Need a car for about 6 weeks - should I gamble on a shed?
Discussion
I'm going to be in between cars for a bit and I'm just wondering about the feasibility and sanity of buying a sub £1k car to pootle to work so my wife can drive my car until hers arrives in April. She won't risk a non-starter with two kids in the back which is fair whereas I can always take the (very slow) train home or to work if the shed doesn't kick into life. I've not driven something in this bracket for a while but I can't see any alternative given the costs of renting a car for this period and figure something very sheddy might be amusing on a short term basis. Anyone have any tips or alternative suggestions?
I once had to buy a shed for 4 months and purchased a 1983 Honda Civic 1.3 GT in black for £900 in 1991 from an old chap who used it to carry his dogs
I threw away the carpet in the boot gave the car a clean had a full service from Honda and it never went wrong and I passed it to 2 other people in my family afterwards, brilliant.
I threw away the carpet in the boot gave the car a clean had a full service from Honda and it never went wrong and I passed it to 2 other people in my family afterwards, brilliant.
I ran a 2003 Saab 9-5 for 4 months as I waited for a new car. Bought it for £800, sold it for £800, only thing that happened was a nail in a tyre, which wasn't expensive to replace.
I actually wish I had space to have kept it as it was a great car and really useful for carting things around! it was also quite good fun trying to find a car for sub £1k as there are loads of choices, but I'd always wanted a Saab and they can be had for peanuts now.
I actually wish I had space to have kept it as it was a great car and really useful for carting things around! it was also quite good fun trying to find a car for sub £1k as there are loads of choices, but I'd always wanted a Saab and they can be had for peanuts now.
Ran sub £750 cars for a while as commuters, there's no real downside if you look at it that you dont really care if it starts (train an option), doesnt matter if it gets a bit banged up, or really if things need doing to it. An oil change is a luxury, everything else, if things break, just drive around them
Car hire is probably cheaper though, 28 days from someone like Budget for sub £500 is a Fiat 500 or similar
Car hire is probably cheaper though, 28 days from someone like Budget for sub £500 is a Fiat 500 or similar
Nissan primera for about 500 quid. Not the p12 and preferably the 2.0 sr20 engine. Job done.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nissan-Primera-1-8-16v-S...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nissan-Primera-1-8-16v-S...
t about the car.I spent £600 on an elderly BMW 735 eight years ago, just to tow a boat for the summer.
The bloody thing won't fail its MOTs, it's done 30,000 miles since I got it, its 23 this year and I came to work in it this morning.
Apart from tax, insurance, MOTs and an awful lot of petrol it's had about £100 spent on a couple of sets of part worn tyres, another £100 on suspension bits and bobs and a new rad and thermostat for, again, about £100.
I have always had in mind that if something crops up costing more than 100 quid I will weigh it in, I think it knows.
The bloody thing won't fail its MOTs, it's done 30,000 miles since I got it, its 23 this year and I came to work in it this morning.
Apart from tax, insurance, MOTs and an awful lot of petrol it's had about £100 spent on a couple of sets of part worn tyres, another £100 on suspension bits and bobs and a new rad and thermostat for, again, about £100.
I have always had in mind that if something crops up costing more than 100 quid I will weigh it in, I think it knows.
Obvious, but...
MX5,
Tough as old boots, cheap parts, easy to fix.
Or if you fancy something a little more gamble-icious, then a Clio Sport.
Renting will NOT work out cheaper - yeah, it'll cost less than a grand to rent, but buy wisely and it'll possibly cost you less than nothing to buy a shed then sell it on - especially if it's a convertible that you buy in winter and then sell when it's warmer.
Get something that will have more than about 2 months MOT when you sell it, and all's good.
MX5,
Tough as old boots, cheap parts, easy to fix.
Or if you fancy something a little more gamble-icious, then a Clio Sport.
Renting will NOT work out cheaper - yeah, it'll cost less than a grand to rent, but buy wisely and it'll possibly cost you less than nothing to buy a shed then sell it on - especially if it's a convertible that you buy in winter and then sell when it's warmer.
Get something that will have more than about 2 months MOT when you sell it, and all's good.
Edited by FD3Si on Tuesday 24th February 12:37
In my experience, it's easy enough to find a reliable car for under £1k, the problem comes when it'll cost more to put right than it's worth at MOT time so I'd go for something with a good bit of MOT left that's not too complicated. A Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra with a 1.4 or 1.6 will probably survive without any major issues for as long as you need.
andy-xr said:
Car hire is probably cheaper though, 28 days from someone like Budget for sub £500 is a Fiat 500 or similar
Your assuming his sub £1000 car loses more than £500 in 6 weeks? This is unlikely to happen in my experience.I've run plenty of cars for less than £1k, most for more than a year/10k miles.
E36. All day.
I have an exceptional 320i that I paid £700 for recently, nowt wrong with that, and a 318i that I paid £390 for that is again very very good.
Your next car.
Enjoy.
I have an exceptional 320i that I paid £700 for recently, nowt wrong with that, and a 318i that I paid £390 for that is again very very good.
Your next car.
Enjoy.
make sure you can test it from cold , start it and drive it check all the gearss work and the clutch is right at the top , no nasty noises on full lock , when you get back check it re starts when hot . look under the bonnet make sure all the levels are correct and theres no signs of massive oil leaks
Ean218 said:
I spent £600 on an elderly BMW 735 eight years ago, just to tow a boat for the summer.
The bloody thing won't fail its MOTs, it's done 30,000 miles since I got it, its 23 this year and I came to work in it this morning.
Apart from tax, insurance, MOTs and an awful lot of petrol it's had about £100 spent on a couple of sets of part worn tyres, another £100 on suspension bits and bobs and a new rad and thermostat for, again, about £100.
I have always had in mind that if something crops up costing more than 100 quid I will weigh it in, I think it knows.
Instead of weighing it in when this happens, just drop me a PM.The bloody thing won't fail its MOTs, it's done 30,000 miles since I got it, its 23 this year and I came to work in it this morning.
Apart from tax, insurance, MOTs and an awful lot of petrol it's had about £100 spent on a couple of sets of part worn tyres, another £100 on suspension bits and bobs and a new rad and thermostat for, again, about £100.
I have always had in mind that if something crops up costing more than 100 quid I will weigh it in, I think it knows.
That primera is brilliant!
Would be worth about £150 at my local scrappy as well when it does go wrong.
I bought an 18 year old astra for £380 a year or so back. It required a new starter motor in my ownership, but that was only £25. Other than that, it was fine, 40mpg, faster than the new eco box that replaced it. Shame it was probably scrapped when traded in.
Would be worth about £150 at my local scrappy as well when it does go wrong.
I bought an 18 year old astra for £380 a year or so back. It required a new starter motor in my ownership, but that was only £25. Other than that, it was fine, 40mpg, faster than the new eco box that replaced it. Shame it was probably scrapped when traded in.
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