anyone here owned a Sierra?

[shnozz]

My TVR is not liking the rain too much. I also fancy having a chance to garage her to do some winter jobs without her being on the road.

So I am looking at a cheapie Sierra to run through the winter. I want something v reliable that will be cheap as chips to run (but not really a hatchback as I want it to double up as a load carrier)

Is the Sierra a good bet (thinking G/H reg)

Much obliged

[Podie]

Phil - How much you looking to spend?

[mondeoman]

I've had a couple of 4x4s before now - getting a bit long in the tooth these days, but generally solid if you get a good un. Expect about 25 mpg, good handling and fun. Most other Sierras will run out of puff once they get to about 100k miles IMHO.

oh and if you want a load carried then the hatchback is best .......

>> Edited by mondeoman on Friday 18th October 12:35

[big rumbly]

I had a cossie, but have been in many "normal" ones, thy're great cars, reliable, bearing in mind age and miles etc. Great load carriers, and dont cost muck to run 25-30 MPG.

[Basil Brush]

I had an F plate 2.0i for a couple of years while I had the bike. Had to have a clutch (£90), a starter (£40) and a suspension arm (£20) while I had it. Sold it for £30 with 6 months MOT left.

[Podie]

Best bet is to look through a local paper.

Mate fo mine pciked up a K-plater (1.8 I think) for £495.

It was IMMACULATE. Owned by the same family, and went from main car to second car and then to the offspring. Been Ford serviced ALL it's life, paint was amazing and not a psot of rust..!

[The Wiz]

Had a RS500 Cossie at one point. Highly recommend one of those.

[marki]

had a xr4x4 it was a good car , but it was 12 years ago and thats the prob here i think they are getting long in the tooth now

[bikerkeith]

Marki is right, they are all going to the scrapheap now. Even early Mundanos are looking very tatty and rusty.

[shnozz]

i am looking at spending peanuts to be honest. I dont have any spare cash so it was an impulse thing to buy another car on a credit card to keep the TVR off the road in the sh*t weather.

Have seen a G reg for £195 with MOT and tax til next July. I want something that I can pick up parts from scrap heaps and figured a sierra is about the right size too.

edited to say - might well sell it/scrap it again come spring when the TVR comes out for summer and then buy another winter runaround next year..unless it turns out to be 100% reliable and I am confident on an MOT pass

>> Edited by shnozz on Friday 18th October 14:38

[nmlowe]

why not try a MK3 Cavalier?

Saw an M-reg GLS 1.8i in dark green at a garage yesterday for £900. Looked in really tidy condition.
IMHO, the Cav looks less dated than a Sierra.

Edited because:

Sorry I missed your last post about the £190 budget.

Try www.autotrader.co.uk for some really shockingly cheap cars.

>> Edited by nmlowe on Friday 18th October 14:39

[Podie]

Check the "part-ex to clear" sections of trade ads and stuff... try those freebie mags you see in petrol stations and saino's???

[shnozz]

haven't got £900. Set myself a max of £500 but would like to spend £200 - £300 and then can just scrap it next year if no MOT/tax left.

Plus it'll be TP only on the insurance

[Gaffer]

We had a Sierra Estate once but it was a TVR Special, it was a development car of the time so perhaps I am not the best when it comes to normal Sierras.

[icamm]

I had one a couple of years ago (1.6 estate) for the same reasons. Dead cheap to run and cheap parts.

Was running on 3 cylinders for a while and we couldn't find the cause so got another engine for £25.

[markda]

I know someone who is selling a beautiful UK spec cavalier hehe

4 new tyres, new front disc and pads. Almost full history!! with 109,000 miles. 6mths Tax and MOT til april 2003. Think he wanted about 500, but think he is open to offers.

He is in basingstoke, so if interested mail me.

>> Edited by markda on Friday 18th October 21:24

[BIF]

I`ve had several company car Sierras some years ago, great relaibility, cheap as chips to repair with lots of s/h bits about. Highly recommended for cheap "gofer"
Had estates, 4 x 4, and standard 2.0 all OK