What Car - interesting retro box?

[Deluded]

Just another what car, but slightly different.

I'm looking for a commuting car. I live 4 miles from work and usually cycle but for the days I don't, I need a cheap little run around. Cheap as possible really. Something that can sit on the drive and cost as little as possible whilst it isn't being used.

Criteria is as follows :

£600 Max
MOT & TAX in that price
Small/Medium hatch
Low tax band (sub 1.6)
Sub 5 insurance group
Able to achieve 40+ Mpg
Petrol

Ideas so far -

Rover Metro/100
Fiat Cinquecento
Fiat Seicento
Fiat Punto
Nissan Micra
Citroen AX
Renault Clio
Fiesta

Really fancy a metro but put off by rust and build issues. Had Cinquecentos before and know there problems. Some are a right pain though (handbrakes rarely work). Puntos again, know the engines but not owned one. Micra, never had one. Drove one when learning to drive and it was ok. AX, no idea. Clio, no idea.

I would add a 205 to the list but I owned one a while ago, and whilst it was reliable and a fun car, I don't want another. It had too many things I didn't like.

Any other suggestions and any pros or cons to what I've already thought about?

[wackojacko]

My choices would be :

Omega
MG Maestro Turbo
Rover coupe

some more 'retro' than others but all good little run abouts........

[eltax91]

I'm not sure if this could ever be described as interesting, but I listed this on eBay last night for my brother. However, it ticks all your other boxes and for a cash offer he would let it go for less than your budget....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

[wackojacko]

wackojacko said:

My choices would be :

Omega
MG Maestro Turbo
Rover coupe

some more 'retro' than others but all good little run abouts........

Not cheap to insure tho or a medium to small hatchback but hey ho

[Matt80M]

My first car was a Cinquecento Sporting - in black with red running strips.
I was In my sixth form, and thought it was the nuts. I'd love to have another go in it now. It felt quite fast at the time, but maybe that's because it so badly built?

I've no idea how much one would cost now..

[DannyVTS]

An early Saxo west coast would fit the boot

[G0ldfysh]

Austin allegro
A series 1.3 tweaked by mini tuner of some note,

[trickywoo]

eltax91 said:

However, it ticks all your other boxes.

Apart from the petrol bit.

[anonymous-user]

Friend bought a 1989 Prelude for £600. I LOVE it. It makes me smile every time I get in it. 2.0 16v, auto - but pretty responsive still - 4 wheel steering, loads of fun. OK, so it struggles to break 30mpg, but it's a great car, smooth, looks a bit like Knight Rider, for £600 it's great. Came with a years ticket, tax, new rubber, CD player plus improved speakers, bulb kit, etc. An awful lot of car for the money - and for the money, a car you can leave by the roadside if it dies.

While we were looking for cars in the ads, we spotted all sorts - although none that fit your fuelling criteria. Baur BMW's, Jags, old Rovers, Merc 190Es, loads of slightly left-field, but very cool, things.

[carmonk]

Nova 1.2 if you can find one. I did over 350K miles in Novas, from a 58bhp 1.2 to a mod'd 175bhp redtop and I never had a single minute of trouble from any of them. Your main challenge would be finding one that's not blinged or driven into the ground. Buy this one and spend the remaining £150 on beer -

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2424068.htm

[excel monkey]

Late 90's / early 00's Rover 200 1.4

or a Mk4 Fiesta with the 1.25/1.4 Zetec engine

Edited by excel monkey on Monday 24th January 13:54

[ajprice]

Skoda Felicia or Favorit?

Picture from the retrorides forum:

[vit4]

Escort mk4? Our old 1.4 CVH one did 110,000 or so before we sold it, and was going strong. Current one has the pushrod 1.3 and has never missed a beat. They aren't losing any money either mk3's are starting to go up in value a bit so I would guess a good mk4 will as well.

[g3org3y]

Deluded said:

interestng retro box

Deluded said:

Rover Metro/100
Fiat Cinquecento
Fiat Seicento
Fiat Punto
Nissan Micra
Citroen AX
Renault Clio
Fiesta

None of the above are (imo) an 'interesting retro box'. Just appears a list of cars that old people/women/learner drivers own?

Just buy a Ford Ka and be done with it.

[bob1179]

I bought a Saab 900 Saloon for a whole £100 a few years ago, it even had a years tax and test on it.

It wasn't pretty but all I did in the year I owned it was put some new ditchfinders on it. Insurance was bugger all too. I think it was the cheapest car I ever owned or ran. It was absolutely bullet proof (though a little rusty round the edges).

[Baked_bean]

mk1 clio, in 1,4 flavour? I walked past a mk1 clio a moment ago and realised its actually a nice design in a retro kinda way.

[jsg612]

Never actually been in one, but the old Micro 1.0 16v are apparently very reliable. Very smooth engine too, like a sewing machine at idle.

[Diabolik]

Yugo 45A?



One sold here for £495

Good luck finding another though.

Edited by Diabolik on Monday 24th January 14:59

[Deluded]

Diabolik said:

Yugo 45A?



One sold here for £495

Good luck finding another though.

Edited by Diabolik on Monday 24th January 14:59

That would be perfect. Oh well.

[sawman]

Off your list I'd be looking for an AXGT

or maybe a fiat Tipo sedicivalvole (if you can find one)