Your Bangernomics successes

YoungBusinessman

Xmas car auctions must be the best time for bargains, folk trying to sell to get a last bit of cash before everyone is off?

Been looking at old BMWs...we dont need one so it is well down the to buy list...anyone got any photos of theirs?

[Deleted User]

Been offered a 1989 Panda for £250 with no MOT but is described as being in working order with only 54K miles.

Thinking it could be a winter project with the view of it becoming a good bangernomics contender!



Worth it?

sabretoothtigger

No the fiats rust badly I believe. No MOT should be rated much nearer to a scrap price unless you love this model for some reason

There was a Panda 4x4 that probably has an enthusiast following, theres always clubs for these kind of 'classics'

only 54K miles

mileage is not much help on this age, the rubber belts will be ready to snap if its not been driven and maintained regularly

If its a friend, you could offer to double the price paid after you get the MOT should it turn out easy to do. 100 at most, tenner more for a diesel

Best old car to get is an old Honda or possibly Nissan as they tend to surprise in a good way at least on the important bits.
I know of a Nissan 200sx thats been in the same drive way since 1990, no idea why its been there that long but I wonder how much that'd take to buy, probably something sentimental there

Does anyone on this thread own a LPG car, I have an old one I keep meaning to fix up.
I fairly certain petrol will keep going up terribly so it seems its well worth the effort to restore/keep

lincroft1710

sabretoothtigger wrote: »

No the fiats rust badly I believe. No MOT should be rated much nearer to a scrap price unless you love this model for some reason

If it's lasted for 23 years, then this would seem to disprove the rust theory. Agree that the price is too high, £250 might be OK as a start price for haggling if car had 12 months MOT.

[Deleted User]

sabretoothtigger wrote: »

No the fiats rust badly I believe. No MOT should be rated much nearer to a scrap price unless you love this model for some reason

There was a Panda 4x4 that probably has an enthusiast following, theres always clubs for these kind of 'classics'

mileage is not much help on this age, the rubber belts will be ready to snap if its not been driven and maintained regularly

If its a friend, you could offer to double the price paid after you get the MOT should it turn out easy to do. 100 at most, tenner more for a diesel

It's a local vehicle dismantlers selling it. Obviously they think it's "too good" to scrap. They wanted £300 at first. According to the DVLA site, the tax disc was refunded in October.

I want something that's outside the norm. You don't see many old school Pandas about these days.

YoungBusinessman

£150 cash take it or leave it, im sure ul get it.

sabretoothtigger

You don't see many old school Pandas about these days.

Yea, I was taking this as a sign its not the best old car. Maybe im out of the loop but there used to be plenty of dirt cheap old cars for someone to work on.
Look it up on honest john , maybe it was a model which was zinc plated and people like me are generally unaware

Here you go, I had forgotten this. Im still not sure about the reliability. Give me a diesel Merc or Honda, that kind of thing over this anyday

wiki wrote:

In January 1986 the Panda received a facelift and a series of significant mechanical improvements
The FIRE was originally a carburetor engine, and later progressed to a single point injection
Improvements were also made to the interior and the structure. The body was strengthened and fully galvanised on later models, virtually eliminating the earlier car's strong tendency to rust.The bottom seam of the Mk II's doors unfortunately retained much the earlier car's susceptibility to rust.

sun-n-moon

I've got an R reg 1.4 8 valve Astra Merit sat in my drive waiting for me to make a decision on whether to scrap or not. I gave my son £150 for it as he was skint and has started to use a bike rather than a car. Best pickup scrap price I got was £132.
The bodywork is almost mint apart from a scratch on the offside door. It needs a mirror and a rear exhaust box for the MOT. Engine runs perfectly.
I reckon it would be any easy car to own as it appears so simple and I do most of my own work. I've just don't seem to see many mk3s about and wonder about spares availability in the future. Much like that Fiat Panda I guess.
I get the impression that scrappers are not dismantling any more, just crushing the whole thing for the metal.

worried_jim

I have just taken the Rover on the motorway for a proper trip since I bought it in February this year and it was an absolute delight. I haven't worked out the mpg yet but I have done 360 miles and still have 1/4 tank left which I am very pleased with.
It cruised at motorway speeds with out missing a beat, the only niggles I have is a bit of wind noise around the drivers window where some of the rubber seal has worn away and the wheels need balancing for speeds above 80mph-that's it.
So far this year I have averaged 30.3mpg and I am very confident that this run will be a vast improvement. Now all the roadworks are finished on the M25 and the road widening has completed on the M1 the journey was a pleasure, even the M25 was a joy and fast smooth experience.

Rolandtheroadie

sun-n-moon wrote: »

I've got an R reg 1.4 8 valve Astra Merit sat in my drive waiting for me to make a decision on whether to scrap or not. I gave my son £150 for it as he was skint and has started to use a bike rather than a car. Best pickup scrap price I got was £132.
The bodywork is almost mint apart from a scratch on the offside door. It needs a mirror and a rear exhaust box for the MOT. Engine runs perfectly.
I reckon it would be any easy car to own as it appears so simple and I do most of my own work. I've just don't seem to see many mk3s about and wonder about spares availability in the future. Much like that Fiat Panda I guess.
I get the impression that scrappers are not dismantling any more, just crushing the whole thing for the metal.

My last car was an astra f and I never had any bother with parts.
My local breaker would put it straight in the crusher, but other yards that still allow access to take parts off yourself are likely to still keep them if even just for a wee while.