Buying a car today - advice please?

[Nitrojan]

I'll keep this short. I've found a Fiesta Zetec S for £8k from a used car dealership, looks in good condition, 30.5k miles, all is well and good.

Just called them to ask about service history and was told that it had it's first service at 9k miles, and a second service at 30.5k miles (by themselves).

Not sure why it had a service at 9k miles... and there's a big gap between services. Would you avoid this car?

 

[iaind]

What age is it? Services are generally based on age or mileage, whichever comes first. I'm guessing the 9k service was after 1 year which is correct.

Depending on how ago that was, it should have probably had at least one since then. I wouldnt buy a car that hadnt been serviced for 21k miles and however many years - as the intervals are probably 1 year/12.5k miles

 

[p1RATE]

No i wouldn't avoid it, if its what you want and priced accordingly go for it. Obviously the previous owner neglected to get the 2nd year service done but its only an oil and filter change, any problems this could cause would not really affect you during your ownership. It may shorten the longevity of the engine but its anyones guess on how it was treated and how that may have worn the engine.

 

[ADT]

How old is the car

 

[[TW]Fox]

No i wouldn't avoid it, if its what you want and priced accordingly go for it. Obviously the previous owner neglected to get the 2nd year service done but its only an oil and filter change, any problems this could cause would not really affect you during your ownership. It may shorten the longevity of the engine but its anyones guess on how it was treated and how that may have worn the engine.

It's a Ford Fiesta, there are many many Ford Fiestas for sale so why buy a nearly new one (It's £8k) where you have documented evidence that the previous owner couldnt even be bothered to service it correctly? Yea sure its probably fine but why bother?

Move on, buy another.

 

[Uriel]

How old is it? Assuming it's a recent model, it looks like this is Ford's recommendation for service intervals:

Ford Fiesta Zetec S MK7 Service Schedule

Year 1 (12,500 Miles)
■Replace Oil Filter
■Replace Oil
■Replace Air Filter

Year 2 (25,000 Miles)
■Replace Oil Filter
■Replace Oil
■Replace Air Filter
■Replace Brake Fluid

Year 3 (37,500 Miles)
■Replace Oil Filter
■Replace Oil
■Replace Air Filter
■Replace Spark Plugs

Age or mileage will be whichever has come first.

22,000 miles is a long time between services. If it had a 3 year Ford warranty it may be invalid because the servicing hasn't been done in accordance with manufacturers' recommendations.

That woudln't necessarily put me off but make sure the price isn't too high. But yeah - I agree with Fox on balance. I'd rather take one that has been looked after.

A look at the tyres may tell you if the previous owner could be bothered to look after it at all. Mismatched ones -especially on the same axle - may be a sign that the previous owner didn't care about the car.

 

[R B Customs]

[edit] I typed this before all the replies and forgot to submit]

is this a 1.6 petrol zetec S, or the diesel one?

also what year is it? I'm guessing around 2009/2010 or newer?

To be honest Mk7 ZS's are fairly bullet-proof; service at 9k might have been based on age, rather than milage; just see if you can see the service book yourself as it has the intervals printed in it. I can have a look at mine when I get home if it's any help.
off the top of my head the service intervals were 12,500 miles, 25,000 miles, 37,500 miles & 50,000 miles

it is a pretty big gap though between 9k and 30. try to figure out what age it would have been and if anything co-incides with its first MOT at 3 years. It's unusual for a service to be done and the book not stamped - even if by an indi'. Assume the owner either never took the book, or didn't have it serviced - this is why I mention the MOT - the first MOT is the only time you really NEED to take it to a garage and a lot of people have a service at the same time.

I would not be too worried to be honest. use it as a tool to get more money off if you want the car - who says you have to buy today though? do you?

 

[Joe T]

If its less than 3 years old (which I assume it is) you may well have no manufacturers warranty (or at least heavily limited) if it hasnt been serviced within the schedule. I'd avoid at this money.

 

[Adam]

Your biggest mistake is the "I'm buying a car today" mentality without having even looked at it!

 

[rodenal]

Has it been serviced at the same place for the stamps it does have? If so give the dealership a call and check to see if the service has actually been skipped.

If it has I'd walk away personally. These aren't exactly in short supply and £8k is a fair amount of cash

 

[Hades]

Owner didnt care about the car. Warranty might be invalid. Move on or get an appropriate discount.

 

[kyippee]

Would avoid, plenty of other fiestas you can find that have been well serviced.

 

[bledd]

Would avoid, plenty of other fiestas you can find that have been well serviced.

This, especially if spending 8k on a Fiesta, I'd want it to be perfect!

 

[Dis86]

That seems pretty expensive for a poorly serviced three year old fiesta to me!

 

[Abyss]

By process of elimination I am guessing it's this car:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201410228403986

Given there are 20 Zetec S Fietas diesels <50k miles and <4 years old on autotrader I wouldn't even consider buying one that has missed it's service.

For me it has very little to do with the actual service itself and far more to do with the mentality of the owner. I like to buy cars where I have the best chance of the previous owner caring for their car, driving it with mechanical sympathy and properly maintaining it. Someone who can't even be bothered to do the basis job of servicing it clear doesn't car about the long term life and reliability of the car.

OP, if the above is indeed the car you are looking at, can I ask the mileage you intend to do please? Going for a very small car with a diesel engine is an odd combination.

 

[GhostWKD]

Just a +1 to echo what others have said. For a car like the Fiesta when spending that sort of budget I wouldn't even consider one that's not got full service history - what else have they skimped on or neglected due to cost?

 

[Hyburnate]

I wouldn't be too happy, the car drinks oil so with a missed service I wouldn't bother, sounds priced high for a missed service too.

And people need to stop thinking that the ZS pops up as often as a usual fiesta, they don't. It's a fiesta yes, but they don't pop up as often.

 

[rodenal]

The zetec S is hardly rare, particularly in diesel format. I personally can't understand how that would ever be an £8k car even with a full history - but if that's what they go for that's what they go for

 

[Janesy B]

There's loads of them and I agree, they are massively overpriced.

 

[Adam]

Have you thought about leasing one? I have a Zetec S red edition for the mrs and it costs me a little over £3500 for 2 years, although the mileage limit of 5k is slightly restrictive for some.

There are some great deals and many are in stock already.