Cheap run around.

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15 Oct 2016
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I have been on look for a cheap run around here to get back and forth to work. Whilst my jag is the garage waiting for the garage start looking at it, that should happen this week and then for the warranty company to decide what they are going to do. Here is the thread if anyone wants to see.


Trying to find a cheap run around for less than 2k has been a bit of a challenge, I had two criteria at least 9 months MOT and something that I could sell on fairly easily afterwards. So I was looking at some the usual suspects in this area.
Ford focus 1.6 petrol £1.9K: that had 110k partial history as advertised turns out it had 70k with undocumented history.
Ford Fiesta £1.8k: these didn’t sit around for long.
Volvo C30 1.6 petrol 1.6k: another car that when you get there the partial history was woeful.
Mini 1.6 petrol £1.3k: 112k full service history 10 months MOT owned by a young student. On paper looked like a good buy. Until I turned up, exhaust blowing, oil leak and there was to much oil in the engine. I did consider it as they all seemed straight forward fixes. But decided not to.

Started looking at few other cars at this point.
Saab 9-3 1.9D £1.7k: 100k miles full service history. Appeared fine, steering was really woolly and the electric windows would go down but would come back up.
Toyota Avensis 2.0D £1.2k: 180k full service fresh mot. The dealer let me look around it, with the hard sell, then when I asked about a test drive he wouldn’t let me? Red flag! When I asked about his trade plates they were out of date.
Was starting to get disheartened by this point and questioning am I being too picky. Came to conclusion that I was just needed something anything in the next two weeks. So I just started looking at anything under 2k.

Found a 2003 clk 320 soft top, always liked these. Had 100k miles and full service history for £1.2k. Also found a low mileage 2005 Toyota corral 1.6 petrol for £1.8k. Both had a full year MOT and I arrange to view both.

It turned out that the Corolla was a 1 old lady owner, car had 39k miles on it. Serviced every year. Any advisory’s got done straight away. All invoice present. Car was being sold as she was given up driven due to ill health and I was dealing her son. She was lovely lady when she said hello.
The car inside looked like it hardly been used, underneath was clean as whistle as stored under a car port. Rear bumper had a scuff and the bite point on the clutch is high. All the usual signs of a old lady driver. Needs a gear box oil change and a aux belt doing jobs that I can sort out easily enough. Any way I didn’t bother with looking at the merc and bought the Corolla. It is definitely not my normal choice of car, but will do the job and should be easy enough to sell on after I am done with it.
 
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Have a look locally for MK7/8 Honda Accord 2L Petrol or 2.2 Diesel or an 06-12 Honda Civic should easily get one with good history and well within budget

Plenty of examples out there of these cars going above 200k+ miles if looked after.
I bought the Corolla, already.

The Accord was definitely on my list, not to many locally for sale in my area. There was only 2, both diesel and high mileage. One of them seemed very appealing, but during the week, between me contact the seller and the time planned to view it. The seller contacted me stating the VSA light had come on permanently. Could have been an easy fix or potentially an expensive one. I did notice last week when looking that some decent high mileage CRV’s where in this price bracket.
 
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You in NI by any chance. As they are hard to get here. Plenty on mainland.

I bought mine 2l Petrol at 117k now on 163k and 90% of that milage increase has been hard Food Delivery miles. Have spent a good ££ on suspension, due to speed ramps and ****** roads lol. And Genuine Clutch. But they are a great motor.
Nope Iam in Norfolk.
 
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