[reevesy]

hi all...
thought i'd combine 2 questions....
firstly after 2 mates got stung on cars....whats the best hpi/car checker to use?

....secondly having never drove an automatic car before......are these a good option/reliable to use.....i do a lot of driving around town......so did'nt know if an auto would be a good idea or not?
also....are they dear to repair if they go wrong?

cheers in advance.

[Sandman]

Get a propper HPI check and dont be fooled into paying £3.95 for what you think is an HPI check, these cheap ones wont tell you if the car has any outstanding finance on it. Pay £20 and get a proper one done.
Autos are fine and can be just as reliable or more so than a manual all depends on the car you are going for.

[reevesy]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Get a propper HPI check and dont be fooled into paying £3.95 for what you think is an HPI check, these cheap ones wont tell you if the car has any outstanding finance on it. Pay £20 and get a proper one done.
Autos are fine and can be just as reliable or more so than a manual all depends on the car you are going for.

thanks for the reply.....
was looking at a auto focus c max....or focus but i'll assum they would be using the same gearbox.
cheers.

[shadieb]

I've always driven manuals up until last year when I bought a 3.2 Shogun diesel auto with tiptronic option. Me and the missus love it so much that we changed our second car from a 6 speed manual Celica to a Smart roadster which is auto, tiptronic but also has the flappy paddles on the steering wheel.

We wouldn't go back to a manual by choice. Fuel consumption isn't quite as good as a manual car but according to my Shogun owners manual it is only a couple of miles per gallon difference at best.
The best part of owning an auto is the commute to and from work, sat in traffic, not having to go up and down the gears etc. Plus when towing our caravan I find it much easier with the Shogun being auto then towing with a manual car like I have had to in the past.

[petrolheed]

Autos are great in traffic, but you ideally want an oversized engine to compensate for the transmission losses, which eats into the economy. They are generally reliable, but when they do fail they can tend to be more difficult and more expensive to put right than a manual, although some manuals are catching up in being expensive, like the new volvos, if the clutch goes the dual mass flywheel often goes too and needs special tools to set up, £1000 at the dealer if your unlucky.

[reevesy]

thing i finding a bit weird (along with all used cars prices at the mo )

.....you look at the prices guides and they state around the 200 or 300 quid mark on top for an auto version.......but all the used prices on the market seem to be cheaper than the manual versions?

.....lost out on the c max by the way.....1.8,2004, 33,000 miles in black......immaculate condition £4500 ......

[eric pisch]

even the best HPI checks will only tell you reported stuff

unreported accidents, cloned cars and finance like log book loans will not show up on a hpi check

the only true way to protect your self is to buy from a dealer (and ideally a main dealer who does not want hassle or a bad rep) since by law they are liable if a car is faulty, stolen or had finance on it, but this means paying more.

there are many different auto technologies, older style ones need more torque to compensate for mechanical losses and use more fuel, modern DSG type auto's are actually faster and more efficient than manuals.

the best thing is go drive one and see if you like

[reevesy]

Originally Posted by eric pisch

even the best HPI checks will only tell you reported stuff

unreported accidents, cloned cars and finance like log book loans will not show up on a hpi check

the only true way to protect your self is to buy from a dealer (and ideally a main dealer who does not want hassle or a bad rep) since by law they are liable if a car is faulty, stolen or had finance on it, but this means paying more.

there are many different auto technologies, older style ones need more torque to compensate for mechanical losses and use more fuel, modern DSG type auto's are actually faster and more efficient than manuals.

the best thing is go drive one and see if you like

...regarding hpi checks...
said mates....1 got a cloned 4x4....and lost nearly 10 grand!....the other solod a car with a loan attached with it,using the car as collateral......he ended up paying that as well as the car!

[reevesy]

anybody used the car checker system on ebay?
cheers.