So yet again I have to buy another car which I am strangely finding stressful, mainly I suspect because it has left me out of pocket as I hadnt budgeted for a car change until May 2014.
Anyhow, not asking what to buy in terms of actual cars, but whether of not to throw £500 ish at an old car to see me through until I see a car I really like or should I go out and replace the Charade with a long term solution?
There is ( as an example ) a diesel Citroen AX on AT which if still available is a bit tempting in the banger catagory and I could buy that independant of any settlement later down the line.
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If you need a temporary car buy on supercheapness so you can get your money back.
You must know a few people who could sell you a trade banger?
Shame about the Charade. My brother's wife runs one they have had from new, must be 20 years old and never gone wrong - an earlier model than yours.
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I liked the AX. In my first job we had one as a pool car - a 1.5D Spree! No power steering so a pig at low speeds but very frugal, took lots of abuse and would sit happily at 90 all day.
A colleague used to buy AX's at the very cheap end of the market and use them for his 70 mile daily commute. He tried a fiesta for a bit, but hated it and went back to the AX's
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Ever considered buying a car at an auction Stu?
I had dealings with a VW pain dealer today and the px price he offered me for my duffermobile was an insult to say the least.
He said they'd just put the Lancer straight into the auction so if I was stupid enough to except his offer, some lucky bu**er would get their hands on a low mileage - fool main dealer serviced from new jamjar, in excellent condition, for very little money.
I used to go to a few auctions in the previous century (inc. Blackbushe) but only to go along with friends who were buying as it never really interested me, I was more interested in working on the critters ... we live and learn,
sometimes.
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I think you'll find private buyers fees and administration costs have put an end to cheap cars at auctions.
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Bit of a treck from Northants doggie.
Stu. Have you looked at Gumtree and Friday Free Ads? They've both got around a hundred sub £500 in Northants.
I discovered them when selling my Kia and was surprised at the number of cheap cars there.
ps. Don't let anyone else know!!
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I might give the AX seller a ring on the wkend, there is another diesel AX on Ebay although up at £800. I imagine a 70 mpg diesel, even an old one, has a market these days.
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Great cars, AXs, once you get used to the off-set pedals.
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>> Great cars, AXs, once you get used to the off-set pedals.
And the chronic unreliability.....And for gawds sake dont crash it, its made of plastic and the only crumple zone is your lower legs and upper torso.
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 25 Apr 13 at 21:52
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>>And the chronic unreliability <<
What is there to go wrong in an AX, there is nothing to them, the only kind of Citroen id consider.
>>And for gawds sake dont crash it <<
What are the odds of having an accident, you can get too obessed about crash safety, keep in mind how many people actually die on the roads each year, it aint many, I am better off eating more fruit and veg if I want to increase my odds in life.
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>>What are the odds of having an accident, you can get too obsessed about crash safety,
>> keep in mind how many people actually die on the roads each year, it aint many,
Odd sentiments, considering you're looking for a car because of an accident.
Regarding motoring deaths per annum, ISTR it averages around a handful per day in the UK.
AIUI, the AX was an exercise in how little metal you could put in a car - it was the fashion at the time in pursuit of economy by getting the weight down. As was the Uno, and probably others I can't remember..
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>>Odd sentiments, considering you're looking for a car because of an accident <<
Statistically then I should be good for the next ten years, having an accident isnt an excuse to ditch logic for blind panic.
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>>Statistically then I should be good for the next ten years, having an accident isnt an excuse to ditch logic for blind panic.
Actually, as insurers know, you are statistically more likely to be involved in an accident, even after a non-fault one.
Come on: an AX is an unutterable POS compared to a Charade - don't do it man.
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>>Come on: an AX is an unutterable POS compared to a Charade - don't do it man.<<
Of course it is but that was why I posed the question because as it stands IF I got maybe £1200 for my car I could raise another £800, so that is a £2k budget BUT if I can hang on until November I will have another £1200 to spend maybe a bit more.
That is why I am torn between both options because trying to find something good at my current budget is going to get me something maybe OK whereas £3.5k will buy something with alotta life.
Last edited by: FoR on Fri 26 Apr 13 at 14:42
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>>
>> Come on: an AX is an unutterable POS compared to a Charade - don't do
>> it man.
>>
I can only assume from that comment that you have never driven one. Light weight makes it a very efficient vehicle. Yes, it feels flimsy but the light weight means it goes well, economically, and is very comfortable. Perfect!
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>> Yes, it feels flimsy but the light weight means it goes well, economically, and is very comfortable. Perfect!
Quite Boxster. Nothing wrong with the AX at all. There's a roughish one here, normally used by three people not car enthusiasts, I've used it a couple of times and it's a nice little motor.
I owned a lot of fragile cars when younger and I was heavy on them. But much less so now. Sort of grown up a bit at last. Simplicity and light weight are crucial to user-friendliness and economy in cars. All the best cars in all classes have those characteristics.
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My father-in-law had an AX when they were current. 1.1 I think. I drove it from Cheshire to Scotland once. It was ok. Not better than ok but definitely ok. Locked up under braking a bit too willingly maybe.
I remember going with him in it to fetch some wood from B&Q. He put the lengths of wood into the car resting on the dash and running down between the seats. Then he shut the hatch. The wood was about a cm longer than the available space. Well, the whole top half of an AX's back door is glass y'see...
We put what remained of the door in the boot and drove back to his place while I tried so hard not to disintegrate into hysterics.
He, being of a Northern disposition, just kept repeating the same short and, it has to be said, only appropriate word in the circumstances over and over again in a low but determined metronomic tone all the way back. With his accent it sounded for all the world like he was imitating a hen...
Last edited by: Humph D'Bout on Fri 26 Apr 13 at 21:54
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Mate had an AX GT, alloy wheels, front fogs and it would accelerate very quickly indeed.
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Probably trying to get away from the smell of someone's shoes eh?
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IIRC, the smell of the shoes would pale into insignificance in that car......
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>> >>Odd sentiments, considering you're looking for a car because of an accident <<
>>
>> Statistically then I should be good for the next ten years, having an accident isnt
>> an excuse to ditch logic for blind panic.
TIC I know...but if that sort of logic worked, anybody worried about there being a bomb on their flight would take one with them - after all, what are the chances of there being two on the same aeroplane?
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I drove an AX diesel to Tenerife and back (via Portugal) once upon a thyme and it never missed a beat.
Until I decided to change the fuel filter and got air in the system :(
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Howl about getting something with a bit of Soul for a change:
www.cummingsofbodmin.co.uk/stock-7363.htm
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I reckon this is what you need, FoR.
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201304066133727
Local to you, I believe.
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It is nice of you to suggest a plant pot for my front lawn, but what about a car suggestion?
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Again with the plant pots, it isnt even ornamental - atleast you could have put up a Vel Satis, those I do like very much :-)
Do you have any daring suggestions that actually meet the requirements, I know you have a taste for strange things?
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I did look at Vel Satis, but, even to my surprise, they don't come in at anything under 1500 quid. Was only pulling your leg.
How's about this for a sensible suggestion?
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201304066133305
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There is a black Vel Satis on Ebay for £12000 with 65k on the clock :-)
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Nice. Presuming you meant £1200. eBay's blocked at my work, so I couldn't trawl that site.
I did wonder about getting a 3.0V6 Vel recently, but even I baulked at that one. If the'd made any post 2005, I might have been tempted. A theoretical Mk2 Vel Satis. Even more so if they'd fitted them with the 2.0dci chain engine. I think I'd probably have gone for one rather than the Laguna.
Last edited by: Alanović on Fri 26 Apr 13 at 15:13
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>> There is a black Vel Satis on Ebay for £12000 with 65k on the clock
>> :-)
>>
Rather amusingly, when I put "Vel Satis" into eBay's search, the first load of results are for blind spot mirrors.
I think they're trying to tell me something.......
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271195354269 yes £1200.
Charade just got towed away, god help me I was just a tad upset, I really did like the thing.
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Oof, here you go, FoR.
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201303275976730/
Only 3 on sale on autotrader in total.
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That YRV looks like UK spec, they all had silly names, they even did a UK spec Turbo 4x4 auto version for a year or two and non-turbo 4x4 versions, lord knows why.
Back in 1998 I had teh choice of a Daewoo Matiz SE+ or a Daihatsu Cuore Avanzato and I chose the former, now I wish I chose the latter - the Avanzato was a bonkers little thing although I most certainly will have died in it!
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>> That YRV looks like UK spec
Square front number plate?
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>>Square front number plate? <<
Yeah the fittings are offset and some dealers put those plates on from new, I know because the dealer I worked for briefly tried a Daihatsu franchise and I cleaned the YRV when it was new to the market, some of the Cuore have them too.
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I've had old bangers as my main cars for 46 years. In my experience and observation of others' experiences they are just as reliable as proper cars. Even if it goes wrong and you chuck it away it's still cost less than the depreciation on a newer car.
But then people don't buy cars for usability and reliability, they buy them to demonstrate to others their self-perceived status in the world.
I'm a Boggs Super Oaf sort of person therefore I need a Boggs Super Oaf.
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Or, "I'm on old banger kind of person, I need an old banger".
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"Boggs Super Oaf" - Brilliant !
I guy I've known very well for years just happens to also be one of the wealthiest people in the UK. As in old money type billionaire. However, he is also one of the most self-effacing people I've ever met.
His main car is a 12 year old diesel Golf and his other car is a 10 year old pick-up thing which he uses on his land mainly. It and the Golf now look a bit shabby as indeed does he most of the time. I've asked him a few times why he doesn't get himself something better but his response is always a shrug, a grin and a palpable lack of interest in the matter.
His wife has something newer but it's not all that fancy being a Volvo V70 diesel.
He does have a huge great big yacht as well mind. That's old too come to think. Wooden thing.
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how about a Toyota starlet,
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201304256443333
that one for you and plenty others
link shortened to restore correct page width, and to also remove your postode
Last edited by: VxFan on Sat 27 Apr 13 at 00:29
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Got a Forester S Turbo for a few hundred a fortnight ago - just changed the rear discs/pads (65 quid for Bosch from eBay) - the ones taken off were the worst I've ever seen on a car - massive pits and flakes missing from the disc surface.
Fair number of ropey looking bushes on the rear suspension but it runs smoooooth and is fairly nippy for the original 170hp version - feels about as quick as the Swift without having to redline it.
Quite enjoy the old banger tinkerage.
Last edited by: Lygonos on Fri 26 Apr 13 at 20:45
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Old banger or not? - Manatee
