Cheap car challenge! (Find me a temp car!!)

Malt_Vinegar

Malt_Vinegar

Malt_Vinegar

Don
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Ello Ladies and Gents.

So, the BM is coming off the road for me to take to bits and fiddle with. So i am in need of a cheap car. Im going to be using it for about 6 months i would estimate and dont care all that much what it is.

I have 4 criteria.

1- I want something with a 10ish second 0-60 (faster would be great!)
2- Budget is 200 ish, but im willing to go to 500 is resale is going to be easy
3- I dont really want something with MPG much worse than my BM (30ish is ok for motorway)
4- I do want something reliable!

Thats the basic criteria, but use them more as guidelines than stringent rules!

Im not hung up on looks, age, manufacturer, or much else really. RWD would be nice, and bigger cars are more appealing (although im not writing off small cars!) :) Its mainly for local use, not many journeys more then 20 miles really, seeing as im now getting the train to work every day. If after i finish sorting the BM, i might sorn the temp car and do some work on it myself to bump up re-sale value. (just something to bear in mind)

So, people of OCUK.

What can ya find/point me at? Cheers!
 
Spend 500 quid not 200 quid - if you want 6 months out of it you need something with at least 6 months MOT and this isn't really dooable for 200 quid.

Anyway, 500 quid would get a Mk1 Mondeo 2.0 Si. 0-60 9.2 seconds.
 
[TW]Fox said:
Spend 500 quid not 200 quid - if you want 6 months out of it you need something with at least 6 months MOT and this isn't really dooable for 200 quid.

Anyway, 500 quid would get a Mk1 Mondeo 2.0 Si. 0-60 9.2 seconds.
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Not true, my cav sri was £185 and had 9 months MOT! Probably a rare find but perfectly possible. I would say get a cav sri if you want a reliable banger. Look for a pre 92 (8 valve engine, very reliable and surprisingly economical - 40mpg is possible on the motorway) model, 0 - 60 time is about 8.5 seconds (quarter mile time around 16.5 seconds.) Not exactly fast but quick for a budget banger. The handling is surprisingly OK, you usually get electric windows, power steering, central locking, sunroof, sports seats, foglights, alarm so spec is OK. You'll probably dismiss this as it's a Cavalier and you've been driving a beemer but I thought I'd suggest it anyway.
 
McHaMmEr said:
Not true, my cav sri was £185 and had 9 months MOT! Probably a rare find but perfectly possible. I would say get a cav sri if you want a reliable banger. Look for a pre 92 (8 valve engine, very reliable and surprisingly economical - 40mpg is possible on the motorway) model, 0 - 60 time is about 8.5 seconds (quarter mile time around 16.5 seconds.) Not exactly fast but quick for a budget banger. The handling is surprisingly OK, you usually get electric windows, power steering, central locking, sunroof, sports seats, foglights, alarm so spec is OK. You'll probably dismiss this as it's a Cavalier and you've been driving a beemer but I thought I'd suggest it anyway.
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No not at all, im very interested in all ideas mate! I really not a car snob, especially at this price bracket!
 
Malt_Vinegar said:
Something like this Fox?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1995-N-reg-Fo...4616473972QQcategoryZ9844QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Just happens to be very close to me too!
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Something like that, thats a GLX and I wouldn't really pay a penny more than its up for but, thats the sort of thing thats about.

It will have NIL resale value, so budget to throw it in the bin when you finish with it. At 170,000 miles its probably unlikely to have had an owner thats been diligent enough to replace tired shocks, so don't expect class leading handling :p

Cav's are another buy worth looking at, the Cav was a good car only problem is the Cav was at the end of its life so dynamically etc it's not as good as other stuff which was just being introduced but I guess you dont care about that for 200 quid :)
 
I'd be looking at mk1 Mondeos, 405s, Cavaliers (8v or the Ecotec, doubt you'll get a redtop) and Carltons.
 
Have a look at Citroen Xantias, I paid £600 for a 1997 1.8 LXi with a Years Tax and MOT. It’d had done just less than 80,000 miles and was absolutely spotless inside and very very tidy outside, so I’d bet you could find one that’s done more miles or doesn’t look as good for a lot less. Mine came with Aircon, some kind of fancy seat fabric (Velour maybe, I’m not 100% sure), and Citroen’s awesome suspension.

Since I’ve had the car I’ve put 5000 miles on it and the only problems it’s had were caused by the previous owner failing to change the various filters and took an afternoon to sort out, overall I’m very impressed with it and even though I only bought it as a quick stop gap after someone wrote my previous car off I can see it sticking around for quite a while.
 
Malt_Vinegar said:
Lol, had a bit of a look about, Mondeos, cavs, volvos, and Xantia all looking good.

Liking the look of this one.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CITROEN-XANTI...619324042QQcategoryZ18174QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
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but it's in durham :eek:

that's a long expensive train ride away if you are car less

I'd try the local rag, ours has always got a pile or cars in it that are taxed and tested for a few hundred notes. you're in reading iirc so the prices can't be that different to here in camberley

ht
 
happytechie said:
but it's in durham :eek:

that's a long expensive train ride away if you are car less

I'd try the local rag, ours has always got a pile or cars in it that are taxed and tested for a few hundred notes. you're in reading iirc so the prices can't be that different to here in camberley

ht
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Yer, not that exact one, but seems quite reasonable :)

I gunna pick up some local rags tommorrow. Its funny, i seem to spend less and less on each car as i get older.

Mini - 2.5k
Corolla - 1k
BMW - 1k
Next one - sub 500 :D
 
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I'll stick my neck out and say

Volvo 480 turbo.

I've got one. V.nice cars, wicked to drive, if you can find a good one.

0-60 is about 9sec. Mine does about 23mpg around town and 40mpg on motorway. Mines done 130,000miles but engine and turbo still sweet.

(I've never had a problem with electrics btw, I think that was more the first ones that came out, mines a '93 and the revised model).

edit: oh, forgot to say, these cars have ABS, aircon, trip computer, discs-all-round.
 
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Do I dare suggest a Rover 220 GSi.

You can pick them up for peanuts from the bay.

8.3 seconds to 60, 130+ top speed, half leather interior, electric windows/mirrors/sunroof, PS, ABS, airbag.

Absolute bargains for the money.
 
Soo much to choose from!!

Bah, darn you OCUK! I had no idea the selection was so wide!

This calls for some serious research. I shall be ebaying and searching the local papers like a demon :D

Primeras, rovers - two more to add to the ever growing list!
 
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