Would you buy ?

[Disrupto]

O.K, O.K; I know this will cause some negative press, but constructive criticism would be more helpful then: it's French. Albeit, a understandable statement.

I need a reliable (as one can get) car for a 30 mile round trip to work. Looking at £1K- my only requirements are it's reliable and cheap, and has to be the size of a hatchback plus (no 107/aygo/C1)

I was looking at some old Volvo V70 estates but come across a friend of mine who is selling his old 206 GTi. Bearing in mind if I get 12 months without any major problems I will be happy. (I have lost less than this in 1 hour on cars in the past with depreciation!)

1k for a 03 plate 140 GTi; 50k miles, 4 owners.

Good points:-

He's a mechanic and has rewelded all the exhaust from cat backwards (3 pieces on the 206) so that one common fault fixed, put a new timing belt and water pump on it and reground the brakes as it has stood for a few months. And it has a new O2 sensor on it (this failed before I went to drive it... so will be replaced)

It has only failed 2 MOTs in its life for illegal tyres and brakes (both failings of the owner, not the car)

Bad points

It's a 206. ( but I'm hoping most of the problems have been addressed by my friend above)

If I have to sell it, I guarantee it will have part service history as he will have maintained it himself for a period of time.

Would you walk away or be happy at that price that it's been maintained properly ?

Thanks in advance. I turn to your judgement to potentially save me £1k!

[MrAverage]

At this sort of price you have to buy the car that seems the best looked after.

I'd say with the recent work carried out you should have a years worth a worry free motoring ahead.
I don't really know anything about Peugeot's but I don't think I'd be too scared.

Do it! With any luck it'll be more fun than the standard 1k fair.

[AC43]

I'd buy it. It's only £1k and has provenance + plenty of recent fixes.

My wife still had a MY2000 Clio that she bought 14 years ago.

The alarm goes a bit odd in the rain and it's had a few other minor glitches but other than that it's like a motorised cockroach.

[The Turbonator]

Any car at this budget is a risk to be honest. If it drives okay and you're happy with it, then go for it.

It might not be a popular opinion but whenever I'm looking for anything below a grand as a stop gap, I always look for a Rover.

[Barchettaman]

100%, knowing it´s been looked after by a mechanic, sounds good.

I would have a reasonably-sized borkage fund anyway, but you´d need that for any sub-shed purchase!

[Disrupto]

Thanks for your quick replies people.

Absolutely it's just to get me in a position where I can look for something in a year's time when I can look at getting something a little more 'permanent'

But it's a nice looking car for its age, clean interior and mostly clean paintwork. That I don't have to worry about people damaging and scratching in car parks. (That and it's probably cheaper to buy a new panel then respray an old one)

In all honestly my last 206 failed me because the person before me did not maintain it properly, and it being my first car - made the fatal assumption that the timing belt was changed (this was not to be the case)

I originally wanted a diesel but at the 1k mark I figured there's additional parts to break than a petrol and they would be more expensive repairs.