Running an old banger... it can work...
Discussion
Almost four years ago my mate came to me with some bad news… he needed a triple heart bypass and was fearful of the future. He asked me to sell his car (Freelander, I got £2500 for it, V6 Petrol…) while he was in hospital, and buy him a cheap car… anything he said.
So I went out and got him a 1998 Toyota Starlet… no tax or Mot, 106,000 miles, but actually quite tidy and 4 good tyres.. I serviced it, changed the brake fluid, did a cam belt, rebuilt the brakes (it had almost new pads; I stripped cleaned and rebuilt the callipers) changed the antifreeze. A real good service… It flew through the MOT. I paid £300 for the car, and £100 on parts.
After the heart bypass he recovered well, and was driving again after a few months…
Over the next 3 years I changed the oil, checked it over, and took it for MOT… Each time it went through. One year I changed a rear shocker (yes, just one, it’s a banger) and another year I changed one front spring due to a breakage. That’s it.
Just after the last MOT, disaster struck. A woman opposite reversed into the side… Not bad damage and he continued to drive it while the insurance sorted itself out… They pronounced it a write off. They paid him £680 and he kept the car.
Rather than continue to run with a big dent in the side, I took the rear internal trim panel out and pushed the dent out with my foot, and a few levers. Unfortunately, the dent kept popping back in… So I cut a piece of wood to the profile of the side and wedged it into place, and stuck it with a bit of silicone… think of it as additional Side Impact Protection! Outside it was pretty good, just the odd ripple!
Yesterday he Part Exchanged it for a new car… they gave him £500 for it
So I went out and got him a 1998 Toyota Starlet… no tax or Mot, 106,000 miles, but actually quite tidy and 4 good tyres.. I serviced it, changed the brake fluid, did a cam belt, rebuilt the brakes (it had almost new pads; I stripped cleaned and rebuilt the callipers) changed the antifreeze. A real good service… It flew through the MOT. I paid £300 for the car, and £100 on parts.
After the heart bypass he recovered well, and was driving again after a few months…
Over the next 3 years I changed the oil, checked it over, and took it for MOT… Each time it went through. One year I changed a rear shocker (yes, just one, it’s a banger) and another year I changed one front spring due to a breakage. That’s it.
Just after the last MOT, disaster struck. A woman opposite reversed into the side… Not bad damage and he continued to drive it while the insurance sorted itself out… They pronounced it a write off. They paid him £680 and he kept the car.
Rather than continue to run with a big dent in the side, I took the rear internal trim panel out and pushed the dent out with my foot, and a few levers. Unfortunately, the dent kept popping back in… So I cut a piece of wood to the profile of the side and wedged it into place, and stuck it with a bit of silicone… think of it as additional Side Impact Protection! Outside it was pretty good, just the odd ripple!
Yesterday he Part Exchanged it for a new car… they gave him £500 for it
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