Cheapest way of running a car

[howcanshe]

So seeing as not all of us are powerfully built company directors, what is the absolute cheapest way of running a car?

It seems to me that leasing seems to be the obvious winner, however bangernomics has always treated me well.

Opinions?

[ModernAndy]

Well that's a can of worms opened...

Loads of cheap used cars with plenty of power, loads of sports cars you can lease and loads of new powerful cars you can HP and keep at the end.

If there's any agreement beyond that, I'd be surprised.

[kambites]

I suspect the absolute cheapest on average is probably buying a small, small-engined, 5-10 year-old Japanese hatchback. Unfortunately this would mean you had to drive a small, small-engined, 5-10 year old Japanese hatchback. I'd probably go for a petrol unless doing a lot of miles.

[P-Jay]

Unless you can find one of those stupid cheap £100 a month for a new Ford Ka type deals it's got to be bangernomics every time.

During a bad patch a bought a horrible, nasty just plain unpleasant Mondeo Diesel for £1100. I spent £300 on 2 MOTs and associated maintenance, it chugged about doing 45mpg for a year and 15k miles and I sold it for £1100 14 months later, even he insurance was pennies.

Any number of things could have failed on it during that year which would have seen it's scrapped, but I go away with it.

Wouldn't do it again though.

[beko1987]

£300 Citroen ZX 1.9d
Get friendly with your local chippy and run it on waste oil
MOT and Tyres as and when

Should be a years motoring for under £600

[TheAngryDog]

Im now on the hunt for something like this, just needs to be able to get me to Yorkshire and back every 6 weeks..

[howcanshe]

Nice, loving the suggestions.

Reason for the question is this. Bought my wife her 1st car, a Ford Ka 2001 plate from an elderly person with 38k on it.
Full service history, 1.3 so nippy enough for her. It's just gone through it's MOT with no advisories.

I've just been offered a job, hundred mile round trip for the commute so was thinking diesel.
Don't really have a lot of cash for a deposit for a car on finance, need something reliable, yet equally cheap to run. I know I want it all.
The ZX idea is brilliant, I may look into that. I guess if I can get a car for £300 then replace it with another £300 car when it goes bang that is the best solution at the moment

[kiethton]

Exactly that as you'll likely get £200 back each time as spares or repairs on ebay

[GTIR]

10 years ago I ran my old Pug 405 and later a Merc 190D on veg oil from Tesco. 15p a litre.

Now it cost as much as diesel!

[kiethton]

Don't know where you are but:

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/peug...

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/peug...

If you can get it through an MOT cheaply this should be perfect - doubt you'd get any better on fuel!:

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/2001...

[TurboHatchback]

I would suggest a Peugeot 205 diesel. You should get a nice one for £600, it will do 55+ mpg and they are very strong reliable cars. The 106 1.5/1.4 diesel might also be a good bet but they don't seem at all as strong or reliable as the old 205.

[HaloGen8]

TurboHatchback said:

I would suggest a Peugeot 205 diesel. You should get a nice one for £600, it will do 55+ mpg and they are very strong reliable cars. The 106 1.5/1.4 diesel might also be a good bet but they don't seem at all as strong or reliable as the old 205.

You beat me to it! Good all round cars a piece of p-ss to maintain, ok not going to win the traffic light Grand Prix but peanuts to run and you could always dress it up to look like a Gti or a Rallye if you felt the need.

Citroen AX and (cough) Rover Metro I believe run the same engines too. If image is not a priority then here's your ticket to budget trundling.

[TwistingMyMelon]

I inherited a 04 Honda CIvic 1.6 auto for free with 16K on it, got it for the missus , she hasn't passed her test yet so I have used it as a stop gap.

I put 15K on it this year

I have spent £50 on an indicator relay and £130 on 2 x tyres, £10 on 2 x car washes!

Fuel economy is poor for engine size, but it is the cheapest motoring year ever for me!! Year before I sold a car after a year and lost £2000 on deprecation and £1000 in repairs!

I like pugs, but with most French cars, it will be the either the most or least reliable car you ever own, my 306GTI spent its life destroying its cooling system no matter what I replaced.

I would get a Micra/Yaris/Civic/Corolla and sign your soul to the devil like me if you want cheap no hassles motoring

Edited by TwistingMyMelon on Friday 25th April 10:25

[kambites]

The old VAG PD lumps seem to be pretty bullet proof. Maybe find something like a mk1 Leon or Octavia with one of them?

[thatdude]

Walk and leave the car at home when soemthing is only a mile up the road

[Monkeylegend]

Don't tax it, don't insure it, don't service it, drive off's.

Can't get any cheaper than that,.

Until your luck runs out.

[TommoAE86]

HaloGen8 said:

TurboHatchback said:

I would suggest a Peugeot 205 diesel. You should get a nice one for £600, it will do 55+ mpg and they are very strong reliable cars. The 106 1.5/1.4 diesel might also be a good bet but they don't seem at all as strong or reliable as the old 205.

You beat me to it! Good all round cars a piece of p-ss to maintain, ok not going to win the traffic light Grand Prix but peanuts to run and you could always dress it up to look like a Gti or a Rallye if you felt the need.

Citroen AX and (cough) Rover Metro I believe run the same engines too. If image is not a priority then here's your ticket to budget trundling.

Can't recommend the Peugeot enough, I had a 1.8 GRD (so not the GRDT) and it was wonderful, I had 4 years of driving around and it passed all but the last of it's MOT's, nothing went wrong (even the original Clarion radio/cassette player) and 55-60mpg... I really really wish I'd kept it now

[Catatafish]

A light car with a small petrol engine previously converted to LPG.

[ModernAndy]

Bangernomics will be the way to go in your case, OP. You always pay somehow for the privilege of a new car so if you really just want transport as cheap as possible then it's unbeatable.

If you're talking about the cheapest way to get a new or nearly new car then that's a different story.

[Jasandjules]

Bangernomics.