Bangernomics: Is this the cheapest possible motoring?

Thunderbird_2

Flyingharpy wrote: »

would you advise servicing your old cars to keep them in peak condition, or just MOTing them until they cost too much to pass?

The minimum to keep the car in good condition would be an oil and filter change once a year and other filters and spark plugs every other year. MOT is not a substitute of a service!

anewman

Servicing is always best to keep the car going and in good working order, with good MPG. But of course if something worries you about the car, like you think it's going to rust through and be too expensive to repair when it does, then I would run it into the ground until it fails MOT. Guess the only advice I can give is use your own judgement and perhaps ask the MOT tester if they think it will last. The absolute minimum I would do is change the oil, oil filter and air filter every year or so.

Paul_Varjak

DuggyMak wrote: »

I bought my previous car, a 1987 Daihatsu Charade CX Automatic (1litre engine), from an elderly neighbour who couldn't face using it after his wife died. It was garaged for several years, only going out twice-a-month to keep everything turning over. I bought it for £3500 at five-years-old with only 6,500 miles but it was well worth paying slightly more than the Parker's guide price. It was immaculate inside and out and, to be honest, still looked like a six-month-old car.

When I was looking at price guides I was amazed at how liitle an effect the mileage has on the value of a car; it seems that age is the overrriding factor.

I wish I had known you when I sold my three year old Fiat Punto automatic. I only got £3,000 for it!

Ginger_Nuts_2

Thunderbird wrote: »

The minimum to keep the car in good condition would be an oil and filter change once a year and other filters and spark plugs every other year. MOT is not a substitute of a service!

Well said, basic maintenance is essential in keeping your banger on the road, oil and air filter changes will help to keep it running sweet and cheaply and keep a listen out for strange noises;) Come MOT time, I never leave the car in previous to getting it done for a check up, I admit it, let them tell me exactly what needs done and work out if it's worthwhile;)

Frijj

imo the undisputed king of cheap reliable cars is the 1.8 8v MK2 VW Golf. there is no correlation between cheap and unreliable if you pick the right car, and the MK2 golf is the right car. many mk2 golfs will be rolling around long after the brand new cars of today are on the scrap pile (seriously). theres no point in buying any abused piece of crap at a minescule price if its going to cost you for the spares when for a bit of hunting a little minter can be found.

I have an 1988 1.8 Gti 8v MK2 VW Golf - cost £850 so far I've spent more than that on fixing it (I don't mind because I love it and I look at it as a hobby) but it has been the worst buy I've ever had. It seemed ok but a lot went wrong on it, one bit at a time. I should have just walked away but... hey ho. The bodywork is very good nic though and it all seemed fine when I bought it. It is easy to work on though, even for someone with little mechanical knowledge like me. It still starts first time and has never totally broken down, always limped home or to the garage.

Car before that, M reg 1.3 GL Toyota Corolla - best old car ever. Only got rid because it was a bit under powered for my trip to work with 2 other big blokes in it. You can get them very cheap too, I bought it for £570 sold it for £520 and only put 4 new tyres on it and an MOT (didn't legally require tyres but it needed them) Spent about £120 on it for the year. Started first time, every time, didn't need more than a sip of oil every 5k but wasn't great on fuel with my heavy foot and short journeys, although other people do a lot better.

Before that had an M reg Mk1 Mondeo 1.8TD funny but I got very attached to it, even though it was a bit boring. You can pick them up for sub £300 as ex taxis and not much goes wrong on them - but I lost my job so it had to go, couldn't tax it and live on a street. I drove over 1000 miles in a day in that car and it was fine, just like a big arm chair. Didn't need anything doing in a year other than the service / MOT which it needed a bulb and an oil change + filter. (~£80 all in for the year) Got for free of a family member, sold for £150 (needed to go quick as no tax, insurance and 3 day MOT) net +£70 on the year!!! [Apart from the tax and insurance]

If your thinking about an Aygo why not get a Citroen C1?
It's the same car, made in the same factory with the same engine just different badge (like the Pug 107) only the Citroen is cheaper. My Mum has an Aygo and they are very big inside although not much boot space (I can fit in the back with no problems and I'm 6'2"!) Plus with the bonus they are (I think) insurance group 1 - lowest possible so you will get the best deal on them.

For young drivers / money savers insurance is the killer, not the car. If you pay £50 for a car that costs £1200 per year to insure that is worse than paying £1200 for a car that costs £50 to insure as your insurance is only going to drop around £100 - £200 per year on the high cost one so if you keep the car for 3 years you still waste money. Or £200 and 3 points :mad: for no insurance although I wouldn't recomend that option!

TLDR: Get a Citroen C1 (if you can afford it)

PrinceGaz

If you're prepared to live with a car which is ready for the scrapyard but has several months MOT remaining, an old episode of Top Gear I watched on Dave today shows you can buy a car for less than £100 which is still capable of performing adequately. Once you get down to that price level, you are under-cutting the amount legitimate dealers must pay to scrap the car to meet EU recycling laws, and it is in the dealer's interest to get an otherwise worthless traded-in car off their premises as cheaply as possible- even if that is £1, as that is better for them than having to pay to have it scrapped.

It'll be something no-one else wants, that's for sure, but there are bargains to be had which might well last for at least the duration of the MOT they come with. The moment something goes wrong with it (excluding all the electrical things which didn't work with it when bought) is the time to dispose of it. Given the above about disposal, some "inventive" way to dispose of it may be required to avoid it costing you.

Davesnave

PrinceGaz wrote: »

If you're prepared to live with a car which is ready for the scrapyard but has several months MOT remaining, an old episode of Top Gear I watched on Dave today shows you can buy a car for less than £100 which is still capable of performing adequately. Once you get down to that price level, you are under-cutting the amount legitimate dealers must pay to scrap the car to meet EU recycling laws, and it is in the dealer's interest to get an otherwise worthless traded-in car off their premises as cheaply as possible- even if that is £1, as that is better for them than having to pay to have it scrapped.

I think you may find that episode of 'Top Gear is' about as relevant to the current situation as 'Location, Location, Location' or 'Property Ladder' re-runs are. The price of raw materials is rocketing. That's not to say that dealers won't still be happy to sell on at a pretty low price, but it does mean that scrappers are paying again.

starkj

"a used tyre for £20 from a scrapyard."

Try reading posts before being cheeky.

DuggyMak

Paul_Varjak wrote: »

When I was looking at price guides I was amazed at how liitle an effect the mileage has on the value of a car; it seems that age is the overrriding factor.

I wish I had known you when I sold my three year old Fiat Punto automatic. I only got £3,000 for it!

Paul.

Remember with car guides, such as Parker's, you have to adjust the price listed for each year to take into account under/over average mileage.

Personally, given the choice between two unknown identical cars, I would choose the high-mileage motorway one rather than the local run-about with lots of stop/start journeys. (I have enjoyed both types over the years.) However, to me, a car's over-all condition, and fully documented history, is essential and a better guide.

Perhaps I should have clarified my "I bought it for £3500 at five-years-old with only 6,500 miles but it was well worth paying slightly more than the Parker's guide price." comment in my previous post repeated here:

(I bought my previous car, a 1987 Daihatsu Charade CX Automatic (1litre engine), from an elderly neighbour who couldn't face using it after his wife died. It was garaged for several years, only going out twice-a-month to keep everything turning over. I bought it for £3500 at five-years-old with only 6,500 miles but it was well worth paying slightly more than the Parker's guide price. It was immaculate inside and out and, to be honest, still looked like a six-month-old car.)

I was buying the car from an elderly neighbour who had meticulously waxed/polished/valeted it twice a year and I knew the history of it. Similarly my current car, which I bought from an elderly relative, had been meticulously serviced and looked after, in fact I took it for its first 3 MOT's. In both cases, I was happy paying slightly more than the Parker's Guide price because of the exceptional condition and history of the vehicles and my relationship to both owners. There is no way I would jeopardise such relationships to save some money, when the figure was fair to both parties. However, having said that, in any normal situation where I didn't know the seller I can assure you I would not be an easy touch as you would seem to imply.

To be honest, I wouldn't have been interested in your Punto or any other Fiat. I still remember the look of horror on the face of my cousin's friend, 30 years ago, when after proudly showing us his brand new Fiat (bought that day) he started it up to leave, just as it was beginning to get dark. I pointed out that some of his lights weren't working and, after investigating, I discovered the wiring loom was missing on the right-hand-side! Even the AA man, who came to his assistance, was dumbfounded by that one!

Finally, I have always been a keen haggler and managed to buy my first motorcycle, A 1964 Honda 90 Sports, in 1971, for £7.50 (yes you read that correctly!) . The previous teenage owner decided to service it and also stripped and cleaned the carburettor. Unfortunately, when he started it, it would only run for a few minutes before, eventually, conking out. Despite trying to trace and cure the problem for several months he was finally persuaded, by his frustrated mother, to get rid of it. When I stripped the carburettor I discovered that, amazingly, the choke barrel could be fitted upside down, therefore, explaining the difficult starting and eventual flooding of the engine. 30 minutes later, I had a perfectly reliable motorcycle, which I passed my test on and, after a few years, managed to get £30 for when I sold it to a friend. He thought he got it for a bargain price and also enjoyed many years use from what, initially, appeared to be a pile of junk!

Ginger_Nuts_2

starkj wrote: »

"a used tyre for £20 from a scrapyard."

Try reading posts before being cheeky.

Did, wasnt being cheeky, just being realistic, you didnt answer my question, would you replace the tyres then? Of course you wouldnt, but you dont know the history oof them either.:rolleyes: