What's the best banger to buy cheap?

[nixy p]

I'm looking at getting a second car for various things I can't use mine for and for my parents to use when they visit me from France. I have a teeny tiny budget of a few hundred quid. I've been told 306 diesels are pretty bullet proof? Just want something with an MOT on that runs ok. What other cars are out there that are pretty reliable and economical for old bangers and should I be only looking at diesels?

[l4n3y1989]

I brought an 'R' reg 1998 astra G with 12 months MOT on it for £491 for my winter shed runs great!

[tinman0]

After many banger rallies under my belt, I would look for virtually any Vauxhall or even a Rover 200/400/25/45. As long as they are clean and tidy to start with, and as long as you keep em fed with diesel, oil and water, they'll go on forever.

[nixy p]

would you choose diesel over petrol? I was thinking diesel then someone said that a slightly knackered petrol will keep going but a slightly knackered diesel won't......

[vit4]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2010...

If it must be diesel. Those engines are good for 2-300,000 miles upwards if looked after properly. I'd personally go for petrol at this price range though, just because (generally) the cars available are better and far less rough/intergalactic mileage.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2010...

It'd probably need a full service once got with decent oil, but there are others on higher miles that have probably been better serviced. Got nearly a year's MOT though, it is automatic.
Or, one last one.

6 months MOT, 1.4 petrol with a 5 speed so not going to be awful on petrol. A good polish and it'd probably come up really bright, too.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2010...

[Rawwr]

I don't think there's a right answer to this. If you're delving into the jungle of £500 cars it's all a bit of a lottery. Having said that, you might just get a bargain

[tinman0]

nixy p said:

would you choose diesel over petrol? I was thinking diesel then someone said that a slightly knackered petrol will keep going but a slightly knackered diesel won't......

Not sure what people mean by "slightly knackered". If you see a car that obviously has a problem, buy something else. There are loads of cars that aren't slightly knackered.

And I'm struggling to see why a diesel should be any worse than a petrol since a diesel is far less technical than a petrol engine.

[MrPickle]

Have a look at protons, you can pick up fairly low milage, well looked after 90's stuff for around your budget.
1.3 or 1.5 litre, simple mechanics, and generaly owned by older people who pay younger people to fix them

[richardxjr]

Any old Merc or Volvo with as much MoT as poss.

[nixy p]

Thanks - some good advice there!

[eltax91]

Get something Japanese or Swedish. The pug's are OK, they go on forever, but they require more regular maintenance than the Jap's. The germans are too expensive at this money, so you end up with a rougher example.

Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Volvo, Saab etc