Cars Wanted — Private Cash Buyer — Up To £5,000
I am actively looking to buy a specific type of car. Please read carefully before contacting me — I know exactly what I want and what I will not buy.
I am a private cash buyer based in London looking to buy a reliable automatic car. I have done extensive research and know exactly what makes a good car and what problems to avoid. Please read the requirements carefully before getting in touch — this will save us both time.
What I Am Looking For
- Proper automatic gearbox only — NOT a MultiMode, Multidrive S, ETG, Easytronic or dual-clutch automated manual
- Year: 2012 or newer
- Mileage: under 100,000 miles
- Budget: up to £5,000 depending on condition and history
- Full service history with stamps
- Valid MOT with at least 3 months remaining
- V5C logbook present and matching the car
- Minimum 2 keys
- Consistent mileage history — no unexplained jumps or drops
- UK supplied car only — no Japanese or foreign imports
- No outstanding finance
- Never been written off — no Cat N, Cat S, Cat D or Cat C
- No more than 4 previous owners
- All four tyres in legal condition
- No warning lights on the dashboard
- No serious rust or underbody corrosion
What I Will Not Buy
- MultiMode gearbox — this is an automated manual, not a proper automatic. Toyota sold these on petrol Yaris models under names like MultiMode and Multidrive S. I will not consider any car with this gearbox under any circumstances
- ETG, Easytronic, i-SHIFT or Powershift gearboxes — same problem, different manufacturers
- Any car with a mileage discrepancy — if the mileage goes down between MOT tests even by one mile, I will not buy it
- Cat N, Cat S, Cat D or Cat C write-offs — even if repaired
- Japanese imports or grey imports — UK supplied cars only
- Cars with outstanding finance — I will check before buying
- Cars with no service history or missing stamps
- Cars with recurring MOT failures for the same fault — this tells me the car has been neglected
- Cars with dangerous MOT failures in their history — dangerous tyres, steering failures, brake failures
- Cars with engine warning lights — even if recently cleared
- Cars that have been used as taxis or private hire vehicles
- Cars with only one key
- Cars with an expired MOT
- Diesel cars — I only want petrol or hybrid
- Cars older than 2012
- Cars with more than 100,000 miles
- Cars with serious underbody corrosion
- Cars imported from Japan — even if they have a UK registration
How to Check Your Gearbox
Many sellers are not sure whether their automatic car has a proper automatic gearbox or an automated manual. Here is how to tell. Look at your gear selector. A proper automatic has P, R, N, D clearly marked and a chunky solid gear lever or push-button selector. A MultiMode or automated manual has only R, N, D with a thin small lever that looks almost like a manual gear lever. If your car says MultiMode, Multidrive S, ETG or Easytronic anywhere on the car or in the logbook, it is not a proper automatic and I cannot buy it.
Cars I Am Interested In
These are the specific models I'm actively searching for — each has its own page with exact requirements.
What Makes Me Pay Top Price
- Full stamped service history from a main dealer or specialist
- Two or fewer previous owners
- Under 60,000 miles
- 2015 or newer
- Completely clean MOT history with no fails
- Recent tyres and brakes
- Original condition inside and out
- Two keys
Tell Me About Your Car
Please fill in every field honestly. I will check MOT history, finance and write-off status before making any offer. Incomplete or dishonest submissions will be ignored.