Who Else ENJOYS Bangernomics?
Discussion
Maybe I'm a bit of a weird one, but as much as I like my Subaru Outback with it's comfy ride and heated leather seats, I really miss my crappy old K11 Micra. It cost me £250, I didn't care about it getting dinged or driving on fun tracks that would scuff the paint. If anything went wrong, I could fix it for less than £50 in my driveway, and I sold it for more than I paid for it.
I'm seriously considering buying a 106 1.5d just to have another car like this. 60MPG, £300 and a whole lot of fun, even if a 100 mile journey leaves you destroyed. Apparently you can also use veg oil, which could be an interesting experiment.
I'm seriously considering buying a 106 1.5d just to have another car like this. 60MPG, £300 and a whole lot of fun, even if a 100 mile journey leaves you destroyed. Apparently you can also use veg oil, which could be an interesting experiment.
I get where you are coming from.
Several years ago my car was off the road waiting for a part. I still needed a set of wheels so my choice was rent something or buy a cheap runabout. I took the second option and bought a Citroën AX Forte for £250.00. Ran the car for three years and it only needed two tyres across the front end in that time. I covered about 20,000 miles never serviced it, the keys never came out of the ignition, it was totally indestructible. Traded it in when the scrappage scheme was on.
I often look at the price of older 2nd hand cars now and have to stop myself buying a slack handful every week.
Several years ago my car was off the road waiting for a part. I still needed a set of wheels so my choice was rent something or buy a cheap runabout. I took the second option and bought a Citroën AX Forte for £250.00. Ran the car for three years and it only needed two tyres across the front end in that time. I covered about 20,000 miles never serviced it, the keys never came out of the ignition, it was totally indestructible. Traded it in when the scrappage scheme was on.
I often look at the price of older 2nd hand cars now and have to stop myself buying a slack handful every week.
In between cars at the minute bought an MG ZR 105 to run around in, £800 with a brand new head gasket (long story, it failed and dealer out brand new uprated one on), rubbish tyres that squeal and slide all over, no power, brakes rubbish (compared to what I'm used to), but for some reason I jump in and love it. Bit of a challenge to keep some momentum up, love a roundabout for some lift off oversteer, can park it in the crap spots at work and not have to walk half a mile. Makes me wonder why bother with a new car sometimes. Had it 2 weeks so not sure if all this will get tedious in time though?
Yep, I'm certainly loving this.
Bought a diesel Peugeot 205 about 6 months back. Although it was bought with heart and not head (fond memories etc.) and I ended up spending more than was planned
I love the 55 MPG and the comfortable feeling that it can never throw up a big bill. I was also sick and tired of people putting dents in (bashing their doors in to) my others cars, so I use the Pug as much as possible to protect them.
As a bonus it's actually fun to drive and to me at least, it looks good
Bought a diesel Peugeot 205 about 6 months back. Although it was bought with heart and not head (fond memories etc.) and I ended up spending more than was planned
I love the 55 MPG and the comfortable feeling that it can never throw up a big bill. I was also sick and tired of people putting dents in (bashing their doors in to) my others cars, so I use the Pug as much as possible to protect them.As a bonus it's actually fun to drive and to me at least, it looks good
Touringforfun said:
I get where you are coming from.
Several years ago my car was off the road waiting for a part. I still needed a set of wheels so my choice was rent something or buy a cheap runabout. I took the second option and bought a Citroën AX Forte for £250.00. Ran the car for three years and it only needed two tyres across the front end in that time. I covered about 20,000 miles never serviced it, the keys never came out of the ignition, it was totally indestructible. Traded it in when the scrappage scheme was on.
I often look at the price of older 2nd hand cars now and have to stop myself buying a slack handful every week.
Wow. Three years is a long wait for a partSeveral years ago my car was off the road waiting for a part. I still needed a set of wheels so my choice was rent something or buy a cheap runabout. I took the second option and bought a Citroën AX Forte for £250.00. Ran the car for three years and it only needed two tyres across the front end in that time. I covered about 20,000 miles never serviced it, the keys never came out of the ignition, it was totally indestructible. Traded it in when the scrappage scheme was on.
I often look at the price of older 2nd hand cars now and have to stop myself buying a slack handful every week.
I nearly bought a shed for a short time when i was starting a new job with a car allowance and i was used to a company car.
In the end i borrowed the other half's car for three months. After all the cheapest car is the one you've already got.
Mr Bishi Chancer said:
Yep, I'm certainly loving this.
Bought a diesel Peugeot 205 about 6 months back. Although it was bought with heart and not head (fond memories etc.) and I ended up spending more than was planned I love the 55 MPG and the comfortable feeling that it can never throw up a big bill. I was also sick and tired of people putting dents in (bashing their doors in to) my others cars, so I use the Pug as much as possible to protect them.
As a bonus it's actually fun to drive and to me at least, it looks good
An Inca with PTS stripes and steelies painted that way makes Ari Vatanen cry.Bought a diesel Peugeot 205 about 6 months back. Although it was bought with heart and not head (fond memories etc.) and I ended up spending more than was planned
I love the 55 MPG and the comfortable feeling that it can never throw up a big bill. I was also sick and tired of people putting dents in (bashing their doors in to) my others cars, so I use the Pug as much as possible to protect them.As a bonus it's actually fun to drive and to me at least, it looks good
Good shed though.
I do. I love it. I love the notion of getting something for nothing. Maybe I'm just a cheapskate but I run 2 cars including tax and insurance for less than the lease cost of that well known exotic, the Golf TDi. Every time I get in either I grin at how little I paid for either one and how much fun I have per pound. One is just a toy, the other is a daily driver, currently getting heavy use.
Not all bangers are equally enjoyable. It does depend on reliability. Get a good one and they are unstoppable. An average one can be lived with but it's less fun and you have to start being resourceful. I'm self employed and so far none of my bangers have cost me a day's pay but if they ever did I'd be very brassed off. This is of course the refrain of half of my friends "Oh, I'd have an old car like yours, but I can't afford to have it break down on me." Oh, and I can? If your car breaks down then you have to get the bus to work. If mine fails to get me to the client's factory, ever, I'm out a day's pay.
The best bangers I've had have wormed their way into my affections over time. The current Mondeo was just a set of wheels but it's starting to impress me now, I'm doing 2k miles a month without a hitch. It nearly went to the breakers last MoT, I'm now glad I spent the money. Before that was a Saab 9-5, great car but it developed every known Saab fault and eventually I got rid. Shame, but it was just a bit too far down the food chain for the work I needed to do. I never fell in love with it. Before that was a Vectra that was very average, it didn't do anything very well and gave me a few problems, and when I sold it cheap it was more trouble than it was worth. Before that again was an old Astra, total poverty spec, but a great car. 2 MoT's, one no advisories, the second 4 advisories, no fails. Never let me down in 2 years other than when a battery died and I had to park it on a hill during an evening out. A great car, and when it went I gave it a little pat. It had had its time in the sun, it took me to France for work, and I brought it back so it could finish off its days pottering around Leeds.
Not all bangers are equally enjoyable. It does depend on reliability. Get a good one and they are unstoppable. An average one can be lived with but it's less fun and you have to start being resourceful. I'm self employed and so far none of my bangers have cost me a day's pay but if they ever did I'd be very brassed off. This is of course the refrain of half of my friends "Oh, I'd have an old car like yours, but I can't afford to have it break down on me." Oh, and I can? If your car breaks down then you have to get the bus to work. If mine fails to get me to the client's factory, ever, I'm out a day's pay.
The best bangers I've had have wormed their way into my affections over time. The current Mondeo was just a set of wheels but it's starting to impress me now, I'm doing 2k miles a month without a hitch. It nearly went to the breakers last MoT, I'm now glad I spent the money. Before that was a Saab 9-5, great car but it developed every known Saab fault and eventually I got rid. Shame, but it was just a bit too far down the food chain for the work I needed to do. I never fell in love with it. Before that was a Vectra that was very average, it didn't do anything very well and gave me a few problems, and when I sold it cheap it was more trouble than it was worth. Before that again was an old Astra, total poverty spec, but a great car. 2 MoT's, one no advisories, the second 4 advisories, no fails. Never let me down in 2 years other than when a battery died and I had to park it on a hill during an evening out. A great car, and when it went I gave it a little pat. It had had its time in the sun, it took me to France for work, and I brought it back so it could finish off its days pottering around Leeds.
roystinho said:
In between cars at the minute bought an MG ZR 105 to run around in, £800 with a brand new head gasket (long story, it failed and dealer out brand new uprated one on), rubbish tyres that squeal and slide all over, no power, brakes rubbish (compared to what I'm used to), but for some reason I jump in and love it. Bit of a challenge to keep some momentum up, love a roundabout for some lift off oversteer, can park it in the crap spots at work and not have to walk half a mile. Makes me wonder why bother with a new car sometimes. Had it 2 weeks so not sure if all this will get tedious in time though?
My 3 month Rover 25 has turned into 3 years. Very rarely felt it's underpowered but in London/South East & there usually seems to be a Micra in front of me anyway. Hint, rev limit is 6800.My trouble is that I struggle to treat anything as disposable so I've not really got a bangernomics mentality.
Bangernomics are ace. We spent the princely sum of £3ish k on a Hilux Surf about 10 years ago and it is still going strong. It was our main car until a couple of months ago. Servicing costs buttons. Only major item was a new cylinder head; £650 fitted I think. Rad has been replaced. Oh yeah, the alternator went a few months ago. So maybe a little over £1k in parts and labour in ten years for stuff that has failed. Let's say we could sell it for 1k (Taliban would probably make an offer). It'll have cost us a bit less than £50 a month. And the a/c still works.
I love bangernomics and have so far been successful / lucky 
I actually love driving s
t cars. I love driving anything, but st cars have the added 'who gives a fk' factor.
Current banger is a £250 Saxo which has been great fun and has never failed to get me to my destination so I can forgive the fact I had to change a clutch and a backbox... I did give it an oil change too. Oh and I had to buy a £4.95 adapter to make the radio work...
I actually love driving s
t cars. I love driving anything, but st cars have the added 'who gives a fk' factor. Current banger is a £250 Saxo which has been great fun and has never failed to get me to my destination so I can forgive the fact I had to change a clutch and a backbox... I did give it an oil change too. Oh and I had to buy a £4.95 adapter to make the radio work...
Edited by HustleRussell on Wednesday 20th July 18:42
I love running older cars, but I'm rubbish at proper bangernomics because I end up spending a load of money sorting out niggles and doing preventative maintenance. I've maintained my cars myself for years so don't have to worry about the cost of labour, but finding the time is getting harder these days.
My best bangernomics attempt was the £150 Peugeot 309 I bought and ran for 3 years while I was a student. It was so basic that there was nothing to go too far wrong. Other than regular oil changes I think it had an exhaust, a driveshaft, some tyres and brake discs/pads/shoes in that time.
I love the refinement of my current 7 series (which by most people's standards is still an old car) but I still miss my slightly ratty Saab 9000 that came before it. It had done over 200k miles but still ran really well and even the climate control still worked perfectly, but the rust was going to need some attention and it would have cost a fortune to get the bodywork up to a decent standard. I still keep getting tempted to buy another one, but I'm not ready to part with the BMW yet.
My best bangernomics attempt was the £150 Peugeot 309 I bought and ran for 3 years while I was a student. It was so basic that there was nothing to go too far wrong. Other than regular oil changes I think it had an exhaust, a driveshaft, some tyres and brake discs/pads/shoes in that time.
I love the refinement of my current 7 series (which by most people's standards is still an old car) but I still miss my slightly ratty Saab 9000 that came before it. It had done over 200k miles but still ran really well and even the climate control still worked perfectly, but the rust was going to need some attention and it would have cost a fortune to get the bodywork up to a decent standard. I still keep getting tempted to buy another one, but I'm not ready to part with the BMW yet.
RDB said:
I love running older cars, but I'm rubbish at proper bangernomics because I end up spending a load of money sorting out niggles and doing preventative maintenance. I've maintained my cars myself for years so don't have to worry about the cost of labour, but finding the time is getting harder these days.
This is where I'm struggling, I'm looking at my £800 MG and thinking how much better would it be with better tyres, brakes and a good service/fettling... But it would be a complete waste. Imagine the tyres being worth more than the rest of the entire car together?Love bangernomics! In fact the current old Volvo (I've had a few over the years :he he: ) is the car I've kept the longest out of all of them. 5 years almost to the day since I bought it!
Its cost me very little over those 5 years. The lDt mot was the only one its failed and that was on trivial things. Its been used for a few house moves, numerous tip runs. Its looking a bit shabby now its been used and abused but its been the most reliable of cars. I've just spent £300 on servicing, some new alternator bushes and I'm on negotiations with someone off eBay for some aircon bits as one of my pipes has bust but the aircon works great usually.
Cost me £900 odd five years ago. Probably spent that on maintenance over the years but it continues to look after me and its very refreshing to be able to park it anywhere! Currently its just about to tick over 180,000 and running well!
I do keep thinking about spending money on the odd modification and tidying up. Will probably fit an MBC at some point but once you start, its a slippery slope!
Its cost me very little over those 5 years. The lDt mot was the only one its failed and that was on trivial things. Its been used for a few house moves, numerous tip runs. Its looking a bit shabby now its been used and abused but its been the most reliable of cars. I've just spent £300 on servicing, some new alternator bushes and I'm on negotiations with someone off eBay for some aircon bits as one of my pipes has bust but the aircon works great usually.
Cost me £900 odd five years ago. Probably spent that on maintenance over the years but it continues to look after me and its very refreshing to be able to park it anywhere! Currently its just about to tick over 180,000 and running well!
I do keep thinking about spending money on the odd modification and tidying up. Will probably fit an MBC at some point but once you start, its a slippery slope!
talksthetorque said:
Wow. Three years is a long wait for a part
I nearly bought a shed for a short time when i was starting a new job with a car allowance and i was used to a company car.
In the end i borrowed the other half's car for three months. After all the cheapest car is the one you've already got.
The part turned up after 2 weeks and failed to fix the problem, the car was off the road for about 6 weeks. By that time the Forte and I had bonded!I nearly bought a shed for a short time when i was starting a new job with a car allowance and i was used to a company car.
In the end i borrowed the other half's car for three months. After all the cheapest car is the one you've already got.
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