buying a car under a grand

EdGasket

Re. Computershack '£600-£1000 is just going to buy another shed.'
Absolute rubbish. I've never paid more than £1000 for a car in my entire life, 35 of which I have been a car owner ! My latest car for my son was a Hyundai Lantra for £500. He has done 15K miles since we bought it in a year and a half and has had no problems whatsoever. So long as you do basic maintenance, older cars are a very good buy.

hothothot_3

what are all your views on high mileages? Id be really put off buying a car with 200k on the clock, and would be put off buying one regardless of how new the car was otherwise, and how low the price.

Kilty_2

Give the Golf a decent DIY service and seal up the sunroof with silicone :rotfl:

hothothot wrote: »

what are all your views on high mileages? Id be really put off buying a car with 200k on the clock, and would be put off buying one regardless of how new the car was otherwise, and how low the price.

I've often been tempted by high mileage ex-fleet cars - for example I saw a 2007 1.7 Corsa D with 94k on the clock the other day. Crazy miles for the age though and it'd give me that "omg what's going to go wrong next" feeling I'd have with a £1000 car 'cept for £4500

grendel

I rarely pay more than a few hundred pounds for a car, I tend to stick with Volvos, if you can get one thats got just over 100,000 miles it should be good for at least another 100,000. Also if you can do your own work it helps keep costs down, I have just replaced most of the front suspension and braking at a cost of £280 in parts (more than the car cost me) after 1 years use, I was quoted £700 by kwik fit.
this was to get it through the MOT, the car is great, the engine is great, but some parts wear, brake discs and pads and the suspension ball joints and drive shaft rubbers all needed doing. I got my car at 201,000 miles as a cat C write off (damage beyond economical repair) it had a dent in the rear panel - damage I can live with, not structural, but just expensive to get repaired to look as new.
the car was a top of the range estate model (I needed a bigish estate car anyway to carry large telescopes) if you drive carefully the economy isnt too bad, and you can save a fortune if you learn to do your own repairs, I have now taught myself and have tackled even engine strip downs and rebuilds, if you have the manual and follow the steps, nothing is impossible.
my last 6 cars have all been volvos, have each lasted me at least 3 years and were all under £500
Grendel

pitkin2020

hothothot wrote: »

a cynic looks at the price of everything, and knows the value of nothing.

Just because a car may seem a good bargain at 1000, doesnt mean that one for 1,300 is a worse deal. Particularly when you find out later that the 1k 'bargain' has gear box leaks - needs new brake pipes, etc etc.

caveat emptor

that also works the other way around too, just because you pay more for something doesnt make it better!!

pitkin2020

Pete*G wrote: »

if you need any bits let me know, I have a mk4 Astra estate sat on my drive being broken for spares lol

not at the moment but may do in the new year, i'll let you know if i do
thanks

pitkin2020

Kilty wrote: »

Give the Golf a decent DIY service and seal up the sunroof with silicone :rotfl:



I've often been tempted by high mileage ex-fleet cars - for example I saw a 2007 1.7 Corsa D with 94k on the clock the other day. Crazy miles for the age though and it'd give me that "omg what's going to go wrong next" feeling I'd have with a £1000 car 'cept for £4500

fleet cars are usually just motorway mileage cars so there is very little wear on the mechanics, they tend not to be treated to well though so bodywork can not be in the best of nick but fleet cars are usually well serviced and get the correct stamps well before they are due.
High mileage scares a lot of people but it shouldn't as long as the car has a good service history to back the mileage showing everything has been done WHEN it should have been there is no reason why it wont go on and on.
I friend of mine 2 years ago bought a 3 year old passat 1.9 TDi it had done 12k, 4k a year and he was only interested in low mileage cars, within the first 500 miles he had blown the mass air valve and turbo costing £1800 for replacement and fitting, garage had said the engine just hadnt been broken in and they suspected that in its 3 years of live the revs probably hadnt got high enough for the turbo to kick in on more than a handful of occassion

hothothot_3

grendel wrote: »

I rarely pay more than a few hundred pounds for a car, I tend to stick with Volvos, if you can get one thats got just over 100,000 miles it should be good for at least another 100,000. Also if you can do your own work it helps keep costs down, I have just replaced most of the front suspension and braking at a cost of £280 in parts (more than the car cost me) after 1 years use, I was quoted £700 by kwik fit.
this was to get it through the MOT, the car is great, the engine is great, but some parts wear, brake discs and pads and the suspension ball joints and drive shaft rubbers all needed doing. I got my car at 201,000 miles as a cat C write off (damage beyond economical repair) it had a dent in the rear panel - damage I can live with, not structural, but just expensive to get repaired to look as new.
the car was a top of the range estate model (I needed a bigish estate car anyway to carry large telescopes) if you drive carefully the economy isnt too bad, and you can save a fortune if you learn to do your own repairs, I have now taught myself and have tackled even engine strip downs and rebuilds, if you have the manual and follow the steps, nothing is impossible.
my last 6 cars have all been volvos, have each lasted me at least 3 years and were all under £500
Grendel

thanks Grendel, and welcome to MSE forum :beer:

hoping to aspire to be more of a DIY auto repair person like yourself :T