Dilemma

babyshoes

I also think you should buy the cheapest runaround you can get with a year's MOT on it and some tax, then get 3rd party insurance for a year to build up some NCB.(or 3rd party, fire and theft if they don't do third party only.)

Also consider doing some further driver training. The Pass Plus or IAM qualification will bring down your insurance drastically, and you will save the cost of it over the next year or three of insurance. Plus, it will make you a safer driver, which is always worthwhile!

mambo69

Why not get a classic car, spitfire or the like, hardly any tax, can work on them and get classic car insurance to boot

Inactive

mambo69 wrote: »

Why not get a classic car, spitfire or the like, hardly any tax, can work on them and get classic car insurance to boot

You missed out the word " constantly ", as in; Work on them constantly

mikey72

Inactive wrote: »

You missed out the word " constantly ", as in; Work on them constantly

What, even japanese classics?

optimus_primera

at least you can fix older cars, unlike new cars where you need a computer and special tools .......

misterspivvy

I run nothing but old cars. I don't want or need a new one, I just giggle behind my hand when the same people in work who take the P out of my old banger whinge about the 350 quid they've just had to fork out to get their 56 plate mondeo on the diagnostic machine and get some sensor or other replaced.
It doesn't automatically follow that an old car is going to be unreliable. If a car has lasted 20 years chances are its been looked after all its life. I picked up my last car-1990 G reg- for pocket money and it came with every old MOT, f.S.H, and its just flown another MOT. Servicing is everything.
When you do get major work coming up that's going to cost more than what you paid for it, that's when you get rid and get another.

mikey72

Just serviced my daughter's classic mini with her.
Bought it this year, and it needed a couple of gaiters and new disks for the MOT.
To cover the next few years, we decided to do the front disks and pads, all the steering balljoints and gaiters, cv gaiters, and the front four ball joints, while it was all apart.
Just to make sure, we changed the water pump, fan belt, thermostat, heater valve, bypass hose, temperature sensor, and flushed the radiator out and put in new antifreeze for the winter, and changed the rocker gasket and breather.
She even undersealed it and waxoyled it over summer.
£90, and a day and a halfs work.

Angelic

It must be nice having someone to help fix up your old car but if you don't know anyone then buying as good a car as possible is the only option. I couldn't buy an old banger because the worry wouldn't be worth the hassle but I don't think you should be going into debt for a car! compromise is the answer so lower your budget.

mikey72

I quite agree with you.
Most of the jobs on the mini were just on the "wishlist" hopefully it'll last another 20 years at least.

My wife's car is a 15 year old peugeot 106, that just gets things like brakes and tyres etc as it needs them, it's reliable, nothing else ever goes wrong.

Inactive

mikey72 wrote: »

What, even japanese classics?

A " Spitfire or the like " is hardly Japanese, is it?

It is old British made junk, that would require constant attention.