Biggest bargain car you've bought
Discussion
Has to be my current Barge. A absolutely pristine 11 year old - at the time - Jaguar XJ8.
First owner had put just 31000 miles on the clock and had it serviced every year. There were 10 Jaguar main dealer stamps in the service book and a pile of receipts to back that up. Came fitted with almost new tyres, and had been back to the dealer for new discs and pads all round a few weeks before.
It came with a boot full of branded Jaguar tat like umbrellas, sports jackets and other crap still in polythene and packets that went straight on the bay of E.
In 2001 it cost a long way way north of £40k. In 2012 I shook hands with the late owners son at £3000.
Three-thousand-pounds.
First owner had put just 31000 miles on the clock and had it serviced every year. There were 10 Jaguar main dealer stamps in the service book and a pile of receipts to back that up. Came fitted with almost new tyres, and had been back to the dealer for new discs and pads all round a few weeks before.
It came with a boot full of branded Jaguar tat like umbrellas, sports jackets and other crap still in polythene and packets that went straight on the bay of E.
In 2001 it cost a long way way north of £40k. In 2012 I shook hands with the late owners son at £3000.
Three-thousand-pounds.
Acidrop said:
I always take my time before buying a new car as I like to pay as little as possible for the best car possible. I've wanted a BMW 335i for a while and it took a few months, but I found this in the end. 95k on the clock and has all the options. Paid £5k.
Superb (and handsome) beast for £5k. Nicely done OP. Love it, and the 335 is a quick and competent car.Bargain wise for me its either the Celica I bought as a daily to run alongside my TVR/Lotus at the time. Paid about £1k for it and it was a handsome car IMO, with 4 usable seats, a hatchback that could swallow more than my ex girlfriend and a nice blend of performance and mpg. I usually expected 18 months out of my snotters back then but it carried on for years only using consumables, despite being mistreated. Great car and eventually I only let it go as the clutch was on its way out. A PH'er bought it off me for £100 after about 4 years of trusty service and some fairly hefty commutes at the time (Southampton to MK weekly for quite a while). Fond memories.
My other bargain in the longer term was my first TVR. I bought it when I was about 20 or 21 for about £5k and it also held a lot of fond memories as my only car. Kept it for a few years until I could afford a Chimaera and got back about £6k so paid to own it.
Same applies to a supercharged Exige I bought when the market was cooler. Paid £16.5k and sold it for £19k about 3 years later. Probably now worth about £22k
MG ZT1.8 turbo, bought it for work a few years back from the original owner with full service history and every mot from the supplying dealer.
Bought it for £550 and put 35,000mls on it and sold it last year for £550, it still drove as tight as drum amd cleaned up really nice, cracking car.
Bought it for £550 and put 35,000mls on it and sold it last year for £550, it still drove as tight as drum amd cleaned up really nice, cracking car.
Rover 45 bought for £100, spent £50 on it, farted about for 5k, sold for £400..
Rover 75 bought for £240, spent £50 on it, wafted for 5k,sold for £300...
Honda accord tourer bought for £683, spent £50 on it and have done 10k so far, cracking car.
On the other hand my minor cost £1700, spent £1500, sold for £1600 8k later!
Rover 75 bought for £240, spent £50 on it, wafted for 5k,sold for £300...
Honda accord tourer bought for £683, spent £50 on it and have done 10k so far, cracking car.
On the other hand my minor cost £1700, spent £1500, sold for £1600 8k later!
About 5 years back bought a 1.4 Astra H with a rod through the block for £125, towed it home and then sold to a polish chap who exported it for £1250. Similair with an A6 2.5tdi, knackered fuel pump and 255k on the clock, paid £300, drove it home smoking like a train, sold on eBay to Ukrainian chap who paid £1750 and exported it.
I bought this at auction last year. It's a Peugeot 306 D Turbo. It had been owned by the same lady owner for 20 years after she bought it from the supplying dealer. It came with 19 service stamps and had done 147k. The MOT had run out. After fees it came to £103.
Straight away I knew it needed two front tyres for the MOT as both were bald with the cords showing. I took it down to the local scrappy where two part-worn branded tyres with 6mm+ tread were fitted and balanced for £30! It then flew through its MOT (£50). I then paid £20 to have it mopped and polished, which made the car look far more presentable.
Ended up with this with a full MOT owing me £203!
Used it for a few weeks (didn't miss a beat) and sold it on for a decent profit. A young lad flew from Northern Ireland to Gatwick to pick it up, and then drove it all the way back again. Judging by the response the ad got I could have sold it for more, but was pleased to see it go to someone who really wanted it.
Straight away I knew it needed two front tyres for the MOT as both were bald with the cords showing. I took it down to the local scrappy where two part-worn branded tyres with 6mm+ tread were fitted and balanced for £30! It then flew through its MOT (£50). I then paid £20 to have it mopped and polished, which made the car look far more presentable.
Ended up with this with a full MOT owing me £203!
Used it for a few weeks (didn't miss a beat) and sold it on for a decent profit. A young lad flew from Northern Ireland to Gatwick to pick it up, and then drove it all the way back again. Judging by the response the ad got I could have sold it for more, but was pleased to see it go to someone who really wanted it.
Hard to pick one but has to be one of these:
04 plate vw Bora tdi 130 bought in 2013 for £240 with no mot, a dented wing and a horrible grinding noise in 5th gear. Still going strong 3 years later although I did eventually have to pay £865 to get a new clutch gearbox and flywheel fitted. Sold it 2 and a half years later for £300 as it broke down and was a non runner. Mate who I sold it to only had to replace the injector wiring loom for £50 and it's still going strong.
03 plate focus 2.0 Ghia bought for £600 with a full mot fsh and recent cambelt change. It's still going brilliantly a year later with only brakes and tyres and oil replaced on it and with it being a focus I sorted the brakes myself and can change the oil myself with it being so simple.
V plate Alfa 166 3.0 v6 super manual only done 80k miles with fsh. Bought for £200 as it had no not, and was overdue a service including cambelt change. Cost a grand to get it going again but has all new tyres and brakes including brake pipes and won't need a cambelt for another 6 years.
Come to think of it the other 2 cars weren't bad either. My 1st car cost £2500 in 2009 and sold for £600 in 2013 and it's still going strong and the other car I had cost £1800 only had it 3 months as it was a bit of a dog and got £1700 back for it. I do about 20k miles a year.
04 plate vw Bora tdi 130 bought in 2013 for £240 with no mot, a dented wing and a horrible grinding noise in 5th gear. Still going strong 3 years later although I did eventually have to pay £865 to get a new clutch gearbox and flywheel fitted. Sold it 2 and a half years later for £300 as it broke down and was a non runner. Mate who I sold it to only had to replace the injector wiring loom for £50 and it's still going strong.
03 plate focus 2.0 Ghia bought for £600 with a full mot fsh and recent cambelt change. It's still going brilliantly a year later with only brakes and tyres and oil replaced on it and with it being a focus I sorted the brakes myself and can change the oil myself with it being so simple.
V plate Alfa 166 3.0 v6 super manual only done 80k miles with fsh. Bought for £200 as it had no not, and was overdue a service including cambelt change. Cost a grand to get it going again but has all new tyres and brakes including brake pipes and won't need a cambelt for another 6 years.
Come to think of it the other 2 cars weren't bad either. My 1st car cost £2500 in 2009 and sold for £600 in 2013 and it's still going strong and the other car I had cost £1800 only had it 3 months as it was a bit of a dog and got £1700 back for it. I do about 20k miles a year.
Edited by JD66 on Wednesday 26th July 21:50
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