Best of the Bargain Basement Vol. 2
Discussion
Buff Mchugelarge said:
Future classic, unsung hero etc etc. Cheap car either way
Xsara VTS 2.0i 170bhp old school hot hatch for <£500
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
That's insane value for money. I prefer the looks of the phase 1s, but that's still amazing VFM.Xsara VTS 2.0i 170bhp old school hot hatch for <£500
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
Good fun for track and daily use.
Buff Mchugelarge said:
Future classic, unsung hero etc etc. Cheap car either way
Xsara VTS 2.0i 170bhp old school hot hatch for <£500
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
Brilliant. Overlooked and undervalued!Xsara VTS 2.0i 170bhp old school hot hatch for <£500
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
Buff Mchugelarge said:
Future classic, unsung hero etc etc. Cheap car either way
Xsara VTS 2.0i 170bhp old school hot hatch for <£500
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
Bargain. Xsara VTS 2.0i 170bhp old school hot hatch for <£500
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
Got to be one of the worst facelifts ever though.
CX53 said:
Just won a ford focus on eBay... It's got 182k miles, eek!!
Excellently maintained, recent refreshed suspension, fully functional air con, not due a cambelt for 20k miles, Michelin tyres. I'm hoping it'll last me a little bit as a shed for running to work and back.
Funnily enough I picked up a Focus a fortnight ago with 175k on the clock!Excellently maintained, recent refreshed suspension, fully functional air con, not due a cambelt for 20k miles, Michelin tyres. I'm hoping it'll last me a little bit as a shed for running to work and back.
I paid next to nothing for it.
It's had lots of new parts and it's got the allegedly reliable 1.8 zetec engine.
I can't decide whether or not to spend a little on it so it sees me comfortably through a year (20k miles) + maybe then some.
I'm a bit scared to treat it to reasonable mid range tyres, a service etc incase it doesn't last very much longer.
I know cars rarely just go pop if maintained, and this one has been maintained very well. They do become uneconomical to repair, but with a fairly recent clutch, a slick gearbox and not much seemingly wrong at all bar perhaps a dodgy wheel bearing (could be the worn tyres which need replacing) I can't see it packing up any time soon.
What do the other sheddists think, worth spending a few hundred on over the next few weeks or is it money wasted? Can't be arsed to look for anything else and I'm already quite fond of it, it drives very nicely, like it's got a quarter of the miles. If not then I might try and find some reasonable part worns, have the oil changed by my local grease monkey c£40 and leave it at that, run it as long as it lasts.
Edited by V12biTurbo on Sunday 14th August 15:10
timster said:
Thanks! That one wasn't much help as its too far, but the post was helpful, as I tapped almera in to eBay and happened across a nice low mileage green one near me, bought it for £400. I've heard about the timing chain issues but this one seems great so far, I'll happily run it in to the ground 
cheers V12biTurbo said:
Funnily enough I picked up a Focus a fortnight ago with 175k on the clock!
I paid next to nothing for it.
It's had lots of new parts and it's got the allegedly reliable 1.8 zetec engine.
I can't decide whether or not to spend a little on it so it sees me comfortably through a year (20k miles) + maybe then some.
I'm a bit scared to treat it to reasonable mid range tyres, a service etc incase it doesn't last very much longer.
I know cars rarely just go pop if maintained, and this one has been maintained very well. They do become uneconomical to repair, but with a fairly recent clutch, a slick gearbox and not much seemingly wrong at all bar perhaps a dodgy wheel bearing (could be the worn tyres which need replacing) I can't see it packing up any time soon.
What do the other sheddists think, worth spending a few hundred on over the next few weeks or is it money wasted? Can't be arsed to look for anything else and I'm already quite fond of it, it drives very nicely, like it's got a quarter of the miles. If not then I might try and find some reasonable part worns, have the oil changed by my local grease monkey c£40 and leave it at that, run it as long as it lasts.
Providing it isn't rusty, then I reckon you'd be safe sticking on some decent rubber and giving it some love. Those engines are pretty robust and won't likely grenade itself just because of the mileage. I paid next to nothing for it.
It's had lots of new parts and it's got the allegedly reliable 1.8 zetec engine.
I can't decide whether or not to spend a little on it so it sees me comfortably through a year (20k miles) + maybe then some.
I'm a bit scared to treat it to reasonable mid range tyres, a service etc incase it doesn't last very much longer.
I know cars rarely just go pop if maintained, and this one has been maintained very well. They do become uneconomical to repair, but with a fairly recent clutch, a slick gearbox and not much seemingly wrong at all bar perhaps a dodgy wheel bearing (could be the worn tyres which need replacing) I can't see it packing up any time soon.
What do the other sheddists think, worth spending a few hundred on over the next few weeks or is it money wasted? Can't be arsed to look for anything else and I'm already quite fond of it, it drives very nicely, like it's got a quarter of the miles. If not then I might try and find some reasonable part worns, have the oil changed by my local grease monkey c£40 and leave it at that, run it as long as it lasts.
Edited by V12biTurbo on Sunday 14th August 15:10
You might find yourself replacing other bits and bobs, perhaps suspension components etc, as high mileage goes that's pretty high, but if it's been well looked after chances are it'll do you for however long you want to keep running and maintaining it.
Good handling car the focus, I loved driving my ex wife's one
TBH at the mileage mine is at (and yours!) I'm more inclined to run it as a shed; minumum maintenance, minimum love, push my luck with the cambelt change & hope it makes it to the next test - if not, rinse and repeat.
I collected mine today, unfortunately the Michelin tyres are at the end of their useful life, so I need to stick some boots on mine too. Think I will try to find some half decent part worns, not usually my bag but on a 300 quid, 180k miles car I'm not going to go to town on it. I'd also assumed the air con would be working as it had a new condenser 2 years ago, but seems it needs a re gas or worse. Luckily it's got a sunroof so I'm not too bothered!
Very impressed how well it drives for something that's got moon miles, i was re bushed and had various suspension bits within the last 80k, clutch 40k ago and serviced every 10-12k.
I'd go as far as to say it's almost as nice to drive as the swift sport I've just got rid of. Excellent handling! Comfy too. I would even go as far as maybe replacing it with another when the time comes. The bloke I bought it from had its replacement parked next to it... Same colour, same ghia trim, same engine, just lower miles. Looks like a low mileage one would be an excellent long term hack
The best thing about it is I've just went to tesco and parked right outside next to two badly parked MPV's and didn't care a jot. Haven't parked that close in years
I collected mine today, unfortunately the Michelin tyres are at the end of their useful life, so I need to stick some boots on mine too. Think I will try to find some half decent part worns, not usually my bag but on a 300 quid, 180k miles car I'm not going to go to town on it. I'd also assumed the air con would be working as it had a new condenser 2 years ago, but seems it needs a re gas or worse. Luckily it's got a sunroof so I'm not too bothered!
Very impressed how well it drives for something that's got moon miles, i was re bushed and had various suspension bits within the last 80k, clutch 40k ago and serviced every 10-12k.
I'd go as far as to say it's almost as nice to drive as the swift sport I've just got rid of. Excellent handling! Comfy too. I would even go as far as maybe replacing it with another when the time comes. The bloke I bought it from had its replacement parked next to it... Same colour, same ghia trim, same engine, just lower miles. Looks like a low mileage one would be an excellent long term hack
The best thing about it is I've just went to tesco and parked right outside next to two badly parked MPV's and didn't care a jot. Haven't parked that close in years
Edited by CX53 on Sunday 14th August 15:51
I know, the problem is when the cambelt change is probably half the cost of the car it becomes more attractive just to risk it. It was done 3 years ago at 100k and it's now on 182, recommended interval by ford is 100k or 10 years, so on that basis I've still got 18k or 7 years left! Advice online seems to recommend changing much earlier than 100k though...
CX53 said:
The bloke I bought it from had its replacement parked next to it... Same colour, same ghia trim, same engine, just lower miles.
Is it possible that he likes these particular cars but seems to think this one is about to die?Edited by CX53 on Sunday 14th August 15:51
Hopefully he just saw the lower mileage one and thought he'd hedge his bets on it.
It's definitely quite possible, it was my first thought! The thing is if it only lasts me three months ill still be happy, or till the next test in January even happier. The emissions tests at the last MOT look pretty good, they couldn't even record a level of CO2 or HC. Allegedly it's had quite an easy life doing 100 miles a day up and down the motorway in 5th.
He said he had one before that he sold at a similar mileage - it needs tyres, not too far off a cambelt, due an oil service in 2000 miles, perhaps he just didn't want to invest any more in to it and saw it as a good time to get shot, or perhaps it's on it's way out...
It certainly drives very very well, clutch is excellent, gearbox smooth, engine quiet. I'll get my mechanic to have a poke round it before I decide how long it's likely to last and if it's worth a cambelt at some point etc
Fingers crossed it's a good shed!
He said he had one before that he sold at a similar mileage - it needs tyres, not too far off a cambelt, due an oil service in 2000 miles, perhaps he just didn't want to invest any more in to it and saw it as a good time to get shot, or perhaps it's on it's way out...
It certainly drives very very well, clutch is excellent, gearbox smooth, engine quiet. I'll get my mechanic to have a poke round it before I decide how long it's likely to last and if it's worth a cambelt at some point etc
Fingers crossed it's a good shed!
CX53 said:
It's definitely quite possible, it was my first thought! The thing is if it only lasts me three months ill still be happy, or till the next test in January even happier. The emissions tests at the last MOT look pretty good, they couldn't even record a level of CO2 or HC. Allegedly it's had quite an easy life doing 100 miles a day up and down the motorway in 5th.
He said he had one before that he sold at a similar mileage - it needs tyres, not too far off a cambelt, due an oil service in 2000 miles, perhaps he just didn't want to invest any more in to it and saw it as a good time to get shot, or perhaps it's on it's way out...
It certainly drives very very well, clutch is excellent, gearbox smooth, engine quiet. I'll get my mechanic to have a poke round it before I decide how long it's likely to last and if it's worth a cambelt at some point etc
Fingers crossed it's a good shed!
Good luck then. Maybe he just saw the opportunity to get the car he really likes with lower mileage so he took it. That's the hope anyway!He said he had one before that he sold at a similar mileage - it needs tyres, not too far off a cambelt, due an oil service in 2000 miles, perhaps he just didn't want to invest any more in to it and saw it as a good time to get shot, or perhaps it's on it's way out...
It certainly drives very very well, clutch is excellent, gearbox smooth, engine quiet. I'll get my mechanic to have a poke round it before I decide how long it's likely to last and if it's worth a cambelt at some point etc
Fingers crossed it's a good shed!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-Y-NISSAN-PRIMERA-2-...
Not cool, but probably all the car you will ever need.
Not cool, but probably all the car you will ever need.
A clean, low mileage 205 diesel for 475 quid, you say?
It's five door as well!
I really, really like the look of this. I see he wants something sporty... maybe he'd take my slightly knackered SportKa in exchange.
It's five door as well!
I really, really like the look of this. I see he wants something sporty... maybe he'd take my slightly knackered SportKa in exchange.
The Spruce goose said:
At the head of the ad it's green and £200 but in the item description it's black and £300!
The Spruce goose said:
Looks like the front near side is stoved in! MG-Steve said:
The Spruce goose said:
Looks like the front near side is stoved in! Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff