Here's one for you that's taxing my brain.
Car wanted, max purchase budget £350!
Must have some remnants of street cred, diesel or smaller petrol engine, estate or useful hatchback for carrying dog etc, rugged rather than flimsy if possible, not a potential rotbox, owner has very good DIY skills so repairs/maintenance no problem, insurance group not a problem either.
Can you think of anything that might last two years for the cost of six weeks depreciation on a new middle range car? (By the way no BXs, I know that option well!)
Bear in mind this buyer will hope to get lucky with a private purchase where they have got stuck with a car over Christmas and now need a fast cash sale, hence this £350 car may be one you would expect to see over £500 normally.
David
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There was an article in a newspaper or magazine recently where they researched a best buy for under £500 and they came up with a VW Jetta. Not sure though if this is big enough for what you need.
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Seen a few Nissan Bluebirds in the Autotrader lately.
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David,
Doesn't meet your criteria in two ways, ie remnants of street cred and hatchback but £250 and they could drive away in SWMBO's Nova.
Still got some tax and test on it.
rgds,
S
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fiat tipo pre-facelift carb model.
pick it up for the price of a meal from the chippy, and although some bits are a bit flimsy, it's covered in zinc, so shouldn't rot out too easily.
ideal hack / treat like muck car.
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Thanks so far guys.
Jetta is a top choice but the lack of a hatch would make it a problem for this particular user. Otherwise I rate an '86 - '90 Jetta TX very highly.
Funnily enough I look after a mint 1990 Bluebird hatch that would be worth buttons. Currently with a very careful retired owner. Looks like it will do another 10 years at least.
Stuart's Nova is a little small for this use but will be an easy sale to the swivel hat brigade. Colour code the bumpers first Stuart (with spray cans), fit blue coolant hoses and get a chrome/foam air filter to see it fly away.
The Tipo is an interesting choice. They also fetch buttons but are better cars than their worth indicates. The fact that the bodies lasts well helps but the electrics sometimes......
Any more? What about a K-reg Rover 214/216?
David
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We have just advertised my wife's Volvo 340 hatch with 108K for £350. Tested to September. No calls yet.
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Strangely enough recently purchased 1993 cavalier 2.0 GL taxed and MoTd for this price. The car is quick, economical and has a good sound system. Unwanted main dealer trade in. Don't rule them out!
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Mk2 VW Passat estate. Totally unloved and unwanted, meets all your requirements but you might struggle to find a diesel at the price. The 1600 petrol isn't bad though. Rover 216 (Honda engine) seems to take abuse very well (I have a friend who tortures defenceless cars for fun, and he hasn't killed his yet).
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Not bad, or try an L reg Cavalier 2ltr.
Ben
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Not after what happened with mine and it's cat converter! The Cav is an excellent motor though with cheap parts and mechanics knowledge in abundance - go for a H reg or before as J reg and after including pre-facelift had cat fitted and providing there is reasonable evidence of oil change and <150k it should be good for at least another 50k if looked after. The 1.6 is surprisingly quick, damned efficient and much cheaper to insure than the 2.0.
Dan
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Dan,
Cavalier is a choice so obvious it might have been overlooked. I had a new company one in 1991 and liked it. 1.8Li in met grey, tint glass, GL wheeltrims. It was one of the nicest looking "standard" company cars in the park.
Someone locally had a mint J-reg SRi in met grey for sale recently. When they bought a much newer car they budgeted for selling this at about £1000. After a while the penny dropped and they may have struggled to get £500.
David
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David
Can thoroughly recommend the Cavalier. I had one for a year or so, did 30k miles and it was no problem. Ignore the complaints about handling - it's nowhere near as bad as some would have you believe and they are splendid on motorways with relaxed gearing and decent seats.
Pal of mine has an N plate 2.0l 16v with 95k on the clock, and it still runs well. Go for a 2.0l if possible. Even these will do 40miles/gall on a run.
regards
john
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alot of cavaliers were taxi's, so you have to be VERY careful, plus vauxhalls have never been known for being the most reliable cars.
but cavaliers ARE cheap, in the north east they are about £250 for a 1989 (F) with FSH.
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honda civic, toyota corolla, vw polo, vw golf mark 2, volvo 340 (these are very robust).
if you want street cred, i would be going for the mark 2 VW golf, its also reliable, cheap to run, a good DIY car, and VERY easy to sell on.
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How about Del Boy's 3 wheel van... can't get more street Cred than that... Esp if you come up with a good company name and graphic for the sides!
~R
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i think del boy's lime green ford capri with hints of pink would be a better bet ;)
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what more can i say, the golf is still COOL, its reliable, robust, easy DIYer, the 5 door hatch is best. the only problem is that £350 wont get a good one, as the prices for these cars are often quite high.
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Old Golfs get towed away round my way (leafy north london burbs) with nothing wrong with them, just too old for owners. There are shedloads in loot for almost nothing. I was in the local scrapyard today and there were a couplep of really clean looking ones in there.
I just sold my 1987 CL which my parents had from new for £460 (in Lancaster though - where I am at Uni). I was sad to see it go! It had served me really well. You really can't beat 80s VWs for bangernomics. Golfs and Jettas are very cheap and parts are bargain bucket from German and Swedish and Euro Car Parts. The engineering on them is just excellent. For example, I was adjusting the belt on the alternator on my Carlton today, and it was a much harder job than on the Golf. The Golf has a funky ratchet system to allow easy tensioning of the belt - the Carlton required the help of a jack handle as a lever.
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i have always liked the mark 2 golf, its still 'cool' and will soon be a cult car.
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Mid-term rule amendment.......Golf Mk.2 is excluded from this contest!
David
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Jetta or a Passat it is then ;)
Also old Audis are cheap, before they went all upmarket and la-de-da. For practicality see Audi 100 Estate Turbo D. Any Audi of the late 80s should be very cheap too (apart from a rally style quattro) I would have thought.
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i have just searched autotrader.co.uk and found a 1984 B, audi 80 diesel, T&T, for £399 ono. so if you are in newcastle at any time, then ring him up.
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I can use the Autotrader site myself thank you.
David
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sorry mate, just trying to help.
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