warrenpfo
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2010
- Messages
- 2,895
Having sold my March 53 100 series with 120k miles on the clock I have been in the market for a newer 100 series for some time. Between the wife selling me it has to be silver and me being uncertain as to what I wanted it has taken some time and many miles to find the right car.
Here is some background to the search.
Finally I can say the search is over and without further adjeu introduce you to my new (10 year old) 03 100 series TD.
Yes I know I just sold a 53 100 series and now have bought an 03 100 series BUT it’s an 03 and so comes with the 5spd auto box and not the 3spd with over drive.
After having spent many hours searching the net to the point where I thought I may have a problem and if work where to check my browsing history I’m sure I would get the sack as not 10min could go past without me refreshing eBay, Pistonhead, Gumtree and Pre-loved in the hope a new car had been listed…..it was quite sad.
Then on a lunch break I thought I will Google 4x4sales and up popped a site listing an 03 in silver for sale. I thought this is too good to be true and so dropped them an email to see if it was still about. The reply I got was mixed as it was still about but a number of people had booked viewings and with it being in Cornwall I did not hold out much hope.
She was listed at £23000 I decided to put a very well-crafted email together with an offer and see what happened.
I mentioned that the low mileage was not the attraction as we all know that mileage is not the Achilles heel but rather its general condition. I said that at the end of the day it was still a 10 year old car and based on that I would offer them £5k+ lower than the asking price.
I also said I did not expect to hear back from them but if in 2 month’s time they had not sold it then to remember my offer. That was last week Friday.
This week Wednesday I get a call to say thanks for the offer and that if I was happy to deal direct with the current owner then my offer would be accepted. Long storey short the current owner is the CEO of a well-known double glazing company and he drove the vehicle every other weekend when he was down at his coastal pad hence the amazingly low mileage of 25k.
The owner is good friends with the MD of the car sales place and they were doing him a favour by trying to help sell it but had not listed it on any of the usual sites apart from their own.
I made a call to a friend at Mr T and asked him to dig up anything he could on the car and he was able to provide the sales record and full service records for me so I knew the mileage and so the storey was legit and jumped on the next train I could today to head down there.
The trip was somewhat frustrating having to stand the whole way but on viewing it was all worth it.
She is in mint condition, no scratches, stone chips and the interior is like brand new. Underneath is also almost as good as new on the body but some of the exposed metal work has seen better days having been on the coast for so long but nothing I can’t sort out. The engine is almost brand new at 25k but it does have a steering wheel motor that has gone and needs 2 new front tyres.
The last MOT shown play in both front wheel bearings and slight play in a ball joint otherwise the exhaust mounting rods on the centre box may need to be replaced along with rear brake pads and that is it.
She drove faultlessly on the way home and am very happy and can’t wait to get to work on her with all the bits I have lying around.
Ill post pictures tomorrow and keep you updated on the build.
Here is some background to the search.
Finally I can say the search is over and without further adjeu introduce you to my new (10 year old) 03 100 series TD.
Yes I know I just sold a 53 100 series and now have bought an 03 100 series BUT it’s an 03 and so comes with the 5spd auto box and not the 3spd with over drive.
After having spent many hours searching the net to the point where I thought I may have a problem and if work where to check my browsing history I’m sure I would get the sack as not 10min could go past without me refreshing eBay, Pistonhead, Gumtree and Pre-loved in the hope a new car had been listed…..it was quite sad.
Then on a lunch break I thought I will Google 4x4sales and up popped a site listing an 03 in silver for sale. I thought this is too good to be true and so dropped them an email to see if it was still about. The reply I got was mixed as it was still about but a number of people had booked viewings and with it being in Cornwall I did not hold out much hope.
She was listed at £23000 I decided to put a very well-crafted email together with an offer and see what happened.
I mentioned that the low mileage was not the attraction as we all know that mileage is not the Achilles heel but rather its general condition. I said that at the end of the day it was still a 10 year old car and based on that I would offer them £5k+ lower than the asking price.
I also said I did not expect to hear back from them but if in 2 month’s time they had not sold it then to remember my offer. That was last week Friday.
This week Wednesday I get a call to say thanks for the offer and that if I was happy to deal direct with the current owner then my offer would be accepted. Long storey short the current owner is the CEO of a well-known double glazing company and he drove the vehicle every other weekend when he was down at his coastal pad hence the amazingly low mileage of 25k.
The owner is good friends with the MD of the car sales place and they were doing him a favour by trying to help sell it but had not listed it on any of the usual sites apart from their own.
I made a call to a friend at Mr T and asked him to dig up anything he could on the car and he was able to provide the sales record and full service records for me so I knew the mileage and so the storey was legit and jumped on the next train I could today to head down there.
The trip was somewhat frustrating having to stand the whole way but on viewing it was all worth it.
She is in mint condition, no scratches, stone chips and the interior is like brand new. Underneath is also almost as good as new on the body but some of the exposed metal work has seen better days having been on the coast for so long but nothing I can’t sort out. The engine is almost brand new at 25k but it does have a steering wheel motor that has gone and needs 2 new front tyres.
The last MOT shown play in both front wheel bearings and slight play in a ball joint otherwise the exhaust mounting rods on the centre box may need to be replaced along with rear brake pads and that is it.
She drove faultlessly on the way home and am very happy and can’t wait to get to work on her with all the bits I have lying around.
Ill post pictures tomorrow and keep you updated on the build.
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