ideas for a sub 2k run around

[Sir Snaz]

Hi all

Prompted by being quoted RIDICULOUS hire car prices, I am looking for a reliable (or as reliable as you can get) run-around to use whilst back in blighty over the summer.

Not really any criteria other than a long MOT & Ulez compliant.

Have seen a couple of Mercs (1999 CLK, 200 SLK) that interest, also a couple of Jag X-types.

Would like to try and avoid really small cars (Pandas, Clios etc etc) which I know narrows the search quite a bit.

what can the good Pistonistas suggest?

[ZX10R NIN]

CLK200:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302043...

CLK280 Convertible:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202303215...

1.8T A4 Convertible:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202303155...

2.5 C230 Coupe:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202303225...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202304206...

[ClaphamGT3]

At this price point buy solely on condition. Set an Autotrader search range of 5 miles and buy the best condition car that comes up

[fflump]

ZX10R NIN said:

CLK200:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302043...

CLK280 Convertible:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202303215...

1.8T A4 Convertible:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202303155...

2.5 C230 Coupe:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202303225...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202304206...

Yeah and spend a few quid on a brave pill ;-)

[ZX10R NIN]

fflump said:

Yeah and spend a few quid on a brave pill ;-)

I wouldn't say so especially as the OP is visiting for the summer, as always buy on condition.

[SFTWend]

ClaphamGT3 said:

At this price point buy solely on condition. Set an Autotrader search range of 5 miles and buy the best condition car that comes up

What this person said. Searching by make/model rather than condition/distance could take the summer.

[Dirknights]

Alfa GT JTDM.

Excellent thing for the money!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195709985683?mkcid=16&a...

[braddo]

Dirknights said:

Alfa GT JTDM.

Excellent thing for the money!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195709985683?mkcid=16&a...

No good for ULEZ though?

No way would i be looking at premium cars. I would look at medium hatchbacks with petrol engines, probably with whatever gearbox. Focus, astra, mazda3, that kind of stuff.

[braddo]

Ideally, i would also look at private sales and WBAC valuations- this will minimise the spread between buyinf and selling and you can sell the car super quickly.

Whereas buying an old CLK from a dealer will see you get rinsed (and if nothing goes wrong with the car…)

[georgeyboy12345]

I don't think a 1999 Mercedes CLK will be ULEZ compliant, even if you go for petrol. It needs to be Euro 4, so in most cases that'll be nothing made before 2004, though a few things were Euro 4 a few years earlier. Check the reg of the prospective car on the tfl website https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/check-your-vehicl... - don't trust Autotrader, it sometimes gets it wrong!

Here's a CLK 240 Cabriolet - obviously check the roof is working, I think working convertible rooves and fully functioning air con at this price point might be considered more of a bonus than an expectation
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302264...


Jaguar X-Type 2.5 V6 Sport AWD - would be a good move selling at the end of summer as these usually make good winter beaters
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302074...


Audi A4 1.8T
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202304226...


Saab 9-3 2.0 T Convertible for some summer wafting
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302204...


and finally a rather idiosyncratic Renault Laguna 3.0 V6
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202303215...

Edited by georgeyboy12345 on Sunday 23 April 23:10

[Sir Snaz]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far chaps

Front runners at the moment appear to :- Merc C Coupe 2004/5 or possibly the CLC if we up budget a few hundred, new shape SLK 2004/5 again budget upped, the Saab Convertible 06/07? and (bit of a curveball) the newer shape Renault Megan coupe 09/10.

plan is to buy in May, and sell back end of August. Have done some sums - 3mth tax and ins costs + 1000mile fuel spend and then using motorway to give me a buy back price (obv this number could be higher if I sell privately) all of the above seem to end up costing me between 700 - 900 quid for the three months....a little better than the 4k!!!!! hertz are quoting.

Anything I buy will be from a dealer (so I hope will have some sort of warranty) - of the above list, which offers least chance of borkage do we think?

[anonymous-user]

Sir Snaz said:

Thanks for all the suggestions so far chaps

Anything I buy will be from a dealer (so I hope will have some sort of warranty) - of the above list, which offers least chance of borkage do we think?

Am I the only one thinking that any form of Audi, Mercedes or BMW sold at a dealer for £2K is going to be absolutely knackered? For the dealer to sell it for £2K it means it is realistically a £1K to £1500 (at best) car privately, and shed money buys you very little these days.

As for expecting a small dealer to do anything other than completely blank you as soon as there is an issue.

I have a 2011 Megane Coupe and I am very pleased with it, but it seems you have this picture in your head that you are going to be able to buy a fully working German car with zero issues for £2K and run it without issues. I mean you might get lucky, but equally it might be a massive headache and money pit.

[LightningBlue]

Volvo C70 of either generation could make a reasonable summer shed

[Sir Snaz]

Joey Deacon said:

I have a 2011 Megane Coupe and I am very pleased with it, but it seems you have this picture in your head that you are going to be able to buy a fully working German car with zero issues for £2K and run it without issues. I mean you might get lucky, but equally it might be a massive headache and money pit.

Believe me I totally agree and am going into this with eyes wide open, but if i can get three months driving & possibly get some cash back at the end - its still a damn site better than me just pouring 4k into Hertz coffers

[anonymous-user]

Sir Snaz said:

Believe me I totally agree and am going into this with eyes wide open, but if i can get three months driving & possibly get some cash back at the end - its still a damn site better than me just pouring 4k into Hertz coffers

100% and I would be doing the exact same thing. However, I personally would be looking to buy the newest and simplest car I could get for my money, rather than thinking I can get some old German barge and run it for 3 months with zero problems.

[bodhi]

Probably best to buy a 15 year old petrol Civic, rag it around all summer not caring where you park it, do the bear minimum maintenance on it then sell it at the end for what you paid for it?

[A500leroy]

Audi TT Roadster?

[Edible Roadkill]

£2k doesn’t go far these days. Just pounce on whatever comes up nearby with as close to a years mot & as much proof of service / maintenance as possible.

[Sir Snaz]

Maybe I should have posed my question in a different format.

It seems from looking at a lot of different cars with their diff insurance profiles, tax profiles and MPGs - that the three month cost (excluding the buying and selling) ranges, for me, between GBP300-500.00

so what I really need to look at is the smallest turn between buying and selling - when i think like that I could 'up' the initial budget to 4k - but would like to keep under 3k if possible - in the event that the thing blows up and catches fire it still costs me less than hertz

anyone clued in to any weird used car arbitrage? - I noticed that 2011on Renault Megan convertibles and also the Renault Wind are almost there, no idea why I have focused on Renault btw.

[A500leroy]

You need to contact bearman off the old shed thread, he hires out old sheds for not much more than a weekly shop.