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

Malt_Vinegar

Malt_Vinegar

Malt_Vinegar

Don
Joined
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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!
 
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!
 
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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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!
 
great advice said:
Do you have a car auction local? you can pick up some good bargains there. Got a mate who has a used car lot and any p/x he cant shift he throws in the auction. He recently had a nice mk 3 golf, it had a smashed up passanger door, but 12 months MOT and Tax, it went for £80. An MX6 with the 2.5 V6 used in the nasty ford probe, totally solid engine and will never go wrong but it sounds nasty, it rattles like crazy but it went with 8 months MOT, no tax but he sold it for £150.

I go to stoodley's in Manchester fairly often and im suprised to see what they just cant shift, lots of Vectra's and Mondeos with a bit of MOT and Tax, just dont sell even when they pop the price down to as little as £30.
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Interesting, im just not sure i trust myself at an auction! I could pick up a right lemon, but i spose i could take the risk if prices drop that low!
 
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