Advice on cars - What to buy?

[mattfjohnson 10]

I'm looking to buy a car (for under £800) to get me to work and back in Rotherham everyday.

 

I've been looking at Cavalier's and Mondeo's. I'm not looking for anything sporty (cos of insurance) or anything too small (cos I want to be confortable). You can get an M-reg that looks in good condition for about this price and insurance is about £700 for 1 year. Insurance has got to be a consideration so no stupid ideas please.

 

Any advice on these cars pros/cons or other similar cars.

[oldtimer 11]

For 100% reliability, you can't beat a VW Beetle!! No, not the new one, but 1974 or earlier. I have owned several, and NEVER been stranded, except for running out of gas! (My fault, it was the older Beetle that had a switch for the reserve tank. Forgot to turn it back to main tank after I filled it up.) Check the oil, check the battery, and awa-a-a-a-a-y we go!!

[Blootiger 10]

I feel really mad about wasting a good £500 on what I've got now (box-standard astra) coz my mate from Manchester bought an N-reg Punto for the same about 6 months ago...the problem with sheff is that the 2nd hand market's not got very good deals as it's not nearly half as flooded as the markets elsewhere...if you've any mates in Manchester/Leeds you could ask them to keep an eye out for you just so you get something for your money's worth!

[Squiggs 11]

I'd go for the cavalier over the mondeo - with careful buying, a good average mileage cavalier can be a good deal (workmate sold a G-reg, near-immaculate 85K cav for £500 last year - whoever bought that got good car for next to nothing).

 

But for reliability, and cheapness to buy and insure, you can't beat a Skoda Favorit IMO. - honestly!- I've had mine off the road for 6 months, recently got it back on the road now I've got rid of the modern hi-tech money pit that I was running - and 2 days later it was towing a broken VW.

 

Statistics:

My Favorit: never ever been towed

Broken Cars towed within the last 2 years by my Favorit:

Ford Sierra

Citroen AX

BMW 3 ser.

Daewoo Espero

VW Golf

 

yeah and I know the only thing more embarrasing than climbing out of the back of a sheep is climbing out of the back of a skoda - so that's that out of the way

[mr craig 10]

Cavalier > Mondeo

 

A friend of mine had a 2 liter 8v and that thing was bullet proof,180k on the clock and it had never broken down on him,it was in pretty much showroom condition as well. Sold it for £300.

[Skatiechik 10]

I would go for one of two cars

 

A Maestro: - very cheap to buy, reliable, economical and very cheap to fix if anything did actually go wrong. Also alot more space inside than their appears to be on the outside.

 

A Rover 214 - Again roomy, cheap to buy, economical ( the 1.4 MPI version). The bodywork for this car also seems resistant to the dreaded tin worm.

[floyd77 10]

Originally posted by Skatiechik

I would go for one of two cars

 

A Maestro: - very cheap to buy, reliable, economical and very cheap to fix if anything did actually go wrong. Also alot more space inside than their appears to be on the outside.

 

A Rover 214 - Again roomy, cheap to buy, economical ( the 1.4 MPI version). The bodywork for this car also seems resistant to the dreaded tin worm.

 

Ok - youre obviously a mentalist! Was he not wanting advice on which cars to buy, rather that avoid! Apologies for the gentle ribbing but those are two terrible cars.

 

Fords and vauxhalls may be a good bet - if not 100% reliable, they are cheap and easy to fix, maybe look at VW also - I've had a few of them recently and they have all been bombproof.

 

Get on Ebay - just look for long MOT and go see the car if you can, or take someone 'in the know' with you, I guarantee you will get a good deal if you look hard enough.

[Skatiechik 10]

Originally posted by floyd77

Ok - youre obviously a mentalist! Was he not wanting advice on which cars to buy, rather that avoid! Apologies for the gentle ribbing but those are two terrible cars.

 

Have you ever owned one, let along drive one? Or you just taking jeremy clarkson 'hatred of rover' words for it? Or do you have your own reason for saying they are terrible?

 

If the Maestro was such a bad car, how come it was in production for 12 years ?

 

Also if the Rover 214 is such a bad car, how come there are literally hundreds of them on the roads with practically pristine bodies. Reason being they are reliable, fairly economical and don't rust.

 

Also I would go with Squiggs comment on the Skoda. The first skodas to be built under the volkswagon badge are cheap, cheerful and best of all reliable.

[A.B.Yaffle 24]

I have to agree with Skatiechik about Maestros, having bought mine 2 years ago for £200 and had no serious problems with it since! It has some rust on it, but at least it is reliable and cheap to run, and its like a Tardis inside!

[A.B.Yaffle 24]

I would suggest looking for some dealers' phone numbers on http://www.fish4cars.co.uk and ring round a few dealers to ask what PX cars they have in.

[evildrneil 14]

I would go for an old toyota or VW - maybe not the worlds most inspiring motors but cheap and far more reliable fords / vauxhalls!

[jackthedog 10]

Originally posted by floyd77

Ok - youre obviously a mentalist! Was he not wanting advice on which cars to buy, rather that avoid! Apologies for the gentle ribbing but those are two terrible cars.

 

I think Skatiechik has a bit of a passion for British cars.

 

And when you have a passion for a particular marque, you will defend them till your last breath. Whether they deserve such high praise or not.

 

I know as i'm a Land Rover freak.

And I will die rather than admit that they are overpriced, unreliable, badly built rust buckets...

 

I just love them. They are wonderful and I wont hear a bad word said against them. So there is no point arguing