Looking for a cheap old banger !

[Behemoth]

For one reason and another, but primarily this I'm looking to replace my Vectra with something a bit cheaper to run whilst saving money for a newer car next year.

I know this sounds daft but, the Vectra is going to start costing me alot of money soon. It's due a new camblet amongst other things. However the most annoying problem with it buy a mile is it just keeps getting condensated from the inside, and I've noticed that the roof is rusting away just under the boot lid, so essentially I want rid.

Don't really have a big amount of cash but am happy to spend £800 ish, idally looking for something Jap.

In the running so far

Nissan Almera 1.4 Si (Had one before and loved it)
Mazda 323
Dare I say it but Pug 306
Proton Persona/Compact the one thats based on a Colt
Toyota Carolla
Hyundai Accent (bit girly though !)

Ideally looking for something with a 1.4 engine as I just don't do the miles anymore to warrant keeping a 1.8.

Anything else worth a mention ? Looking to give Ford a wide birth if I can.

[finlay666]

Corolla or the 323 for me personally, how about a VAG?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

[Biscuit]

minor correction





I have a friend who is selling an old ford Ka for £800 but im guessing its probably not what your after for many reasons...

[Behemoth]

No don't want a Ka lol very girly and far too small

[PetrolHead]

For that kind of money, there is a chance you will buy another car that someone has got rid of for a similar or more serious reason than you want rid of yours for, you may be getting rid of a mechanically good car and end up with a lemon, maybe better the devil you know.

[Saracen]

For that kind of money, there is a chance you will buy another car that someone has got rid of for a similar or more serious reason than you want rid of yours for, you may be getting rid of a mechanically good car and end up with a lemon, maybe better the devil you know.

True, but you can also get a bargain.

I had an old VW Polo I bought for a contract that had me schlepping all over the country, and I wasn't doing it in the M3. The previous owner was the first owner, and was friend of mind. It had been meticulously garaged serviced from new. I used it for a couple of years, but the contract had ended so I no longer need it. I sold it, a few months ago, for ... believe it or not, exactly the £800 Behemoth is talking about.

I had acquired a couple of irritating faults I hadn't got around to sorting out, like one electric window had packed up. But, none of the faults was in any way affecting the reliability of the car, or it's ability to get from A to B. During the time I had it, and as far as I know (since I also sold it to another friend) it's been 100% reliable since. Yes, it was about 15 years old, and had 115,000 miles on the clock, but it was utterly, totally reliable, cheap to run, and a superb buy for the money.

A Polo may not be what you're after, Behemoth ... and it wasn't what I was after when I bought it, but it came up, and as it was from someone I trusted, I went for it. It was the 1.4 model, by the way, and while you won't get the superb fuel mileage or minimal car tax some modern ultra-efficient cars offer, for a car of it's age, it was economical, surprisingly nippy and fun, and a damned practical car for the job I needed it for.

You certainly have to watch your step with cars at that price, but to be fair, you have to watch your step with second-hand cars at any price.

[Behemoth]

Thats why at this stage we've gone off the idea of something older and ending up with a lemon, I'm going out for a look on saturday but if there's nothing about I'm not going to commit myself to anything.

I may yet just wait for things to go on what I've got and look and see how much its going to cost to repair. I wouldn't mind so much if the roof wasn't as rusty as it is !

[DanceswithUnix]

Take a look on the local supermarket notice board, you get some bargain cars on there and you know that they are going to be local so easy to go take a look at.
I think you can't be all that choosey as to what you end up with at the <1K end of the market, as long as it will do the job.
I would suggest a Punto if you find one though, all the fun of a small French car but cheap to service and without all that breaking down

[finlay666]

I would suggest a Punto if you find one though, all the fun of a small French car but cheap to service and without all that breaking down

You mean a
Fix
It
Again
Tony

?

[Behemoth]

Used to work with someone who owen a Fiat, he was always repairing the thing !

[Biscuit]

I would suggest a Punto if you find one though, all the fun of a small French car but cheap to service and without all that breaking down

I dont think i have ever read a more false statement

[DanceswithUnix]

Used to work with someone who owen a Fiat, he was always repairing the thing !

*sigh*

I could say the same about: VW, BMW, Toyota, Ford, Vauxhall & Honda off the top of my head and if I dig a bit into the past I'm sure I could cover nearly every car company both second hand and as lemons from new. Don't know anyone with a Rolls or Subaru so some are safe

Chap sitting near me at work is looking today at a £1200 repair bill for his rather dull but not that old Focus diesel.

From personal experience Puntos are fine, no worse than any other car for reliability and parts are pretty cheap when needed. My local Alfa mechanic runs a fleet of Puntos as courtesy cars. They are all bought second hand, and from his accounts the customers treat them really badly and yet they still just keep going with minimal effort.

[DanceswithUnix]

I dont think i have ever read a more false statement

I can only speak from personal experience and those around me, but I would happily buy another Punto but wouldn't touch anything French with a barge pole.

[kalniel]

For a banger I basically go as mechanical as possible, hence my first car was a 1985 golf gti for $700. No power steering even, but was still going at 230+k miles. Golfs still make great banger choices IMHO, especially base models.

[finlay666]

I'd personally avoid Honda.... it's difficult to find any in the scrap yards to salvage parts from