For Sale FS: Accord £300, Avensis £400, long MOTs, nr. Basingstoke

[r.welfare]

My wife has made overtures about a new(er) car and because driveway space is getting tight, I need to sell either the Avensis or Accord to make room.

I'm putting both up for sale, as if both go that's not a huge issue - I still have another car.

They're both big mileage but we've owned them for a long time (six years for the Accord, four years for the Avensis), they have been well maintained and driven daily, and we've done 80k miles in each. They're both good for a few more miles yet. Both are taxed so can be driven away. Both are a bit scruffy but are mechanically sound and bodily absolutely solid and not rusty.

Let's start with the Accord (the photo is 6 years old but it still looks pretty much as good when it's cleaned and polished):



2000/V 1.8 SE Sport 1.8 auto. 193k miles. I'm asking £300 for this one. MOT to 23 April 2015.

Good points:

• Full service history with more than £8k in receipts.
• Automatic transmission fluid (Honda ATF-Z1) just changed again (done every 36k).
• K&N air filter cleaned and re-oiled annually.
• Cambelts and water pump changed September 2010 @ 148k – not due again until September 2018 or 220k.
• Brake fluid changed at 172k.
• Coolant changed at 189k.
• Tyres all good - Nexen’s on the front that are nearly new, a Kumho and an Autoguard on the back.
• 30mpg averaged over the last 50,000 miles.
• Ice cold air conditioning.
• Everything electrical works.
• No dashboard warning lights.
• Towbar (no electrics).

Bad points:

• Paintwork poor on the bonnet (crazed) and front bumper (corners touched up in slightly different colour).
• 2cm diameter dent on the tailgate and shallow graze on the nearside rear door.
• 5mm tear on headlining above rear passenger seat.
• Alloy wheels have minor kerbing marks and flaking lacquer.

Car comes with two keys, V5, handbook pack, service receipts, locking wheelnut key, workshop manual on CD-ROM, and roof bars.

Or there is the Avensis:



2002/02 GLS VVTI estate 2.0 manual. 205k miles. This one's £400 on account of being newer and having a longer MOT (28 September 2015).

Good points:

• Well-serviced since purchase in March 2010 @ 125k miles (receipts totalling nearly £4k) – new parts fitted include clutch, brakes, spark plugs, battery, oxygen sensors, shock absorbers, and a/c pipes.
• K&N air filter cleaned and re-oiled annually.
• Oil and filter will be changed before sale.
• 4 Michelin Energy tyres with good tread.
• Two previous owners (lease car for first 3 years).
• Hands-free kit (fits older Nokias like the 3210).
• Rear parking sensors.
• Towbar with single electrics.
• Ice cold air conditioning.

Bad points:

• Category C (uneconomic to repair) insurance writeoff in December 2013 – another driver hit it at low speed which put a small dent in the offside front wing and a 3cm split in the top of the front bumper. The wing was replaced (colour match not perfect). The car passed a Vehicle Identity Check.
• Engine light has been on since we bought it - catalytic converter slightly clogged (codes P0420/P0430). Doesn't adversely affect performance or economy (I'd say low-30s out of this one MPG wise) and has not failed the MOT emissions test for the last 4 years.
• Sometimes changing up into 3rd gear can be a bit baulky but she always goes in.
• Clutch pedal bites quite high but no slip. Might be the slave cylinder although there are no hydraulic leaks. It's absolutely fine, you get used to it.
• Paintwork poor, with lacquer peeling on all panels except the front wings, bumpers and bonnet.
• Engine uses a litre of oil every 2,000 miles (no smoke or leaks though).
• Satellite navigation system removed.
• No service history prior to our ownership.

Car comes with two keys, V5, handbook pack, service receipts, locking wheelnut key, and Haynes manual.

More pictures will be forthcoming if required.

[phil_lihp]

The Accord looks superb in that colour & wheel combination and they're supposed to be uber-reliable.  Given that the only faults are minor cosmetic issues. looks an incredible bargain for £300.  

[eddyramrod]

Agreed, I'd go as far as saying both look like staggering bargains.  If I was in urgent need of a daily I'd be looking up trains as we speak.  GLWTS.

[r.welfare]

Thank you, gentlemen. In terms of MOT advisories, the Toyota had 'EML on' and the Accord had 'rear brake pipe corroded'; I'll get under the car with a wire brush and some POR-15 to sort that out.

 

The Accord had an oil and filter change last month. I change the oil and filter in both cars every 5000 miles with an OEM or genuine filter and 5W30 semi synthetic.

 

Because the Accord has been in the family since it was 3 years and 18,000 miles old, I know exactly what's been done to it and have every single receipt. It's been breathtakingly reliable.

 

The Toyota was a bit of a punt when we bought it because there was no history with it (it was cheap because of this) - I traced its supply and servicing for the first three years and 80k miles to the Toyota dealer in Guildford, but the bastards wouldn't give me a printout citing the Data Protection Act. I also found the number of the previous owner to me and rang her, she told me her husband had serviced it regularly from 80k to 125k. No paperwork had been retained by them but you could tell from the filters etc it had been cared for.

 

Neither have failed to proceed, start first time and drive well.

[EssDeeWon]

I want to need another car just so I can buy that bargain Honda.

 

GLWTS

[r.welfare]

More Accord pictures.  Apologies for blurriness.  Today's mileage is 193226 - it will go up a bit.

 

 

Outside is filthy, and unfortunately due to the way it's parked I can't really get any more photos just now.

 

 

 

 

 

Be aware the interior will get a good vacuuming and clean-up.  Generally it's in great nick for the age and miles - the foam on the lower outer bolster on the driver's seat has broken up a bit under the cloth, but hasn't worn a hole through.

 

 

Slight graze to the nearside rear door and arch.  I removed the plastic wheelarch lip trims when I got the car because they trap moisture.  No classic Honda rotten rear arch above the bumper on this one.

 

 

 

The bootlid dent.  My dad was tapped from behind by a Transit years back - the guy motioned to pull into a layby, then tore off.  There's no structural damage; I know this because I put the towbar on about five years ago and all the mounting holes lined up perfectly.

[r.welfare]

Also to clarify, I think the "Sport" bit was dealer-fitted to the SE with bigger (16") alloys, side skirts, a front splitter (gone from this car) and a rear spoiler and deflector.  No mechanical changes.  No more expensive to insure because I think it's registered as an SE anyway on the V5.  The car was also fitted with a sporty gearknob (on an auto!!!) and a front armrest/storage bin from new, out of the Honda Accessories catalogue.

 

Nice car, very smooth and comfortable to drive, particularly with the cruise control this one is fitted with.  A Gr8 wafter; unlike the Avensis which, as willswitchengage has educated us, is GR84DRIFTIN.

[Cavcraft]

That Honda is quite simply unbeatable for the money. A dead reliable, Japanese automatic that'll soak up the miles without you even noticing. Anyone who has £300 to spend on a used car needs a right good shoeing if they don't buy that.

[New POD]

There's an old Yorkshire proverb that goes "Thee Don't get owt for nowt" which might mean if you advertised it for a little more, you'd have more interest. I pointed a mate at a Generation 6 like that with about 125K on it, and he was happy to pay £650, haggling the owner down from £850, by dangling cash and pointing out the small crack in the front screen.

[r.welfare]

When it goes to other advertising media it will be priced higher. The thing is that the majority of the great unwashed will not see beyond the mileages, or perhaps the fact the Toyota is CAT C.

 

The value to me, as a known reliable vehicle, is much higher than what I am asking for either, but needs must - space is the issue!

[Partridge]

SWIMBO says no sadly

[Craig the Princess]

That Avensis goes on to the ever increasing list of cars for sale on here I would love but can't afford (either space or money-wise).

[Barry Cade]

I MOT'd an old V reg Accord on Monday, which reminded me how excellent these cars really are. GLWSx2.

[wuvvum]

I would imagine those Avensiseseses make quite a good sleeper, too.  Aren't they about 150bhp or something?

[r.welfare]

Yep, 148 horses. It goes very well indeed, but unfortunately the overlight steering and floaty suspension (the latter despite the fact I've replaced all four shocks in my ownership) spoil the effect somewhat. Grips well though.

 

It's also surprisingly economical - not up to legendary lean-burn Carina E standards, but it's averaged about 35mpg, and managed low forties on trips to Bradford and back.

 

The Accord sucks donkey dong in the economy stakes but that's par for the course on this model and is offset by the low cost of maintenance. The only things I can think of it has had outside of the usual consumables is an exhaust downpipe and an earth wire repair to the ABS unit.