My £500 snotter challenge....a few observations.
Discussion
Friend of mine recently bought a Volkswagen Polo as his previous daily driver was off the road.
12 months MOT and tax but slightly rusty arches, £120!
He used it for around a month with no issues at all until his Audi was back on the road. Now up for sale as it isn't needed anymore.
There's still bargains to be had.
12 months MOT and tax but slightly rusty arches, £120!
He used it for around a month with no issues at all until his Audi was back on the road. Now up for sale as it isn't needed anymore.
There's still bargains to be had.
I'd echo those who point out that there are genuine bargains out there around this pricepoint, the problems stated in the ads often being the truth.
I bought a 97 318is coupe, manual with 106k on the clock, near full year MOT and 5 months tax for £695. Expected a ropey example, showed up and found a rust-free totally straight car. Had 4 matching non-ditchfinders and a folder of history.
Was still trying to work out what the catch was when I sold it after 14 months of total reliability and a sailed-through MOT. Sold on for a small profit, new owner still driving daily with no faults.
I personally go by the grammar/ language used in the ad, and if Im happy with that then by a conversation with the seller on the phone. The slightest hint of chav/ Del Boy and Im out.
Autotrader has the bargains imho, it's used by non-petrolheads who have often had the car for some time, and have enough arsed to write and pay for a proper ad on a mainstream site. You could probably find more cheapness on the Bay, but your trawling an ocean of s
t to find it...
I bought a 97 318is coupe, manual with 106k on the clock, near full year MOT and 5 months tax for £695. Expected a ropey example, showed up and found a rust-free totally straight car. Had 4 matching non-ditchfinders and a folder of history.
Was still trying to work out what the catch was when I sold it after 14 months of total reliability and a sailed-through MOT. Sold on for a small profit, new owner still driving daily with no faults.
I personally go by the grammar/ language used in the ad, and if Im happy with that then by a conversation with the seller on the phone. The slightest hint of chav/ Del Boy and Im out.
Autotrader has the bargains imho, it's used by non-petrolheads who have often had the car for some time, and have enough arsed to write and pay for a proper ad on a mainstream site. You could probably find more cheapness on the Bay, but your trawling an ocean of s
t to find it...jonnM said:
backwoodsman said:
daemon said:
Focus petrol is also a good buy but at this price point the back arches are going to be crusty.
Mine are perfect.
Even if they were starting to go a bit, it wouldnt put me off buying one anyway if it was otherwise suitable - great cars
Some cars do have faults, we have all lived with the odd foible, and if someone mentions it then I prefer that as I would rather know about it than find it when I go to view.
Total exposure on a £500 car is about £300 as you can always scrap or Ebay it.
I get more worried when spending more as really, whatever happens you are stuck with sorting it, and on a five grand car you arent really that much further from an expensive failure than a £500 one.
Total exposure on a £500 car is about £300 as you can always scrap or Ebay it.
I get more worried when spending more as really, whatever happens you are stuck with sorting it, and on a five grand car you arent really that much further from an expensive failure than a £500 one.
I've run head long into this, sometimes eyes open, other times shut completely.
I did a drunked ebay thing a couple of years ago, went looking for the cheapest car I could find that had 12 months ticket on it. Ended up with a T plate Ford Escort, rust wasnt too bad, but on the way back home (around 100 miles) the exhaust collapsed and I realised the cooling fan wasnt working. I planned to get a scrappie exhaust, but needed everything from the manifold back, and there just werent any at my local place. Ended up having to Kwik Fit it and got a bit bummed in the process. The ISCV I just left, it was fun trying to make it unstall and brake at the same time
On the flipside, I picked up a Pug 307 HDi, which had starship miles, but everything that needed fixing was done with basic tools and it was better for it. It needed a clutch, but once you learned how to drive around it, particularly in first, it was fine. I put 20k on it before I sold it on for the same £500 that I bought it for, clutch still juddering away.
Excuses I've always seen on adverts
- Easy fix, just havent got time to look at it = not going anywhere near it, I think I know what's wrong and it's going to be expensive
- Will try and fix before sold = I'm not touching it
- Should fly through next MOT = I'm glad I'm not going to be paying for those repairs
- No testpilots = we wont be driving anywhere incase you hear the knackered bushes
I did a drunked ebay thing a couple of years ago, went looking for the cheapest car I could find that had 12 months ticket on it. Ended up with a T plate Ford Escort, rust wasnt too bad, but on the way back home (around 100 miles) the exhaust collapsed and I realised the cooling fan wasnt working. I planned to get a scrappie exhaust, but needed everything from the manifold back, and there just werent any at my local place. Ended up having to Kwik Fit it and got a bit bummed in the process. The ISCV I just left, it was fun trying to make it unstall and brake at the same time
On the flipside, I picked up a Pug 307 HDi, which had starship miles, but everything that needed fixing was done with basic tools and it was better for it. It needed a clutch, but once you learned how to drive around it, particularly in first, it was fine. I put 20k on it before I sold it on for the same £500 that I bought it for, clutch still juddering away.
Excuses I've always seen on adverts
- Easy fix, just havent got time to look at it = not going anywhere near it, I think I know what's wrong and it's going to be expensive
- Will try and fix before sold = I'm not touching it
- Should fly through next MOT = I'm glad I'm not going to be paying for those repairs
- No testpilots = we wont be driving anywhere incase you hear the knackered bushes
J4CKO said:
Some cars do have faults, we have all lived with the odd foible, and if someone mentions it then I prefer that as I would rather know about it than find it when I go to view.
Total exposure on a £500 car is about £300 as you can always scrap or Ebay it.
I get more worried when spending more as really, whatever happens you are stuck with sorting it, and on a five grand car you arent really that much further from an expensive failure than a £500 one.
This is precisely the rationale that I have used in my last few car purchases Total exposure on a £500 car is about £300 as you can always scrap or Ebay it.
I get more worried when spending more as really, whatever happens you are stuck with sorting it, and on a five grand car you arent really that much further from an expensive failure than a £500 one.
This almost fell in budget, but surprisingly the advert put me off
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-VAUXHALL-ASTRA-SXI-...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-VAUXHALL-ASTRA-SXI-...
littlebasher said:
This almost fell in budget, but surprisingly the advert put me off
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-VAUXHALL-ASTRA-SXI-...
Clearly a trader, so its a doctored up £250 auction specialhttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-VAUXHALL-ASTRA-SXI-...
daemon said:
Just spotted another classic in an advert - "Wee spots of rust round wings which all bmw's this age do"
Oh thats ok then - other BMWs are rusty too so i'll not worry about the rust on the one you're looking top dollar for!
very true especially when looking at E46s. Oh thats ok then - other BMWs are rusty too so i'll not worry about the rust on the one you're looking top dollar for!
Another one I spotted was a E46 listed as having a small oil leak from between the engine and gearbox that didn't effect the clutch and was quoted as £50 to fix.... a dam good price for a rear main seal.
andy-xr said:
...
Excuses I've always seen on adverts
- Easy fix, just havent got time to look at it = not going anywhere near it, I think I know what's wrong and it's going to be expensive
- Will try and fix before sold = I'm not touching it
- Should fly through next MOT = I'm glad I'm not going to be paying for those repairs
- No testpilots = we wont be driving anywhere incase you hear the knackered bushes
Odd one I have seen a few times.Excuses I've always seen on adverts
- Easy fix, just havent got time to look at it = not going anywhere near it, I think I know what's wrong and it's going to be expensive
- Will try and fix before sold = I'm not touching it
- Should fly through next MOT = I'm glad I'm not going to be paying for those repairs
- No testpilots = we wont be driving anywhere incase you hear the knackered bushes
Ideal for export - Why? Totally beyond economical repair or a CAT something write off?
All the ones I seem to find have headgasket faults. Or this odd one: Could be the distributer cap.
I've done Ok with snotters in the past few years.
My 1st, a 2000 Saab 9-5 2.0t picked up for £500. It provided 2 years of daily driving although I did spend about the same over the 2 years on consumables (tyres, oil etc) and some required maintenance. Wish i'd held onto it as it was a really straight old car.
Another 2000 Saab 9-5, a 2.3 auto provided 7000 miles of service over 6 months. Did absolutely nothing to it bar top up the oil. Lost £50 over the 7 months I had it - sold for £500
Picked up a cosmetically rough but mechanically reasonable £450 Pug 406 1.9td estate earlier this year. 2 owners from new and by a twist of fate the car was owned by a family friend for it's 1st 7 years. Sold with a few months MOT left on it and a few niggles to sort. Great car and now owned by a mate who needed a cheap diesel. Financially not the best of the snotters as I'd put a couple of tyres and some tax on it but helping a mate is worth that I think.
I'm up in the world now in a Alfa 166, still worth very little and now sporting a fresh MOT but I kinda miss the fun of seeking out a cheap, straight car.
My 1st, a 2000 Saab 9-5 2.0t picked up for £500. It provided 2 years of daily driving although I did spend about the same over the 2 years on consumables (tyres, oil etc) and some required maintenance. Wish i'd held onto it as it was a really straight old car.
Another 2000 Saab 9-5, a 2.3 auto provided 7000 miles of service over 6 months. Did absolutely nothing to it bar top up the oil. Lost £50 over the 7 months I had it - sold for £500
Picked up a cosmetically rough but mechanically reasonable £450 Pug 406 1.9td estate earlier this year. 2 owners from new and by a twist of fate the car was owned by a family friend for it's 1st 7 years. Sold with a few months MOT left on it and a few niggles to sort. Great car and now owned by a mate who needed a cheap diesel. Financially not the best of the snotters as I'd put a couple of tyres and some tax on it but helping a mate is worth that I think.
I'm up in the world now in a Alfa 166, still worth very little and now sporting a fresh MOT but I kinda miss the fun of seeking out a cheap, straight car.
I've had a few cheap cars, first was an 02 plate Fiat Punto 1.2 for £700, long MOT and tax and as far as I could tell, a genuine no problem car. I've since had a V reg Seat Ibiza for £200, all the issues other than the broken driver's window regulator were self inflicted. I'm currently driving a £450 Peugeot 106 diesel that, so far at least, is doing me well
Also I've got a Puma for £500 if you're interested
Also I've got a Puma for £500 if you're interested
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff