Best of the Bargain Basement Vol. 2

[Neil Jung]

I've just bought this lovely 2 owner 108k miles Mazda Xedos 9 2.3 Miller off Gumtree for under £900. I had one for 7 years until 2013 and changed it for an X-Type, which I never loved and have just traded in when buying a new car for my wife. Not a spec of rust on the Xedos, just a very minor scrape. Drives beautifully and so much more responsive than the Jag. It doesn't have the right wheels for the Miller, but I can live with that, and it has a radio cassette but no boot CD player. Luckily I have still drawers of cassettes!

[Hoofy]

Neil Jung said:

I've just bought this lovely 2 owner 108k miles Mazda Xedos 9 2.3 Miller off Gumtree for under £900. I had one for 7 years until 2013 and changed it for an X-Type, which I never loved and have just traded in when buying a new car for my wife. Not a spec of rust on the Xedos, just a very minor scrape. Drives beautifully and so much more responsive than the Jag. It doesn't have the right wheels for the Miller, but I can live with that, and it has a radio cassette but no boot CD player. Luckily I have still drawers of cassettes!

Get to Halfords and they'll replace the headunit in 5 minutes. Or you could do it yourself if you know what you're doing (not difficult).

[Krikkit]

Toaster Pilot said:

gowmonster said:

it depends if the stubs that the trailing arms go onto are pitted. if it's past that point you need to press new ones in and I think you need heavy gear to do it.

My shonky eBay "12T" press might not be up to the job then

Err, no!

Easiest thing to do is just buy a complete replacement, taking them apart is always a pain as the torsion bars are always seized in, and even then you might find the stubs are ruined anyway (usually if you can see the camber they're already too ruined).

£255 for a replacement, it's 16 easy bolts (including the wheels) plus the brake lines to remove them.

[gowmonster]

Krikkit said:

Err, no!

Easiest thing to do is just buy a complete replacement, taking them apart is always a pain as the torsion bars are always seized in, and even then you might find the stubs are ruined anyway (usually if you can see the camber they're already too ruined).

£255 for a replacement, it's 16 easy bolts (including the wheels) plus the brake lines to remove them.

and you'll need a deep socket 18mm for the 4 bolts holding the beam to the car.

[Du1point8]

hmmm I like this topic and might be looking for the OH soon.

[ambuletz]

Not sure how long this has been for sale but interesting nonetheless.

Toyota Picnic with 200hp celica engine. Appeared in PH a couple of years ago.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Picnic-GT4-Modifi...

[BigTom85]

ambuletz said:

Not sure how long this has been for sale but interesting nonetheless.

Toyota Picnic with 200hp celica engine. Appeared in PH a couple of years ago.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Picnic-GT4-Modifi...

Wasn't this auctioned off for charity recently?

[marmitemania]

My RR has had a monumental benny and whilst it's away sulking (which could be for some time) I have bought this\/ £400 of ruched leather lined luxury with ice cold working air con, Cruise control, 6 disc changer and a nice 2.0 engine. What more could you want for 400 sheets? I am on the look out for a national trust sticker, some crochet cushions, a Tartan blanket and a tin of travel sweets.

[phil_cardiff]

The mk1 focus is a great car. Doesn't look like it's done much mileage either.

[Axionknight]

The MK1 Focus can be a good steer actually, the hatchback is great fun to fling around, I can't see that being too different mechanically surely? Although I have seen deck chairs with more support.

Good car, no doubt about it and £400 sounds like terrific value.

[marmitemania]

phil_cardiff said:

The mk1 focus is a great car. Doesn't look like it's done much mileage either.

Without wishing to sound like a used car salesman it really does drive like a new car. The interior is absolutely mint the steering wheel and gear knob almost like new and everything even the aircon and cruise work. Have a wild guess how many miles it has done?

[Krikkit]

That's a fking bargain for £400, surprising what you can pick up if it's petrol and uncool!

I'm guessing 60k miles?

[marmitemania]

Krikkit said:

That's a fking bargain for £400, surprising what you can pick up if it's petrol and uncool!

I'm guessing 60k miles?

Almost you need to add another 102896 miles to that. Fully serviced up with all ford parts including the wiper blades, new discs and pads all round, four new tyres, M.O.T for a year. If you sat in it you would think it had done around 40 or 50 thousand as the gear knob, steering wheel, pedals are all like new, even the chrome sill plate is unmarked. I still consider this a bargin at this mileage as the car has very clearly had a cherished life, the emissions print out is testament to that. The only thing that gives the mileage away (apart from the speedo) is the stone chipping on the bonnet. It will be a shame to let this go when the RR is fixed I'm getting used to the fuel economy even though it's a 2.0 litre.

[phil_cardiff]

Proof that fsh>mileage.

[BigTom85]

That leather isn't ruched

[Krikkit]

marmitemania said:

Krikkit said:

That's a fking bargain for £400, surprising what you can pick up if it's petrol and uncool!

I'm guessing 60k miles?

Almost you need to add another 102896 miles to that. Fully serviced up with all ford parts including the wiper blades, new discs and pads all round, four new tyres, M.O.T for a year. If you sat in it you would think it had done around 40 or 50 thousand as the gear knob, steering wheel, pedals are all like new, even the chrome sill plate is unmarked. I still consider this a bargin at this mileage as the car has very clearly had a cherished life, the emissions print out is testament to that. The only thing that gives the mileage away (apart from the speedo) is the stone chipping on the bonnet. It will be a shame to let this go when the RR is fixed I'm getting used to the fuel economy even though it's a 2.0 litre.

I went the wrong way with my guess then! I thought it'd be a low miler owned by some old biddy.

Lovely car regardless of miles, that interior looks nearly new...

[Birdster]

marmitemania said:

My RR has had a monumental benny and whilst it's away sulking (which could be for some time) I have bought this\/ £400 of ruched leather lined luxury with ice cold working air con, Cruise control, 6 disc changer and a nice 2.0 engine. What more could you want for 400 sheets? I am on the look out for a national trust sticker, some crochet cushions, a Tartan blanket and a tin of travel sweets.

Vulture alert.

Looks nice.

Can I have first refusal? My Astra is having the clutch looked at it and it's possibly going to write the car off.

[marmitemania]

You can have first refusal, but I don't know how long it will be before it goes. The Rangie could be some time.

[laser wheels]

Hello everyone

I'm quite fancying an Audi A4 Avant (B5 shape) as a cheap work horse. Anything potentially to look out for? Should signs of rust be a concern at all, what with them being galvanised I believe?

Thanks in advance!

[anonymous-user]

laser wheels said:

Hello everyone

I'm quite fancying an Audi A4 Avant (B5 shape) as a cheap work horse. Anything potentially to look out for? Should signs of rust be a concern at all, what with them being galvanised I believe?

Thanks in advance!

rust is bad around rear reg plate.

The suspension arms (I think they are called) are a weak point and go often. You haven't specified engines but they seem to run into 200k with maintenance. I have a 1.8t which is a peach suits the car well.