Need Another Car.. Advice Please

[LennyLexus]

Right I do about 20'000 miles a year, and I cant afford do it in the Lex and theres certain things I hate doing to my baby, and certain things I cant do.

Take her to the skip,

Do shopping, hate car parks.

Take her to real :tsktsk: areas,

Eat in it etc

Right heres my criterea, lets hope someone can help.

I ideally dont want to spend more then £500!!!

Must be hatchback with folding seats.

Car should have at least 34mpg mixed.

Ideally a diesel engine, otherwise must be injection.

Must be reliable, (used to jap....)

Parts must be cheap or alternatives available.

TYRES must be CHEAP

Must be easy to perform DIY services on (oil & filter, air filter, plugs etc)

Power Steering is a must,

Decent working mirrors,

Electric Windows would be nice,

O insurance is not a problem ;)

Hope someone can help

[PI100]

high milage toyota starlet

[LennyLexus]

high milage toyota starlet

Ah i forgot to mention, it will be going on a lot long journeys to from Chelters to Bham and London.

How are the starlets on mpg? I was thinking an corrola GTI, but then thought the mpg might be quite bad.

I forgot one more factor. must be 'comfortable' to drive. I hate Renaults, they are out the window sorry

[PI100]

defo corolla or a high milage carina..... if i were you i would try and stick with toyota as they go on and on and on with not too much bother

[LennyLexus]

I think for £500 any motor is going to be high mileage.

yep toyotas go on and on, but parts do wear out are these expensive to replace and can you get cheap aftermarket parts?

Starlet isnt a big seller here ( i know they are huge in IRE), so i think parts may be a problem here. One of my mates imported a nice Starlet GT, racing seats has standard

I found my primera kepting going on and on, but parts were dam expensive, might have been the case because i went to a main dealer

MPGs on colloras? any diesel options?

O well, means I get to join TOC

[LennyLexus]

Found a pimp mobile, shame its a saloon!!!

1987 D Reg Toyota Camry 2.0TD GL TD

White, Saloon, 100,000 miles , 4 Doors, MOT-02-2005. ABS, radio/cassette, power steering. cheap old diesel car excellent runner 6 Months Guarantee.07759173342 £395.

I could have got it tinted, 20" spinners, thick pink carpets, furry dice, disco ball, pink leathers B)

Or :tsktsk: the Ecomony....

TOYOTA LANDCRUISER 4.0 DIESEL, 82,

good condition, long MoT, taxed, recent batteries, new tyres etc, private plate. £1,000 . No Offers.

[mudzs]

honda accord or as said before some sort of toyota

[Brettster]

Get yourself an old Toyota Hi Lux

great for doing trips to the skip.

hard as nails for supermarket trips.

far too much respect for anyone in a bad area to touch it.

[LennyLexus]

honda accord or as said before some sort of toyota

Tony & Bret, I need ecomony and a HATCHBACK!!

I do like the idea of a Hi Lux tho B)

[Bazza]

honda accord or as said before some sort of toyota

Tony & Bret, I need ecomony and a HATCHBACK!!

I do like the idea of a Hi Lux tho B)

scooter with a backpack :P

fantastic mpg

cheap

folding seat

cheap

sunroof ;)

cheap

japanese or italian

cheap

cheap insurance

cheap

cheap tax

cheap

unlimited legroom

cheap

cheap parts

cheap

as many mirrors as you dare fit

cheap

electric windows, who needs them

cheap

no need to own a hair dryer

cheap

no parking problems

cheap

no congestion charges

cheap

power steering, no need

cheap

no worries about dropping your kebab

cheap

enter :tsktsk: areas with protection allready catered for

cheap

:) have i convinced you yet :D

[LennyLexus]

Def Dobe, if you all see a man on the M5 or M40 on a scooter with a backpack, give us a hoot.

But what am I gonna do about ICE?

[mudzs]

look at the second one down http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/WWW/cars_...rch_full=SEARCH

Go on to autotrader and search for civic under a grand there is a nice white one with slight rear end damage 130bhp looks nice and would do you

Edited April 12, 2004 by mudzs

[LennyLexus]

look at the second one down http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/WWW/cars_...rch_full=SEARCH

link doesnt work....

But I take it you mean the 1.6 VTEC for £900?

Sounds AND looks nice, but its a fair bit out of my budget

[LennyLexus]

Still need help peeps

Things that fit my budget are Escorts cant stand FORD.

and Astras and Cavs. My 3 month experience of vauxhall have been quite good. Can anyone comment on reliability and running costs in the long term?

And does anyone know a VOC?

[Fidgits]

The missues has had a few Vauhalls...

A 87 Astra 1.3, no real problems over a couple of years...

Between us we had a 1990 Cavalier 1.6 GLS hatch, (i had it a year, then she had it 3), the only problem we ever had was a sticky handbrake...

She has recently bought a N reg Astra, okay cost 900, but aim for 91-93 should be in your budget..

Well cheap to run, dont go that wrong as long as they are looked after properly, and when they do, there cheap to fix...

My advice would be, go for a cavalier, they are cheap, and can easily handle 200K (ours did) as long as they are serviced regularly. Stick to the 1.6 or 1.8 engines, go for a GL or GLS spec (avoid LS and CDX)..

Diesels are okay, but high milers can be expensive to keep going...

[Colin P]

what about a nice Skoda!

[LennyLexus]

The missues has had a few Vauhalls...

A 87 Astra 1.3, no real problems over a couple of years...

Between us we had a 1990 Cavalier 1.6 GLS hatch, (i had it a year, then she had it 3), the only problem we ever had was a sticky handbrake...

She has recently bought a N reg Astra, okay cost 900, but aim for 91-93 should be in your budget..

Well cheap to run, dont go that wrong as long as they are looked after properly, and when they do, there cheap to fix...

My advice would be, go for a cavalier, they are cheap, and can easily handle 200K (ours did) as long as they are serviced regularly. Stick to the 1.6 or 1.8 engines, go for a GL or GLS spec (avoid LS and CDX)..

Diesels are okay, but high milers can be expensive to keep going...

Thanks Ian, thats been really helpful, as I cudnt find a general Vauxhall OC

Cheap to run AND fix??? cant be

Its most likely to be high miler, so I'll avoid Diesel then.

Looks like its gonna to be 1.6i or a 1.8i Cav... whats wrong with the LS and CDX?

What are they Envoys like?

Whats going to be the difference running and fix cost wise between an Astra 1.4i and Cavalier 1.6i?

CP409135 Posted on Apr 13 2004, 07:45 PM

  what about a nice Skoda! 

Theres one down the road for £250

Not even I, can make a Skoda look good

[Fidgits]

The LS is the 'base' model, and you dont even get electric windows...

The CDX is the 'top' model, but insurance reflects that (and i think its only available in 2.0... plus, lots of electrics to go wrong)..

Envoys okay, think it has electric windows..

the 1.4 Astra will be single point fuel injection, so you'll get a really good MPG, but you'll notice the lack in power...

The Cavalier isnt bad for a 1.6, reasonable power, reasonable MPG (prob over 40 on motorway run)...

Out of the two, the Astra will be cheaper, but if your doing a lot of motorway miles, go for the 1.6 astra.. mind you then running costs will be very similar...

Yes they are cheap to run (only 14"/15" tyres, servicing is very cheap)... and parts can be picked up really cheap from either 'Motorsave' type place, or even scrapyards..

The only thing to check is rust under the arches and sills (common problem), check head gasket, and listen for the big end knocking...

[Scorpion]

Def Dobe, if you all see a man on the M5 or M40 on a scooter with a backpack, give us a hoot.

But what am I gonna do about ICE?

You wont be going on any M/Way on a ped mate

[LennyLexus]

You wont be going on any M/Way on a ped mate

Wanna bet?

I've seen one on the M5 before :eerrrmm:

[Scorpion]

"L" plates and 50cc are not allowed

[LennyLexus]

Nice one Ian.

1.6i astra might be better? Whats the like in town (mpg)?

My job is very diverse, and the car needs to be equipped for anything. Of course if i'm going anywhere important, its the Lex B)

yep 14" wheels would be nice complete set fitted for £80, cant even get a single lex tyre for that

[LennyLexus]

"L" plates and 50cc are not allowed

Pete, i have read the highway code

and I doubt the guy was going to go far (2 miles)... junctions linked closely to each other.

[Fidgits]

Nice one Ian.

1.6i astra might be better? Whats the like in town (mpg)?

My job is very diverse, and the car needs to be equipped for anything. Of course if i'm going anywhere important, its the Lex B)

yep 14" wheels would be nice complete set fitted for £80, cant even get a single lex tyre for that 

the 1.6 aint too bad around town... expect around 30mpg at a guess..

But there is another option, the single point injection 1.4 has 60 bhp, but there is also a 82 bhp and 16-valve versions available, which will be more economical than the 1.6 around town, and probably better on motorways than the 60bhp 1.4 too..

[Bazza]

Def Dobe, if you all see a man on the M5 or M40 on a scooter with a backpack, give us a hoot.

But what am I gonna do about ICE?

You wont be going on any M/Way on a ped mate

scooters are available up to 500cc

even 125`s are quite capable of 100mph