The Joy of Running an Old Shed
Discussion
slk 32 said:
I would recommend a polo bluemotion 1. I did 24k in mine in the year prior to lockdown. Zero roadtax, 75mpg+ sat on the M3 at 65mph.. 14 inch wheels so 4 michelin cross climates £240. Plus it has plenty of poke and will happily tick along at 95-100.
Mine has been pretty reliable and has just hit 180k.. bought it at 118k, the only major expense was a new turbo at 135k, other than that pretty much just consumables.
One of these just came up on autotrader near me so might go have a look at it this weekend. What is there to look out on these?Mine has been pretty reliable and has just hit 180k.. bought it at 118k, the only major expense was a new turbo at 135k, other than that pretty much just consumables.
PistonAFC said:
18k in a fiesta...???
Sheds are usually for lower mileages I would think and £1500 won't do 18k /yr without issues.
If you that many miles and use it for work, you probably want to be in a comfortable place when driving.
Higher mileage makes most sense in sheds in my opinion. Newer cars' values are far too sensitive to mileage Sheds are usually for lower mileages I would think and £1500 won't do 18k /yr without issues.
If you that many miles and use it for work, you probably want to be in a comfortable place when driving.
I don't see why it wouldn't be perfectly easy to do 18,000 miles a year in a £1000 Fiesta
Shieldsy94 said:
Looking at reducing my commuting bill whilst saving for a house. Currently have a Mazda 6 2016 on finance and have worked out I can save roughly £300 a month between finance, tax, fuel, insurance & depreciation. I do 14k a year just commuting plus anything else so maybe 18k in total. Would you do that mileage in a sub £1500 diesel?
I was looking at 1.6 Focus'. Fiesta's and Polo Bluemotions. Don't really like the idea of a bigger car as they bump up the insurance, tax and running cost.
MK1 Octavia, but then I'm biased!I was looking at 1.6 Focus'. Fiesta's and Polo Bluemotions. Don't really like the idea of a bigger car as they bump up the insurance, tax and running cost.
I have literally just declared mine SORN for now.
Shieldsy94 said:
Looking at reducing my commuting bill whilst saving for a house. Currently have a Mazda 6 2016 on finance and have worked out I can save roughly £300 a month between finance, tax, fuel, insurance & depreciation. I do 14k a year just commuting plus anything else so maybe 18k in total. Would you do that mileage in a sub £1500 diesel?
I was looking at 1.6 Focus'. Fiesta's and Polo Bluemotions. Don't really like the idea of a bigger car as they bump up the insurance, tax and running cost.
Fiesta's, Polo's what ever that class of car is should be comfortable enough for sub 20k a year no problem..... However the Focus would/might be more comfortable. Driving instructors sit in this class of car all day some as many as 10 hours plus.....so must be ok for a 3/4 hour- 1.5 commute without a pupil snapping your neck every time they brake or move offI was looking at 1.6 Focus'. Fiesta's and Polo Bluemotions. Don't really like the idea of a bigger car as they bump up the insurance, tax and running cost.
All those cars will feel uncomfortable after the "6"
good luck
Shieldsy94 said:
Looking at reducing my commuting bill whilst saving for a house. Currently have a Mazda 6 2016 on finance and have worked out I can save roughly £300 a month between finance, tax, fuel, insurance & depreciation. I do 14k a year just commuting plus anything else so maybe 18k in total. Would you do that mileage in a sub £1500 diesel?
I was looking at 1.6 Focus'. Fiesta's and Polo Bluemotions. Don't really like the idea of a bigger car as they bump up the insurance, tax and running cost.
If I was you I would consider a PUG 2.0 HDI We have been running vans with these engines on courier work they are bullet proof and we have had 300 K out of two of these vansI was looking at 1.6 Focus'. Fiesta's and Polo Bluemotions. Don't really like the idea of a bigger car as they bump up the insurance, tax and running cost.
I have a 57 plate pug Partner van at the moment with 200 K on the clock and it never gives any trouble
for a car a Pug 307 2.0 hdi would be good
I've got an old shed, my XK8 Convertible, but it's really too nice to use over winter, so took it in for a pre lay up service, MoT and waxoyl on Monday.
I mentioned to my mechanic that I was looking for a winter runaround to do the 10 miles to work and back 5 days a week.
His response was "would you give me £150 for a car thats Mot'd will next August ?"
Of course, said I and re re-appeared with 2 sets of keys. One for an 08 Hyundai Getz, the other for a very tidy 2000 reg 1.0 Corsa.
I enquired as to which he would choose, and it was the older Corsa. An old gentleman had it from new, and they had serviced it regularly, he then passed it on to his granddaughter. He of course, made sure it was safe for her to use.
So, for £150 I have my 3 cylinder run around, that runs perfectly, sips fuel, and the heater is an awful lot better than the Jaguar.
Happy is not the word !
I mentioned to my mechanic that I was looking for a winter runaround to do the 10 miles to work and back 5 days a week.
His response was "would you give me £150 for a car thats Mot'd will next August ?"
Of course, said I and re re-appeared with 2 sets of keys. One for an 08 Hyundai Getz, the other for a very tidy 2000 reg 1.0 Corsa.
I enquired as to which he would choose, and it was the older Corsa. An old gentleman had it from new, and they had serviced it regularly, he then passed it on to his granddaughter. He of course, made sure it was safe for her to use.
So, for £150 I have my 3 cylinder run around, that runs perfectly, sips fuel, and the heater is an awful lot better than the Jaguar.
Happy is not the word !
jeremyh1 said:
If I was you I would consider a PUG 2.0 HDI We have been running vans with these engines on courier work they are bullet proof and we have had 300 K out of two of these vans
I have a 57 plate pug Partner van at the moment with 200 K on the clock and it never gives any trouble
for a car a Pug 307 2.0 hdi would be good
Theres a local place has a couple of low mile Citroen Xsara hdi at £999. Wouldn't be the worst shed.I have a 57 plate pug Partner van at the moment with 200 K on the clock and it never gives any trouble
for a car a Pug 307 2.0 hdi would be good
Shieldsy94 said:
slk 32 said:
I would recommend a polo bluemotion 1. I did 24k in mine in the year prior to lockdown. Zero roadtax, 75mpg+ sat on the M3 at 65mph.. 14 inch wheels so 4 michelin cross climates £240. Plus it has plenty of poke and will happily tick along at 95-100.
Mine has been pretty reliable and has just hit 180k.. bought it at 118k, the only major expense was a new turbo at 135k, other than that pretty much just consumables.
One of these just came up on autotrader near me so might go have a look at it this weekend. What is there to look out on these?Mine has been pretty reliable and has just hit 180k.. bought it at 118k, the only major expense was a new turbo at 135k, other than that pretty much just consumables.
It's also been miraculously free from rust which having owned previously an early noughties Merc which rusted like the Titanic it's been a godsend.
As far as I understand it it's pretty much a Polo 1.4tdi apart from a few tweaks:
Higher gearing in 3rd/4th/5th
Bodykit and faired in grille for aerodynamic efficiency.
Lightweight alloys.
Super trick variable vane geometry turbo.
The rear bumper has a small silver panel painted on the bottom regardless of whatever body colour the car is.. mine doesn't which suggests it has at some point been repaired so this is a handy way to check as most bodyshops just respray in body colour.
Cambelt is the usual 60k / 5 years.
The engine is pretty much bulletproof provided it's had regular oil changes..like I mentioned my turbo went at 135k and looking at the service book I can see that prior to me buying it it hadn't been serviced as regularly as it should have been. The turbo isn't cheap, the genuine VW part cost me the best part of £950 + fitting but my rationale was once I'd fitted that it should pretty much outlast the car as long as I had it serviced regularly, you could probably pick up reconditioned ones cheaper.
Given this expense and the fact that most have done over 100k now I'd pay particular attention to the service history / oil change frequency. There were no warning signs with mine going (no excess smoke) just one minute it was working and the next it wasn't.
I replaced the disks / pads at 120k and these are still fine.
For long distance commutes it's great, I was regularly doing 70 miles a day prior to the Covid lockdown and could even drive 125 miles / 2 hours and get out feeling fresh at the other end.
The high gearing means that at 70mph it's only doing 2k rpm and it has so much low down torque it never feels underpowered (like you can do in the petrol equivalent where you have to constantly consider if you have enough time to overtake someone on the motorway before the fast approaching guy in the Audi drives into the back of you).
I've had mine for almost 6 years now and although I bought it initially just to keep the miles off my slk55 in winter after bad experiences with my constantly oxidising slk32 I use it all the time to the extent that the slk55 now just sits in the garage and I've considered selling it.
The polo is never going to be the best looking / quickest hatchback but it is just so good at what it does that it's really got under my skin and I've become quite attached to it.
Recently picked up a 2005 A3 Sportback with the 2.0 PD diesel for £1750. 136k, full history, cam belt and water pump just done, a new battery, and a fresh ticket with a single advisory (rear tyres).
Only had it a week, but I’m well pleased. Goes well, and it’s returning 48mpg in mostly local running about. Heated half leather / alcantara seats are comfy, its quiet and long legged on the motorway, and with the seats down, it has already transported a sideboard, plus a couple of big loads to the tip.
Has a lazy passenger door lock actuator and the rear wiper doesn’t work, but neither will be big money to sort. Also, in typical VAG fashion, the plastic coating has worn off some of the interior buttons and looks naff. Only a cosmetic issue, but annoying.
Biggest PITA so far compared to newer stuff is the lack of Bluetooth and nav.
Only had it a week, but I’m well pleased. Goes well, and it’s returning 48mpg in mostly local running about. Heated half leather / alcantara seats are comfy, its quiet and long legged on the motorway, and with the seats down, it has already transported a sideboard, plus a couple of big loads to the tip.
Has a lazy passenger door lock actuator and the rear wiper doesn’t work, but neither will be big money to sort. Also, in typical VAG fashion, the plastic coating has worn off some of the interior buttons and looks naff. Only a cosmetic issue, but annoying.
Biggest PITA so far compared to newer stuff is the lack of Bluetooth and nav.
tezzer said:
I've got an old shed, my XK8 Convertible, but it's really too nice to use over winter, so took it in for a pre lay up service, MoT and waxoyl on Monday.
I mentioned to my mechanic that I was looking for a winter runaround to do the 10 miles to work and back 5 days a week.
His response was "would you give me £150 for a car thats Mot'd will next August ?"
Of course, said I and re re-appeared with 2 sets of keys. One for an 08 Hyundai Getz, the other for a very tidy 2000 reg 1.0 Corsa.
I enquired as to which he would choose, and it was the older Corsa. An old gentleman had it from new, and they had serviced it regularly, he then passed it on to his granddaughter. He of course, made sure it was safe for her to use.
So, for £150 I have my 3 cylinder run around, that runs perfectly, sips fuel, and the heater is an awful lot better than the Jaguar.
Happy is not the word !
£150 and a choice of two! Excellent shedding.I mentioned to my mechanic that I was looking for a winter runaround to do the 10 miles to work and back 5 days a week.
His response was "would you give me £150 for a car thats Mot'd will next August ?"
Of course, said I and re re-appeared with 2 sets of keys. One for an 08 Hyundai Getz, the other for a very tidy 2000 reg 1.0 Corsa.
I enquired as to which he would choose, and it was the older Corsa. An old gentleman had it from new, and they had serviced it regularly, he then passed it on to his granddaughter. He of course, made sure it was safe for her to use.
So, for £150 I have my 3 cylinder run around, that runs perfectly, sips fuel, and the heater is an awful lot better than the Jaguar.
Happy is not the word !
Aiminghigh123 said:
Is that a Saab 9-3 2.0T?
I have a 2.8 V6 that’s in that bracket. Paid £900 for the car.
Aye, annoys me that I pay the same as I did on my ISFs and Evo X which were considerably more powerful and fun to drive. I have a 2.8 V6 that’s in that bracket. Paid £900 for the car.
Will stick with it for another 12 months, the problem with the prices at the bottom end of the market going silly means there isn’t anything available out there for the same price that would make sense to change it for
giblet said:
Aiminghigh123 said:
Is that a Saab 9-3 2.0T?
I have a 2.8 V6 that’s in that bracket. Paid £900 for the car.
Aye, annoys me that I pay the same as I did on my ISFs and Evo X which were considerably more powerful and fun to drive. I have a 2.8 V6 that’s in that bracket. Paid £900 for the car.
Will stick with it for another 12 months, the problem with the prices at the bottom end of the market going silly means there isn’t anything available out there for the same price that would make sense to change it for
So the time has come to get some new tyres for my 2008 petrol Focus. Have owned it for coming up to 2 years now and have had the same mismatched ditchfinders on it the entire time. Having looked online I am unsure what to go for but I'll definitely be going upper mid-range to premium as I just don't think it is worth the saving to go for budgets when it comes to tyres.
Does anyone have any specific recommendations? 205/55/R16 is the size. I have looked around and can get Pirelli Cinturato P7s all round for £210 fitted. Goodyear EfficientGrip Perfomance 2 seem to be the most highly recommended in tests but not sure they're worth the extra £50. I know anything half decent will be bette than what's on there at the moment but I'd favour something direct and sporty feeling over comfort and economy.
Does anyone have any specific recommendations? 205/55/R16 is the size. I have looked around and can get Pirelli Cinturato P7s all round for £210 fitted. Goodyear EfficientGrip Perfomance 2 seem to be the most highly recommended in tests but not sure they're worth the extra £50. I know anything half decent will be bette than what's on there at the moment but I'd favour something direct and sporty feeling over comfort and economy.
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