Cheapest way to get a Run About...

Beren

Beren

Beren

Soldato
Joined
30 Jul 2004
Posts
2,837
Location
Auckland
Now, I remember watching an episode of top gear where one of the three got a car for free that had been taken in trade but wasn't worth anything...

To cut a long story short my car met a post recently and is going to be uneconomical to repair so I am after a run about to take me through till hopefully next spring when I can get a reasonable motor.

Now I have called round quite a few of the dealers in the area and they are telling me they wont sell their trade cars on, no matter how good a sob story I paint them. Is there a trick to this that anyone knows?

It's no huge biggy as I have found an old 'n' plate Seat that I can get my hands on for about £250 that still has 7 months MOT... but the less I spend the happier the gf will be with her birthday present which I have to buy this month too!!!
 
The price of scrap steel has gone up dramatically, a knackered saloon was worth £200 to a scrappy at one point.

The best way to get a cheap car today is to buy a suitable non runner from an individual, and use skill.

Sort of thing that you know you can fix on the cheap, but the current owner can't.
 
Fair enough! That might mean that my Mondeo Diesel actually has some residual value then. The problem is that I don't have another vehicle I can use while I fix something so it needs to be currently running. I am very tempted to go down the non-runner route for the next car I get as I will have a couple of grand to spend and some time.
 
keep an eye on ebay for unpopular cars that the owners are desperate to get rid of.

my volvo 440 is a prime example. no one has ever desired a volvo 440, ever.
 
My mate just bought a 1.8 renault laguna, r reg, all it needs is a new tyre and a small leak in the radiator fixing to pass an mot.
Cost him £50 off a guy in a pub because he just wanted rid of it and didn't want to pay £150.
Ask around.
 
I've done 2.

My 1st car was a 999cc Uno with a dead ECU. Misdiagnosis is a good one. Car was free, fuel pump was £80.

My 2nd is a Punto which had a failed ECU, and someone had tried to use the ECU from a matching Punto, right mess. Engine ECU + Code ECU + Red Key for £50 off ebay, car for £80. Owner was going to scrap it, it's the most mint Punto I've seen since they were new.
 
Sounds like a right bargain. TBH I am a little hesitant with getting a car of the bay just because there is no telling quite what you are bidding for unless it's local enough to go have a look first, and I'm in a bit of a hurry.
 
Go down an auction :D

Alternatively, dig around in the local papers and so on.

I picked up a black Triumph that I drove pretty hard for 6 months (and it seemingly enjoyed it as well!) for nothing! It'd been advertised at 400 quid for about 2 weeks and I was the only person that turned up to look at it.

3 days later, guy emailed me saying I could drive it away! Did just that, spent about an hour changing the plugs, points and tuning it a little as it'd sat some time and enjoyed it!

Sold it for 350 quid at the end of it's time with me as well......

Guy I got it off was an Elvis impersonator.......Seemed like a good one as well, wonder what he's up to now :D

Right place, right time sometimes...
 
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