Best of the Bargain Basement (Vol.3)

[carinaman]

Aren't those 1.6HDi engines a bit problematic?

[PartOfTheProblem]

RDHR32 said:

Looking for something sub 2k. Preferably an estate.
Work as a building site manager currently stationed 4 miles from home so just want something cheap and cheerful. Any suggestions spring to mind?

A Focus estate takes some beating, although for those miles petrol is definitely what you want. Plenty of Volvo, Saab, Mondeo etc estates in budget. I'd be on gumtree and autotrader looking within 10 miles of home and see what crops up.

Personally I love my Volvo V70 D5, but for a 4 mile commute I'd get the latest petrol V70 I could find.

[soad]

/\
His mileage will go up though.

[l354uge]

RDHR32 said:

Looking for something sub 2k. Preferably an estate.
Work as a building site manager currently stationed 4 miles from home so just want something cheap and cheerful. Any suggestions spring to mind?

Accord tourer. 2l petrol.
Executive spec so you get a heated bum over the winter.

[stewjohnst]

RDHR32 said:

Looking for something sub 2k. Preferably an estate.
Work as a building site manager currently stationed 4 miles from home so just want something cheap and cheerful. Any suggestions spring to mind?

If cheap and cheerful is all you need, Vectra estates are cavernous and under a grand, if not the last word in sporty dynamics. Find an Elite and it’ll have heated seats, etc.

As others have said, petrol for that mileage makes sense.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2...

[SimonTheSailor]

I recently purchased a 56 plate Mondeo estate for £1.1K. In 30+ years of driving and owning cars I hit a few milestones.

My first ever -
Ford
Estate car
Diesel.

Have I given up ?

Joking aside it's a really good car, just drove 2.5K miles up and around Scotland and back. 60mpg average, 65 on motorway. I know you won't need a diesel but the Mondeo has impressed for an older car.

[stewjohnst]

SimonTheSailor said:

I recently purchased a 56 plate Mondeo estate for £1.1K. In 30+ years of driving and owning cars I hit a few milestones.

My first ever -
Ford
Estate car
Diesel.

Have I given up ?

Joking aside it's a really good car, just drove 2.5K miles up and around Scotland and back. 60mpg average, 65 on motorway. I know you won't need a diesel but the Mondeo has impressed for an older car.

Can’t knock them for practicality, I’m battering around in a £500 Mondeo over winter (Ghia X - ‘cos posh ) It’s the first Ford I’ve had since I passed my test and got a Fiesta Mk2 Pop Plus back in ‘97.

It’s fully equipped, heated, leather, etc and as a 2.5 V6 is easy on the ears and moderately entertaining under acceleration. Managing 30-35mpg too, needs a wheel bearing but I’m happy to crack that as a diy job.

Edited by stewjohnst on Tuesday 16th October 20:31

[Jetblackonetenth]

funkyrobot said:

sdkrc said:

https://www.gumtree.com/p/lexus/lexus-rx300-excell...




Lexus RX300 - £950 - Bristol.
Nice, clean MOT history. Clean looking car.

Advisory notice item(s)
rear discs corroded
o/s/r tyre is perished
both front suspension arm rear bushes are split/perished

Is that too cheap?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lexus-RX300-FSH-LONG-MOT-Excellent-condition-NO-RESERVE/273502689758?hash=item3fae07d9de:gE4AAOSwtc9bvk1b:rk:10f:0

[BlueHave]

stewjohnst said:

SimonTheSailor said:

I recently purchased a 56 plate Mondeo estate for £1.1K. In 30+ years of driving and owning cars I hit a few milestones.

My first ever -
Ford
Estate car
Diesel.

Have I given up ?

Joking aside it's a really good car, just drove 2.5K miles up and around Scotland and back. 60mpg average, 65 on motorway. I know you won't need a diesel but the Mondeo has impressed for an older car.

Can’t knock them for practicality, I’m battering around in a £500 Mondeo over winter (Ghia X - ‘cos posh ) It’s the first Ford I’ve had since I passed my test and got a Fiesta Mk2 Pop Plus back in ‘97.

It’s fully equipped, heated, leather, etc and as a 2.5 V6 is easy on the ears and moderately entertaining under acceleration. Managing 30-35mpg too, needs a wheel bearing but I’m happy to crack that as a diy job.

Edited by stewjohnst on Tuesday 16th October 20:31

Nice to know the Ghia isn't just a regular Mondeo with a fake wood dash

[Emeye]

If only I didn't need 5 seats...

V6 Ferrari clone (if you squint).

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...



My mum had the prefacelift 2.0i version and it was pretty reliable - the handbrake can become an issue as they get older and hard to resolve.

[Hoofy]

Jetblackonetenth said:

funkyrobot said:

sdkrc said:

https://www.gumtree.com/p/lexus/lexus-rx300-excell...




Lexus RX300 - £950 - Bristol.
Nice, clean MOT history. Clean looking car.

Advisory notice item(s)
rear discs corroded
o/s/r tyre is perished
both front suspension arm rear bushes are split/perished

Is that too cheap?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lexus-RX300-FSH-LONG-MOT-Excellent-condition-NO-RESERVE/273502689758?hash=item3fae07d9de:gE4AAOSwtc9bvk1b:rk:10f:0

Makes me suspicious. Even the former RX300s are going for around £1500-£2000.

[oceanview]

Emeye said:

If only I didn't need 5 seats...

V6 Ferrari clone (if you squint).

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...



My mum had the prefacelift 2.0i version and it was pretty reliable - the handbrake can become an issue as they get older and hard to resolve.

Nice but, better off with the 2.0- nearly as quick, better economy and the tax isn't £540 a year!

[baldy1926]

Just popped up on facebook in Nottingham 450 with 11 months mot and not to bad mot history .
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/21797889...

[stewjohnst]

BlueHave said:

Nice to know the Ghia isn't just a regular Mondeo with a fake wood dash

Seems time has moved on since the old days when Ghia meant plaggy wood, electric windows front and rear and that equaliser with the joystick fader...mines got an auto dimming rear view mirror and a 50% operational quick clear windscreen...oh, and its developed a knock at the rear corner.

Shedders can’t be choosers.

[Emeye]

oceanview said:

Nice but, better off with the 2.0- nearly as quick, better economy and the tax isn't £540 a year!

Ouch - I agree - I missed the £540 a month - kills bangernomics for me having to pay that.

[andburg]

Emeye said:

oceanview said:

Nice but, better off with the 2.0- nearly as quick, better economy and the tax isn't £540 a year!

Ouch - I agree - I missed the £540 a month - kills bangernomics for me having to pay that.

certainly killing a lot of older cars.

personally I'd like to see a tougher MOT introduced and a stepped discount on road tax when cars reach 10-15-20 years until its free

[mickyc79]

baldy1926 said:

Just popped up on facebook in Nottingham 450 with 11 months mot and not to bad mot history .
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/21797889...

Now reduced to £300! With 11mnths mot and less than 70000 miles that's a cracker shed for the money!

[giblet]

Spoon Burner said:

funkyrobot said:

Who is the Ph'er who sold it? Just so we know who to avoid?

Yeah, out the st!

Not my style and he doesn’t really use the forums anymore. Plus the fact that he’s an ex squaddie (who I once did a Krav Maga taster class with) and knows my address means I don’t want any hassle.

TonyRPH said:

You could have had my very useable 523i with over £3k spent in the past 4 years for quite a bit less than that, and it too has a massive history folder.

I know, I cocked up royally!

The car will be listed on eBay soon as I’ve found a 9-3 Aero estate. The 530i claims it was fine up until the day he sold it to me and that I wasn’t sold a lemon. Also says he will send me the paperwork next week.

I guess we will have to agree to disagree. The paperwork might help me get something for it but I’ll end up taking a serious bath on it. Ah well, lesson learnt.

[Salmonofdoubt]

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

201k mile V70 but that seems to have had the right jobs done. A bit over budget for this thread but seems to be worthy of a punt.

[giblet]

Stuck a half arsed ad up for the 530i with one old pic on Gumtree on Sunday for £995, plenty of idiots sending “700” messages etc.

One guy asked to view it, he came down yesterday lunchtime and we agreed a price. He left me a £40 holding deposit. He was meant to collect today but rang me in the morning to say he couldn’t afford it.

Took some better pics and stuck another ad up tonight at £1100. Already had the same “700” type messages from the same people but at a higher price than before.

I hate Gumtree.