stop gap car - easiest/most popular to sell in a month or 2?

[edo]

Need a stop gap car.

Needs to be reliable, little potential for nasty bills.

Needs to hold money and lose as little (if anything!) in 2-3 months.

Happy to spend up to £7k.

MUST be low mileage - this has always worked for me, so I am sticking to it (no more than 50k).

Ideally fun.

I'm quite surprised how cheap Mk3 Mx5's have got - low mileage 2.0 for £7k has to be a reasonable shout?

What else people? (I cant bring myself to do the mini thing despite how popular they are).

[dazp]

Golf?

[edo]

dazp said:

Golf?

Funny you should say that - I was just looking at this - cant be many around with this sort of mileage?!?

1997 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 2.0 GTi Colour Concept 3dr Hatchback Special Eds
Trade Seller: Select Motorcars

20,000 miles, This special edition Golf GTI is absolutely immaculate and has only covered 20,000 miles with a full main dealer/specialist service history. It has just had a major service including a new cam belt and pollen filter, and flew through it's new MOT to give it a full year. The spec includes full heated leather Recarro Seats, Air Conditioning and Electric Sunroof, Electric Windows and Mirrors, Power Steering, CD Player and unmarked Alloy Wheels. This car looks like new and anyone that views the vehicle, seriously looking for a perfect example will not be disappointed. It still has the original owners manuals and book pack, first aid kit still in it's wrappers, hazard warning triangle and two sets of keys with the original supplying dealers key rings on. The car is completely original and has just been professionally detailed ready for sale. Part Exchange considered. £3,250 ONO.

[Rollcage]

£7k is not a stopgap car - £500 is!

I would have thought that owning a £7k car for two months may cause probs when selling on again - ie why are you selling so soon?

[mgmrw2003]

3months ownership and you wanna spend 7grand?

why not spend a grand on an old beemer barge, VeeDub passat or something? Shouldnt be too hard to find a passat/5series/volvo with life in it for £1000-£2000.

Then flog it on for similar amount?

Or if new-ness is your issue, get a short term lease/long term rental

[anonymous-user]

Don't get a new Mini.
Supra though? http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/2284915.htm
Something like that, very fun, will hold it's value and very fast.

[edo]

mgmrw2003 said:

3months ownership and you wanna spend 7grand?

why not spend a grand on an old beemer barge, VeeDub passat or something? Shouldnt be too hard to find a passat/5series/volvo with life in it for £1000-£2000.

Then flog it on for similar amount?

Or if new-ness is your issue, get a short term lease/long term rental

Needs to be reliable and I don't want the risk of breaking down, or the potential bills of a snotter.

[hornetrider]

Rollcage said:

£7k is not a stopgap car - £500 is!

I would have thought that owning a £7k car for two months may cause probs when selling on again - ie why are you selling so soon?

This. Despite owning one myself, I wouldn't advive a Mk3 MX5 either - there's billions on the market and I think you need to be priced quite aggressively to differentiate yourself from the competition. If I were you I'd be buying a sub 2k barge - in fact I'm surprised you're not considering that route.

[edo]

PSBuckshot said:

Don't get a new Mini.
Supra though? http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/2284915.htm
Something like that, very fun, will hold it's value and very fast.

Good call, but a little blingy for my tastes!

[edo]

hornetrider said:

Rollcage said:

£7k is not a stopgap car - £500 is!

I would have thought that owning a £7k car for two months may cause probs when selling on again - ie why are you selling so soon?

This. Despite owning one myself, I wouldn't advive a Mk3 MX5 either - there's billions on the market and I think you need to be priced quite aggressively to differentiate yourself from the competition. If I were you I'd be buying a sub 2k barge - in fact I'm surprised you're not considering that route.

740i or similar is appealing, my OCD wont let me buy/drive something which isnt perfect, and anything that needs doing I have to do, so I am happy to spend a little more to get the perfect example.

[Rollcage]

Buy a decent car and it will be unlikely to break down. I cant remember the last time I failed to complete a journey, I commute 80 miles a day and rarely pay more than £500 for a car!

[giw12]

edo said:

Funny you should say that - I was just looking at this - cant be many around with this sort of mileage?!?

1997 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 2.0 GTi Colour Concept 3dr Hatchback Special Eds
Trade Seller: Select Motorcars

20,000 miles, This special edition Golf GTI is absolutely immaculate and has only covered 20,000 miles with a full main dealer/specialist service history. It has just had a major service including a new cam belt and pollen filter, and flew through it's new MOT to give it a full year. The spec includes full heated leather Recarro Seats, Air Conditioning and Electric Sunroof, Electric Windows and Mirrors, Power Steering, CD Player and unmarked Alloy Wheels. This car looks like new and anyone that views the vehicle, seriously looking for a perfect example will not be disappointed. It still has the original owners manuals and book pack, first aid kit still in it's wrappers, hazard warning triangle and two sets of keys with the original supplying dealers key rings on. The car is completely original and has just been professionally detailed ready for sale. Part Exchange considered. £3,250 ONO.

20,000 miles in 14 years?? I'd rather see 100,000 on it

[mgmrw2003]

edo said:

Needs to be reliable and I don't want the risk of breaking down, or the potential bills of a snotter.

Reliable? I gave a grand for a 320 touring in January, with 12months tax and 9months test, 1owner for first 14years, 1for 6months until he bought a 4x4.

So far its cost me: front brake pads at 17quid from local motor factors.

7grand for a stopgap is ridiculous........could buy 14 stop gap cars for that

[ZesPak]

dazp said:

Golf?

Second that, they'll lose no money over a couple of months/couple of miles.

Also, anything a bit older and very popular with new drivers, like a 206, ibiza or a polo. All very "good" cars in their own respect.

[ZesPak]

edo said:

mgmrw2003 said:

3months ownership and you wanna spend 7grand?

why not spend a grand on an old beemer barge, VeeDub passat or something? Shouldnt be too hard to find a passat/5series/volvo with life in it for £1000-£2000.

Then flog it on for similar amount?

Or if new-ness is your issue, get a short term lease/long term rental

Needs to be reliable and I don't want the risk of breaking down, or the potential bills of a snotter.

You'll lose like, £1000 ? That's not much imho.

[DannyVTS]

I doubt you'd get £3.2 back for that golf if you paid it, or that it would sell quickly!

I bought a cheap Nissan Primera GT as my stop gap. It's fun, cheap, reliable, should be easy to sell (I hope!)

[aka_kerrly]

Yikes even with 20k on it is a MK3 Golf GTI 8v ever worth £3k when that sort of money also buys many a Highline VR6 which are far more desirable than any colour concept.

Also if you bought the Colour concept you would be one of only a handful of people in the UK prepared to pay that kind of money which is hardly fitting with your desire to buy a car you could potentially sell on in a month or so with relative ease.

Since there is a little bit of sunshine around at the moment id be tempted to buy a cabriolet now with the view that for every sunny day we have the amount of demand for cabriolets increases. Perhaps a Toyota MR-S/mx5/Z3 or Z4/TT Roadster is a good shout as these are popular.

dave

[mgmrw2003]

ZesPak said:

You'll lose like, £1000 ? That's not much imho.

Why lose it? Worst comes to worst eBay it. Old mercs and beemers are popular to break for spares. Spend a grand on a solid E36 coupe, bittov 90s luxury. Chances are it'll do another 10years, let alone 10weeks.

IF you prang it, or by some miracle you've bought one that blows up, ebay it as spares/repairs. I know couple of guys who've adhered to this theory for years

[ZesPak]

mgmrw2003 said:

ZesPak said:

You'll lose like, £1000 ? That's not much imho.

Why lose it? Worst comes to worst eBay it. Old mercs and beemers are popular to break for spares. Spend a grand on a solid E36 coupe, bittov 90s luxury. Chances are it'll do another 10years, let alone 10weeks.

IF you prang it, or by some miracle you've bought one that blows up, ebay it as spares/repairs. I know couple of guys who've adhered to this theory for years

I know, I was talking worst-case scenario. 7k seems an awful lot for some extra perceived reliability in a stop-gap car.
The op can do what he likes, but, if it was me, I'd get an old banger I wouldn't drive otherwise, not much to lose!

[Jgtv]

http://pistonheads.com/sales/2654145.htm

Ideal stop gap car, will do the job with boring Japanese efficiency.
Probably no reason to shift it on in a few months either so able to use the saved cash to something more interesting, Like coke & hookers or an MX5 (Standard PH answers)