1950) though he wants to wait until another chap has seen the car after me (will be viewing it now). Since viewing I think I'm moving back to an auto or a very cheap manual with cruise. That way if I get a manual and don't get on with it, I've less to lose...

Anyone else looking at the moment?

[Geoff1951]

Kev, you might grow to really LIKE the Skoda. I've had mine nearly a year, 10k miles in, and I appreciate it more as the miles go by. I don't think I'll ever LOVE it like the 9-5, which I did over 100k in. Pal's wife had an 04 Octavia estate, 1.9 130 bhp diesel, and he often chose to take that car out rather than his own BMW 525i. They did 130k in the Octavia, never missed a beat. Remember that although the VRS was the fast version, the whole range was still a level below the Saab's "executive" position in the market.

On paper that Octy beats the 2.3t 9-5. It weighs around 250 kg less.

[Kev_Mc]

Bloke who came after me to see the vRS has bought it - offered £1900 which was accepted - no way I'd have gone up from £1800, so fair enough...

[Kev_Mc]

Thinking now of going to see a 9-3 I called up about but never went to see. The car has small rust patches at the bottom of the doors, though has now gone down to £749. It's a 2001 2.0T SE auto hatch with leather, and cruise as far as I can see in the photos:

[Kev_Mc]

May also have a peak at this one too:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-Saab-9-3-2-0T-AERO-4dr-AUTOMATICJUST-ARRIVEDWELL-MAINTAINEDHPI-CLEAR-4-d-/111703495740?

This one was on for more but I can't remember the original price.

[Kev_Mc]

Just checked the feedback of the 9-3 Aero on Ebay - initially looks promising until you check out the "Feedback as a seller"...

[Kev_Mc]

The blue 9-3 hatch above is SORN. What do people do with regard to testing a car when it is SORN?

I can hear it running and I may be able to move a few yards but that wouldn't be good if there's a problem braking from 70mph for example.

Doubt there's any protection under the Sale of Goods Act as it's a private sale, so even if the seller guaranteed the car had no serious issues I'd be stuffed.

I'm sure the car is just fine and I'm being paranoid, but am wondering what other people do when a car is SORN?

[Audax]

Doubt there's any protection under the Sale of Goods Act as it's a private sale, so even if the seller guaranteed the car had no serious issues I'd be stuffed.

I'm sure the car is just fine and I'm being paranoid, but am wondering what other people do when a car is SORN?

You still have protection under SOGA so if there were any obvious undeclared faults (given the cars age and price) after you bought in *theory* you should get a full refund. However extracting the money may not be simple.

I'd not be happy buying a cheap car though without a test drive, it'd be too easy for it to have braking issues, clunks/noises, bad wheel wobble, tracking, driveshaft/gearbox problems that you just wouldn't be able to detect.