Nastiest...stingiest...most tight fisted.....

[theironduke]

...recommendation.

At the moment i've got an MX5 and my 928. The 928 is going soon...i hope...BUT will be replaced with another one.

I'm thinking of getting rid of the '5 and getting something which fits the description above therefore a) saving a bit in fuel (i know the '5 isn't THAT thirsty but i'm sure there are more economical things out there...) b) allowing me to spend more money on the new 928...AND i'll appreciate the Porsche more.

So i'm looking for suggestions for a thrifty hack which can be run for pennies and will make me appreciate having a 928 diseasal or petrol i'm easy!!!

Budget would be 1000, ideally less and insurance etc isn't an issue as i'm 25, not that i imagine it to be anyway come to think of it!

[LuS1fer]

It doesn't always work that way. I have a Golf GTI Mk III as a daily hack and a friend has a Golf 1.4 Mk III as a hack as a foil to his Z06. YEs, they do make you appreciate your nice car but they can also make you realise that these cars fulfil all the requirements of transport and speed without breaking the bank.

[deadslow]

'Duke, off topic, sorry, but why do you not like the manual 928?

[Morningside]

928 - I would love one of those.

[Carpie]

306 dturbo? I liked mine, didn't feel like a small car.

[jonnylayze]

Seat Arosa 1.7 SDI - all things considered the most versatile, frugal and economic car to run - bar none.

[Carpie]

But all the costs and hassle of changing the MX-5 to something a little better on fuel (it surely must be able to average 35-40 with a light foot?) isn't going to save you money for a while yet.

Plus you'd be changing from a car which is very good to drive and can have the roof put down to one which isn't a sought after driving icon and can't go topless. It's not worth it.

[dome]

Get an old merc diesel and run it on used veg oil from your local chippy. Doesn't get much cheaper to run than that and you'll appreciate your other fine piece of vintage german metal when you drive it;)

[jamiebae]

jonnylayze said:

Seat Arosa 1.7 SDI - all things considered the most versatile, frugal and economic car to run - bar none.

Costs too much to tax though. What you need is a Saxo 1.5D or even an old 1.4D AX!

[plg]

Carpie said:

306 dturbo? I liked mine, didn't feel like a small car.

Or with 5 doors, the XRDT. I liked mine as well, it went surprisingly well and pretty reliable.

[vit4]

jamiebae said:

jonnylayze said:

Seat Arosa 1.7 SDI - all things considered the most versatile, frugal and economic car to run - bar none.

Costs too much to tax though. What you need is a Saxo 1.5D or even an old 1.4D AX!

Dare I suggest the 1.5D Rover 115? Pig slow but about a zillion miles a gallon, and doubt anything would make you 'appreciate' the Porsche more than that!

[dan19evans]

Morningside said:

928 - I would love one of those.

+1

[Speedracer329]

Well, if you must..............how about a Citroen ZX 1.9 non turbo diseasel? Cheap as chips to buy, easy 50 to the gallon, very comfy, totally anonymous, so you can leave it anywhere. I had one as a second car, did 40k miles in a year & a half, all I bought were 2 new tyres & i sold it for £200 more than I paid for it!!

[Dontlift]

Carpie said:

306 dturbo? I liked mine, didn't feel like a small car.

Thats cause they have the same stearing system as the QE2

[MarJay]

If you really really want to be stingy, do a CBT, buy a crash helmet and buy a Honda CG125. £30 tax (or is it £15?) 100mpg.

[jonnylayze]

jamiebae said:

jonnylayze said:

Seat Arosa 1.7 SDI - all things considered the most versatile, frugal and economic car to run - bar none.

Costs too much to tax though. What you need is a Saxo 1.5D or even an old 1.4D AX!

At 70mpg you soon make the extra tax back - ony £205 anyway because they predate the 2001 emissions based taxation.

I think anything small with a normally aspirated diesel is probably a good buy. Nice and torquey but brilliant economy. The thing with the Arosa was that it actually feels quite big in the front and, with the seats down the load space is cavernous. A Lupo is basically the same but badge snobbery usually dicates that they command a premium

[bazking69]

Six of one half a dozen. You'll certainly appreciate the nicer car when you get back into it, but you'll begin to question how much it costs and is it worth it in the face of frugal and reliable motoring.

[braddo]

Take look at the Citroen AX's in the classifieds - looks like some frugal fun in there.