Im getting closer to buying myself a car that is for my own enjoyment, about a month to go before I have the money I need.
What I want is diesel ( suit my stedate driving style best plus no fiddling with additives ) and I want an auto.
My budget is around £8-900 roughly. Id prefer a saloon but an estate will do.
I also dont want a shed, so its likely that whatever I buy is going to be 80's or even late 70's possibly rather than a worn out 90's model plus I prefer the simplicity of earlier cars.
I have a few ideas in mind but wondering what the BR would suggest?
My starting point is the Merc 250 D, late 80's.
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Best of old diesel mercs is the 300 around 1993-1995. It has louvres on the side of the front wings. BIl has one...
Why?
More power.. (and it's still slow)
built like a brick toilet
easy maintenance and spares
comfort
presence.
A 250D is dog slow and likely clapped unless you mean a 190 2.5D - bit agricultural and still slow...Mega mileage likely.
madf
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A 1990 Volvo 760 tdi Estate auto. I have got one (not for sale yet) and I have had it for 14 years, i paid £8,500 for it with 120,000 miles and it now has 225,000. It has always sounded like a bag of nails and nowadays starts each day kicking out a load of smoke. But it still does 45 mpg and will do well over the legal speed limit. Comfort, space and safety.
Regards,
Weedy
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>250D is dog slow and likely clapped unless you mean a 190 2.5D - bit agricultural and still slow...Mega mileage likely.<
I drive dog slow, rarely over 50 so as I said, its not an issue really. I looked into the 300 D but insurance is prohibitive compared to the 250, id rather save the money as I wouldnt use the extra performance - only car that ever challenged me performance wise was a 1980 LR SIII diesel - now that was slow.
The clapped out issue is unfortunatly the main problem with old diesels but ive seen a few good ones about, so its just a case of waiting hopefully.
I do like the Volvos but I heard they can be a little unreliable in the diesel, maybe not?
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Vauxhall Omega 2.5TD
BMW E30 325 tds
BMW E34 525 tds
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old transit auto, cheap as chips, no streat cred ,lots of rust and you can play white van man (with brown rusty bits)
:-)
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760/960 auto - your £800 should get you a decent one. Saloons about half the price of estates.
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Citroen ZX with XUD normally-aspirated engine and autobox would be my choice over all the barges. The challenge will be finding one though.
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Omega is way too new and complex to be a cheap banger and the BMWs, well at less than a grand, surely they would be sheds?
I do like the idea of the Volvos, but not many of the diesel 760's about, which was why my first though was the Mercs as they sold a fair few.
I read somewhere that the Carlton diesel was available with an auto box and it is listed as such, but ive never seen one and imagine very few sold.
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I would think more Omegas sold than Carltons (same car really) but more 2.0 diesels in the Omega than 2.5 diesel in either.
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Peugeot 505 turbo diesel - unburstable engine, comfortable cruiser, 0 - 60 eventually but will go on to top the ton if required. I had 3 different family estate versions over the years and would have another tomorrow. Old style diesel technology none of this common rail nonsense... :)
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Citroën XM 2.1 automatic. Much better than most would believe if you go for the post-'95 facelift (chevrons in centre of grille).
Immensely comfortable and capable, unfairly panned - hence cheap as fried potatoes.
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I hadnt thought of the XM thanks OldSock. My dad had two petrols versions in the early 90's and loved them. I guess the only issue is whther of not its possible to find one that has been properly maintained as I dont want something that needs £1500 spending on it straight away, like the CX that I bought a few years ago.
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You're welcome, Stu.
For your proposed budget, your concern over proper maintenance will be equally valid for all 'candidates'. Probably best to look for one that's been owned by an older seller for a few years, and who is looking to down-size. Mind you, there's still some crafty old codgers out there :-)
I had a '96 petrol turbo XM for about four years and enjoyed it enormously. Not a spot of rust on the body - anywhere! Irritating foot-operated parking brake, but not a problem with an automatic (and in Cambridgeshire!!).
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Yes, I was going to mention the XM 2.1 auto. There are still a few around - the Citroen Car Club would be the best place to look for one. Dad had one a few years back that was very nice to drive until a piston ring went and he sold it on. But we came across it few years later with over 250,000 on the clock.
Of course the XUD was a great engine in its day but I believe I'm right in saying that this was only offered with an auto box in the BX - we had one of those too! It was slow, but that seems to suit your requirements. The problem will be finding one!
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I believe I'm right in saying that this was only offered with an auto box in the BX
No, both the ZX and the Xantia were offered in auto with normally-aspirated diesels. Hence my reason for suggesting a ZX. I nearly ended up with an auto diesel ZX but the price was too high at the time.
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My only real problem with the smaller Citroens is that they are eternally dull and this purchase wont be an especially practical choice but one for my enjoyment.
The Merc I can justify because I want to own a proper Merc in my lifetime, always have.
The XM well its a proper Citroen and I have fond memories of blasting down to the South of France in my dads two at well over 100mph taking nearly a day. Amazing comfort too.
Volvos, well my Volvo 460 was one of the nicest cars ive ever owned so id hope that a larger one would also be just as endearing - the fact that there are so many 80's 700 series still knocking about does say alot about their longevity.
I think the problem with the Omega is its quite likely to have been clocked and poorly maintained and finding a good one may be quite hard, much as I do like the cars as the 2.5 TD is a fantastic engine ( BMW? ). It also does rather lack any real character.
It could just be a real money pit without much trouble and it doesnt have the character to justify the expenditure.
Id still quite like a W123 240 D saloon, thats prob my favorite as I like the shape best, just that most are well beyond their best if indeed there are any still running. Last time I looked on Ebay, there was one but with no T&T.
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I thought we knew that an old Volvo or Merc won't be anything like as safe as a new Scenic, so put that thought to bed.
Why go for an old car? For £9,000, you could get a 4 year old Volvo V70 or even an S80.
There seems to be no need either for you to go the BMW route if you're going under 60, so I'd check out all the local taxis and see what they have. A Rover 75 might do for you [much less than £9,000 I'd think].
Final thought what about a Peugeot 605, lux barge!
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When I ran a 1.9TD 406 a few years ago, a Peugeot mechanic told me that the 2.1 engine was lovely, but a complete nightmare to service and maintain. Does this apply when installed in the Citroen as well?
--
04 Grand Scenic 1.9 dCi Dynamique
00 Mondeo 1.8TD LX
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Final thought what about a Peugeot 605 lux barge!
Oooh yes. Lovely car! I have fond memories of borrowing one for a day at the height of a summer heatwave many years ago when A/C was a real luxury. I felt very cool wafting around town in that with the A/C on full blast, I can tell you.
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" When I ran a 1.9TD 406 a few years ago, a Peugeot mechanic told me that the 2.1 engine was lovely, but a complete nightmare to service and maintain. Does this apply when installed in the Citroen as well?"
HJ says that it's shoehorned into the 406's engine bay - but perhaps the XM has more space.
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I like old cars and I dont care about safety especially. Its a car for pleasure, not to transport my nearest and dearest. Modern cars do zero for me and now that im 27 and single, im damn well gonna enjoy myself a little without some woman telling me I cant have old cars because they have the wrong image :-)
My budget is £800-900, not £9000.
The XM bay isnt especially big as its a fairly 'cab forward' design and the engine bay is quite shallow. Equates to the huge interior though and some fantastic seats.
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