antnee
Member
Registered: 30th Dec 07
Location: Cov Drives: Clio 197
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Random thought for the day.
When buying a car, why do people ask about common problems that model has?
Is a common problem ok, yet a non-common problem not ok? Surely you just want to buy a car with little/no problems?
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Gary
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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I think its more about knowing what to look for when buying
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Corsa_Sport21
Member
Registered: 13th Apr 08
Location: Leven, Fife. Drives : 205 GTi
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Internet has a lot to answer for.
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sc0ott
Member
Registered: 16th Feb 09
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If you bought a car knowing nothing about it and you found out it required ££££ of work needing done you'd be pissed off.
Knowing the common faults before going to see a car would give you a better sight into what youre going to look at.
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andys sxi
Premium Member
Registered: 19th Jan 06
Location: Chester Drives:Scirocco tdi bluemotion
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yeah so you know what to look out for when going to see a car
i read the common problems on a astra cdti and wish i never now 
April 08 feature car
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antnee
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Registered: 30th Dec 07
Location: Cov Drives: Clio 197
User status: Offline
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But surely when you look at a car, you check it all over best you can to find any problems, not some 'common problems' people on the internet have said about?
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andys sxi
Premium Member
Registered: 19th Jan 06
Location: Chester Drives:Scirocco tdi bluemotion
User status: Offline
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yeah but if you know the common problems you will check to see if its been fixed or it is actually working
i went to see an audi a3 and he told me on the phone about a noise on the aircon pump, it makes a noise when its on, after doing more searching on it i now know its a common fault with them so now when i go to view them i try the air con to see if it makes a noise, normally i wouldnt try thr aircon when buying a car
April 08 feature car
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antnee
Member
Registered: 30th Dec 07
Location: Cov Drives: Clio 197
User status: Offline
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Maybe I check cars over a little more thoroughly than most then, I try to have a look and check everything
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Corsa_Sport21
Member
Registered: 13th Apr 08
Location: Leven, Fife. Drives : 205 GTi
User status: Offline
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Yes you look it over regardless, like you would any other car.
But knowing about common faults, its easier to spot if something isn't right. Something that you might think is fine, but in reality it might be on its way out.
Also knowing about common faults, can stop the seller telling you some bullshit about what a problem might be, when in fact its not.
Perfect example could be a Mk5 Astra CDTi not going into 2nd gear or whatever is related to the box. If you didn't know it was a common fault, you leave yourself wide open for the seller to say "yeah its just the bushes on the gear selector needed replaced" or whatever.
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
User status: Offline
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In my experience you can tell within a couple of minutes if it's good one or not.
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Graham88
Member
Registered: 16th Apr 07
Location: South East Kent Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
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Taking the E46 as an example. Common fault is the subframe cracking, if you didn't know about it then it's not a place you'd look underneath the boot carpet. So little things like that help when looking for a car
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John
Member
Registered: 30th Jun 03
User status: Offline
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Under boot carpet is one of the first places I check in any car.
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Generation
Member
Registered: 7th Jul 09
Location: Essex
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See if easy to fix, use as bargaining power also
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harrisp
Member
Registered: 15th Dec 07
Location: Derbyshire
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Id rather go into buying a car knowing its common problems than not knowing and hope I notice them
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sc0ott
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Registered: 16th Feb 09
User status: Offline
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Going to view a 60 plate car tomorrow, better check under the boot carpet
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John
Member
Registered: 30th Jun 03
User status: Offline
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Can 60 plate cars not be crashed and repaired?
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Corsa_Sport21
Member
Registered: 13th Apr 08
Location: Leven, Fife. Drives : 205 GTi
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by John
Under boot carpet is one of the first places I check in any car.
Its not 1 of the 1st places i check, but i do check incase its been in a rear end smash.
I went and viewed a 307 HDi today.
Had a look online for common faults and the DPF popped up.
Was showing up on the computer after starting the car, guy told me it had been done and just needed reset. If it wasn't for the fact the boost cut off at 60mph in 3rd gear, i wouldn't have known. Google also told me it would do that if the DPF was at fault.
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Graham88
Member
Registered: 16th Apr 07
Location: South East Kent Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by sc0ott
Going to view a 60 plate car tomorrow, better check under the boot carpet
That's a years worth of it possibly being rear ended then
[Edited on 09-06-2012 by Graham88]
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sc0ott
Member
Registered: 16th Feb 09
User status: Offline
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Thanks for reminding me how old a 60 plate can be.
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Ben G
Member
Registered: 12th Jan 07
Location: Essex
User status: Offline
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I didnt check common problems before I bought my z4. All it seems to do is put things in your mind when looking around/test driving.
Just did the usual checks that you'd do on any car. Anything common is usually well documented and easily replaceable. And as long as the seller isnt a complete cunt, they should tell you.
He told me about roof motors failing and springs snapping (both of which had been replaced).
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Corsa_Sport21
Member
Registered: 13th Apr 08
Location: Leven, Fife. Drives : 205 GTi
User status: Offline
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Of course he is going to tell you though, seeing as he replaced them.
Do you think he would have told you they were common faults, and the car was still on the original parts?? No chance.
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Ben G
Member
Registered: 12th Jan 07
Location: Essex
User status: Offline
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Probably, some people are decent. Not everyone is a del boy.
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