50+ mpg, cheap to run, for £1-2k?

[treeroy]

Hi. earlier this year I got myself a 'cheap to run' daily car, a 2013 Polo 1.2 diesel. I'm amazed at the efficiency, being able to get 60+ mpg every day and 75+ on long runs. It will allow me to get a special car as a second car next year.

My polo is worth £3-4k and tbh, I'd rather have something that's more like £1k. I don't like the car at all, its horrible to drive, so a £1000 banger couldn't be any worse. The only reason I have the polo is its cheapness to run. If I could pocket myself £2k that would be grand (literally!). I run the car on a budget as close to £0 as possible. In 100,000 miles nothing has failed on the car so the only real cost is fuel.

I'm not too fussed about the "quality" of my daily, the polo is pretty bare bones for equipment and it's fine. Are there any old bangers that have efficient engines that can genuinely get 50+ mpg? And I'm excluding city cars from this, as I dont really like them.

I know most older cars have inefficient fuel economy compared to modern ones, but do you have any recommendations for really cheap to run old cars? A car that's cheap to buy and *also* cheap to run seems quite rare...

[ScottJB]

Anything with a VAG 1.9TDI engine is my initial reaction.

A4/Golf etc.

(Disclaimer - Haven't checked prices but sold a 170k tip run B6 A4 1.9TDI Avant about 3-4 years ago for £625. So assume they're not worth a lot even in today's inflated 2nd hand market)

[SlowV6]

I was also thinking 1.9PDI 130bhp engine. Maybe in a Bora or an Ibiza for best VFM.

BUT and this is a big but I think it is a bit optimistic to expect to run a £1k shed for next to nothing. Particularly at the moment when £1k gets you a lot less than it did pre COVID.

I feel swapping to a shed could be a false economy and that money you initially bank from the sale of the Polo will be gradually lost in higher running costs.

[georgeyboy12345]

How about one of these? They are all under a grand and have long MOTs until at least next September

These four are all only £30 a year to tax

Renault Megane 1.5 dCi
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110299...


Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110309...


Peugeot 207 1.6 HDi
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109247...


Fiat Panda 1.3 Multijet
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110258...


Or what about this BMW 320d?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110309...

[DodgyGeezer]

Smart car - (nearly) perfect city car

[treeroy]

ScottJB said:

Anything with a VAG 1.9TDI engine is my initial reaction.

A4/Golf etc.

(Disclaimer - Haven't checked prices but sold a 170k tip run B6 A4 1.9TDI Avant about 3-4 years ago for £625. So assume they're not worth a lot even in today's inflated 2nd hand market)

I know the 1.9 PD engine is very reliable, and I've got fond memories of my dad's 1.9 tdi 130 Passat which he ran from new till its deathbed at 160k miles. I had thought about those.

VAG works well for me as I'm a VWG technician, so everything is very easy to work on. But I'm equally open to like an Alfa diesel if they're any good.

Had been thinking that a 1.9 / 2.0 sort of size engine isn't going to be frugal enough for what I want though. Don't suppose you remember what MPG you got in that?

SlowV6 said:

I was also thinking 1.9PDI 130bhp engine. Maybe in a Bora or an Ibiza for best VFM.

BUT and this is a big but I think it is a bit optimistic to expect to run a £1k shed for next to nothing. Particularly at the moment when £1k gets you a lot less than it did pre COVID.

I feel swapping to a shed could be a false economy and that money you initially bank from the sale of the Polo will be gradually lost in higher running costs.

You're right that £1k gets you far less now than it did pre-covid. Really sucks. You'd think the knock on effect from nearly-new car prices rising would have really dropped off by the time it hits 20 year old cars, but seems the opposite. Old bangers are now double or triple what they used to be.

Like, look up a 1.9 Bora on ebay. £2,000!! For 100k mile examples! Absolutely nuts.

And yeah that's my concern with switching cars, will it increase my running costs vs. saving 2k. I'd think really quite a lot would have to go wrong for the £2k saving to be outweighed. My Polo also has an upcoming cost of a cambelt (think it's due at like 60k, car is on 100k), which I would do if I keep it.

georgeyboy12345 said:

How about one of these? They are all under a grand and have long MOTs until at least next September

These four are all only £30 a year to tax

Renault Megane 1.5 dCi
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110299...


Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110309...


Peugeot 207 1.6 HDi
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109247...


Fiat Panda 1.3 Multijet
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110258...


Or what about this BMW 320d?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110309...

Thanks for those suggestions! I particularly love the colour description on that Panda... "Metallic beige". Lol

All decent suggestions, although I dont think the BMW is cheap enough to run, it's not got good enough fuel economy. I know that pretty much any cheap car will do less MPG than my Polo (almost no other car can genuinely do 80mpg), but I'd like to get as close to this as possible.

I remembered earlier that the Audi A2 is still attainable, I've always thought the A2 is cool so that's gone straight to the top of my potential list.

DodgyGeezer said:

Smart car - (nearly) perfect city car

Thanks but no thanks. A smart car is a mode of transport, yes. Is it useful as a car though... not really.

I incidentally don't do much city driving, most of my journeys are country roads.

Edited by treeroy on Sunday 31st October 00:49

Edited by treeroy on Sunday 31st October 00:50

[ZX10R NIN]

1.6d Alfa Mito Veloce 120

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110138...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110248...

1.6d Mini Cooper

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106274...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110188...

1.6d 207 GT

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109016...

Clio 1.5d GT/Dynamique 105

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012287...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110309...

[pingu393]

treeroy said:

DodgyGeezer said:

Smart car - (nearly) perfect city car

Thanks but no thanks. A smart car is a mode of transport, yes. Is it useful as a car though... not really.

I incidentally don't do much city driving, most of my journeys are country roads.

Edited by treeroy on Sunday 31st October 00:49

Edited by treeroy on Sunday 31st October 00:50

Only someone who has never driven one would say that . If you can handle the crap gearbox, don't weigh more than 120kg, it will do everything you need. It won't powerslide, but does anyone do that in the real world? It can drive like a go-cart, mainly because it doesn't have the power to be too dangerous - think old school Mini with a sluggish auto-box (even the manual takes about a second to change). It'll carry an amazing amount of stuff (a very full Asda/Tesco trolley load will fit with a passenger). Bigger loads will fit without a passenger (42" TV in the box). No good if you carry a passenger on long journeys regularly, but how many do? It is sluggish when the weight of driver, passenger and load gets over 200kg. It's my go-to car from a varied choice. Wifey loves it - but she really wants a Little Tike . 300+ mile range on a 26-27 litre fill-up and £0 VED. No good if you want to carry more than one passenger - ever. Great 2nd car, but probably not a good "only car" for a family person.

[stevemcs]

So you want to buy a £1000 diesel that will cover 50mpg and cost £0 to run ...... its not going to happen. At that end of the market budget £500 a year to run it, more if it needs injectors or cambelt.

[georgezippy]

The expanding ULEZ in London should see a fair few old diesels on the market including any 1.9PDs (I have one and can vouch for its reliability).
With any £1000 shed you take a massive punt on whether it'll work or not and have to be prepared to cut losses and chuck it away if it turns out to be bad/abused etc.
I've been quite lucky but do careful research beforehand and do a lot of my own spannering.
Last £1000 shed I bought was a petrol Saab Aero that was damn quick and no big problems in 3 years. I really liked it, but was a bit lucky.

[Mercury00]

I'd stay away from Renault unless they've had a recent timing belt and water pump change. You don't want that bill on a cheap car. I've got a £500 Corolla, it's great!

[TC7]

Getting a bit thin on the ground now but have a tad more poke than the 1.4. £30 a year to tax and I used to average 60mpg in mine without trying, plus being a ford they are pretty nice to drive and cheap consumables.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313727545769?hash=item4...

[jason61c]

Lupo tdi

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124979003229?hash=item1...

Bora

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353746225192?hash=item5...

[G111MDS]

Audi A2 TDi would be a great shout. Ours still in daily use at 173k miles, and has done 20k miles in the last 12 months.

[mike9009]

Diesel Nissan Note.

Ours does 65mpg no matter what. £30 tax. Only a flat battery in nine years ownership, other than servicing and consumables.


There are a few around £1k.

[eleveneleven]

Personally I'd keep the Polo, better the Shed you know...

Cant really go wrong with an old Civic or Corolla though
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110299...

[exelero]

Mondeo?