Other A "new" Civic or a 2 year old used one?

[Pyr0]

Hey everyone! First post and important one also.

So i'm planning on buying new Civic now that i've gotten rid of my smart. I have 2 potential 1.8 Sports from which to choose. Or these are the ones i could accept. The thing is i've read a lot around this forum and people are complaining pretty much about everything in the car: paint, interior creaking, scratching, rear end "clanking", hand-brake loosening. I've also read that these are mainly on the 2006 models and should have been fixed in the 2008 models. But on the subject.

The used one has 32000km on the meter and it's the 2006 model. Color is black and got some pretty neat rims, R-type spoiler and front mask(the middle part between headlights), lowered, 2 sets of wheels and a block heater. The price of the car is 19500 €, but i think there's some "air" in there, so i think i could bargain a bit. The only minus is that it has the r type front mask which i don't like that much, prefer the original and the fact that it is 2 years old.

The "new" one is a promotion car (dunno if that's the correct word) and is tangerine orange. Model is the newest 2008. This car has (i think) 2000km on meter. There is parking sensors, somekind of front/side skirt set and rear spoiler(not the grand prix one, i wish it wouldve been) and somekind of protectors if someone slams door on your car (sorry, no idea what these are called). This only has 1 set of wheels, so i would need to buy second set for winter and block heater also. This has a price tag of 23000 €.

So what i want to know is, this 2006 model, is it that bad? Is it better to pay ~3500 €(or more) extra just to get 3 years of warranty, better working car(maybe), side skirts etc?

Please let me know if there's something i said what you don't understand, because that is very very likely And i apologize about my english, it could be better.

[streakybird]

okay... my car was second hand 2006 1.8 EX with 12000 miles to the clock when purchased, and touch wood (touched!!!) its done me proud!

If i had to do it all over again... i wouldnt change a thing.

But there are many stories out there, i hope this one is a positive one in respects to buying a second hand one.

Good luck whatever you choose...

[hurricane]

Welcome to the forum Pyr0. 32000k is quite high and you have to think about how it has been driven maybe. The "promotion" (demonstration or simply demo) car would probably be a better buy. Don't know which part of Finland you live in, but I guess down south there are probably better deals on used. I just purchased new as I wanted to trade in my 5 year old Alfa for something better. I was looking for used (demo) first of all but the prices are basically the same as for new.

Don't know if any of that helps make your decision.

[streakybird]

i would agree with the 32000k being too steep... i would prefer to look around for other second hand ones with lower mileage at the least!!!

Also please remember if considering second hand... ask questions about its history... why its second hand? who had it last? whether there are any new parts to it? whether the break pads are new? oil? tyres? any accidents? etc... you need to know because when i brought my car, i forgot to ask about the break pads and only got told afterwards that they were already 50 % worn and not new!!!
So it goes to show, your spending the money... spend it wisely!

[Pyr0]

Thank you. Well i live in Rovaniemi, so we have like 1 Honda dealership here Both of the cars are from south (everything is south, if its lower than Rovaniemi) Yeah, it might be that there's better deals at south, but living here i really can't go "windows shopping". So that leaves me with internet sites.

What do you guys think about the price? I don't know how many finnish people is around here, but how does it sound? A new sport 1.8 is 23200 € without the parking sensors and skirts. I really would like a car with somekind of visual modifications done already (skirts, spoilers etc.), so that's why i mentioned the 32k one. As far as i know those things cost a bit.

Thank you for your answers.

[HappyMan]

You also have to consider that a 2 year old car is in the last year of it's warranty period so that is something to consider too! I to think the 32000km is quite steep on a 2 year old car and as has been said you have no idea how its been driven.

One thing you could do is buy the new car and over time do the modifications to the car you want.

[hurricane]

Originally Posted by Pyr0

Thank you. Well i live in Rovaniemi, so we have like 1 Honda dealership here Both of the cars are from south (everything is south, if its lower than Rovaniemi) Yeah, it might be that there's better deals at south, but living here i really can't go "windows shopping". So that leaves me with internet sites.

What do you guys think about the price? I don't know how many finnish people is around here, but how does it sound? A new sport 1.8 is 23200 € without the parking sensors and skirts. I really would like a car with somekind of visual modifications done already (skirts, spoilers etc.), so that's why i mentioned the 32k one. As far as i know those things cost a bit.

Thank you for your answers.

Well I think that there are much better deals to be made on used and ex demonstration cars even around Oulu and Rovaniemi. If you travel south as far as Hämeenlinna, Lahti, Mikkeli, then you could save yourself €2000-3000 on a used car (and it is not really that far to go). This for example has 15000kms and is less than €21000, and already has Lohkolämmitin & sis.pistoke. There are very few used Civics with all the "kit". At the end of the day, only you can decide if you want a new car with a warranty (I did) or a used car with a lot of kms, short warranty, and a dubious driving history. If you would prefer new, then get the dealer to give you a discount on the "kit". I know some are now offering the City and Grand Prix packs at a special price, but only when you are ready to make a deal. Be firm in your negotiations - not Finnish!

[minisweeper]

Is it just me who thinks E3500 is very little discount at all for 2 years usage? And 32000km doesn't seem very high milage to me (c20000 miles?) I suppose it has a few extra toys but based on a list price of 22k I'd expect to pick one up for much more like 15k 2 years old... I guess maybe the finnish car market is pretty different to the UK?

[hurricane]

Originally Posted by minisweeper

Is it just me who thinks E3500 is very little discount at all for 2 years usage? And 32000km doesn't seem very high milage to me (c20000 miles?) I suppose it has a few extra toys but based on a list price of 22k I'd expect to pick one up for much more like 15k 2 years old... I guess maybe the finnish car market is pretty different to the UK?

Yeah, the Finnish used car market is very different. Actually, the discount for a demo car is so small it is not worth it. I was offered a standard (no extras fitted) demo 1.8 sport (in Finland it is Comfort, Sport, and Executive) with 4000km for €23990, which is the same as a new one with taxes and delivery fees!

[Pyr0]

Thank you, Hurricane, i'll be sure to state my needs in the negotiations.
It seems that i'll pass on the black used one. They aren't willing to answer to me anyways, so i'm gonna drop it.

Found 2007 executive with 11k on odometer so i'll check on that. Actually 2 with about same amount of kms. I'll have to search some more. The orange one is, according to the dealer, waiting for me tank full

Thank you everyone again for your contribution. I think i'll find the right one soon...

[Hasselhoffia]

Do keep an eye out for demo cars going cheap at the moment, all the dealers seem to wanting to get rid of them as they're 9 months old or so. You can spot them as they have the options fitted.

As a guide, I picked up my Milano red 9 month old Type S GT with i-Shift just last night from the dealer, under 3000 miles on the clock, 18" blade alloys and the image pack for the princely sum of 13400GBP. Thought that was quite a good buy, I'd expect a new one with that spec to be around 17500GBP.

[Robbieee]

Originally Posted by Hasselhoffia

Do keep an eye out for demo cars going cheap at the moment, all the dealers seem to wanting to get rid of them as they're 9 months old or so. You can spot them as they have the options fitted.

As a guide, I picked up my Milano red 9 month old Type S GT with i-Shift just last night from the dealer, under 3000 miles on the clock, 18" blade alloys and the image pack for the princely sum of 13400GBP. Thought that was quite a good buy, I'd expect a new one with that spec to be around 17500GBP.

But u have the added worry that a demo car has been absolutley caned!!!!

[hurricane]

Originally Posted by Hasselhoffia

Do keep an eye out for demo cars going cheap at the moment, all the dealers seem to wanting to get rid of them as they're 9 months old or so. You can spot them as they have the options fitted.

As a guide, I picked up my Milano red 9 month old Type S GT with i-Shift just last night from the dealer, under 3000 miles on the clock, 18" blade alloys and the image pack for the princely sum of 13400GBP. Thought that was quite a good buy, I'd expect a new one with that spec to be around 17500GBP.

Well in Finland the demo Civics do not have any extra options fitted, they are the basic version Comfort, Sport, or Executive. No image packs, no nothing.

I tested many other cars before buying the Civic and most of the demos were with maybe €2000-3000 extras that you had to pay for!

[Pyr0]

Actually some demo cars have some "extras" in them. This one vivid blue Civic i was going to buy was with the "image pack" or Grand prix kit installed and colour coded on it. Too bad the dealer sold it even when i was going to come look at it and maybe even buy it.

But things are so that i've bought my Civic already. I bought the mentioned Tangerine orange one. Thank you everyone for participation and help, info. I'll post pictures once i get myself to it