Who Else ENJOYS Bangernomics?

[Drezza]

I've got a Skoda Fabia vRS on 152k miles, keep thinking I should treat myself to something newer, but then I see the price of a similar car (albeit newer) and think what's the point? Something very liberating about not caring too much about it too, almost like reverse snobbery!

[Jazoli]

Jazoli said:

I like bangernomics too, my most recent purchase is a lightly battered Alfa 147 2.0, almost every panel is dented but it drives spot on, everything works, the AC is ice cold and its a very nice place to sit.

It cost me £400 and I've spent £30 on a thermostat, £29 on a battery, £39 on an AC regas kit and £30 on tracking and wheel balancing, it averages 32mpg on my 20 mile commute on b roads and is quite pokey, the tax is £25/month, its the best 'banger' I have had so far.

I can park it anywhere and not care, I have no evidence that the cambelt has been changed in its 145k miles but I'm not getting it done either.





Previous cheapies include a Puma 1.7, a £200 Avensis, a £100 Corsa (that has been given to youngest to learn in) lots of Focus's and Mondeo's, a Megane Cabrio, a 528i, an 850 Volvo, Cit ZX,, Pug 306, Audi A4, Accord, Golf GTI and loads more I can't remember, none of them cost me more than £500.

I also have a decent bike and my wife has a 2 year old car but I never really use it, she has changed jobs recently so that will probably be going and something cheaper bought.

I'm a firm believer in cheap cars, I've never really bought a bad one, I do most of my own spannering but these days get a mate to do anything that requires working underneath as I can't be arsed crawling around on the floor any more.

Edited by Jazoli on Sunday 31st July 22:13

Since having the Alfa back in 2016 I've had an Avensis, a MK4 Golf Gti, a Skoda Superb, An Astra J an Insignia and I've currently got a Saab 9-3 cab and a Volvo S80, it not really bangernomics in its true sense as I've not scrapped anything and have sold all the previous cars on at either break even or a small profit, I generally maintain them and spend money when needed, everything has to work and have decent tyres, I will still continue to run older stuff, I drive plenty of modern hire cars through work and they are in reality no better to drive (and in the case of a recent Yaris hybrid much much worse than anything else I've driven) than any of my previous vehicles.

[Alfahorn]

I’m not quite in the bangernomics category, however I did run a £400 Alfa 147 for a year during lockdown and it was great.

My current fleet is;

A shabby 2010 Alfa Giulietta Cloverleaf bought for £3500 in October 2020 at 101k (now on 115k)
A 2010 Brera 1750 bought for £4500 in April 2019 on 127k (now on 140k)

No plans to change, I have other priorities and I’m happy with what I have.

I can’t envisage a scenario where I’d spend any really significant money on a car again,I just don’t want to spend my money this way,

[C70R]

Chromegrill said:

My Rover 75 V6 is twenty years old this year. Just had a new engine after the old one goosed a connecting rod at 100,000 miles but in current climate of used car prices that was cheaper than getting another similar car. Aside from fuel, it costs peanuts to run (normally) and I paid a grand for it ten years ago so it owes me nothing and I owe it to keep going as long as I can still find people willing to service it.

I'm not sure you've quite grasped Bangernomics...

[spreadsheet monkey]

Seeing this thread resurface, can I frame the original question slightly differently?

Whose spouse/partner/whatever ENJOYS bangernomics? For some on here, it sounds like bangernomics is a choice and not a financial necessity.

I imagine the responses might vary wildly, between:

• Why can't we just spend a bit more and get something newer?
• What amazing car maintenance hero you are, isn't it great that we spend so little on cars.
• Are you browsing Autotrader for old Toyotas at the other end of the country AGAIN?

[Clarkedontgo]

We have a new Leon cupra and a mk4 golf diesel on 172k , I prefer the golf as it’s so comfy , knackered suspension so it floats along and velour seats , she hates it and drives the cupra

[Jaguar steve]

There is absolutely nothing else that comes remotely close to Bangernomics for liberation from care and the peace of mind that brings.

I've spent too much time and waaaaay too much money on cars in the past and have owned the entire spectrum from pampered garage queens living under cotton car covers and wanting for nothing to hopelessly knackered old wrecks without a hope in hell of passing another MOT running on barely legal scrapyard tyres.

I can't think of any car that'd tempt me into spending my way out of my current old Skoda as I've become too appreciative of it's comfort bombproof reliability and easy 65MPG as well as not giving a flying fkuck about any dirt or scrapes it picks up to contemplate buying anything more needy or restrictive than that.

Driving it I've got nothing to prove and nothing to loose. Marvelous.

[Justin Case]

I seem to have drifted into bangernomics almost unknowingly Last year I bought a three year old Volvo V40, which is too good to use for tip runs, etc, so I kept my 14 year old Mazda 6 which I had had for 11 years for such duties. VED, insurance and petrol are relatively high, so I might change it for a cheaper to run shed. (Those of you still alert may notice Man Maths creeping in to justify the cost of an extra car which will do no more than about 1,500 miles per year .) Accordingly, yesterday I saw a nice-looking Mitsubishi Carisma, I think, with illegible hand-written notice in the screen, so, as the VED is the same, insurance probably no less and it is probably less economical, I will have a look ASAP I think that I may have cracked this bangernomics thing ?

Edited by Justin Case on Monday 31st January 16:37

[spreadsheet monkey]

Jaguar steve said:

There is absolutely nothing else that comes remotely close to Bangernomics for liberation from care and the peace of mind that brings.

I've spent too much time and waaaaay too much money on cars in the past and have owned the entire spectrum from pampered garage queens living under cotton car covers and wanting for nothing to hopelessly knackered old wrecks without a hope in hell of passing another MOT running on barely legal scrapyard tyres.

You've mentioned in other threads that you've worked in the motor trade for a long time and are fairly handy with the spanners.

Bangernomics is a whole more accessible if you can do all the work on the car yourself!

You do still have a nice Jag for high days and holidays, right?

[Hoofy]

I have a Merc C "Sport Coupe" (the ugly one) shed. It still seems to work. Minor niggles but otherwise has soldiered on.

[TotalControl]

Hoofy said:

I have a Merc C "Sport Coupe" (the ugly one) shed. It still seems to work. Minor niggles but otherwise has soldiered on.

How many sheds have you had now Hoofy? Last I remember (IIRC), you had the Ovlov as well.

[Jaguar steve]

spreadsheet monkey said:

You do still have a nice Jag for high days and holidays, right?

I do, but the attraction of Bangernomics makes increasing sense to me so it's been used less and less over the past few years and I stopped using it altogether when the VED and insurance ran out last summer.

The MOT expires in March but it's only done a few hundred miles since the last one so no doubt it'll get a clean pass and then it's gonna be time to break the near 30 year run of owning Jaguar XJs and place an advert I think.

[Funkstar De Luxe]

There are few things I’ve found as liberating as owning a cheap car.

[JakeT]

spreadsheet monkey said:

Seeing this thread resurface, can I frame the original question slightly differently?

Whose spouse/partner/whatever ENJOYS bangernomics? For some on here, it sounds like bangernomics is a choice and not a financial necessity.

I imagine the responses might vary wildly, between:

• Why can't we just spend a bit more and get something newer?
• What amazing car maintenance hero you are, isn't it great that we spend so little on cars.
• Are you browsing Autotrader for old Toyotas at the other end of the country AGAIN?

My good lady is the only one of us who really partakes in bangernomics anymore. She had a nice Z3, and didn’t want to subject it to winter, and so through the trade we got her a £600 Fiesta. It’s a 2008 1.6 TDCi Zetec climate that was an ex ford management one with a massive spec for a fiesta. A/C, sunroof, parking sensors, heated front screen auto lights and wipers, even traction and stability control. It had the stability light on, and a new pressure sensor sorted that.

Since then, it’s had a new timing belt and water pump, four Goodyear tyres, and has generally been driven. It was on 26,000 miles when we got it and it’s done around 41,000 now. It’s been grand, and very cost effective. Fingers crossed the 1.6 of doom doesn’t rear its head soon. It only does about 5,000 miles a year, and the oil is done yearly.

[patmahe]

Did bangernomics for years and it worked well, I saved a fortune and learned so much looking after cars myself. Have just sold my old banger MX5 because I had a couple of close calls due to the actions of others and decided I wanted something that would stand up to a crash if I had one.

Currently in a lovely 2016 Golf GTI but I do miss the 'what'll I get next' rag it everywhere, will I get to where I'm going mentality of bangernomics. Might come back some day great way to experience lots of different cars.

[757]

patmahe said:

Did bangernomics for years and it worked well, I saved a fortune and learned so much looking after cars myself. Have just sold my old banger MX5 because I had a couple of close calls due to the actions of others and decided I wanted something that would stand up to a crash if I had one.

Currently in a lovely 2016 Golf GTI but I do miss the 'what'll I get next' rag it everywhere, will I get to where I'm going mentality of bangernomics. Might come back some day great way to experience lots of different cars.

Yeah you can save a good amount of money if you run them on a shoe string, aslong as its safe and legal you can run a car very very cheaply if you dont care.

I can do the basics (oil and filters) but even just doing this yourself you save money.

Been running my R56 2009 MINI for 3 months now, and apart from £300 on timing chain and 02 sensor, I did get it for £800, so what...£1100 it owes me, hoping to run it this year, and see hopefully if the used car prices come down a little.

[Hoofy]

TotalControl said:

Hoofy said:

I have a Merc C "Sport Coupe" (the ugly one) shed. It still seems to work. Minor niggles but otherwise has soldiered on.

How many sheds have you had now Hoofy? Last I remember (IIRC), you had the Ovlov as well.

I need to do a full write up!

In no particular order...
Volvo S60 2.4T
VW Polo Soft Top (or whatever they call it - the one with the soft top sunroof)
VW Golf Cabriolet Mk2 (manual)
VW Golf Cabriolet Mk2 (auto)
MGF
Mercedes C Class Sport Coupé

Can't think what else I had for <£1k.

[patmahe]

757 said:

patmahe said:

Did bangernomics for years and it worked well, I saved a fortune and learned so much looking after cars myself. Have just sold my old banger MX5 because I had a couple of close calls due to the actions of others and decided I wanted something that would stand up to a crash if I had one.

Currently in a lovely 2016 Golf GTI but I do miss the 'what'll I get next' rag it everywhere, will I get to where I'm going mentality of bangernomics. Might come back some day great way to experience lots of different cars.

Yeah you can save a good amount of money if you run them on a shoe string, aslong as its safe and legal you can run a car very very cheaply if you dont care.

I can do the basics (oil and filters) but even just doing this yourself you save money.

Been running my R56 2009 MINI for 3 months now, and apart from £300 on timing chain and 02 sensor, I did get it for £800, so what...£1100 it owes me, hoping to run it this year, and see hopefully if the used car prices come down a little.

The other plus side is you wind up with a nice collection of tools before too long. All for less than the price of bringing it to a mechanic.

I have noticed with the newer Golf I'm much more cautious about where I park it, great for my fitness with bangers the thought of someone denting a door or something isn't half as painful.

[Hoofy]

patmahe said:

with bangers the thought of someone denting a door or something isn't half as painful.

Well, they would just be copying me. I just let the shopping trolley bounce off my shed.