Can I get a "reliable" stopgap car for £500?
Discussion
Evening guys, my original plan was to sell my 4x4, than get a hire car for 1-2 weeks while I search for the perfect jag XJ. If this doesn't happen within 2 weeks the hire car is going to start getting expensive.
Has anyone bought a stopgap car whilst searching for their perfect motor?
Can it be done for £500, without digging yourself a moneypit, and if so, give me some recommendations for reliable £500 motoring. Don't care about age, looks, brand, mpg, speed etc all that matters is something which on paper will offer good reliability for covering some mileage if needed. (and preferably won't lose too much value so I can recoup my £500!)
Thanks!
Has anyone bought a stopgap car whilst searching for their perfect motor?
Can it be done for £500, without digging yourself a moneypit, and if so, give me some recommendations for reliable £500 motoring. Don't care about age, looks, brand, mpg, speed etc all that matters is something which on paper will offer good reliability for covering some mileage if needed. (and preferably won't lose too much value so I can recoup my £500!)
Thanks!
When my BMW went pop I needed a car quick!
A quick trawl on the bay turned up a £450 Fiat Cinquecento 899cc, 60K miles, 6 months Tax and 1 months MOT.
Its got a few very minor marks here and there but "It'll do for a month.." I thought.
After 1000 miles I grew quite attached to it and popped it in for its MOT. £160 later, Its got a years ticket and another 1000 miles on it!
It can be done, Ive never spent more than £500 on a car so far.
A quick trawl on the bay turned up a £450 Fiat Cinquecento 899cc, 60K miles, 6 months Tax and 1 months MOT.
Its got a few very minor marks here and there but "It'll do for a month.." I thought.
After 1000 miles I grew quite attached to it and popped it in for its MOT. £160 later, Its got a years ticket and another 1000 miles on it!
It can be done, Ive never spent more than £500 on a car so far.
When I sold an Alfa GT I had to do the same as you to recoup some of the money I lost on it (it was a troubled ownership). I brought a W124 Merc with 180000 miles on the clock for £400. Kept it for seven months or so, all it needed was a bottle of Radweld to plug a leak (which was very effective), and I then scrapped it for £200 when I brought my CL.
I'd be happy to do it again. In fact, I really enjoyed giving a workhorse a dignified last few months. It wasn't well looked after before I had it, but when I got a 3 pointed star for the bonnet, gave it a damn good clean, valet, t-cut, wax etc then it looked decent.
Unfortunately it did let me down in a car park when it wouldn't start and had to get towed home. I was planning to keep it for a while longer otherwise, but wasn't going to spend money on it.
I'd be happy to do it again. In fact, I really enjoyed giving a workhorse a dignified last few months. It wasn't well looked after before I had it, but when I got a 3 pointed star for the bonnet, gave it a damn good clean, valet, t-cut, wax etc then it looked decent.
Unfortunately it did let me down in a car park when it wouldn't start and had to get towed home. I was planning to keep it for a while longer otherwise, but wasn't going to spend money on it.
Sure you can.It's a hobby of mine! The 'Show us your snotter' thread on here will show how possible it is.
I have had loads.Some have needed the odd bit of TLC (stuck caliper, hole in backbox etc) but I have yet to actually have one die on me.Keep an eye out on here..
http://retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=bu...
And here..
http://carsunder500.co.uk/
As an example, I just picked this up Mitsubishi Space Runner (not the 230 bhp Hypersports version sadly) with near 12 months MOT, tax till May and 125k miles for £395.It drives like it's covered half that and everything works.
I had no real interest in it other than it being cheap and different but I really like it now! It has a handy sliding door one side and in a few seconds the entire back seats can be removed and turn it into a van.Snottering result!
I have had loads.Some have needed the odd bit of TLC (stuck caliper, hole in backbox etc) but I have yet to actually have one die on me.Keep an eye out on here..
http://retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=bu...
And here..
http://carsunder500.co.uk/
As an example, I just picked this up Mitsubishi Space Runner (not the 230 bhp Hypersports version sadly) with near 12 months MOT, tax till May and 125k miles for £395.It drives like it's covered half that and everything works.
I had no real interest in it other than it being cheap and different but I really like it now! It has a handy sliding door one side and in a few seconds the entire back seats can be removed and turn it into a van.Snottering result!
If you can spot the difference between a decent car and a sh*tter, certainly you can.
Trick is to buy something that no other b*gger wants. Lots of older barges with bigger petrol engines like VX Omegas and V6 Mondeos go for peanuts because most folk are frightened of the mpg. Ditto Saab 9-3, Volvo S/V40s & 70s, old Primeras, Carinas, even the Honda engined Rover 600 is worth a punt if it's not too rusty.
Buy one with the longest (and most genuine looking) MOT you can find and make sure the important bits all work.
Trick is to buy something that no other b*gger wants. Lots of older barges with bigger petrol engines like VX Omegas and V6 Mondeos go for peanuts because most folk are frightened of the mpg. Ditto Saab 9-3, Volvo S/V40s & 70s, old Primeras, Carinas, even the Honda engined Rover 600 is worth a punt if it's not too rusty.
Buy one with the longest (and most genuine looking) MOT you can find and make sure the important bits all work.
Citroen ZX!
Mine cost me £400, 6 months rent and ticket and so far so good. I appreciate the french angle though, but it's not set a foot wrong so far, even in the snow when I had to take evasive on to a snowy bank, the sickening crunch I heard from the bumper resulted in no damage at all.
MOT is next saturday though, and I need to adjust the rear brakes and gun-gum the exhaust up a bit, but that's it!
Mine cost me £400, 6 months rent and ticket and so far so good. I appreciate the french angle though, but it's not set a foot wrong so far, even in the snow when I had to take evasive on to a snowy bank, the sickening crunch I heard from the bumper resulted in no damage at all.
MOT is next saturday though, and I need to adjust the rear brakes and gun-gum the exhaust up a bit, but that's it!
I did it with a VW Golf Mk3 1.9D - Cost £300 with 160k miles. Totally basic apart from power steering (and a rev counter, wow!). I was only planning on using it for a few weeks while I did my flat up but ended up keeping it for over a year. Sold it to a friend of mine who took it up over 200k miles before the rust finally got it. 
Fantastic car.
So in summary - buy basic and be on the lookout for older good 1/2 owner cars with decent history. At this price you can't be caught up in desirability/handling/power etc etc.
Fantastic car.
So in summary - buy basic and be on the lookout for older good 1/2 owner cars with decent history. At this price you can't be caught up in desirability/handling/power etc etc.
I have a mk1 1.8 focus I bought with 9months MOT for £450 last year.
Only fault was the usual ford crappy high idle etc that these engines seem to suffer from a lot.
Its gone straight through the MOT again earlier this month, in some ways its the best car I've owned !
as others have said, buy something unfashionable, probably in a crappy colour, and go for a long MOT
Only fault was the usual ford crappy high idle etc that these engines seem to suffer from a lot.
Its gone straight through the MOT again earlier this month, in some ways its the best car I've owned !
as others have said, buy something unfashionable, probably in a crappy colour, and go for a long MOT
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