gooster Posted July 27, 2012 Report Share Posted July 27, 2012 2 years ago, I bought a 2005 Hyundai Tucson from a main dealer. Up until December last year, I have had had no major problems with it - sailed through it's MOT, although it was expensive to service due to it needing special oil (or something like that...). Anyway, in December last year, it started making a weird noise and lost all power. Turns out it was the turbo that had gone and needed replacing at best part of a grand to mend (by my dad's friendly local mechanic). Anyway, about 3 weeks later, another weird noise appears, and I figured it was because the power steering fluid was low, so topped it up and the noise went away, I then goes away on holiday, and mum was using my car. The noise then returned, so dad takes it to his friendly local mechanic - turns out a pipe had corroded underneath - cue another £300 repair bill. Dad's friend at this point reckoned the clutch was on the way out too. Fast forward to a few weeks ago and another weird noise appears, that goes away when you press the brakes. Speaks to a different local mechanic (as mechanic number one has done his back in), who said it was the wear indicator on the brake pads, and that is why it is making a weird noise. This week, it has gone in for MOT and brake pads. It failed the MoT on the wishbones, so needed both of those replacing. It has gone in today to get that done, and the mechanic has found that the bottom ball joints have seized, so he has had to replace those too I have no idea how much this latest repair bill is going to cost me (as well as constantly thinking the clutch is on it's way out). I really just want rid of the damn thing now, but mum reckons that with the amount of money I have spent on it, not much else can break on it now. I just don't know what to do I can't afford to keep getting it mended, have already used up pretty much all my savings getting it mended. However unless I buy a brand new car, there is no guarantee a different car will be any better. The only good thing about my car at the moment is the tyres, but again they are a weird size, so I won't be able to swap them onto a new car either What do I do??? (null) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 (edited) If it were me I'd cut my losses and get a new (not brand new) car. Go for a make which has a reputation for reliability and then read lots of reviews on it - www.parkers.co.uk is a good source of information. I bought a Honda (CRV) which had 100,000 miles on the clock when I bought it and is now 8 years old and still running brilliantly (touch wood). The only costs I've had with it over the past three MOTs have been chewed seatbelts (thanks to Timmy), one light bulb and windscreen wipers. I have had a letter about a product recall on it - something to do with an adjustment they have to make to the headlights, so will need to get that looked at but I would have no hesitation in buying another Honda in future. Parts are more expensive but I've not yet had to replace any since I bought it in 2009. Edited July 28, 2012 by merledogs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantan Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 I'd cut my losses and get shot of it too. Have you thought about leasing a car? Might be worth looking at although I confess I don't grasp the concept entirely but I do know a few folk who have leased cars and say it's the way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griff Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 cars are tricky things, it is genuinely pot luck. you get some good and some bad, i used to do landrovers and we used to have "friday" cars come in which is where the factory built them on the friday and they couldn't be a*sed with doing them properly so there would be bits missing and faults galore. There are still plenty of things that could go wrong on the car but if the mechanic is doing work on it ask him to check it over thoroughly and get a list of things that are on the way out.... like having a pre mot really, also in future it may help keep your bills down if you order your own parts, i saved my dad about £2000 by ordering stuff for his car myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooster Posted July 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 Thanks guys. I had looked at leasing a car, but for what I want (freelander 2), it works out quite expensive. Would want one with a maintenance contract as well, so if it breaks, it goes back. Thinking about leaving all the gadgets behind and getting a defender 90 like my mum drives, but not sure if I want to get rid of my creature comforts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griff Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 i loved the defenders!!!! i preferred doing those to the top of the range range rovers! a short term solution and not sure how it would work out cost wise etc but what about taking out a warranty, you would need to be careful which sort you take out etc but might be a solution??? you could try contacting quentin wilson too, he is pretty helpful and will know who to avoid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted July 29, 2012 Report Share Posted July 29, 2012 Part of the reason I bought my CRV was because of the huge boot space, and because the back seats move forward to create an even bigger boot space, so if it's room you're after, you might want to have a look at one (I've got an 04 model). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 (edited) Think I'd go with getting a trustworthy mechanic to have a good look over it and as long as there's nothing else major identifiable would stick with it. You're otherwise unlikely to recover what you've already put in in repairs & have no guarantee another used car will be any better maintained than this one now appears to be. Defenders don't tend to come cheap (relative to other similarly aged cars & 4x4) & though unbeatable off road & probably much simpler to maintain they may well be less comfortable than your current car on road. Unless you're wanting to do serious off roading I would imagine you'd get a lot newer & reliable Honda for the same money as you would an older Defender (a Discovery is for some reason more comparable price wise than a Defender though) Edited July 31, 2012 by Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooster Posted September 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 Just to update you all, the garage I drive past on the way to work had a freelander 2 and a defender in, both at the same price. Last week I went to look at them, and he had just sold the freelander The defender was lovely though, so went back to look at it today. The bloke would only give me £3750 part ex for mine, and I owe more than that on the finance. He thinks I should run my current one into the ground before getting rid. However the timing belt is due to be changed at 60k, and goodness knows how much that would be. Bloke at garage reckons about £800 At least if I got a defender, the depreciation wouldn't be as bad. I bought this car 2 years ago for £8k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackmagic Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 Is that the correct price for your car. You can check online what the 'book' price is - Parkers guide and Glass's guide are the two that the trade use http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/prices/used/guide http://www.glass.co.uk/Valuations/Find-a-car/ That will give you an idea if his offer is reasonable. You can also check what he is asking for the defender Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griff Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 800 nicker for a timing belt change????????? madness!!!!!!!!! you should be looking at a few hundred quid i should think, try and call a few independent garages before you commit to anything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 Jayne - treat that as his initial offer. There is always room for negotiation. When I bought my car I had an old banger to trade in. He gave me £200 for it. When I negotiated on the price of the car he said "your car isn't worth more than £200 part ex". So I told him that I wasn't negotiating on the value of my car, I was negotiation on the price he was selling the other car for. Dig your heels in, if he wants a sale then he'll do a deal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted September 18, 2012 Report Share Posted September 18, 2012 Would you get a better deal by selling yours privately & then negotiating a cash price on the defender? Unfortunately, as you've realised Defenders hold prices well & he probably wont have to discount it as much as some cars / struggle to sell it so I'd expect a hard haggle but there is almost always some room for negotiation on cars beyond the opening offer if you are prepared to stand your ground / walk away & he knows it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooster Posted September 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2012 Thanks, I will have a look at the book price - he did have glass's guide in his hand and told me the book price is £3000, but he would give me £3750. He said there is no room to move on the price of the defender. My dad has his own business that has a fair chunk of cash in the bank, so dad mentioned the possibility of his business loaning me the money to pay off the finance and buy the car, then I pay them back. I really need to find out a few more numbers really, like how much I owe on finance (I had a statement in July, but the final settlement is different due to the interest paid). I also want to phone around garages to get quotes for a timing belt. My mum's friend also has a Tucson and has had loads of problems with hers - it's currently in the garage with a knackered gearbox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted September 19, 2012 Report Share Posted September 19, 2012 (edited) Thanks, I will have a look at the book price - he did have glass's guide in his hand and told me the book price is £3000, but he would give me £3750. He said there is no room to move on the price of the defender. He's a philanthropist then? or has he actually just loaded the Defender price by at least £750 or perhaps factored in finance commissions already? What do Parkers / similar show you can get selling privately - you need to work out if it's private sale price plus a £750 reduction on the Defender would be better than the £3750. If it is ask him for a cash price on the defender? If he's trying to sell you finance he'll be on a commission so make sure the terms compare well against a bank loan / there's something in it for you to buy from him (he doesn't need to know about your dads offer just yet) Edited September 19, 2012 by Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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