Can I get anything worthwhile for under 1k?

Not really, they're actually not a bad shout if you want a little coupe, might be better with the 1.6 as the 2 litre is nothing to write home about
 
No :(

Loved mine but every single time I thought I had either sorted near enough the very next day something else would pop up, usually something fairly annoying or that hampered my ability to drive it far too rather than rattles etc.

I spent weeks fixing a cooling problem on the vr only for the gear linkage to give up, closely followed by the heater dials which was a pain in the ass to sort. Cold air blowing straight at your feet for a week is annoying in winter. That same car which had a documented chain and tensioner change 3years eaelier also had a fracture on the tensioner when it was re- changed due to chain noise.

I'd have another in a heartbeat, but not as a car I absolutely had to be able to use every day, would have to be a car that could come off the road for a couple of weeks easily if need be.
 
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In all honesty I don't know what to get for the best.

In essence I want the best part of a years mot, something that isn't hugely expensive to tax or insure.

It doesn't necessarily need to be dirt cheap on tax and insurance, but I was thinking band I maybe, or if it's older than 2001 the tax doesn't matter one bit. The insurance does though, I don't want to spend more than about £60 per month on insurance, which probably means group 15 or below for me.

One of the major requirements is that it isnt too far away, I can't go to far because even if I took time off work our car would need to be about for school runs etc.

I think up to an hour away from HP156BS should be ok.

I want something with a long MOT that I won't need to get work done on that I can just drive for a year. I don't care if after a year it is just binned, but it has to get me to work and back whilst I need it.

I know I am not making this easy and I do really appreciate people's thoughts :)

P.s. the MK4 Golf was CAT D and I didn't realise so I didnt even drive it as it was pretty battered and apparently struggles into 1st gear, nice of the **** to tell me that on the phone before I drove an hour to see it.
 
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You've been shown so many cars that offer exactly what you're writing about above, but keep linking to overpriced e36's or mk3 golfs - Both are still good cars but you'll need to be willing to work on them yourself, especially the mk3 golf. IF you chose to buy something like this, do not spend £1k on a 316 as you will not get it back. Have said it before but I sold my 328i coupe for less than a grand and I had to wait even to get that.

If you want something that will likely cost you nothing or next to nothing in maintenance - mazda 626 or primera

As new a car as you're likely to get for the money whilst still looking reasonable and probably wont cost much if you pick carefully - Mondeo, focus, Toledo or at a push a Bora with a 1.6 under the bonnet

Something that you'll still have a bit of fun driving but will have to be willing to put your hand in your pocket and get the spanners out - I've linked to a few examples before, there are many many more. A personal favourite is the Mivec FTO (manual - crazy insurance prices) though basically any older coupe with a reasonable engine be it jap, german or whatever.

Every single older car of this ilk i've had (and i've had lots) has needed some work - could you get away with doing nothing to it for a year?.....possibly but you're taking a big chance and will really struggle to get anything back.
 
Wow there is a lot of crap about!! I've decided I don't want a BMW now having driven one.

What do people make of this?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif.../hp156bs/advert-type/dealer-stock?logcode=dsp

I can get it for 1k as he "needs the space" I just text him on the off chance asking if he would take 1k cash as that's all I've got.

Saw a nice Gold 1.6 SE, but it needs two mirrors, two boot struts and a new cable for the back door handle lol He said he would sort all of that, but can't see that it's had the cam belt done (ever) so I walked away.
 
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Guru said:
:( Wish I lived where these bargains are, there isn't anything near me that isn't a complete dog so far for this money.
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Are you only prepared to travel 10 miles or something? from one of your posts your postcode puts you 12 miles from the M25 and access to probably the busiest second hand market market in the country, I'd sort of agree if you were in Inverness but you could get a £20 cab ride inside the M25 and your rail service would be an hour to the other side of London.

You'll find very very little in your own village.
 
maccapacca said:
Are you only prepared to travel 10 miles or something? from one of your posts your postcode puts you 12 miles from the M25 and access to probably the busiest second hand market market in the country, I'd sort of agree if you were in Inverness but you could get a £20 cab ride inside the M25 and your rail service would be an hour to the other side of London.

You'll find very very little in your own village.
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I've been searching 30-40 miles. But as I say I am limited how far I can go my my three kids.

I found a properly tidy early MK4 Golf GTI 1.8 T with 4 brand new tyres and a years MOT that he will take £1250 for but it has 130,000 miles on it and needs tax. Nice example though.

/edit it was a 1.8 T I assumed they were all turbos but it seems not?
 
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The more I think about it the more I am tempted to make an offer on that 1.8T looks like they can be a bit of fun if you get them re-mapped.
 
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