Hi 

Been offered a Skoda Citigo elegance 1.0 late 62( 2012) plate for £2400 private sale. 50000 on clock and recent new clutch and front brake pads.  All MOT in past shows only failed a few times due to tyres and irregular disc surface( can’t remember exact wording.) 

Seller is relative of trusted friend who is going abroad to live. 

Is this a good deal and anything I should watch out for with car of this age, still to look and drive it.   It would be for my wife - short distances, mainly city driving so low yearly mileage

thanks  

 

Sounds OK. 

Actually sounds better than OK if the car drives well.

Maybe you will be needing to change the spark plugs, pollen filter and cabin filter, maybe tyres, but that is as with any car. 

Check the windscreen looks ok, not too many tiny chips. 

8 hours ago, jam1 said:

Is this a good deal

I'm not dead sure either way, but the only friend I have who's owned a CityGo replaced it with a Fabia.

Citigo/Up/Mii was a slightly shrunken Fabia platform I believe and there are various interchangeable parts. Most people who go to Fabias just need a bit more space; they are very similar cars...

I reckon at current used prices it's good value at £2400.

Check for rust around the fuel filler on the rear quarter, but it's not a show-stopper.

Edited 14 November, 20241 yr by freemansteve

Thanks for all replies and advice

 

There are differences from Fabia to Citigo other than just size but that doesn't matter as you look at if the car is suitable to you, it's condition is the main thing. 50,000 in 12 years is an average of 4k-miles per year which is low and tyres and discs mentioned  on MoTs  possibly bear out the low mileage and periods of lack of use and/or regular low mileage use which can be worse than higher mileage use, hence possibly the change of clutch.

 

You need to drive it and then another Citigo of the same age and approximate mileage to compare.  Citigo can be quite basic but it depends what model spec it is and what you are used to and expect.

 

Buy on condition, seeing a complete list of "service" each and every year could be more reassuring given its low mileage, don't expect to pay extra for the low mileage.

 

A 12 year old car may be better than the later models and possibly less hassle. I have zero idea if the price is good or not but don't be too swayed by the low mileage, buy on condition.

 

 

My wife bought a low mileage Citigo (auto) during covid. She loves it. All the above on condition comments apply  - we had the timing belt replaced at the then time interval ( car only 12000 miles). Main caveat on brakes applies to all VAG group systems - disks show rust and the drum brakes need properly cleaned regularly or the handbrake will tend to stick on. The other minor space comment is only 4 seatbelts which I suspect some folks go for Fabia. Find a good independent for servicing and you’ll be fine

8 minutes ago, Grumpy Geaser said:

we had the timing belt replaced at the then time interval ( car only 12000 miles).

Rubber timing belts being changed at 5yrs/50k-miles was a VWŠkoda UK con (we lost £429 on that) last year they fell in line with Europe 15yrs/180k(?)-miles - all those of us conned ought to band together and have our money returned.

 

Sympathetic to that idea - Karoq done last year too

Sympathetic to that idea - Karoq done last year too. UK always super aggressive on money front. When I bought my Yeti it was three years. We had office in Germany so when over there I gave local garage my engine number and they said five years. I complained to Skoda UK and they replied were increasing to 4 years - complained again and when car due it was increased to five years.

Wow, wished I'd know that too.

 

Learnt on Briskoda from a member that Australia get 7 years warranty, I've no idea what's included and what's not. "Cheaper" "inferior" marques in the UK have 7-years warranty yet the more expensive and "higher quality" German brands like VW only give 2-3 years, we've always been a soft touch in the UK no doubt helped by the marque/brands names snobbery.

 

12 years would be outside of any warranty but a 2012 car I'd gamble will give a longer life than the later cars especially the newer they are now, especially give all the computer modules and sensors let alone computer programs on them.

 

No rubber timing belts on Citigo engines, but we know what was meant Given the disaster of the "cam-belt in oil" designs in various other engines, it has made people rightly wary (Citigo has a dry belt).

 

Post-facelift cars have lots of improvements, not least a better gearbox and wheel-arch liners on later models - I get it may be out of budget, but I'd go for these even with a higher mileage.   Higher mileage is meaningless compared with usage pattern - 40k miles of mostly motorway cruising may lead to a much better car than one with 20k short-distance, stop-start driving. Hard to tell how a car has been used though. You have judge these things on a test drive - varying roads (fast/slow, bendy), some full throttle and max revs runs (these engines are surprisingly sweet if in good nick).... As for electronics, very little new stuff on the latest of the Citigos compared with early ones - the "useless junk" was mostly fitted to later Up! GTI models.

Edited 17 November, 20241 yr by freemansteve

Bought the Citigo and very happy with it, feels like a bigger car.  Thanks again for all the input.