I'm no expert but i do know how to spot a decent car, now swmbo's brother's ex wants her first car that needs to be an automatic as that what she's past her test on. So far simple as i've owned and driven auto's in the past. Now the ex is a single mother of a 2yr old, so to me that makes her needing a 4 door to make things easy as i've owned 2drs and my friends have young kids and i know how hard it can be to chuck them in the back with child seats etc. Now lets go to makes of cars, everyone knows french ones are crap, fords and vauxhalls arn't too bad and skodas and vw's are quite good as are japs. She asked me the other day if i could have a quick look around the local area and see if there's owt out there for under £3500, only decent looking one i could see was a 55 plate fabia with 50k from a main dealer, only issue is that it's an estate but i explained it isn't too big with only group 3 insurance, heard nowt back from her. Now tonight swmbo rings me and tells me that i have to go and see a car with the ex, i said oh which car is it the skoda to which she replied no the ex says skodas are crap! I asked which car and she says a citroen c2 selectomatic! Bloody french thing with 2 doors and i've been told i can't be negative!!

Am I wrong in thinking whats the point?

Just go along with it and point out the negatives of a 2 door french p.o.s compared to a czech marvel of engineering 4 door estate....but be positive

Don't those C2s suffer from water ingress into the wiring looms and dodgy ECUs for the autobox or somthing like that?

My mates daughter had one and it was always in the garage having various expensive bits replaced. She finally got rid of it when it needed a new cat.

SWMBO has a Fabia Estate and its great for kids stuff because the boot is nearly as big as the Octavia hatch. Ours is permanently full of scooters, aeroplanes, footballs etc!

Don't those C2s suffer from water ingress into the wiring looms and dodgy ECUs for the autobox or somthing like that?

My mates daughter had one and it was always in the garage having various expensive bits replaced. She finally got rid of it when it needed a new cat.

SWMBO has a Fabia Estate and its great for kids stuff because the boot is nearly as big as the Octavia hatch. Ours is permanently full of scooters, aeroplanes, footballs etc!

Thats my point!! Just have a feeling that she isn;t going to listen

Leave her to it. She's beyond help

Leave her to it. She's beyond help

Would do but swmbo's got involved and I don't want to face her wrath lol

Is the selectomatic the awfully jerky semi auto they put in the vtr? That alone would put me off.

Despite living in fear the CVT will go bang, I bought my wife a Micra.

I had a similar thing with a mate who wanted rid of his failing Punto so wanted something more reliable, diesel and not too big. I instantly thought Fabia TDI/vRS. I told him this was the best route to go down. He sort of agreed and asked me to have a look about. Spent a good few days doing this and found a few tidy vRS's with FSH and decent mileage. Next thing I get a FB message saying that he'd bought a car. What was it?

A Renault Clio 1.5dci! His logic was that it was cheap. It cost him 4.5k and the vRS I was looking at was this money and he got it from one of these dealers which only show up on a trading estate for a few months then disappear. So at this point I'm not exactly convinced the car is any good. Being pretty annoyed that I'd wasted my time in helping him I told him he'd regret it and he was on his own when it would eventually go wrong. He was adamant that because it was low mileage (35000miles) it would be fine.

Here are the lists of the faults and problems with it so far.

EGR valve has an intermittent fault causing sporadic loss of boost.

Sunroof is like a collinder

One of the windows doesn't work

Tracking is way out

Bumper came off but this is because he reversed into a wall

The latest one by the sounds of it is that a boost hose has actually come off but his mechanic can't see it :wonder:

And these the ones I know about. I swore that with the exception of my brother I won't help anyone else choose a car because even if they bought what I suggested then if it went wrong it would be my fault.

That's what I'm worried about that if it goes wrong I'll get the blame. I helped her Bro get a jag s type diesel which has been really reliable and hasn't cost owt apart from tyres and now track control arm bushes which with his mileage ain't bad

RUN AWAY!!

If you point anything out to her EVERY fault it ever has from that day will be YOUR FAULT!

If she's anything like SWMBO she'll want a factory condition car with less than one owner that will never need anything repaired or serviced ever for £500.

EGR valve has an intermittent fault causing sporadic loss of boost.

Sunroof is like a collinder

One of the windows doesn't work

Mine had all of those problems from new, the EGR soots up like a Victorian chimney no matter how it's driven; sunroof seals never fit properly or split so water gets in and rots the aerial; window mech is held together with hollow rivets that break and need a whole new lifter.

£3500 is way too much for a first car, everyone knows that a first car after passing test will be wrapped round a tree or upside down in a ditch.

£500 is much better, if she manages to keep it in one piece for 1year-18months then should consider something better, £3500 is just a waste for a first car.

£3500 is way too much for a first car, everyone knows that a first car after passing test will be wrapped round a tree or upside down in a ditch.

£500 is much better, if she manages to keep it in one piece for 1year-18months then should consider something better, £3500 is just a waste for a first car.

she's 26 mother of 1and its her own money, just found out the fabia has been sold. She's looking at the c2 now lol.

Swmbo passed her test 4 years ago she brought year old yaris which is still going strong, she's only had a couple of parking bumps. I agree that with under 21s a 500 pound banger would be best. But older people and a single mother would be better with a more expensive reliable car

I had a auto C2. Gearbox was great when it worked. After being recovered 3 times in the first week because of "snow mode" I gave it back though.

She's thinking about it and looking round. Unfortunately there is a lack of small autos in the York area

The other half asked if i would go look at a clio for her friend a couple of years ago, it looked like it had been painted by stevey wonder with no service history and no oil on dipstick, sure enough i told her to run a mile,

We had a scout round a few local garages and found a nice straight vw lupo with full history in her price range, she went back with her dad next day and bought it and has had 2 years trouble free motoring

Well if she is spending £3500 on a car just tell her you will have a look but she must get an AA or RAC report on it as you dont relly know much about that perticular car.

Don't those C2s suffer from water ingress into the wiring looms and dodgy ECUs for the autobox or somthing like that?

TBH that sounds just like most of the VAG cars!

Personally I wouldn't go, tell her they are nothing but a money pit and you wouldn't be able to live your conscience if she bought an unsuitable and unreliable car on your recommendation

Women for you...

My partner wouldnt have anything but a vw golf....

Badge snobbery of the highest degree.... We fell out countless times!!

Tbh your best off 'being called into work '

Women for you...

My partner wouldnt have anything but a vw golf....

Badge snobbery of the highest degree.... We fell out countless times!!

Tbh your best off 'being called into work '

That's a good plan

Oh forgot. To mention that she was up for the idea of a fabia, it was swmbo putting her oar in lol. Decided not to mention that to swmbo and told the ex to contact me directly in future lol

There's no point in arguing with swmbo at the mo as she's stressed planning our wedding lol

Tell her that if you don't think its a good car you wont go & see it. As it's a waste of time looking at rubbish cars. Be Firm!! Then when you get the question of 'what ones are rubbish then' give a great big long list. Then they'll pretty much leave it down to you!

Works for me every time!

Would love to do that unfortunately theres only 3 small autos in York at the mo for sale, the c2, a ingis but that's group 10 insurance! And another fabia but its base spec so no aircon which is one of her requirements lol

At that budget she should be looking for something as basic as possible. No aircon is one less thing to go wrong. Plus it'll almost certainly need a regas

Might have to look outside of York somewhere then.

Ford Fusion 2004 1.4 Auto 2 with 67,000 miles 5 door for £2K in Leeds.

Ford Focus 2004 1.6 Zetec Auto 42,000 miles 5 door £2,995 in Bingley.

Honda Civic 1.6 I-Vtec SE 5 door 71,000 miles £2,150 in Wakefield

Vauxhall Meriva 1.6 16V Enjoy Easytronic 5 Door 50,000 miles £3,046 Evans Halshaw

They are out there... just not immediately in York. Travel 20 or so miles and you can find them.

God I really hope she doesn't get that Citroen! Those gearboxes are AWFUL!

When she buys the C2, explain to SWMBO & her that it is not a car you have recommended she buys, all complaints will be forwarded to the deaf ear department.

Any attempt to circumnavigate this department will result in pointing out that all previous recommendations have resulted in happy drivers, if they want to ignore this, then refer to deaf ear department.