Winter shed - Avensis?

[kprm77]

Seriously considering a winter shed. Need something reliable, cheap to run, comfortable, and good in winter.

There's a cheap 2001 Avensis near me that's currently for sale - anyone had any experience of these in the snow? Any good? If not, what else should I be considering up to £1k?

I've got some winter wheels/tyres in the garage from my old Saab, but stuggling to find anything else the 215/55 R16's would fit on..

[Stupeo]

Most of the Taxi's near me are Avensis from around that age. The snow doesn't seem to stop them!

[Toaster Pilot]

kprm77 said:

I've got some winter wheels/tyres in the garage from my old Saab, but stuggling to find anything else the 215/55 R16's would fit on..

Might I suggest a Saab?

[Matt UK]

Toaster Pilot said:

kprm77 said:

I've got some winter wheels/tyres in the garage from my old Saab, but stuggling to find anything else the 215/55 R16's would fit on..

Might I suggest a Saab?

Agreed. At £1k I'd tend to by on condition, so a Saab is as good as an Avensis in my book.
Even more so if you happen to have a 1/3 of the cars value in tyres already.
Also, Saab more likely to have working heated seats - fantastic perk on a £1k winter shed.

[LasseV]

kprm77 said:

Seriously considering a winter shed. Need something reliable, cheap to run, comfortable, and good in winter.

There's a cheap 2001 Avensis near me that's currently for sale - anyone had any experience of these in the snow? Any good? If not, what else should I be considering up to £1k?

I've got some winter wheels/tyres in the garage from my old Saab, but stuggling to find anything else the 215/55 R16's would fit on..

Toyota Avensis is a top shed for winter driving, i did own one. It was 1998 model with 200+ thousand kilometers and it was a very reliable car. Bear in mind, that i live in finland so we have a real, almost 5 month winter.

I wish i would keep it, it was so good and cheap. If i would keep it, i could afford a porsche now as a second car..

[kprm77]

Toaster Pilot said:

Might I suggest a Saab?

I am looking at Saabs as well. Apart from the tyres, I would have thought an Avensis is cheaper to run (my experience of owning a pile of Saabs in the past has been that they aren't the cheapest to fix if things go wrong!)

[Toaster Pilot]

Bear in mind that with a shed not everything that's broken needs to be fixed, and even a set of winter tyres for something like my Felicia which runs 13" wheels will run you £200+.

[kprm77]

Toaster Pilot said:

Bear in mind that with a shed not everything that's broken needs to be fixed, and even a set of winter tyres for something like my Felicia which runs 13" wheels will run you £200+.

Hmmm.

There's a 9-3 on Ebay nearby that's finishing soon - think I may slap a bid on it...

[kprm77]

'Kin ell - won the auction for the 9-3. Unseen as well

Got 12 months MOT and cost me less than a set of winter tyres - just hope it works!

[JDMDrifter]

Pictures/write-up of shed when it arrives please

[radiodanno]

Good luck.

2001 Avensis is a gamble. The early vvti engines can do a litre of oil every 700 miles. I bought a 1999 one to avoid this. I've had both

All the best with the Saab. Let us know how it fares.

[kprm77]

This is the 9-3 I've won:



I'll post more details once I've picked it up.

I'm more excited about picking this up than my main car which I only got a couple of weeks ago.

Edited by kprm77 on Friday 13th September 19:10

[10 Pence Short]

Of that vintage I'd go for the Accord instead. The Avensis of that model handles atrociously, the engines are harsh and cumbersome and the interior is utter ste.