Thetownend.com

Ok, so this is an appeal to the collective knowledge of the TEF!

I need a cheap motor for running about in at weekends as using my motorbike no longer practical in this weather and my works van can only accomodate 2 passengers.

I have set myself a budget of just £500 although might be able to stretch that a little for the right car.
Question is, what is the right car?

It will only be used at weekends and at that will need to be able to withstand the 270 mile round weekly trip to Kent that I do every weekend so realiability is a must. Don't want something with to small an engine but nothing to big that would be costly to insure and tax.

Over to you, the TEF's!

You're asking a bit too much I reckon. An old Golf might fit the bill.

Diesel is probably your best bet.

I'd have to echo SP's sentiments, dream on me old chap

reliable for 500 quid.you'll be lucky

Buy a cheap secondhand sofa and stick it in the van. You'll save yourself £450 and it won't cost you anything to insure.

you're gonna be looking at a car thats atleast 10/15 years only maybe more so best bet is to go german.

http://www.500quidcars.co.uk/

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=23&h=&t=232338

How about a Ford Mondeo?

I've owned a couple of Ford Sierra's before which were a good few years old. They were always pretty reliable but most importantly, cheap as fuck to repair if they go wrong. Used to go to Brighton and back once a week and never had any problems, until I hit a sofa on the M4.

I reckon you get relaible old bangers.My Brother bought a M reg Volvo for £200 and drove it to Prague with no (major) problems.

i think you are on the money.for that budget i'd deffo buy a ford.
the best car i ever had price wise was a sierra 2.0glx. paid £1200 for it when it had 90,000 on the clock.
i gave it to my bro in law 5 years later and it still ran like a dream.only job other than the usual service-tyres etc was a starter motor which i got from the ford scrappy for £15.
fucking superb car.

If you can pick up Japanese, thats usually a byword for reliablity.  Honda / Nissan are the last 2 cars Ive had, picked them up with 80 - 90k on the clock and kept them for 2 years doing 40k per year with no trouble.

Get an Astra, about S or T reg. They go forever as long as they have had the oil changed.

A 1.4 is a good bet (16v and pokey) as nobody wants such a small sized engine.

my mates wanting to get his own place so sold his Porsche and has now got a £400 Honda Civic. on a V plate with 75k on the clock.

Full service history etc with only 1 owner.

He says it's an absolute steal and chose the Honda because of their reliability.

But if it's been looked after any car should be reliable to be honest, but you can guarentee it with a Jap car.

I picked up an old Mondeo S reg diesel for £450 and that was 3 years ago(gave it to the sister in law after a couple of months), it had 205k on the clock and went on to do 315k before the gearbox went.

You can get a very good cheap car if you choose wisely.

**BUMP**

Result!

Got an R reg estate Daewoo Nubira CDX 2.0 with just 55K on the clock for nowt!

Grandad got a brand new car through some mobility scheme and said I could have that as long as i paid for the MOT, which it sailed through.

I've paid for a lot worse cars!

Decent one here

http://thetownend.com/index.php/topic,37550.0.html

I suppose if it was free it was an okayish deal...  he probably should have given you something though for taking it off his hands.