Which big cheap car?

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Thu 23 Jun 2005 17:06
Which big cheap car? - oldbanger
Wanted: Big, cheap estate, pickup, or similar, £1500 available,
must be able to get lots of stuff in it, reliability, economy
of running and maintenance important, image not important.

Any recommendations?
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Thu 23 Jun 2005 17:11
Which big cheap car? - Xileno {P}
Volvo 240 or 740/760
Big, tough, reliable, easy to fix.
Should get one for much less than £1500.
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Thu 23 Jun 2005 17:13
Which big cheap car? - chris_w
An old Mondeo is also another option.
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Thu 23 Jun 2005 17:15
Which big cheap car? - keo-the-dog
yes would agree with above volvo or mondeo surprisingly big in the back ...cheers...keo.
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Thu 23 Jun 2005 17:15
Which big cheap car? - keo-the-dog
beat me to it... keo.
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Thu 23 Jun 2005 21:16
Which big cheap car? - Cymrogwyllt
Volvo bits are very expensive from a dealer. I can recall paying £50 trade for a head gasket set in the late 70's. The car only cost £150.
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Thu 23 Jun 2005 23:33
Which big cheap car? - DavidHM
That's why we have German Swedish and French ( www.gsfcarparts.com ) and Euro Car Parts ( www.eurocarpats.com )

However, if it's under £2k, the rule is - anything that's not broken, because depreciation is secondary to reliability as an expense.

At this money, even a Daewoo Leganza would make some sense. Personally though, if I wanted big, competent, and reasonably reliable, I'd go for a 97ish Omega CDX with engine to suit your performance/economy needs - they do pretty much the whole range.
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Fri 24 Jun 2005 00:39
Which big cheap car? - MichaelR
What about a Mondeo Ghia X Estate.

Reliable, cheap to buy, cheap to run, yet loaded with kit and, polished up, looks like more than £2k worth of car?
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Fri 24 Jun 2005 00:52
Which big cheap car? - Blue {P}
Wow, I thought I was bad for answering every question with Ford! :-)

Agreed, Mondeo estate would be suitable, but I don't reckon Ghia X would be essential seeing as image isn't inmportant, the leather seats are more likely to get damaged in fact...

Blue
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Fri 24 Jun 2005 00:59
Which big cheap car? - Stuartli
I would go with the Omega suggestion - very under rated cars from this era.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Fri 24 Jun 2005 02:23
Which big cheap car? - MichaelR
The Car by Car breakdown doesn't paint a good reputation for the Omega reliability wise though.
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Fri 24 Jun 2005 07:22
Which big cheap car? - Sprice
Carlton estates are a good bet, as can hold a lot, reliable (can do 300k + if serviced on time)and even the latest examples are within budget!
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Fri 24 Jun 2005 10:35
Which big cheap car? - barney100
Agree with earlier pasters the old Volvo. Keep away from normal parts suppliers if you need any and use swedish and german autoparts. These big old cars do mega miles.
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Fri 24 Jun 2005 11:03
Which big cheap car? - derek
old audi 100
wafytness value jag?
citroen xm

think the omega is the best suggestion yet, or an old w124 perhaps

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Fri 24 Jun 2005 11:12
Which big cheap car? - Garethj
wafytness value jag?
>>

The XJ-40 has a reputation for electrical gremlins to do with the low current switching, the older XJ-6s have chronic rust problems and the newer ones are probably too expensive I think, although perhaps a high milage one with cloth interior?
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Fri 24 Jun 2005 12:16
Which big cheap car? - J Bonington Jagworth
Most Japanese pickups seem pretty durable, especially the one that Clarkson tried to break!

If you really need the space (and since this seems to be a Ford thread) why not a SWB Transit?
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Fri 24 Jun 2005 13:54
Which big cheap car? - Mapmaker
Audi 100 (new shape). You'll even get an early A6 estate for that money now (it's the same car). These have suffered very badly from depreciation and 1k will buy you a nice 'un.

Toyota Hilux: you won't get much of a 4x4 vehicle for that budget. The last £2k of value seems to disappear very slowly from them. If you can squeeze another £1k or £2k into your budget, then you'll be heading towards something quite smart. If you don't need the high-wheelbase 4x4, then you will save some money (and diesel) by going for the 2WD.

Granada estate.

I agree with JBJ on the panel van approach. There's a thread I started a week or two entitled iirc 'cheap panel van'.

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Fri 24 Jun 2005 14:15
Which big cheap car? - y2k+4
Way back in 1994, we had a 405 estate...creaky, but huge loadbay. You could probably get a 406 for that money...
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Fri 24 Jun 2005 14:23
Which big cheap car? - chris_w
But was it realible? Don't think I would trust anything French over 5 years old after experiencing both Renault and Peugeot's going wrong on me on more than one occasion.
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Fri 24 Jun 2005 16:54
Which big cheap car? - J Bonington Jagworth
I meant to add that if a van is acceptable, you can get a surprising amount in a Citroen C15. Most are diesel and they cost next to nothing to run.
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Fri 24 Jun 2005 15:04
Which big cheap car? - artful dodger {P}
Nearly as large as a Mondeo, have a look at a Fiat Marea Weekend. Theres a choice of petrol and diesel engines. For £1500 you should be able to get one about 5 to 6 years old. One useful feature is you have a drop down bumper as the tailgate door finishes above the bumper. This means you can access the load area with a small sill or completely flat. I carried a door home with the tailgate closed but the bumper dropped, the load area is about 6 foot long so could not quite take the full length. You always have the roof rails, so longer lengths can be safely carried.

The main advice with these cars is to ensure they have the red key as this is required during some engine checks. Also make sure all the electrics work, if they do not then leave well alone.

These Fiat Marea Weekends are lovely cars to drive with a sporty feel and are a smart looking older estate. I drive one so I am talking from experience. When I have needed any parts I have found there are a plentiful supply of cars being broken, especially on ebay. You can also use firms like www.buypartsby.co.uk/ for some of the mechanicals, even the Fiat Dealers are not that expensive.

For more info on the car have a look at www.bravo-guide.co.uk/home.htm (the Marea is a stretched version of the Brava/Bravo) and www.carsfromitaly.com/fiat/index.html

So far I have found mine to be far more reliable than HJ's car by car breakdown suggests.
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Fri 24 Jun 2005 16:00
Which big cheap car? - Mapmaker
Marea weekend. Hideously ugly. So perfect for the job. I remember being astonished at how cheaply you could buy one 3 years ago.

Don't expect to see anything of your £1500 ever again, though. Depreciation is nearly vertical!
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Fri 24 Jun 2005 16:20
Which big cheap car? - IanW1977
Bout £1k for a 65k miler

Are these things reliable ??
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Fri 24 Jun 2005 16:23
Which big cheap car? - blue_haddock
Are these things reliable ??


All i'm going to say is that they're italian......
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Fri 24 Jun 2005 16:26
Which big cheap car? - IanW1977
Fix It Again Tony
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Fri 24 Jun 2005 17:56
Which big cheap car? - artful dodger {P}
I have seen examples with over 150,000 miles on the clock so maybe that tells a story more accurately than most of the rumours by people who have never owned or driven one.

By comparison I have a very low regard for Fords reliabilty from a very bad experience in the past - but they are supposed to be better now.

Personally I do not think that many older cars that show they have been well maintained are going to be that unreliable. You have to realise that even the so called most reliable cars do break down.

As has been stated many times before, regular oil changes can keep an engine in good working order. The extended service intervals on some modern cars is going to make them far more likely to breakdown and unreliable in the future.
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Fri 24 Jun 2005 16:48
Which big cheap car? - tonyl
A big Vauxhall, eg Carlton or Omega, are both within budget. I ran an 89F Carlton 2.0gli to 160k with no issues at all other than oil, filters, cambelt, brakes, exhaust, and tyres. And I ran a 2000W 2.0cd Omega Estate to 67k with a similar lack of expense.

The biggest cost with big barges with no image is depreciation, but at the £1500 level thats less important. If you stick to the 4 cylinder models they are even simple to work on, I kept mine well away from main dealers and did most of the everyday work myself.
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Mon 8 Nov 2010 16:25
Which big cheap car? - Jimibongo

I have a Renault 21 1994. I want to sell it to buy a sports car.

Has no rust as it has come from Spain but therefore has left hand drive. Its registered in UK and I have changed the speedo clock to MPH but kept old one for reference.

It has just passed its MOT and I fitted 2 new front tyres. It just had a full winter service, plugs, oil and filter, fuel filter, brakes checked but were ok. Radiator flushed.I have kept all work reciepts.

It is 1.7 but very economical, it has acres of space inside when you fold the seats down. It does have a bit of surface damage, a small dent on rear passenger side door and a small one on the rear bumper. I can send photos if you want to see it.

(Edit: price and phone no. removed. I'm sorry but we can't do advertisements on here - if I let you do it they'll all want to!)

Edited by Avant on 08/11/2010 at 22:58

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Mon 8 Nov 2010 19:25
Which big cheap car? - dieseldogg

Old ie pre true Ford type Galaxy ie the VW TDI one.

Job done.

1/2 way to a van, but i think more civilized.

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Mon 8 Nov 2010 19:41
Which big cheap car? - able1

Jimibongo - the OP might be suited now, - he posted in Jun 2005.

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Tue 9 Nov 2010 11:03
Which big cheap car? - barney100

Endorse the Volvo choice. Don't go near a dealers for any work in future but find a good indie and Volvos aren't too bad on costs. Have a good test drive to make sure everything works and have a look at brake discs and pads. Change the engine oil and filter well on time and a big Volvo will take anything you want it to, they just go on and on.

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Tue 9 Nov 2010 18:51
Which big cheap car? - SteveLee
Subaru Legacy estate - absolutely unburstable but thirsty.

Toyota Avensis estate - can get really nice examples for £1,500

Škoda Octavia estate.

I know the poster has a (well earned) aversion to things French, but petrol Citroën C5s are pretty reliable, the suspension is unbeatable for load-lugging.
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Wed 10 Nov 2010 13:17
Which big cheap car? - Glenn 42

Surprised no one has mentioned the Hyundai Elantra, a big, simple hatchback that can be had for well under £2k and, if serviced, is usually reliable. Similarly I would expect older Sonatas to be available for this price as they had no image new.

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Wed 10 Nov 2010 13:47
Which big cheap car? - Armstrong Sid

As the OP originally posted in 2005, what was new back then will be in almost cheap banger territory now

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Mon 6 Dec 2010 23:24
Which big cheap car? - s.v.u.

Subaru Legacy ?? Marvelous until the gear box lets go, then you eyes will water when you hear the price !!!

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Tue 7 Dec 2010 03:32
Which big cheap car? - Falkirk Bairn

Subaru Legacy ?? Marvelous until the gear box lets go, then you eyes will water when you hear the price !!!-

Any larger car in the <£1500 range is a write off if any major component fails unless you have a mate or the specialist skills to rebuild a gearbox for example - Subarus are no different from any other larger car except prices of genuine parts are high and there are few Scrappies around with stock

Cheaper parts is Ford/Vx not Volvo/BMW/MB - Hyundai/Kia at the budget end have higher parts prices IIRC

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