£500 to spend on a runabout.

[Ralph Wiggum]

As the title says really, looking to spend £500 on something to get me around. What sort of car should I be looking for? Would ideally want a longish MOT, fairly reliable. Is it possible to get a decent car for £500 these days?

Any help or a gentle nod in the right direction would be massively appreciated.

[edo]

all the decent ones are sitting on a disused airfield.

[anonymous-user]

something like a 306, whatever you can pick up, non modified and as low mileage as you can, preferable not a 1.4 petrol should do you fine around this mark...

Non-turbo diesel even better for hassle free motoring..

[Ralph Wiggum]

306s have crossed my mind, my main thing I would want is reliabilty. I was thinking VW Polos as well, around twelve odd years old.

[amir_j]

Ralph Wiggum said:

As the title says really, looking to spend £500 on something to get me around. What sort of car should I be looking for? Would ideally want a longish MOT, fairly reliable. Is it possible to get a decent car for £500 these days?

Any help or a gentle nod in the right direction would be massively appreciated.

does the £500 have to include long road tax?

[anonymous-user]

Ralph Wiggum said:

306s have crossed my mind, my main thing I would want is reliabilty. I was thinking VW Polos as well, around twelve odd years old.

I have had 2 306, and never had a problem with them.. I think around this money it is best to buy something you know the history about, like a mate or work mate, as around this price there are a lot of 5 mile munters out there...

[sday12]

You'll never get a roundabout for £500, in the last council meeting I went to they cost thousands, and the planning approval........

[Ralph Wiggum]

amir_j said:

Ralph Wiggum said:

As the title says really, looking to spend £500 on something to get me around. What sort of car should I be looking for? Would ideally want a longish MOT, fairly reliable. Is it possible to get a decent car for £500 these days?

Any help or a gentle nod in the right direction would be massively appreciated.

does the £500 have to include long road tax?

not really, MOT yes though.

[Robert060379]

Left hand drive UK rgistered BMW 320 E36? Three owners (ex-services) recent full service. Spanish MOT and TAX until February next year then get some English plates and MOT it over here (abidextrous headlights). £500

[Shaw Tarse]

Ralph Wiggum said:

306s have crossed my mind, my main thing I would want is reliabilty. I was thinking VW Polos as well, around twelve odd years old.

VW Polo, good call.

[anonymous-user]

Shaw Tarse said:

Ralph Wiggum said:

306s have crossed my mind, my main thing I would want is reliabilty. I was thinking VW Polos as well, around twelve odd years old.

VW Polo, good call.

Now find a runner for that price that will last more than 5 miles..I think a difficult job to do...

[amir_j]

Lots here so knock yourself out: http://www.gumtree.com/cgi-bin/list_postings.pl?se...

also see ebay (mods- missed you out as pistonheads wont let you search for mot in description...!)

imo I would go for something uncool, unfashionable etc. Masda, hyundai, daewoo etc as anything nice may have hidden bills. Private seller and aim for something being sold at 600 ish and knock them down.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Is eBay really advisable at this price?

[bazking69]

The days of £500 in used folded paper buying a half decent car are long gone sadlt due to scrappage. As has been said, alot of the genuinely half decent stuff and gone to scrappage, and there is now an exceptional amount of crap to wade through at this price end.

[Nimbus]

Really depends on what you class as 'decent'.

£500 is achievable... as long as you dont want something small or popular.

In fact I just bought a 97 saab 900s last night, 145k miles, 2 owners, all paperwork, good tyres, exhaust, bodywork, for £360 and 5p.

Including 3 months tax and a full tank of full..

Seems built of girders, and I'm expecting it to last at least a couple of years.

bargetastic

I'd be looking for a nissan, a mondeo, or similiar, forget vw and audis, they are to expensive..

Ebay is fine, as long as you look at the car before, and dont get carried away with the bidding.

I think half the trick is not 'needing' the car right now.. My nissan still has 6 weeks mot to go, but I know its not going to be worth repairing to get it thro this time, so I've had my eye on ebay/gumtree etc for a few weeks now... 'decent' cars are always coming up, if you've got the time and patience.

heres the little beauty..

Edited by Nimbus on Friday 9th April 10:24

[Chris_w666]

A 106 diesel should be a good bet at this price range, lots of rubbish about though and steer away from anything that is badly modified.

[Cupid Stunt]

Try to get a Toyota Yaris, you'll do well to get 1 for £500 but there's a few on the auto trader website for around a grand so if you get to an auction you might get lucky

[Chris_w666]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1623936.htm That would be a good choice 12 Months Test, 6 Months tax Bargain.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1623753.htm - That one was cheap.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1440550.htm - Feeling brave?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1621151.htm - Not a diesel but.

[Morningside]

Norwich car auctions had a Vauxhall Omega Elite. Went for £375.
Only reason I did not purchase as it did not have a towbar.



£50 over your budget but what a car!
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1624360.htm

OK. it needs work but look .....Lots of leather and toys

Edited by Morningside on Friday 9th April 10:25

[howcanshe]

Rubbish to all the people that say all the good ones are gone due to scrappage.

I have a vectra which cost me £700, which I would happily sell for 500 in the next couple of weeks when i'm done with it.

T plate 80k, and a massive service history owned by a mates granddad from new!

Some people don't want to buy a new car and hence can't use the scrappage scheme!