Find me: throw away car for under £1000

Soldato
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This is probably one of the most bizarre suggestions I've seen in a thread like this.

He wants to do up to 500 miles a day in a £1000 car. On what planet is a 30 year old 3 litre automatic FOUR WHEEL DRIVE Mercedes the answer?! It'll do about 15-20mpg tops! If he was happy to blow that much cash doing 500 miles a day why would he want to do it in a £1000 car :D

Offering something a little different to the other grot boxes in here! I figured it might be a half decent mile muncher and you’d probably not lose any money by reselling it as the odometer wouldn’t look much different after. The 4WD nature wasn’t deliberate. I know the simple answer to this question is to buy anything local with a long MOT, no funny noises or smells and a bit of service history, but surely interesting can factor into it as well??

Saying all that, a £1000 Lexus GS is surely a horrifying prospect as well?! It’s probably worth asking the seller what IS working on it.
 
Soldato
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Seriously though, I was contemplating whether there is such a thing as an “interesting beater”. I might be increasing my mileage substantially quite soon and I don’t really want to park a 911 in Rusholme. I wonder whether £1000 would be enough to get interesting or whether a decent hot (well, warm) hatch requires a bit more dollar. I guess at this budget you buy anything with a long MOT and a bit of service history.

I dont know where Rusholme is, I once bought a low mileage, mechanically sound 1.3 Fiesta for £450 while i waited for an insurance aimed to be sorted.

Every panel was caved in, but it drove really well. For bombing round town and dumping it in car parks, I kept it a year until the MOT ran out.

YMMV if you would be bothered about looking like you couldn't park without hitting a house every time though.
 
Associate
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How are old Lex? I'm assuming reliability is strong...

Going on previous experience yes they are very reliable, I bought a Is200 for £1200 a few years ago as stop gap, kept it two years. Sold it with 137k on the clock and I still see the old girl running around my city. A GS is a comfy place to be and the engine is part of the JZ family, so it a very robust unit.
 
Soldato
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Old man bought an 06 Focus C max 2l diesel 130k miles for £500 nearly a year ago as he needed a banger to get him back and forth work. Failed a recent MOT on only a broken spring, It's everything he hates, A Ford and A Ford in silver and he absolutely loves the car. I'm personally of the opinion its been remapped as a massive brick on wheels with only 130something bhp shouldn't accelerate as fast as it does.

I've never been the type of person to suggest the customary OcUK Motor's Focus, but i'd probably look for a Focus as I now know why its always suggested.
 
Soldato
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23,712
Worried about Lexus reliability but posts a C180?

Clearly isn’t poor yet wants to spend £1000 to do up to 500 miles a day?

Comedy thread.

Edit: just clicked the other links, an x type and a Mini? Lol definitely a joke thread.
 
Soldato
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23,712
To add some actual logic to the thread:

Spending what 3-4k? should land you a much better car. Assuming the same cost of running both that and a £1000 POS, you’ll maybe lose half the value of the better car, if you drive both for mega miles. So say you lose £1000-2000 more than you would with a £1000 car. Is that really a big deal for you? Why not spend those miles in a better, newer and probably more reliable car?
 
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NVP

NVP

Soldato
OP
Joined
6 Sep 2007
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12,649
Worried about Lexus reliability but posts a C180?

Clearly isn’t poor yet wants to spend £1000 to do up to 500 miles a day?

Comedy thread.

Edit: just clicked the other links, an x type and a Mini? Lol definitely a joke thread.
Perhaps if you read things correctly you would not think this to be a joke.

No where have I expressed concern over lexus, and I have posted the c180 with the same unexpressed concern - where I hope others to express informed opinion :)


I'd like a car that I can trust when needed but I can also leave in a ditch if required - so spending more isn't an answer I'm afraid, I already upped from 500 to ensure a reliable purchase.


Regarding my finances - I have not had a job for over 1 year, have 2 children in nappies and a wife who doesn't work.... so no, I am not loaded but I do try to be smart with my money :)
 
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Man of Honour
Joined
17 Oct 2002
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159,534
Why would you want to leave your car somewhere like that? :p

This sort of reliable dependable comfort is going to be very difficult to get for this money. Part of the reason many of these cars are now just a grand is because as they get to this point they become less reliable.

Just imagine how different vehicle residuals would look if cars never went wrong!
 

NVP

NVP

Soldato
OP
Joined
6 Sep 2007
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12,649
I will have to plead the 5th to that :p

Haha yes I understand, but the amount of crap I see driving around surely I can find something similarly indestructible?

That C5 looked a good shout, no?
 
Caporegime
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29 Jul 2011
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In acme's chair.
MK1 Octavia 1.9TDI. Preferably 90/110HP as they are the most bulletproof, but the rest aren't far behind.

I took mine from 140K to 180K and it needed nothing bar servicing. Friend of mine has one on 430K which is still on its original turbo, injectors, etc.

The Bora and Toledo of the same era are the same car.

Failing that, something Japanese. Accord/Civic, Avensis/Corolla.
 
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