OK, I know it's probably been asked a thousand times before, but any input appreciated.
Just started looking, a bit shocked at the asking prices to be honest. Autotrader - mostly insane prices and 85% trade ads. Gumtree it is.
It seems for around a grand, i'll be looking at 10 year old cars. FSH seems very hard to come by.
Car should not be any bigger than Focus / Golf. Smaller wouldn't matter, but cost seems higher for smaller cars.
As always, reliability is key.
Plenty of Almera / Focus to have a look at, any other suggestions?
Kia Rio seems cheap - for good reason?
51 plate focus with 128k (1.8l) fsh up for £1400, with a bit of haggling would this be worth a look?
Last edited by: ToMoCo on Wed 24 Nov 10 at 14:22
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I'll be selling my 52 plate diesel Octavia estate in a few weeks. 160,000 miles but full service history including 2 cambelt changes and 4 decent tyres. It'll have 12 months MOT as well. I was thinking about starting at £1,200. Compared to that Focus I'd hope to get some interest.
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With full history, I'm sure it will be a good buy for someone, Just a bit big for us (it's mainly a car for SWMBO).
I'd rather have a 160k car with history than a 60k one with none. Unfortunatly, the masses seem to disagree?
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The Rio is cheap because it was cheap new, they are less than £7k new with discounts. A Focus is what £14k new?
The Focus might be ok if it has the full service history but I would want the history to be perfect at that price and milleage.
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I would certainly give the Rio serious consideration. They seem to be screwed together properly and Kia have the confidence to give a 7 year warranty on their latest offerings, which is more than be said for a lot of manufacturers.
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RE: Rio - one local for £995, 2004/54 with 65k. I'll go have a look I think. anybody run one? generall run of the mill parts costs OK?
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>> RE: Rio - one local for £995, 2004/54 with 65k. I'll go have a look
>> I think. anybody run one? generall run of the mill parts costs OK?
>>
Mine is fine.
No rattles or squeeks.
Goes very well.
Not sure about price of parts but chances are you would have to order parts in as I doubt they would be kept in stock.
Btw, your example above, which engine size ?
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it's 1343cc.
EDIT. The 54 plate rio that is
Last edited by: ToMoCo on Wed 24 Nov 10 at 14:56
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I suspect that is the last of the old shape.
The 1343cc engine is the stronger engine.
The 1500cc petrol engine was not worth paying the extra for as it was not much better in performance at all.
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I would imagine that you'll get more for your money sticking to the Focus size. Once you get smaller the demand for low insurance, low fuel consumption vehicles from new drivers tends to keep the prices a bit higher.
I've often thought that coming across a well kept one of these would be a good way to spend that sort of money
www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/toyota/corolla-1997
Start looking in Eastbourne or Frinton and one'll turn up sooner or later!
Last edited by: Soupytwist on Wed 24 Nov 10 at 14:41
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Yeah, I'm a fan of old toyotas and hondas. The older civics have been taken over a bit by the modify generation.
Have excluded the following (righty or wrongly?)
VW's due to cost
Corsa's due to cost
Renault due to past experience - I know many people have had years of service from trusty renault's and don't want to get into a whole debate about it, but is the clio a better bet than a megane (reliability wise)?
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Ebay for bargins. Depends what your parameters are.
If you dont mind a Hyundai or Kia, then you will get something fresher. If it must be mainstream, it will be somewhat more used. Used prices are high right now.
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>> If you dont mind a Hyundai or Kia, then you will get something fresher. If
>> it must be mainstream, it will be somewhat more used. Used prices are high right
>> now.
Don't care what name is on the back, as long as it's not going to cost me a fortune
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>> With full history, I'm sure it will be a good buy for someone, Just a
>> bit big for us (it's mainly a car for SWMBO).
I'd be inclined to go for that. If it's a bit big, you may find it useful sometimes. It's not *that* big!
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Agree with FT. Octavia is not that big, it's built on Golf chassis and you are looking for something Golf size
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except its bigger than a golf. I
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It's a bit of long way from where the OP is though. He should be able to find something that fits his needs a bit closer to Glasgow than Essex.
Anyway you can all form an orderly queue when it graces the 'For Sale' section on here!
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Back in April I bought a 2001(Y) Renault Mégane 1.8 unseen off Ebay for £630. 101k on the clock with no service history whatsoever.
No trouble with the MoT, and has provided reliable transport so far. 0-62mph when new was 8.9s, and it will return over 50mpg on a gentle run.
You don't say where you live, but cars in the prosperous South can carry a significant premium over those oop North.......
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Buying in the Glasgow / Central Scotland area.
Megane - I had a 2001 model (New), it was a dog. BiL had a 96? model, also a money pit. Although all the work on mine was warranty, still left with no confidence.
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Much will depend on how handy you are with the spanners - buying at this price level with little DIY aptitude can prove disproportionately expensive.
As for the Mégane - maybe I got yours after all the faults had been fixed :-)
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Something like a Hyundai Lantra/Elantra is a good Focus sized cheap alternative. Suzuki Baleno is cheap because nobody knows what they are, but a few about still. Protons at this price will be quite new, tried and tested mechaincs underneath, a few models Focus sized.
Not cars that are desired, but if you just want A-B transport, they do the job.
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Baleno - Saloon?
The car has to end where the back window is, so I'm told O_o
Old Sock - I'm not handy with the spanners in the slightest.
Last edited by: ToMoCo on Wed 24 Nov 10 at 15:10
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Baleno came as an estate aswell.
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i wouldnt buy a kia at this money unless it came off a dear that had popped it and it still had the factory covers on the back seat
you really need to do your homework and pick a sweety out of all the mire
seeing as you appear a bit of a gambler why not go to your local auction house and see if you can stick some fingers up at the auctioneer?
saves faffing about looking at dodgy tat on someones doorstep
(yes mate bought it for the wife but it never starts so im trying to offload it to another mug like you squire.........)
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Auction house eh, BB?
With a clutched copy of 'Parker's Guide' and the missus & kids in tow, be prepared for a little 'off the wall' bidding :-)
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>> Auction house eh, BB?
>>
>> With a clutched copy of 'Parker's Guide' and the missus & kids in tow, be
>> prepared for a little 'off the wall' bidding :-)
>>
Exatly. Not for me, I think :)
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>> i wouldnt buy a kia at this money unless it came off a dear that
>> had popped it and it still had the factory covers on the back seat
>> you really need to do your homework and pick a sweety out of all the
>> mire
That's what i'm trying to do
>> seeing as you appear a bit of a gambler
Really?
>> why not go to your local
>> auction house and see if you can stick some fingers up at the auctioneer?
Surely it is only the dross at this price range that gets sent to auction for the characters you mention below?
>> saves faffing about looking at dodgy tat on someones doorstep
>> (yes mate bought it for the wife but it never starts so im trying to
>> offload it to another mug like you squire.........)
>>
lol. true
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Surely it is only the dross at this price range that gets sent to auction for the characters you mention below?
>>>>
>>>>>>>> the car you are looking for on a pitch cant be bought at auction made saleable and sold at a profit
this is why i say go to auction with your grand
rather than £500 the trader would pay at auction to retail around £1295 this way you will be bidding on cars above your station and his
remember the labour govt killed these old cars with the scrappage scheme so you are really in the clunkers market these days
one final tip, winters round the corner,dont put you leg into a weasel
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Should be a reasonable idea. People are put off going to auctions, but will buy from people who do go...
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BB raises a good point, but more and more 'private' punters are attending auctions looking for that bargain.
Quite often, there will only be a couple of cars that tick all the right boxes - there is then a real danger of 'auction fever' breaking out, pumping up the price with a 'must have that car' attitude. If, say, time has been taken off work (or significant travelling involved), the pressure to 'make it worthwhile' is high.
Throw in no warranty (at this price) - and the laughable 'buyer's premium' - and suddenly the 3.30 at Uttoxeter looks a safer home for your money!
I'm not saying it can't be done, but it isn't for the faint-hearted.
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You don't fancy Keith O'Brien's high-mileage Astra estates? One's had a new clutch. If it doesn't burn oil, maybe. The otherr's had a replacement engine, which for some reason I don't like the idea of.
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>> You don't fancy Keith O'Brien's high-mileage Astra estates? One's had a new clutch. If it
>> doesn't burn oil, maybe. The otherr's had a replacement engine, which for some reason I
>> don't like the idea of.
>>
Ok, just googled it. They look OK. 236k though? Have been avoiding trade ads because at this cost, more of it must be profit than value?
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Quite. Id rather have some old fellas cast off. I paid £410 for my old car and it is low miles, full history. Dont have to buy something on its last legs.
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...I paid £410 for my old car and it is low miles...
I'm sure an Espero would do the OP a treat.
Stu, meet ToMoCo, ToMoCo, meet Stu.
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If it's "rare", forget it. You want something that's a known quantity - and which sold in large numbers.
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Stu - cheers, the one in Carlisle might be worth a follow up.
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...Ok, a few Corollas...
Stu,
You do seem to have a talent for rooting out this type of vehicle.
They all look buyable to me, and one's in Carlisle which could suit the OP.
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My in-laws had a 1995 Corolla 1.6 for 10 years. Never once broke own and just had an oil change a year the entire time. My BIL wrote it off. He is lucky they are speaking to him, it was a much loved car. Hence id recommend them to anyone.
It would be frankly irresponsible NOT to recommend a Corolla of this vintage. They are no-brainers.
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I think you'll find someone already did, yesterday afternoon :-)
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All these things are pretty old - the youngest is 13, and it's been refused by someone and re-listed after someone "changed their mind". Hmm. It's also had a new clutch "today". Hmm again. The oldest is nearly 20 years old - um. I had an old Honda Accord until earlier this year - it had lots of good service history, and had been serviced on the nail since '96 at least - it popped out an oil pump seal - expensive, as it wrote off the cam belt - it needed a front exhaust - another ton and a bit - and it simply became too rusty to do anything with. Looked great, but was just composting. I'd *far* rather have a newer car.
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The OP is spending £1k. That doesnt buy newish cars these days. Even the very newest will still be maybe 9-10 years old. At this budget, its best to buy a car as an individual entity, on its own merits.
A 15 year old car and a 10 year old car can be quite similar. With engines and gearboxes on any decent car lasting the life of the car, its the age of more minor parts which matters.
If the older car has had things like new alternator, exhaust etc, it may be a better bet than a 10 year old car which has these coming up. As I said, look at the individual car.
Id put my money on a 15 year old Toyota over a 10 year old Renault every day of the week.
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>>>If the older car has had things like new alternator, exhaust etc, it may be a better bet than a 10 year old car which has these coming up.
Very important point Stu... where you buy a car in its service cycle.
Something at 65,000mls may look good but be facing a big service, timing belt, clutch, exhaust etc.... something at 110,000mls may have all those things done.
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>> The OP is spending £1k. That doesnt buy newish cars these days. Even the very
>> newest will still be maybe 9-10 years old.
Oh, I don't know... there're quite a few 7-year-old cars for sale on Autotrader for £1,000.
2003 VAUXHALL ASTRA 1.7 CDTi 16V LS 5dr [AC] Diesel Hatchback 127,000 miles fsh mot 25.02.2011.and tax 31.12.2010. £950 ONO.
2004 FORD FOCUS 1.8 TDi CL 5dr Diesel Estate 2004 247,465 miles 04 995 £995 No offers.
2003 FORD MONDEO 1.8i Mistral 5dr Hatchback Special Eds 127,000 miles, February 2011 TAX,MOT till march. price £1095. £995 Negotiable.
2003 SKODA OCTAVIA 1.9 SDi Classic 5dr Diesel Hatchback Taxed till 03/11 mot till oct 11. £999.
2003 VAUXHALL Corsa Elegance 1. 0, 2003, 80000 Miles, One year Mot, PAS, EW, AC, New tyres all round, Good condition. £1,075. ono
2003 VAUXHALL ASTRA 1.6i Club 5dr Hatchback fsh 5 month tax 10 month mot. £1,250 ONO
There are more, but ICBA to cut'n'paste more.
Perhaps the OP could search for "any car" "up to 7 years old" "max price £2,000", select a few from around the £1,000 mark, and ask for comment on what he finds.
>> At this budget, its best to buy a car as an individual entity, on its own merits.
Quite right.
>> A 15 year old car and a 10 year old car can be quite similar.
Yes, they're both a lot older than it's necessary to buy. I'd almost certainly buy a £1,000 175,000 mile 7-year-old car over a £1,000 50,000 mile 15-year-old car any day of the week.
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...Oh, I don't know... there're quite a few 7-year-old cars for sale on Autotrader for £1,000...
I like the sound of the Mondy Mistral, decent ride, good handling.
Can't remember what spec Mistrals were, but nearly all the specials had aircon, heated windscreen, alloys, and the other 'basics' such as electric windows.
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I'm in the same position Tomoco.
I'm looking for a reliable car for eldest daughter to replace the money pit '96 A4 Avant she has now.
I will spend £1K to £1.5 K
I've more or less settled on an Almera. Plenty on Fish4Cars, Autotrader and EBay.
Have a search for my thread of a couple of weeks ago.. titled...Almera ?
Lots of favourable input from this mob here. I've been in the motor/brakdown business for many years and never found Nissans to be a major problem on the road...We have a Note now.
I'll probably stick it on a credit card and pay it off when the bill comes in....save flaffing around with cash/cheques !
Ted
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Ted, I did have a read at that, thanks. The Almera dose look favourable, it's just trying to find a car with history for that chain.
You going down the trader route then? - with credit card an all.
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Is newish Nissan now Renault or associated with??
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>>s newish Nissan now Renault or associated with??<<
Renault has owned about 44% of Nissan since 1999 but I should think some Nissans are more 'Nissan' than others,
if you get my drift.
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Yes. £200,000 is an eye-opener - however does it burn oil, and has it had a lot of work done (clutch is OK)? If no, no, then maybe. If it's been taken to bits, forget it!
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Honda Civic 1.6Lsi 1998 (R reg), Coupe
Private seller
138,000 miles
Manual
138,000 miles, 2 Door Coupe, Petrol, Manual.VERY CLEAN CAR,17INCH ALLOYS.NEW SEAT COVERS,TINTED WINDOWS.MOT TILL JULY 2011,CD PLAYER SYSTEM,VERY RELIABLE,ABS,DRIVES SUPERB,EXELLENT …
Last edited by: Zero on Wed 24 Nov 10 at 16:11
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i like the look of the auto corrola stu posted from ebay. looks like good budget transport
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Maybe I should open up and specialise in old Corollas, seems like ive discovered a market for em :-)
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>>
>> 138,000 miles, 2 Door Coupe, Petrol, Manual.VERY CLEAN CAR,17INCH ALLOYS.NEW SEAT COVERS,TINTED WINDOWS.MOT TILL JULY
>> 2011,CD PLAYER SYSTEM,VERY RELIABLE,ABS,DRIVES SUPERB,EXELLENT …
>>
17 inch alloys, tints, cd player system .... I'm suspecting it's a bit Barryboys
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Rover - Should I be looking at these or not?
Pug 306D non turbo - painfully slow?
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Nissan Sunny - you can buy a decent one under £400.
Hyundai Accent 2000-2001 should be under £1000.
Honda Civic saloon, Toyota Avensis are also sub £1000 but generally reliable.
Smaller cars are more expensive (eg Micra/Corsa) due to learners favouring them.
Condition is key at this price. Luck also plays a big role.
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>> Rover - Should I be looking at these or not?
>>
Not if it's got a K series lump in it.
Not sure what spares availability is like these days.
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Rover - spares are fine. Avoid petrols, diesels worth a look if you dont mind the thrum of a manly diesel.
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306 n/a deisel xud engine should do 300k miles. i had one on a taxi fleet with 700k miles and wouldnt die.
not overly slow but do 50mpg easily. very strong engine even though only 80hp i think
Last edited by: nyx2k on Wed 24 Nov 10 at 17:49
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Have you considered a skoda felicia, well screwed together sold/shares enough that parts won't be hard to get hold plus they came as an estate.
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The main issue with the Felicia is they are rust bucklets and the earlier ones used the old Skoda engines so getting parts may be a problem. No NCAP results but Honest John says there is a very high death rate in the Felicia.
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How about a 2000ish astra diesel, plenty about, my brother's company had loads and covered in the hundereds of thousands of miles and had very few problems. Or maybe a civic aerodeck about the same age?
Last edited by: sooty123 on Wed 24 Nov 10 at 18:45
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That may be HJ sensationalism - he is sometimes prone to it.
Last edited by: Pugugly on Wed 24 Nov 10 at 18:46
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>> Pug 306D non turbo - painfully slow?
Wont accelerate fast, but it'll tickover nicely at 80mph once it gets there. Drives like a bigger car with its long gear ratios. Comfy ride too.
It'll be rust free even up to 18 years old.
It'll be cheap to service (Unipart brand parts & oil for a full service were EDIT: typo in the price -- £45 from Partco Autoparts in Hamilton).
Reliable as long as you don't buy a ropey one. Old style diesel, so it'll be repairable if it does go wrong. Plenty of them in scrappies so 2nd hand parts are findable.
Easily over 50mpg without trying.
All the dash will squeak and rattle like mad though! :-)
Last edited by: Skoda on Wed 24 Nov 10 at 18:52
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As well as choosing the right priced car, be sure insurance is okay. A newer car might be cheaper to insure for example.
Depending on your age and driving experience, you can expect to pay more for insurance per annum than the car costs, even third party fire and theft.
Best of luck with the search.
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A few have suggested the 306 - well what about it's less loved cousin the ZX ? I had one as a company car around 96 - it was unloved and thrashed with its non turbo diesel, but was a good car. Comfy, handled well, and althoughnot the quickest still went well and kept up with everything else.
Only 20 odd on autotrader, ranging from 295 to a bag of sand
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>> Depending on your age and driving experience, you can expect to pay more for insurance
>> per annum than the car costs, even third party fire and theft.
Thanks, insurance should not be an issue - Mid 30's, clean record, Full NCD etc.
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The Corolla in Carlisle - Has 6 stamps in the book up to 40k. so could be 7 years 40k of neglect or 7 years & 140k. Think i'll pass on the 180 mile round trip.
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cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320620841757&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
This is the Focus mention at top of thread.
Wasn't there someone here with a 1.8l that got really poor mpg (Adam? with a fetching gold one?)
BTW - what's wrong with this place, I can't find a decent thread on car mats, does my car need them or not ; )
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glasgow.gumtree.com/glasgow/96/69096896.html
Just popped up on Gumtree, This could be first on my list today.
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...Has 6 stamps in the book up to 40k. so could be 7 years 40k of neglect or 7 years & 140k. Think i'll pass on the 180 mile round trip...
ToMoCo,
That Corolla may not be the car for you, but I think you are asking for an awful lot for £1,000.
Cars of that age are most unlikely to have the full dealer history and near immaculate condition you seem to require.
Some of the replies to this thread have been from professional traders, and other replies from people who know as much as anyone about buying and selling cheap cars.
If their combined efforts cannot come up with the precise vehicle you seek, it probably doesn't exist.
The less money you have, the more compromises you have to make, and in car buying terms, you have very little money.
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Iffy
I know i'm not getting full dealer history and immaculate for a grand, i have not said this?
Is it too much to ask for some evidence of a few indy oil changes though?
Anyway, another for a look
glasgow.gumtree.com/glasgow/17/69050417.html
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The two cars you've found on Gumtree do have a better history than most of the others.
Perhaps the answer does lie closer to home.
I'm pleasantly surprised at how much you can get for £1,000.
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Do you want a 28k miles car? For under £500?
www.autotrader.co.uk/search/used/cars/daewoo/matiz/postcode/st87dr/radius/1500/price-to/1000/maximum-mileage/up_to_60000_miles/sort/priceasc
Lots and lots of Daewoo Matiz for sale: we have a 2005 Chevvy one.
Great for parking and OK on motorways..
Reliable..and very cheap to run.
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Spent many years buying Mrs F stuff in this price/age range... and helping others do so.
You are in a difficult market... everyone wants a nice little £1k car. Do not buy from a trader... why put 50%+ of your budget towards their holiday in Spain? Don't buy from auction as that's where said trader will get rid of his dodgy cars.... as a private buyer just buying one car if you get a duff one it's such a hassle. Do consider some unloved brands/models... but not the extreme end of the scale as they are unloved for a reason. Don't buy a Matiz if you value the comfort and safety of the wife/family... they are nearer to travelling in a bean can than anything else I've driven. Keep to a sensible looking radius... say 30-40mls max... you can see enough rubbish locally so why travel further for tat. Of the links you/others have given I'd look at the Toyota glasgow.gumtree.com/glasgow/96/69096896.html They have a rather dated look and interior but offer pretty good value for the spec/quality/reliability.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Thu 25 Nov 10 at 09:57
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Hey, ya can buy my Espero. That has had an oil change every year of its life. Its also in pretty good nick too and now has 47k on it. £1000 to the man at the front ;-)
Seriously though, just because the Corollas I picked on werent the ones ( it was a casual glance ), there are alot for sale at any one time.
cgi.ebay.co.uk/1999-V-Toyota-Corolla-1-3i-16v-SE-5dr-Manual-Red-/280589320494?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item41546d412e
cgi.ebay.co.uk/Toyota-Corolla-1-4-SE-Full-History-All-MOTs-Tax-MOT-/270621731123?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3f024fe933
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BTW if I wanted a workmanlike car for around £1k I'd break my distance rule and head up to see Soupytwist's Octavia.... it can't be more than a foot longer than a Focus??
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>> Seriously though, just because the Corollas I picked on werent the ones ( it was
>> a casual glance ), there are alot for sale at any one time.
>>
>> cgi.ebay.co.uk/1999-V-Toyota-Corolla-1-3i-16v-SE-5dr-Manual-Red-/280589320494?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item41546d412e
>>
>> cgi.ebay.co.uk/Toyota-Corolla-1-4-SE-Full-History-All-MOTs-Tax-MOT-/270621731123?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3f024fe933
Looking at those 2 Corollas I'm amazed, not for the first time, by the ability of Toyota to turn a nice looking car (the early 90s E90 Corolla) into something unbelievably bland (the E100 above) followed by something totally hideous (the late 90s E110 above). They applied the same design philosophy to the Camry.
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>> I'm pleasantly surprised at how much you can get for £1,000.
>>
I'm quite shocked at the prices some cars are fetching at the moment.
I suppose my bigest mistake is using my last purchase (My current car, pug 406 hdi) as a marker.
Bought it jan 08 for £1700. 53 plate, so just over 5.5 years old when i bought it, 1 owner FSH 55k miles. Looks like I could sell it today for more than I paid.
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Your quite right. Prices for old stuff has in some cases doubled at the very cheap end.
Be lucky to get something MOT'd for less than £300 whereas in 2008 there was huge choice.
Prob why I own a Daewoo as my mind hasnt adjusted to current price levels and it was one of the few cars that was still in the same price area as cars like it used to be.
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You could have found a car with FSH and 12 months MOT for barely over £100 in December 2008.
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>> You could have found a car with FSH and 12 months MOT for barely over
>> £100 in December 2008.
>>
>and free mats and a tankful of petrol and free tickets to the strip club
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You can thank scrappage for that to a certain extent. Brilliant scheme.
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PU>>Brilliant scheme???
How so. Why is taking ten year old cars with loads of life left in them off the road a sensible thing to do? How is that "green"? How does that help people who were already struggling to afford a car - in the brave new recession world?
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Sorry it was sarcasm Mapmaker - didn't come over well - it took the rug from under the feet of rural poor struggling to keep mobile.
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I thought it probably was, but it made my blood boil nonetheless so I thought I ought to balance the viewpoint!
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The scheme was anything but 'green', I suppose the after effects though are? Older cars more prone to being repaired now rather than chucked away? But I digress, that's for another thread.
Going to see the Corolla in glasgow later. Still somewhat undecided about newer higher milers v's a 13 yr old car, although the corolla has a proven track record.
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Let us know how you get on!
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>> Let us know how you get on!
>>
Will do. Just before I make a pfd of myself, are the corollas of that vintage chian or belt?
TIA
Last edited by: Webmaster on Thu 2 Dec 10 at 01:08
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Id expect belt, always assume cars are, safer that way!
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Used to own a 2004 which was the newer shape, that was timing chain. Don't know if was new engines to go with the model change or not though?
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Yes, the 2004 would be a VVT engine, pre-2000 wasnt, but since the VVT has a rep for using oil, id prefer the older engine anyway, I wouldnt touch a VVT car myself.
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Talking of green, I find it difficult to believe anyone supporting green issues:
who has a car younger than 10 or
has two houses or
Flies or
or
drinks bottled water
Which rules out alll politicians...for a start..
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>> who has a car younger than 10 or
In general I agree except that part.
If I buy an 8 year old (or a 2 year old for that matter) car, the damage has already been done (manufacture, that is), yet we always need people buying new.
Not that I run any car to be 'green'!
UPDATE: seller has had to cancel viewing, now going in the morning. At least it will be daylight, and I can make a descision on the spot.
Last edited by: ToMoCo on Thu 25 Nov 10 at 19:25
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I rely on people with more money than sense carrying on that tradition of buying a new car having lovingly looked after an old one, which I then buy for the price of their metallic paint on the new one. Helps that Im not that choosey aswell :-)
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Take some winter tyres with you, just in case :)
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Wasn't there someone here with a 1.8l that got really poor mpg (Adam? with a fetching gold one?)
It was me. Over six years ownership I averaged 25 mpg from a 1.8 Focus on mostly town use.
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Any thoughts on this? Over budget, but, meh
glasgow.gumtree.com/glasgow/87/69147587.html
I'm guessing 135k (probably more) of town driving won't bode well for gearbox/ clutch / steering etc?
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i told you not to buy a diesel
then you go and spoil it all by
a.looking at a diesel
b.. looking at a joe baxy
theres no hope is there
get it bought and keep the economy moving
sighs deeply and dispairs..............................................................
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Haha... Guess thats a no then.
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Oh dear lord. You need to ask?
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Well i'm thinking a lot of taxi's run to 300k +, surely the workings are not replaced year after year? I don't know? But then the question is, I suppose, why is this taken out of service.
EDIT: wasn't really too serious, but keeping my options open ;-)
Last edited by: ToMoCo on Thu 25 Nov 10 at 21:09
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A mate of mine who works for the local VAG spacialist reckons ALL s/h diesel Octavias have been clocked. Figure its done 300k plus and been given a bit of a haircut.
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Mine won't have when been clocked I come to sell it, and I've got paperwork to back that up (MOTs, service invoices etc.)
But I'd bet a large number are
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I'll throw in the suggestion of a late phase 2 Peugeot 306 with the bombproof 8 valve 1.6 litre TU engine. A grand will get you one of the latest X or Y plate cars with under 100k on the clock. The TU is known for being unburstable if looked after, and can be serviced DIY or at any independent garage.
Great to drive (better even than a Focus IMHO), and if you don't mind the air-con functioning being a matter of pure chance, largely very reliable. These were end of run cars, and all the bugs had long since been ironed out. Unlike later multiplex wired, hideously complex Peugeots, these were simple, reliable and tough. And they drive so sweetly, even by today's standards. Still look good too, IMHO.
Parts are very cheap through the likes of GSF or Euro Car Parts, and they are a doddle to work on.
My brother in law had 150,000 pretty much trouble free miles out of an X reg Meridian HDi before it was written off.
Nice example here:
tinyurl.com/2ftukw3
Last edited by: DP on Fri 26 Nov 10 at 10:26
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If that's really your postcode you might want to change it to something else, or the C4P party gatecrashers will be round!
EDIt - that does look like a very nice motor for the money.
Last edited by: spamcan61 on Fri 26 Nov 10 at 14:43
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...If that's really your postcode...
It's an industrial estate, perhaps he's allowed to kip overnight in the burger van. :)
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...It's an industrial estate...
Oops, that's the OP's Glasgow post code which appears in a link further up the thread.
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>> Oops, that's the OP's Glasgow post code which appears in a link further up the
>> thread.
>>
>>
>>
What one? & is it really an issue?
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...What one? & is it really an issue?...
Relax, people are only teasing DP about his 1980s housing estate existence.
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says the man with laminate walls ;-)
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...says the man with laminate walls ;-)...
I'll 'ave you know the caravan has that textured board stuff which is actually quite stylish in a holiday home sort of way.
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>> ...If that's really your postcode...
>>
>> It's an industrial estate, perhaps he's allowed to kip overnight in the burger van. :)
>>
>>
industrial estate? make it a warehouse party then. Sound (and heat) provided by Rattle.
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his lawn could do with a cut ;-)
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Its handy for blackbushe.
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you can even see his black Golf parked by the fence
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>> Its handy for blackbushe.
A 15 minute stroll away. And we've been there precisely once in the six years we've lived here! :-)
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>> his lawn could do with a cut ;-)
>>
You offering ;-)
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LOL - it is my postcode, but the entire street has the same one, so it still leaves a fair bit of detective work to do. And the Google maps search result doesn't pick the correct one either.
It's an early 90's estate existence, I'll have you know. :-)
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...the Google maps search result doesn't pick the correct one either...
That happens more than some people realise.
Same as satnav, Google maps is handy, but don't stake your life on it.
Looks quite a nice estate - I'm sure Humph would agree.
I imagine the sale proceeds of Iffy Towers wouldn't buy your front lawn, kempt or unkempt.
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i would agree Alastairw,not only that but i was on alibaba a few months back looking for a cheap x431 and the equipment to clock the vw range was on offer for about $60
personally i am not a fan of lcd mileage because at least in the old days if the mechanical digits were slightly squew wiff or there were scratches on the numbers or the plastic covering was cracked then you were asured that dodgy dave had done his job badly and the vehicle was one that you knew would probably have underlying problems
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...or there were scratches on the numbers...
A trader once showed me his clocking kit.
He had tiny rubber sleeves on the end of the bent pieces of wire to prevent scratching the numbers.
The sleeves came from bicycle inner tube valves.
The kit dated back to the 1950s and he had different shaped pieces of wire to suit most popular models.
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Just one observation on Ebay car sales - many contain the wording, "advertised elsewhere, so retain the right to cancel the listing", or similar.
Often used when sellers list for 99p and then don't like how low the bidding is for their pride and joy. Or someone makes them an offer they choose not to refuse.
Understandable, but irritating nonetheless :-)
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The problem with those people is they miss the chance for last minute bidding which can easily add 30% to the price. Only worth selling early if its reached your expectations and the credentials of the bidders arent up to much.
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i sold an article the other week for 99pence
i had 15 watchers and non had the nonce to bid
cant say i was pleased to sell at the 99 p but i learnt another ebay lesson
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BB - those 15 watchers also had a Spacehopper for sale - just seeing what the market conditions were like!
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Spacehopper... hmmm... Did it have FSH?
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>> Spacehopper... hmmm... Did it have FSH?
Not sure, but I believe it once belonged to Ivan Dobsky.
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market fluctuations are up and down so the space hopper conundrum is a good answer OS
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Spacesaverhopper is smaller and you can't bounce it as quickly.
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...my mother in law looks like a spacehopper.
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A rather large woman made a complaint of sexual assault to a copper I know.
I'm not saying the boys in blue didn't take it seriously, but he told me they gave her the nickname Spacehopper.
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Well, the deed has been done, the hard earned spent.
Will post a link shortly. It's none of the above.
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We are all in suspense...
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He's probably bought some old heap, the throttle jammed down a snow covered road, and he's now lying in hospital demanding a computer so that he can thank you for all your great suggestions...
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Well, finally managed to get hold of a laptop..... No, shouldn't tempt anything.
Time for you all to suck air through your teeth and say ...... Wouldn't have bough that, should have went for this...
Anyway, here it is
glasgow.gumtree.com/glasgow/33/68784633.html
Last edited by: ToMoCo on Sun 28 Nov 10 at 19:14
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Lovely little cars them, nice choice. The V6 was the one to have, but the standard models aint bad either.
Interior colour scheme is a bit, umm, japanese :-)
You get the price down?
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>> You get the price down?
>>
Paid £620.
It's done 104k but still feels really 'tight' if you know what I mean.
Leves a bit of change to get it an oil service and once over. New pads & disks on the front last week aswell as the back box.
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Looks like a nice little motor - somehow I thought Stu would be impressed !
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I looked at the 323F when I was on the hunt, but I couldnt find one like that for £400 :-)
£620 isnt bad price. Course Im impressed, quality cars those Mazdas.
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Isn't a 323 nearly a Focus?
It must be good. :)
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Yes, the interior is very typical 90's Japanese & being the 'Executive' model means I get extra added plasticky bits, mmm, tasteful ;-)
EDIT: but at least all the electrics work
FURTHER EDIT: It's got to be win win anyway. I either got a hasstle free cheap motor or the Tech side of this site get a boost.
Last edited by: ToMoCo on Sun 28 Nov 10 at 20:22
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Of course they do - it's proper Japanese...!
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Check the rear calipers - bit of a weak spot.....
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£1k budget - what to buy - Soupytwist
