Bought a new car

Vauxhall/Opal/GM/Whatever Corsa 1.4 16V CDX on a 99 V plate. It has ABS, twin airbags, aircon, electric windows, cd player, central lockling. I test drove it today and I really liked it, I need to get used to that power (0-60 in 10 seconds) but the chasis, gear change was very responsive, it didn't feel like a Corsa at all.

It has full service history, cambelt/pulleys and water pump was replaced last year.

Has 76k on the clock, bodywork is spotless not even a scratch.

As opart of the deal I am getting 12 months MOT, some brake adjustments (needed for MOT), four new pads, a full service inc 5-30 oil, new plugs, filters and a 32-point check with a 3 month warranty.

I like it because its totally original, it looks like a family car yet has a lot of power under the bonnet.

 

Congratulations AT. Enjoy (responsibly).

 

It was the warranty package that sold it really, oh and the toys. Oh and its party Isaac's fault as he convinced me not to get a slow car .

PS It is going to be hard not accidently going over the speed limits at first as I am not used to anything that fast, but I will have to use a lot of discipline.

 

Power? Fast? Are we talking about the same 1.4 corsa?



Seriously, sounds like a good buy. Best of luck with it, and take care as your pride and joy. You won't regret getting something with enough oomph to at least avoid being dangerous.

Mind you, the other day I had the opportunity to drive a mildly tuned Mitsubishi Legnum VR4. Running about 310bhp and capable of a sub-14 second standing quarter. Hmmmm.... 14-20mpg would just hurt too much though.

 

Yes, 10 seconds 0 to 60 is a good time.

My Dads old audi coupe did it i that, so I know its useful go. I still miss it now if I'm behind a tractor.

This tranists better than some of the stuff I ve had before though. The Ca*dy was hopeless.






edit; as Dev says ...do remember to slow down for the twisty bits though

 

hehe it is still a bit too fast, insurance is a bit of a bugger, but less than a Mondeo type car, and not a lot more than 1.0. I am not going to go any faster in this than I would in a 700cc car, its just I know if I need to over take things I can.

It does need a bit of work but all this is being done in the next few days at the garages cost.

 

I'll give it 3 months before the posts start.

 

Any used car will require a bit of attention. I've just fed the Honda a new battery, which has perked it up a bit. Interestingly, the auto wiper function has suddenly started working (it didn't before), which I'm putting down to having the battery removed and everything getting reset. Strange, but there you go.

 

The electric windows (passenger side) on the Audi packed up, thankfully in the up position.

I never did anything about it being (potentially) a dear repair. Then one day I knocked the switch by accident........and down it went (.....came back up too ).

 

hehe well there is still a chance the deal can fall through but I will be £100 down. A warning light came on during the test drive which he pointed out and said it was because it has not been run for a month and needs a service, this may well be true but it could point to other issues. I am speaking to him tomorrow about all the work he is intending to do but if I am not entirely happy I can still walk away and just say good bye to a few saturday nights out and start car hunting again.

David when my dads escort window packed up (in the open position) I tested the motor and it seemed to work, so I got 12v battery charger out, got some 2.5mm T&E and wired it up the motor and bingo window shut. The wiring was damaged we never did get it fixed as the car was soon scrapped after that anyway.

 

Sounds like a good buy - a clean tidy Corsa is a great first car, certainly much better than mine was

Something that might interest you is that if Parkers data is correct you're less than a second behind Issac's Honda to 60 (which real world is 0.001 seconds) so if you get some practice in that might be a fun drive one weekend

 

make sure every thng is fixed before you take delivery, AT

so no silly warning lights......."oh, we'll fix that next week" ..... cr*p

peple will fob you off if they (think they) can get away with it.

don't let them

 

Thanks David, I will insist I take it for a drive tomorrow and if he starts being cagey I will ask why. All easier said than done though. I am hoping the warning light was just a dirty air filter confusing the MAF or something. It hadn't been driven for a month and was over due a service so it is to be expected really. The car drove perfectly fine.

I expect the HG or clutch might go in my ownership but both are cheap jobs on these car. I intend to take it up to 90k (providing there is no accidents) and then getting something a lot newer and more modern like an Octavia/focus or something.

Looking forward to the drive next summer to Benlech, 117 miles of pure open road though I still probably be doing 60 in a 70!

 

Did the light look anything like that? If so... :student:

 

"All easier said than done though"


I know ......and so do they!!!!!!

Beleive me I ve there many times before.

People get hacked off with looking.

Stick to your guns.

 

That was the one. Is that something to be very worried about?

 

Oo'er, that's the engine management warning light on most cars, it means something has gone beyond its correct parameters. It could be something as simple as a faulty sensor right through to a collapsing CAT.

It would need plugging into the diagnostic kit to see exactly what the fault is I'm afraid. Hope it's nothing serious as it sounds like a good motor, but it's definitely 100% something not to be ignored....

 

I've had a few Vauxhalls and they've all had the engine management lights come on from time to time,

if it stays on and your engine goes into 'get you home mode' then's there something wrong,

 

hope it turns out ok at

 

I went to my machanic on the off chance and he said "you haven't bought a car from that b****". It turns out he is very well known.

Like RDD he said that warning light is a potential problem.

He also seemed to the think the steam could be a HG like I suspected.

Anyway he has told me to get a MK4 Fiesta with 1.25 Zetec engine and take it to him during the test drive and he will check it over for me.

I am £100 down but also feel relieved as alarm bells have been ringing all day. Lesson learnt today if a car is at a garage still treat it like a private sale.

I feel annoyed at loosing £100 but also pleased I haven't lost more.

Thanks everybody here, I feel I owe you all a pint .