£700 to spend on a car..

[TheAngryDog]

My M5 comes off the road for a year in 3 weeks. I need a car upto the value of £700 to run me around for this time, and possibly beyond.

It needs to have some reliability, not cost the earth when it does break, and be a reasonable hack, as I need it to last me around 10k miles a year.

Cars I have seen are things like Volvo S60 2.0 T's and various Mondeo's.

Any other suggestions?

Thanking you.

[Clivey]

TheAngryDog said:

My M5 comes off the road for a year in 3 weeks. I need a car upto the value of £700 to run me around for this time, and possibly beyond.

It needs to have some reliability, not cost the earth when it does break, and be a reasonable hack, as I need it to last me around 10k miles a year.

Cars I have seen are things like Volvo S60 2.0 T's and various Mondeo's.

Any other suggestions?

Thanking you.

At that price, I wouldn't be too bothered about what it is...just that it's solid and isn't a money pit. I too have been toying with the idea of buying a "shed" so that I can sell my BMW and put the money towards the next one (when I find the right example).

You don't know any OAPs selling a well-looked-after old runabout do you?

[eltax91]

At that price it's all about condition. But, if you can be choosy then:-

• Buy japanese
• Buy Petrol
• Buy as much MOT as you can

[TheAngryDog]

Clivey said:

TheAngryDog said:

My M5 comes off the road for a year in 3 weeks. I need a car upto the value of £700 to run me around for this time, and possibly beyond.

It needs to have some reliability, not cost the earth when it does break, and be a reasonable hack, as I need it to last me around 10k miles a year.

Cars I have seen are things like Volvo S60 2.0 T's and various Mondeo's.

Any other suggestions?

Thanking you.

At that price, I wouldn't be too bothered about what it is...just that it's solid and isn't a money pit. I too have been toying with the idea of buying a "shed" so that I can sell my BMW and put the money towards the next one (when I find the right example).

You don't know any OAPs selling a well-looked-after old runabout do you?

I'm keeping mine, planning on sorting out all of the bits that are currently pissing me off about it.

I used to have an MG ZT, I fancy another, but I'd want the turbo engine'd one, but I know the HG is a weak point.

Sadly I do not know any OAP's.

[magpie215]

eltax91 said:

At that price it's all about condition. But, if you can be choosy then:-

• Buy japanese
• Buy Petrol
• Buy as much MOT as you can

^^^ this X 1000

[TheAngryDog]

eltax91 said:

At that price it's all about condition. But, if you can be choosy then:-

• Buy japanese
• Buy Petrol
• Buy as much MOT as you can

Diesels arent even on my radar, though there is the possibility of my having to do 20k miles a year if I decide to spend a year working back in Sheffield.

[eltax91]

I got board, looked up that you live in London and hit gumtree:-

Functional
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/mazd...

Load lugger
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/vw-p...

A different German
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/merc...

Ovlov
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/volv...

BMW Diesel Engine it hink?
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/rove...

Japanese and Petrol, as my first post!
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/hond...

[Clivey]

TheAngryDog said:

I'm keeping mine, planning on sorting out all of the bits that are currently pissing me off about it.

I used to have an MG ZT, I fancy another, but I'd want the turbo engine'd one, but I know the HG is a weak point.

Sadly I do not know any OAP's.

One of the problems with K-Series engined cars is that rather than have the HG fixed properly, a lot of people have a bodge/cheap job done and then flog it without letting on.

EDIT: Just looked and see that your current car is an E39 M5...I don't blame you for not selling! It sounds like you plan on doing what I would do (fix anything wrong and keep it in good condition).

Edited by Clivey on Saturday 26th April 21:23

[TheAngryDog]

eltax91 said:

I got board, looked up that you live in London and hit gumtree:-

Functional
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/mazd...

Load lugger
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/vw-p...

A different German
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/merc...

Ovlov
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/volv...

BMW Diesel Engine it hink?
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/rove...

Japanese and Petrol, as my first post!
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/hond...

Cheers, will take a look. I spend my weekends in Aylesbury now though so I'll be going from Aylesbury to look at a car.

[daemon]

Mondeo probably. Cheap as chips. Get one with a years MOT.

Possibly a vectra? Not a big fan of the 03/04 vectras - any i had when trading tended to have suspension or electrical problems but otherwise a good car.

I'd avoid a ZT that has the 1.8 engine. Known for head gasket issues. Not worth the hassle.

[TheAngryDog]

Clivey said:

TheAngryDog said:

I'm keeping mine, planning on sorting out all of the bits that are currently pissing me off about it.

I used to have an MG ZT, I fancy another, but I'd want the turbo engine'd one, but I know the HG is a weak point.

Sadly I do not know any OAP's.

One of the problems with K-Series engined cars is that rather than have the HG fixed properly, a lot of people have a bodge/cheap job done and then flog it without letting on.

EDIT: Just looked and see that your current car is an E39 M5...I don't blame you for not selling! It sounds like you plan on doing what I would do (fix anything wrong and keep it in good condition).

Edited by Clivey on Saturday 26th April 21:23

Thats true also, it is a complete lottery . Shame, as I quite liked my old MG ZT, even though it was a diesel.

Re the M5, thats the plan, though it may be short lived as I may end up selling it when I go house hunting, depending on how much of a deposit I have managed to save up by then!

[itz_baseline]

Lexus LS. Like this one, slightly over budget but a hell of a lot of car for the money and probably get most of it back in 12 months when you sell

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...

[TheAngryDog]

daemon said:

Mondeo probably. Cheap as chips. Get one with a years MOT.

Possibly a vectra? Not a big fan of the 03/04 vectras - any i had when trading tended to have suspension or electrical problems but otherwise a good car.

I'd avoid a ZT that has the 1.8 engine. Known for head gasket issues. Not worth the hassle.

I have a 52 Reg Vectra 3.2 until last year, didnt have any electrical issues thankfully.

[Evo]

TheAngryDog said:

My M5 comes off the road for a year in 3 weeks. I need a car upto the value of £700 to run me around for this time, and possibly beyond.

It needs to have some reliability, not cost the earth when it does break, and be a reasonable hack, as I need it to last me around 10k miles a year.

Cars I have seen are things like Volvo S60 2.0 T's and various Mondeo's.

Any other suggestions?

Thanking you.

Mazda 626 should do the trick

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...

Under £500 long mot and very tidy.

[Clivey]

TheAngryDog said:

Re the M5, thats the plan, though it may be short lived as I may end up selling it when I go house hunting, depending on how much of a deposit I have managed to save up by then!

I did things the other way around...that's why I "only" have a 320i...

...though catching the 4x4 bug, buying a Discovery and being in the process of spending a small fortune on it may also have something to do with that.

[Boobonman]

Only sensible answer is Volvo 940 turbo.

[morgrp]

Volvo 850 or s70/v70 classic

[surveyor]

Something Saabish

[k-ink]

I second the LS. Nothing else for 1k will come close. Mad amount of waft for no money at all!

[clarkey540i]

I would be looking at an e36 323i. They are less desirable than the 328i, tend to be thrashed less, aren't a great deal slower and get great motorway fuel economy. They also don't handle too badly. Maintenance is miles cheaper than an e39 5 series (ask me how I know....) so as long as the cooling system is in good shape you should have very few problems.