In theory...Bangernomics

the182guy

Just my 2 cents - have to disagree on this, can't think of much worse than just waiting for the car to die halfway down the M6 in English weather, plus frequent phone calls to the boss having to explain that I won't be in work till late due to [once again] broken down. There's also the time spent having the car recovered, or scrapped, looking for a new car frequently, getting quotes for repairs all the time etc etc.

Zanzibar

The banger idea is ok as long as you don't go too far back in age I'd say as you miss too many safety features. If its for you and you know the risks then fair enough but if you transport family then its not the best idea

My daughters just learing to drive, she's bought herself a 22 year old mini city.

Any sort of crash other than low speed in that and she will be in serious difficulty. 80s designs and before (and the Mini was a late 1950s design!) aren't just a bit worse but a whole level more primitive. No head restraints, no ABS, no air bags, no crumple zones, no seatbelt pre-tensioners, no stiffened body shell.

Given that new drivers are more likely to have crashes its an even worse idea.

Going back to the mid 90s you can get cars that have all these features for just a few hundred £ - not up to today's standard but a word away from older designs.

Rolandtheroadie

mikey72 wrote: »

Not a bad price for a years motoring. One of the best cars I has was the Rover SD1, V8.

Bought my 1985 3.5 on ebay for £650, ran it for the 9 or 10 months MOT then sold it for £250.
It even had cheezy airhorns.
Used it to tow a 1983 Lynton 6 berth caravan.
In 1985 it would probably have been an impressive outfit. In 2006/2007, I still loved it lol.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Bangernomics works best if you can maintain your own vehicle, the figures get muddled up if you have to pay someone else to do the jobs.

Incidentally i still regard my Honda engined Rover 827 as one of my best cars, totally reliable nice to drive with the smoothest engine i've ever used, would still pull well over twice the limit without effort at 130k miles.

I wish the OP the best of British and hope you continue to enjoy your not in fashion view of cars.

Rolandtheroadie

For bangernomics to work, you need to be able to fix a lot of stuff yourself.
You also have to get the modern technology balance right.
A 1999 vectra can be faulted with a paperclip. The 2000 cant.
So pre 2000 is probably not a bad benchmark.
Next find a GOOD forum for the car you choose or join an owners club.
I joined the sd1 owners club just to get a towbar. The online rover 800 and 827 forums were excellent and the Vauxhall Omega forum had great stuff on it for all vauxhalls. (yahoo groups).
As far as the mini goes, I've said before I'd get one for my son when he turns 17 and it's still on the shortlist.

babyshoes

I have been struggling to find a reasonable banger recently with the scrappage scheme! I am hoping to find one now the scheme is over, then will drive it till it dies and can't be easily/cheaply fixed.

Rolandtheroadie

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

Bangernomics works best if you can maintain your own vehicle, the figures get muddled up if you have to pay someone else to do the jobs.

Incidentally i still regard my Honda engined Rover 827 as one of my best cars, totally reliable nice to drive with the smoothest engine i've ever used, would still pull well over twice the limit without effort at 130k miles.

I wish the OP the best of British and hope you continue to enjoy your not in fashion view of cars.

lol, I LOVED my 827's (both white, both ex police, both L reg).

petrolhead69

couldn't agree more, whenever I've bought new or nearly new for the whole time driving i feel i'm throwing tenners out the window with the depreciation, takes the fun out it IMO, especially when you come out of tescos and some careless &*^% has put a deep ding in the door right at the swage lineon your 6 week old car. now we have a £500 audi turbo when it got a big scrape down the side in the hospital car park I shrugged my shoulders and bought a £2.30 can of spray paint.

It's actually very fun to drive, and has never broken down unlike my new vauxhall insignia company car I'm forced to use during working hours. When the AA man was picking me up the other day he told me he couldn't beleive how many insignias he had recovered recently.

Even if it needs £500 a year to keep it serviced well and running perfect and wee upgrades here or there thats far less than what I would be losing in depreciation, finance interest, dealer servicing and dearer insurance. that coupled with the worry about it getting dinged, the fact new cars are so expensive to fix now that when the warrenty runs out you had better be loaded, and the fact you never really properly own it til the chucky is paid off I'm more than happy driving a scrapyard refugee.

If you dont maintain a car you'll get out of it what you put in though, doesn't matter how old or new the car if you neglect it, it will let you down at some point. Usually when you can least afford it. If you cant afford to maintain a car make the roads a safer place and get the bus.

petrolhead69

scotsman4th wrote: »

For bangernomics to work, you need to be able to fix a lot of stuff yourself.
You also have to get the modern technology balance right.
A 1999 vectra can be faulted with a paperclip. The 2000 cant.
So pre 2000 is probably not a bad benchmark.
Next find a GOOD forum for the car you choose or join an owners club.
I joined the sd1 owners club just to get a towbar. The online rover 800 and 827 forums were excellent and the Vauxhall Omega forum had great stuff on it for all vauxhalls. (yahoo groups).
As far as the mini goes, I've said before I'd get one for my son when he turns 17 and it's still on the shortlist.

You can get vaux-com for under £20 now to get round that BTW:beer:

lauren_1

the182guy wrote: »

Just my 2 cents - have to disagree on this, can't think of much worse than just waiting for the car to die halfway down the M6 in English weather, plus frequent phone calls to the boss having to explain that I won't be in work till late due to [once again] broken down. There's also the time spent having the car recovered, or scrapped, looking for a new car frequently, getting quotes for repairs all the time etc etc.

I dont use the motorway as its no where near me, i made friends with my haynes manual, best friends! I prefere to tinker with the car than do housework most days.