The Joy of Running an Old Shed
Discussion
spreadsheet monkey said:
Some people are quite happy with paying X thousand a year to lease a new Golf or Merc A-class or whatever. They're not bothered that it's possible to run a 10 year old M5 for less. They just want warranty cover, no MOT stress, and no lost evenings or weekends diagnosing faults or trawling ebay for parts that the dealers no longer stock.
It doesn't make them less of an enthusiast.
I think the main idea of "shed" is not only cheap, but also "reliable" but unloved cars. I do not think chaps her, going out and buying fancy but money-pits like 840 or some blingo-dingo 996. I do not do any ebaying or spanning myself but spending a few hundred quids for a main service every year with MOT for my shed and that's it, no hassle whatsoever.It doesn't make them less of an enthusiast.
Someone here summarized pretty well before, shedding is a "peace of mind", knowing that it will run, and even if not (worst case scenario), you can just dump it and move on.
ooid said:
I think the main idea of "shed" is not only cheap, but also "reliable" but unloved cars. I do not think chaps her, going out and buying fancy but money-pits like 840 or some blingo-dingo 996. I do not do any ebaying or spanning myself but spending a few hundred quids for a main service every year with MOT for my shed and that's it, no hassle whatsoever.
Someone here summarized pretty well before, shedding is a "peace of mind", knowing that it will run, and even if not (worst case scenario), you can just dump it and move on.
I personally think the zero image, massively depreciating cars offer the best sheds. Especially if you can find one that has had as few owners as possible and has been serviced and looked after by it's previous owners. I know most people hate French cars, but I find Renaults seem to offer the most amount of shed car for your money. These are best if you just want an easy life.Someone here summarized pretty well before, shedding is a "peace of mind", knowing that it will run, and even if not (worst case scenario), you can just dump it and move on.
But where is the fun in that, if you like a bit of excitement and can laugh off
HJG said:
Was on the outside lane by Junction 9. Suddenly the engine made a noise I can only explain as somebody dropping a handful of cutlery into a metal sink. Couldn't see anything behind me due to the smoke.
then an old Mercedes, Audi or BMW has to be the way to go. This is advanced level shedding though and only really advisable for people who are handy with the spanners. Can be utterly amazing or totally depressing depending on how lucky you are.legendracer said:
Agreed. But what about the fast enthusiast inside some of us? A shed can never give the performance needed neither the peace of mind on a long journey of it's a complex engineering creation.
Had several Volvo T5s for under a grand (and a V70r for 500), one of which was as quick in a straight line (up to many leptons) as the then new turbo Civic type R. It was probably less than the cost of the civics alloys.As for peace of mind, I still to this day trust pre 1999 models more than anything else on the road. Owners club members laugh at you if you are worried about modding because they have covered 200k miles or more and the tales of them only being mapped etc at 250k + miles come thick and fast.
They also just refuse to rust and fall apart.
Shed 9-5 has an MOT due next month. The misses still hates it, despite us having done near enough 10k miles in the thing now. I suspect as a minimum -
airbag light sorting, could be clock spring, not sure.
colossal knock from OSF, possibly lower control arm ball joint but I'm not 100 percent.
2x front tyres.
horrendously loud wheel bearing now which I suspect is OSR.
some really bad play in what I think is the steering universal joint.
I suspect in the current climate it's worth a good £1,500 with an MOT, and I paid less than half of that so I'm in the mind set of getting it through another year, cost permitting.
airbag light sorting, could be clock spring, not sure.
colossal knock from OSF, possibly lower control arm ball joint but I'm not 100 percent.
2x front tyres.
horrendously loud wheel bearing now which I suspect is OSR.
some really bad play in what I think is the steering universal joint.
I suspect in the current climate it's worth a good £1,500 with an MOT, and I paid less than half of that so I'm in the mind set of getting it through another year, cost permitting.
I fancy getting a shed - no need for it but just something to thrash mercilessly!
Probably will keep it 6 months - 1 years then sell. Focus MK1, Pug 406, 107/C1 all look good. Needs to be fun as this will only be about driving the wheels off the thing
Budget is around £1k and running costs need to be tiny. Anything else worth a shout?
Probably will keep it 6 months - 1 years then sell. Focus MK1, Pug 406, 107/C1 all look good. Needs to be fun as this will only be about driving the wheels off the thing
Budget is around £1k and running costs need to be tiny. Anything else worth a shout?
Well ever since boiling my car a few weeks ago, it's been losing coolant. The overheating light hasn't come on since but I keep an eye on coolant levels and it seems.to.be disappearing with no visible leaks. Topped it up today, did the school run, came home, let it cool down, checked it just now and it's empty again.
I always know when it's running low as the fan keeps kicking in but the overheating light hasn't come on.
No oil and water mixing either but no visible leaks so might be head gasket? Anyone have any opinions? Peugeot 106 1.1 TU1JP. If it is headgasket, father in law might be busy again! Can't afford a new shed yet especially with current prices.
Thanks
I always know when it's running low as the fan keeps kicking in but the overheating light hasn't come on.
No oil and water mixing either but no visible leaks so might be head gasket? Anyone have any opinions? Peugeot 106 1.1 TU1JP. If it is headgasket, father in law might be busy again! Can't afford a new shed yet especially with current prices.
Thanks
SidewaysSi said:
I fancy getting a shed - no need for it but just something to thrash mercilessly!
Probably will keep it 6 months - 1 years then sell. Focus MK1, Pug 406, 107/C1 all look good. Needs to be fun as this will only be about driving the wheels off the thing
Budget is around £1k and running costs need to be tiny. Anything else worth a shout?
407 are cheap as chips! Especially with a 2.0 or 2.2 petrol engine, pretty robust thing! Just make sure the suspension bushes and CV joint are alright, as they are prone to let it go "kind of early" (and I hate those jobs - might not be the only one)Probably will keep it 6 months - 1 years then sell. Focus MK1, Pug 406, 107/C1 all look good. Needs to be fun as this will only be about driving the wheels off the thing
Budget is around £1k and running costs need to be tiny. Anything else worth a shout?
But if you look only at the "fun" factor, I would go more 107/C1
Why not 309? 
Ford Ka and Puma might be worth looking at too, but I know nothing about them...Joey Deacon said:
ooid said:
I think the main idea of "shed" is not only cheap, but also "reliable" but unloved cars. I do not think chaps her, going out and buying fancy but money-pits like 840 or some blingo-dingo 996. I do not do any ebaying or spanning myself but spending a few hundred quids for a main service every year with MOT for my shed and that's it, no hassle whatsoever.
Someone here summarized pretty well before, shedding is a "peace of mind", knowing that it will run, and even if not (worst case scenario), you can just dump it and move on.
I personally think the zero image, massively depreciating cars offer the best sheds. Especially if you can find one that has had as few owners as possible and has been serviced and looked after by it's previous owners. I know most people hate French cars, but I find Renaults seem to offer the most amount of shed car for your money. These are best if you just want an easy life.Someone here summarized pretty well before, shedding is a "peace of mind", knowing that it will run, and even if not (worst case scenario), you can just dump it and move on.
But where is the fun in that, if you like a bit of excitement and can laugh off
HJG said:
Was on the outside lane by Junction 9. Suddenly the engine made a noise I can only explain as somebody dropping a handful of cutlery into a metal sink. Couldn't see anything behind me due to the smoke.
then an old Mercedes, Audi or BMW has to be the way to go. This is advanced level shedding though and only really advisable for people who are handy with the spanners. Can be utterly amazing or totally depressing depending on how lucky you are.The ten commandments of shedding for me are
1. No badge snobbery
2. Lowish mileage
3. As few owners as possible
4. Vet the seller as much as the car
5. Form no emotional attachment
6. Do your own maintenance
7. Keep in top mechanical condition
8. Don't care what others think or say
9. Get breakdown cover
10. Enjoy the savings
1. No badge snobbery
2. Lowish mileage
3. As few owners as possible
4. Vet the seller as much as the car
5. Form no emotional attachment
6. Do your own maintenance
7. Keep in top mechanical condition
8. Don't care what others think or say
9. Get breakdown cover
10. Enjoy the savings
SidewaysSi said:
I fancy getting a shed - no need for it but just something to thrash mercilessly!
Probably will keep it 6 months - 1 years then sell. Focus MK1, Pug 406, 107/C1 all look good. Needs to be fun as this will only be about driving the wheels off the thing
Budget is around £1k and running costs need to be tiny. Anything else worth a shout?
I've recently got a civic 1.8, 2006. Paid a grand, but has proper good history. Even the rampant boot rot is completely absent. If i spend another 50 on various suspension bits and fixing the aircon it'll last a few years. Plus, of course, Yo, VTEC.Probably will keep it 6 months - 1 years then sell. Focus MK1, Pug 406, 107/C1 all look good. Needs to be fun as this will only be about driving the wheels off the thing
Budget is around £1k and running costs need to be tiny. Anything else worth a shout?
Picked up a CatC Alfa Giulietta about 4 years ago, damage had been repair okay.
Picked up a dent in the front wing and starting to notice the repair wing and door are suffering from stone chips, wasn’t a good paint job.
The suspension is getting to a point it needs at refresh at 96k miles.
Just found out it will need a new turbo fitted, quoted £1400 approx including diagnostics that determined it. I noticed the power was down and the whining got louder.
Garage might give me £1k for it in its current state.
4 years in my ownership and 60k miles by me, not sure what to do
Picked up a dent in the front wing and starting to notice the repair wing and door are suffering from stone chips, wasn’t a good paint job.
The suspension is getting to a point it needs at refresh at 96k miles.
Just found out it will need a new turbo fitted, quoted £1400 approx including diagnostics that determined it. I noticed the power was down and the whining got louder.
Garage might give me £1k for it in its current state.
4 years in my ownership and 60k miles by me, not sure what to do
V6todayTurboManana said:
Picked up a CatC Alfa Giulietta about 4 years ago, damage had been repair okay.
Picked up a dent in the front wing and starting to notice the repair wing and door are suffering from stone chips, wasn’t a good paint job.
The suspension is getting to a point it needs at refresh at 96k miles.
Just found out it will need a new turbo fitted, quoted £1400 approx including diagnostics that determined it. I noticed the power was down and the whining got louder.
Garage might give me £1k for it in its current state.
4 years in my ownership and 60k miles by me, not sure what to do
Find something else to fill the gap and move it on. Sounds like it’s done its bit for you…Picked up a dent in the front wing and starting to notice the repair wing and door are suffering from stone chips, wasn’t a good paint job.
The suspension is getting to a point it needs at refresh at 96k miles.
Just found out it will need a new turbo fitted, quoted £1400 approx including diagnostics that determined it. I noticed the power was down and the whining got louder.
Garage might give me £1k for it in its current state.
4 years in my ownership and 60k miles by me, not sure what to do
Baked_bean said:
Reading this thread in the past has been interesting, as i appreciate driving an old shed occasionally and try not to get wrapped up in the new is better thing.
But I see it has now descended in typical PH fashion with loads of inverse snobbery about how they could afford a Veyron but chose a Vectra estate instead. I understand but it all just seems abit snobby, especially saying you cant see why people spend money on cars on a website about cars. I currently drive a sheddy 5 series estate which is fine, but I am not against spending on a nice car that I can enjoy and cherish also.
For the record, if i had the money I would definitely have a GT3.
Having lived through the 15.5 % Mortgage rate, I've always had to balance value for money with function need. But having role models who bought new cars and kept them 15 years before trading them in for another new car, I thought you bought the best car you could and tried to make it last. But I had some seriously unreliable cars that I had to fix myself over the years. My current shed was bought on the basis that £600. If it lasts 3 months I'm up compare to my colleague who was paying £350 a month lease on a nice car. Neaely 5 years later I'm looking by at reasons not to scrap it. But I see it has now descended in typical PH fashion with loads of inverse snobbery about how they could afford a Veyron but chose a Vectra estate instead. I understand but it all just seems abit snobby, especially saying you cant see why people spend money on cars on a website about cars. I currently drive a sheddy 5 series estate which is fine, but I am not against spending on a nice car that I can enjoy and cherish also.
For the record, if i had the money I would definitely have a GT3.
Wife says I could have money for a nice car from.her inheritance. But setd a financial limit which gets you a nearly new focus. Chi ould get a cheap Monaro but apart from that nothing takes my fancy. She thinks I'm ungrateful. Which I suppose I am. I'd rather spend £1000 on an old barge. Than compromise on "my dream car"
Some interesting posts in here over the last few pages. Being a bloody idiot when younger and financing new cars (that I didn’t even keep for the whole term, ended up in lots of negative equity on, and endured a wallet raping as a result) is, I think, the sole reason I am currently renting a house rather than owning. I’m looking for a weekend job as despite finally being debt free, it will take a good few years to scrape together enough to buy otherwise.
My wife, while seemingly coming round to the joys of owning, still has her car on finance. It’s HP rather that PCP and she wants to keep it until it’s a shed, which is something. It’s an A250 AMG, which is nice but I really don’t think it’s £300/m nicer than my £3k 320d in all honesty. It has developed an alarming bunny hopping when giving it more than 50% throttle, and inevitably it’ll need plugging it to the proper Mercedes software so that’ll be a very expensive trip to a dealer/specialist even before they’ve fixed it, so modern cars are not infallible!
Even if I depended on a car for work, I still wouldn’t finance or lease one (though I do understand why people do). I’ve been put off for life by worrying about damage, having to pay main dealer prices, or exceeding a mileage allowance. It’s no way to live at all.
In a few years time, when I own a house, I would like to get a cheap weekend toy to join the 3 series. Perhaps at the time they might have a combined value of £5k, 1/5th of what plenty of people are seemingly happy to sign up to to drive around in some dull SUV, and I’ll be very happy indeed with that.
Not really sure what the point of this post is, but nice to get it off my chest all the same!
My wife, while seemingly coming round to the joys of owning, still has her car on finance. It’s HP rather that PCP and she wants to keep it until it’s a shed, which is something. It’s an A250 AMG, which is nice but I really don’t think it’s £300/m nicer than my £3k 320d in all honesty. It has developed an alarming bunny hopping when giving it more than 50% throttle, and inevitably it’ll need plugging it to the proper Mercedes software so that’ll be a very expensive trip to a dealer/specialist even before they’ve fixed it, so modern cars are not infallible!
Even if I depended on a car for work, I still wouldn’t finance or lease one (though I do understand why people do). I’ve been put off for life by worrying about damage, having to pay main dealer prices, or exceeding a mileage allowance. It’s no way to live at all.
In a few years time, when I own a house, I would like to get a cheap weekend toy to join the 3 series. Perhaps at the time they might have a combined value of £5k, 1/5th of what plenty of people are seemingly happy to sign up to to drive around in some dull SUV, and I’ll be very happy indeed with that.
Not really sure what the point of this post is, but nice to get it off my chest all the same!
James_N said:
Well ever since boiling my car a few weeks ago, it's been losing coolant. The overheating light hasn't come on since but I keep an eye on coolant levels and it seems.to.be disappearing with no visible leaks. Topped it up today, did the school run, came home, let it cool down, checked it just now and it's empty again.
I always know when it's running low as the fan keeps kicking in but the overheating light hasn't come on.
No oil and water mixing either but no visible leaks so might be head gasket? Anyone have any opinions? Peugeot 106 1.1 TU1JP. If it is headgasket, father in law might be busy again! Can't afford a new shed yet especially with current prices.
Thanks
That sounds like the start of head gasket problems to me, as I had similar on my TU1 Citroen AX. Overheated, then started losing coolant, but with no signs of mixing or vapour.I always know when it's running low as the fan keeps kicking in but the overheating light hasn't come on.
No oil and water mixing either but no visible leaks so might be head gasket? Anyone have any opinions? Peugeot 106 1.1 TU1JP. If it is headgasket, father in law might be busy again! Can't afford a new shed yet especially with current prices.
Thanks
Any signs of oil leakage from the front of the block?
On the plus side for you, mine was fine for months with just top ups until I got round to replacing it (which was a saga in itself…)
We had a TU3JP (which is I think the same breed of engine) that the Mrs boiled. I'm not sure if the HG went before or after she boiled it.
Either way, it wasn't too bad to sort out and went on to do about another 70K miles after that. The car only got scrapped because I gave it to a friend for his lad to learn to drive. The alternator seized and rather than replace it, they scrapped the whole car. (They didn't get the joy of running an old shed)
Either way, it wasn't too bad to sort out and went on to do about another 70K miles after that. The car only got scrapped because I gave it to a friend for his lad to learn to drive. The alternator seized and rather than replace it, they scrapped the whole car. (They didn't get the joy of running an old shed)
I don’t get the snobbery for shed running.
I’ve been there. Last year I got a 2007 Corsa to use for a few months. Cost to me? £0.
It was the future MIL’s car.
Taxed it, changed the headlight bulbs, gave the windows a proper clean to help with the steaming up issue and threw the Davanti ditch finders in the bin for a set of Goodyear Vector 4 season Gen 2s and ran it for a few months.
It did a job without complaint and I gave it back in a much better and safer condition for her to use.
A win win for all.
Personally I’ll HP a car, pay it off and run it till I’m bored or can afford to change to the next model I want.
I’ll buy a spec that will be ideal for my needs to make it a decent owning experience.
The hassle becomes when you get attached and sentimental over a car…
That’s an expensive and slippery slope
I’ve been there. Last year I got a 2007 Corsa to use for a few months. Cost to me? £0.
It was the future MIL’s car.
Taxed it, changed the headlight bulbs, gave the windows a proper clean to help with the steaming up issue and threw the Davanti ditch finders in the bin for a set of Goodyear Vector 4 season Gen 2s and ran it for a few months.
It did a job without complaint and I gave it back in a much better and safer condition for her to use.
A win win for all.
Personally I’ll HP a car, pay it off and run it till I’m bored or can afford to change to the next model I want.
I’ll buy a spec that will be ideal for my needs to make it a decent owning experience.
The hassle becomes when you get attached and sentimental over a car…
That’s an expensive and slippery slope
bearman68 said:
Challo said:
It’s the 1.4HDI so the DV4 version. She has already bought it, so I’ll get the oil changed ASAP.
To be fair, it looks very tidy, and for £500 looks a steal. Although they are rubbish to drive, with a bit of love, they are quite durable (surprisingly so). The interior trim will fall off, the locks will fail, the seats will break your back, and the rattles will drive you insane, but it will plod along, not use any fuel to speak of, and just keep running. Even abused they will keep running.Keeps going into limp mode once warm, low oil pressure flashes up. Stop the car, restart and its fine for a another mile then does the same again.
Going to look at the car this week if I can, but anything to check? Wondering if its as simple as a sensor? The car has oil on the dipstick, but defiantly needs a change.
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