T25 - Few Questions Before Buying

[MagicQueen]

Misty? Is it normal that avensis after some time becoming like that or its some fault and will have to chanre headlamps?

What can b a cause?

Im not desperate but its hard for me to get sb with me to go 250miles round trip to check and maybe buy a car. Im not working mon-fri office hrs as many of my mates.

So im looking for 1.8 facelifted model at least t3-x

Checked eBay and gumtree but didnt find anything interesting.

Thanks

[MagicQueen]

And yes...second one is 1,5 newer. Checked that already :-)

[avensisd4d786]

I think the avensis t25 looks better in darker colours

I love the colour of this

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201505233714392?search-target=usedcars&model=avensis&sort=locasc&channel=cars&make=toyota&onesearchad=used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew&fuel-type=petrol&price-to=3500&transmission=manual&postcode=lu31ba&radius=70&page=2&maximum-age=up_to_10_years_old&logcode=p

[AlysAvensis]

I think the avensis t25 looks better in darker colours

I love the colour of this

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201505233714392?search-target=usedcars&model=avensis&sort=locasc&channel=cars&make=toyota&onesearchad=used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew&fuel-type=petrol&price-to=3500&transmission=manual&postcode=lu31ba&radius=70&page=2&maximum-age=up_to_10_years_old&logcode=p

Wow!! The reg on that is just after mine, I wonder if that come from the same dealership as mine:

And mine!

[alan333]

The prefix SG is Glasgow if it's any help @AlysAvensis.

[MagicQueen]

Damn. I just find out the second dark grey avensis doesn't have new logbook v5c. Only got old one....should i worry?

I know already i cant do any mot history check

What do u think guys?

[avensisd4d786]

You can do mot history check with a mot test number

[MagicQueen]

oh thanks, i didnt know that.

anyway I didnt even bothered to run the engine on it. The seller over phone was saying it's brilliant car in a v good condition and no scratches etc (even if on pics u can clearly see there is few).

Just in case sb would want to go there and check it out here is a quick description.

Before I came, on the phone I asked for a cold engine, I v been told the Battery is low so the engine is actually running at that moment. I lost count after 10 scratches marks etc on all over the car. looks like it's been there for ages. Broken mirror, missing plastic bit on the mirror, missing armrest, mileage not 95000 but 101 000!!!! gearknob looks like it's done more than that. Dirty seats. Passenger window works, but not in auto mode.

that's all i remember. I hate when seller behave like that. 'yeah yeah car is amazing'. waste of time, waste of petrol, and they are waste of space ;)

[avensisd4d786]

When the Battery dies or has been removed. The one touch stops working. To activate. I let the window down and hold the down button for 5 seconds then press the up button and keep hold for 5 seconds.

[MagicQueen]

Yeah I had it in my corolla :-) but then it stops working in ALL THE WINDOWS not just one :)

[MagicQueen]

Hi. Found another one.

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/toyota-avensis-tr-vvt-i-1794cc-only-68000-miles/1127649884

Private seller. Tr low mileage with slight dent on a boot. I can take care of dent cheap so not an issue.

Mot is till sept 15. Guy said he will put it for mot test and he will take care of any faults if it wont pass the test. Unfortunately he also said he wont go down with the price as he already did since last week.

Apparently apart of dent and few small scuffs nothing is wrong with it.

As its evening now i can't get info im looking for so maybe sb will help me

Last time car been serviced was 20 000 miles and 2 yrs ago. At that time brakes pads and discs been changed.

1. I believe if brake pads been changed that long ago soon i will have to change them, am i right?

2. Can sb tell me what kind of service i should go for at this mileage? I mean will it require standard one or big one. Oh and if its big im thinking to go to toyota garage. Anyone knows how much toyota charge for service?

3. Anyone does know how much garages including toyota charge for checks for buyers... when i wish to come with a car i wanna buy?

[avensisd4d786]

these cars should be serviced every 10,000 miles. so its overdue a service.

toyota do fixed price servicing check their website, I personally service my own cars using genuine parts.

brake pad life depends on quality and driver.

[MagicQueen]

Yeah i know its every 10000 miles :-( Thats why i asked when is a full and when its a small service :-) wanna do one in toyota garage but donno what to expect

[MagicQueen]

Ok i found it on toyota website. Sorry to bothered; -)

[alan333]

I'd be worried about it having completely missed a service and the next one being due, and which YOU've to pay for?? And to have the boot repaired and painted and colour matched properly to the rest of the car would cost a couple of hundred quid. And you won't have the use of the car for that few days too, plus the hassle factor.

Figure out what you'd pay for the car without a bash on the boot, and serviced properly. Bear in mind it's from a private seller with no warranty etc, so the price should be cheaper than from a dealer. Then add up what the repair and the service will cost you, and add a little for your trouble. Take that amount off the price the car is worth, then weigh that up against the potential engine problems due to not being serviced. Offer the guy that figure and say you'll leave it with him for a few days. The fact that he already reduced the price says one of a few things: it was too expensive in the first instance (and maybe still is?), or the car isn't in good nick, or the missing service is worrying everyone else, or it's advertised in the wrong place. Either way none of that is your problem, make an offer of what the car is worth TO YOU, then be prepared to walk away if you don't get it. There's plenty of the, around if you wait on them.

[MagicQueen]

Thanks. I was just in a middle of thinking about it. Dent if its not big for me will b cost only 100-150 as i got sb who ll do it cheap.

Servicewise i just got a message from seller that he got proof of service been done in aug 2010 at 23 000, then when he bought a car from toyota approved cars 3 yrs ago (i believe at 33 000), and then full service at 45 000 at Halfords two years ago.

As i checked this car hasnt been driven too much till he bought it.

[MagicQueen]

Oh btw...i believe price is v good as its a low mileage. Others i could c with that mileage was around 3700!

[MagicQueen]

Just checked autotrader recomended price its 3620

[alan333]

Just checked autotrader recomended price its 3620

I just checked Parkers. Top Retail FROM A FRANCHISED DEALER is showing £3560 with 90k miles. That's in perfect condition with a full service history and NO DEFECTS whatsoever.

Private Good price is £2605. Private Good price is what it's worth from a private seller, but in the same PERFECT condition.

Granted your mileage is lower.

[alan333]

Dent if its not big for me will b cost only 100-150 as i got sb who ll do it cheap.

Servicewise i just got a message from seller that he got proof of service been done in aug 2010 at 23 000, then when he bought a car from toyota approved cars 3 yrs ago (i believe at 33 000), and then full service at 45 000 at halfords two years ago.

You'll get the dent done for £150 but it's worth a little more for your hassle.

Unless my math is wrong it's missed two sevices: one between the Aug 2010 one and the one 3 years ago (therefore 2012), and the one in 2014 (plus it's due a major one for 2015).

BTW the guy only has you as a potential buyer or he wouldn't have bothered looking out service history and receipts etc and messaging you. Stick to my earlier advice, make a blazee (couldn't figure out how to do the wee gravv thing above the e) reasonable offer and be prepared to walk away.

[alan333]

Offset the lower mileage against the defects and offer him one offer of around £2600 or £2750 or something. Tell him you don't want to be cheeky but that's what it's worth to you and you'll leave the offer with him til Thursday so he can get the chance of a better offer. Make it sound like you're doing him a favour (which you actually are).

[MagicQueen]

Ok ok i c ur point.

I just c that 90k and 60k miles does huge difference in prices when i check them. 100000 cars r 2500-3000 while lower r above that.

When the guy told me price is not negotiable so if i dont wanna pay that not bothered to waste our time and i said im still interested

Now if im gonna go there and drop price i ll turn to b a **** hole lol

I have to put it on paper and rethink tom as i was dealing with all of it at work on my mobile

[avensisd4d786]

to me that car has not been looked after, alloys look kerbed, missed service is the main one, dent which has not been repaired, I doubt he would of got it like that from the toyota garage. the owner clearly has been skimping on the wear and tear on that car. you are in two minds hence asking on here, I suggest you either follow alans good advice or keep looking. I know which one i would be doing,

ps he hasn't even cleaned the car before advertising it or am I just being to picky now.

[MagicQueen]

Yeah i v seen it. Not cleaned at all. Its not only u being picky. I was also thinking - after looking at mot history - that this car looks like it hasnt been looked after not only b him but since beginning from the prev owners.

Im thinking to gather all the info and tell him im not coming if he is not open for negotiation. If he says yes i can go and take a look at it.

If he goes down with the price for full sercice at toyota which is around £250 and the car is not worse than I already know I can consider to take it.

[alan333]

I know car prices vary a bit by location and by supply/demand, but around 3 years ago I bought a 55 plate T25 T3s auto with 29k on the clock from a private seller for £3000. There was a very small dent on a door and one service had been missed. That's roughly equivalent to a 58 plate would be today. I traded it in a year later with about 40k on it and IIRC I got £2250 for it (ie when it was the equivalent of a 57 plate today). IMHO the Parkers prices are about right ie the trade price for that car is down at around £2000 and the private sale price with a prang on it is about £2500. Pay a little more if you really really like that particular car, hence my advice of £2600 to £2750.

Personally I wouldn't mess about with it. He can't be bothered doing anything with it like cleaning it, servicing it, fixing it's dent, getting the MOT etc, but it's probably an ok car if you get it at the right price. If I'm correct that he can't be bothered with it then offer him £2600 without the new MOT and you'll take it away with no hassle for him. It'll probably pass it's MOT no problem but it's a little gamble. It's also the same gamble for him so he might just go with it. It'll still cost you about £3k by the time you've serviced and MOT'd it and fixed the dent. IMHO that's too expensive for that car but if you like it and it saves you more time looking for the next one then what's a couple of hundred quid in the whole scheme of things.

Be nice friendly and polite on the phone and tell him you've done some sums at your end and that's what it's worth to you, considering what it'll cost you to get it up to scratch. Say you don't like wasting people's time so you won't bother coming to see it unless he's happy with your offer. Leave the offer with him for a few days and say if it's no good then thank him for his time and wish him all the best with his sale.