Potential LCR buyers - be warned off this one!

[Pabs]

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-u...cleYearOfManufacture=2003&vehicleRegLetter=03

Watch out any potential LCR buyers, the above car, in my opinion, should NOT be bought.

Modified, but running what seemed like VERY rich (exhaust smell) plus a fair bit of white smoke. Dealer refused to let the car be driven, no petrol, and didn't want to get any. Just said it drove "100%." Not had cambelt done, all brakes on very limit, as well as tyres.

Otherwise car seemed ok, but without driving it, and no be allowed, I walked away.
Also seemed to over value my p/x to get me interested (I think)

Just thought I'd let anyone know!
I'm still on the lookout for one!

 

[JamJay]

Sounds like he knows it's a little on the broken side...

 

[Captain Cupra]

Thanks Pabs we should do this kind of thing more on here its a great idea and a costly saving for people searching for th eright one! Awesome! Not looking for an LCR but how very thoughtful top bloke! What a dodgy dealer no test drive OK he just lost a sale then, Something does not smell right when they refuse test drive although i would understand if it was a group of chav test pilots that turn up in a corsa!

 

[Pabs]

tell me about it. It was remapped, had Defi gauge which was good (expensive) and car seemed quite clean for it's age, and low mileage too.

But dealer was a bit strange, basically said "if you test drive, and it drives ok, you'll buy it, yeah?" And I said, depends on the test drive and price, pointed out the near dead tyres/brakes etc...

Oh, and the wheels were refurbed by them in the last 2 or 3 days - still had sticky tape over the valve caps - ie tyres were not removed to do it.

There's better out there for the same price

 

[ibiza staff]

yer this thing should be done more often, other members warning each other about lemons rather than wasting everyone s time. good luck in looking anyway mate

 

[chris285]

nice one for letting people looking, but then again you need to test drive a car before buying anyway

 

[Mr Roboto]

Dealer refused to let the car be driven, no petrol, and didn't want to get any. Just said it drove "100%." Not had cambelt done, all brakes on very limit, as well as tyres.

lol...That mentality will help him sell cars

 

[Pabs]

well, maybe I just got the wrong impression, but the trader didn't fill me with confidence.
Apparently the cambelt was inspected visually and didn't need doing, which i suppose is a fair comment, but it's just a cost-cutting exercise. Everyone knows that almost all cars get it changed at this time - it is a 6yr old car....
But yes, the test-drive was the decider - no drive, no buy. Simple. Apparently this one comes with 6months SEAT warranty, but being modified like it is, I doubt it'd get covered by SEAT, as it was quite obvious.

It had no petrol in it - and I wanted some petrol for a test drive. He didn't have any (it was on the "recovery truck") and he wouldn't get some for it either; He wouldn't drive the car with us in it to the local petrol station, no more than 2 mins down the road.

 

[Mr Roboto]

Whats your price range for the LCR?

 

[Pabs]

not enough to afford a really nice one

I've got max budget of about 6.5k. I've got another viewing tomorrow, and maybe one on monday too. I'm expecting up to 80k on the clock, but so long as the history is there I can't see that as a problem.

 

[Mr Roboto]

Yeah but with the credit crunch going on you should get a good discount as people need the cash.

Now's the time to buy matey!

 

[Pabs]

fingers crossed. Shame I have to buy from a garage really, or at least someone who takes card payments and a part-ex! lol

 

[paulrushton]

Keep looking i got mine about 4 months ago 2004 04 reg 58k. Full service history. Private sale from a top bloke and paid £5000. 225bhp model as well. The good ones are out there,

 

[Ronin225]

It is nice to have a heads up for the prospective buyers, shows some people are not overly self absorbed to spend the time to share their findings
But a lot of these things i think should have the common sense bells ringing before the mechanical ones
It may have just been a very inconvenient time for the dealer but seriously doubt it

 

[JamesL]

Interesting dealer website, they've got a mk3 golf on there for £1400, a 1.6 gl with 67,000 miles! Thats a lot of money for an old low spec car.

Not looking but well done for the heads up mate.

Where abouts was the dealership Pabs?

Hope you find one!

 

[Captain Cupra]

Yeah i took another look at the website the dealer seems very strange not the kind of dealer id buy from, He does not have a very extenxive range of pictures for each car most of the cars he has on the site only show one side of the car and often no pictures of the interior! Something to watch when thinking of buying a car you have found over the net you dont want to waste an often long journey on a car with a dented other side or trashy interior! Avoid this dealer looks funny to me!

 

[Captain Cupra]

Change that all ads on his site have no pics of interior and only one side of the car! Dodgy Dealer!

 

[Pabs]

To be fair to them, it is quite a small site they have, crammed next to a big bike dealer plus other traders, and they have limited space for cars/pics etc.
That said - it doesn't explain the lack of interior pics. The interior of this car wasn't too shabby really. Badly cleaned (fluff everywhere) but in decent nick.
Nevermind - probably off to see another one or two today in London/Uxbridge area.

 

[Three Leons]

I've seen a couple so far - one in very good nick although cambelt hasn't been done and the dealer won't come down enough on price, and one in er, not so good nick (including a nice Honda 'R' stuck to the side next to some CUPRA lettering ).

You were right Pabs, thinking I'll have to revise my budget slightly to get a good'un with good miles, although reading post 13 I'm not sure! That was a damn good deal you got there Paul - have the wheels fallen off yet or anything??

 

[Dione J]

Theres a cheap black one on AT for £3500 ONO.