[maus]

Well my Focus packed in last week at 143000 miles (2008 1.6 TDCI - notorious fuel injector leak, which caused the turbo + engine to clog up and die). That thing was cursed, I'm not fixing it. So I need a new car. I'm considering a Focus 1.8 TDCI, but I've been drooling over Civics for ages, I want one!

Anyway I can't afford something new and shiny. I really want a diesel again, but not needing to spend the car's value in repairs after 2 years would be nice too...

So I'm looking at these just now, all listed at £2700:

2006 1.8 VTEC - 130,000
2007 2.2 CDTi - 103,000 (80 miles away from me)
2009 2.2 CDTi - 209,000

I know nothing about cars... Is that suspiciously cheap or does it sound about right? There are others that seem pretty much identical going for £4000. Who's chancing it? Is that just the private seller vs dealership price gap?

Again, bearing in mind I know nothing about cars but am keen to learn, are there any essential checks to do while viewing it to see if there are any obvious problems - like oil or fluid leaks under the bonnet/floor of the engine compartment, oil level, carbon deposits in oil well, hard test drive to see if clutch slips, etc.

I've had a look at the common faults list on the wiki and the coolant leak/temp sensor corrosion, clutch and ECU failure on 2.2's are all a bit scary. The way I optimistically see it, if the big expensive faults are likely to happen, wouldn't they have happened before the car reached 6 years old?

Finally would the 3rd car I listed be a stupid purchase due to having so many miles, or can these go to starship mileages without much effort?

Thanks guys

 

[cavalrystu]

I'd buy the 2007 diesel... on what I can see.

Have a test drive, ask questions, and test the clutch. To do the latter, find an incline, 4th gear, 2000rpm, BOOT IT!. If it slips, budget £500 to £1000 (if it needs a Dual Mass flywheel).

Other issues are rare, never heard of ECU failure, or the coolant one. Check on here, it's all about clutches....

At the above mileage, I doubt it'll be the original... so it might be all good!

 

[maus]

Thanks for the advice! Yeah the 2007 one would be ideal if it was a bit closer, but I suspect it might actually be across the border. Probably doesn't matter after I've driven it home safely of course.

After reading a bit more I see Honda fixed the 2010 model's clutch, presumably this is no help for older cars though? If it needs a new clutch every 50k - 100k miles but everything else is mostly bombproof, I'd be OK with that. Noted to check paperwork for clutch replacement and consider it a good thing.

 

[cb550]

The 103k mileage diesel seems a bit too cheap, unless say it's a bit untidy/short mot/mechanical problems or all 3 ! (I recently paid £4400 for an '07 with 108k miles, new mot and clutch replaced)

Below £3000 I reckon I'd be looking at petrol Civics.

 

[maus]

They've updated the listing, it's 130k now - so that must've been a typo. Makes more sense now.

I've got a couple of months of non driving coming up so think I'll be patient and hold off for a while. Might just make like Goldilocks and wait 'til the perfect one gets listed. Petrol vs Diesel... they both look so good it's a coin toss. Meanwhile I gotta start saving, cheapest insurance for any Civic I've checked is around £800.

Ok last question hopefully, is there any sense avoiding 06/56 models since those were the first in the new generation?

 

[gray52]

You get what you pay for. This normally ends up by spending more on the cheap car than buying the low mileage but more expensive in the long run. Love my diesel, 9 Years this September