Interesting world of shed motoring
Interesting world of shed motoring
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Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

84 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
Hello all, I recently sold my MG and I am now without a car...so now the exciting part. I want to go into shed motoring (only for 8months whilst I save up for a better car)

Criteria is £1000 or under (strictly), don't want anything too unreliable and not an MX5....

oh and something that doesn't need to be overly nurtured.

Fire away

dapearson

4,456 posts

254 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
toyota avensis or honda crv. both petrol. basically anything japanese without too much to go wrong.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

84 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
dapearson said:
both petrol.
Also I don't mind whether petrol or diesel.

dapearson

4,456 posts

254 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
GravelMachineGun said:
Also I don't mind whether petrol or diesel.
For what you're spending avoid diesel IMO. Unless you go for an HDI or an old VAG 90bhp diesel.

I paid 900 for a 2.0 avensis estate. It went through 2 MOTs. Cost a few hundred in bits (caliper, o2 sensor, tyres), but was still going strong when i sold it to a mate 2 yrs later for £800.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

84 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all

MonkeySpanker

319 posts

167 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
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GravelMachineGun said:
It's 100% reliable...then gives a list of what's wrong with it. I don't understand why people put things like 'no major warning lights on the dash, only a couple which relate to bulbs that need replacing'...why not replace the bulbs then?? The key fob/immobiliser thing might just be a battery but it might not & 2 tyres could be over £500 if they're the run flat type, the wipers could be a fuse or might not....offer him £650-700.

hornetrider

63,161 posts

235 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
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GravelMachineGun said:
Avoid that one. The issues there will swiftly double your purchase price.

eltax91

10,767 posts

236 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
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A 2.0 Petrol Accord or Avensis. Cheep and reliable and buttons to fix if they do go wrong. You won't do better for your cash.

Or, Rover 75 or something Saab since you tend to get more for your cash with the demise of the companies and the scare stories over parts.

Nikko 40691

841 posts

220 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
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Another shout for a Saab - So cheap and so much value for money!

Dracoro

9,026 posts

275 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
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So, you need a cheap reliable car to last 8 months and you are looking at 16 year old BMW 7 series!

Just search for a cheap petrol Honda/Toyota that is not a sporty model that has a load of history and a current MOT. A cheap Accord/Civic/Corolla/Avensis should do the job.

My suggestions above only reduce your likelyhood of an unreliable cheap car but there are always bad examples of every make/model so check out with carae any car you actually look at.

dapearson

4,456 posts

254 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
Dracoro said:
Just search for a cheap petrol Honda/Toyota that is not a sporty model that has a load of history and a current MOT. A cheap Accord/Civic/Corolla/Avensis should do the job.
^^^^

My avensis was 15 yrs old. Every single button/switch worked just fine. Air con was ice cold. Sunroof worked (no leaks). CD changer worked fine. Not amazing to drive, but it had character. So much so that if my mate wants rid i'll happily have it back.

When the apocalypse comes there will just be cockroaches and petrol engined japanese cars left standing

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

84 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
Nikko 40691 said:
Another shout for a Saab - So cheap and so much value for money!
What sort of Saabs are we talking?

daveco

4,412 posts

237 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
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E39 BMW 523 or 525 if you can get one with MOT, FSH and various bits and bobs...

actually screw that just buy a Jap petrol car.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

84 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
Seems like I need to look at Jap petrol...but how are MK4 Golfs? Loads of GTIs for under £1k

dapearson

4,456 posts

254 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
GravelMachineGun said:
Seems like I need to look at Jap petrol...but how are MK4 Golfs? Loads of GTIs for under £1k
Lots of people bought these thinking they were actually good to drive. They then realised they were in fact utterly rubbish.

Therefore most have been thrashed.

The 2.0 and 1.8T engines are very un-GTI and don't like being revved.

I would avoid.

If you really want a Golf try finding a 2.3 V5 owned by someone older, possibly in green or beige. At least that might not have been thrashed and the V5 engine is strong (chain driven cams too)

idibbers

269 posts

158 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
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Saab, Saab, Saab get a Saab! Older 9-3 SE's can be found for under a grand and you may just find a 9-3 Aero HOT for that price.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

84 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
quotequote all
idibbers said:
Saab, Saab, Saab get a Saab! Older 9-3 SE's can be found for under a grand and you may just find a 9-3 Aero HOT for that price.
Some of these Saabs look really good but I have no idea what to look for.

mcflurry

9,190 posts

283 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
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When my friend was looking locally (in Kent), there was little around for that kind of money.
It wasn't worth travelling half way across the country for a shed, so he got a 10 year old Astra for £900

jimi

521 posts

293 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
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search for large petrol engines over 3 litres and four doors, there are hundreds of options.

Marc p

1,124 posts

172 months

Tuesday 14th October 2014
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Dracoro said:
So, you need a cheap reliable car to last 8 months and you are looking at 16 year old BMW 7 series!
Yes, he should, this is shed motoring done right, you need to get something different/interesting, the beauty of a shed 7 series is that a) If it ever broke down, you'd feel like you had broken down in your living room, b) It's sub £1k, if it is beyond economical repair, you just scrap it and find yourself having only lost out on £575(estimate £250 scrap value).