warren t claim Posted November 22, 2011 Posted November 22, 2011 Cos I'm now OMG DHSS I'm looking for some povvo wheels to replace the CAVCRAFT Escort. Here are some choices on my shortlist... This is the 1.3 with a fresh test for about £300. This is the 318tds dizzler. £500. A bit of a wild card here, a 190,000 mile T5. Not cheap to run but only £375 with decent tax and test. Would you pay £400 for a Metro 1360 diesel with decent tax and test? This 405 diesel estate is coming up as a LXD. Does that mean it lacks a turbo? £350 with tax and test doesn't look like a bad deal. 133,000 miles. A bit of a choice there! If anyone knows of anything else for sale in the North West then let me know.
Craig the Princess Posted November 22, 2011 Posted November 22, 2011 Would you pay £400 for a Metro 1360 diesel with decent tax and test? It's the most Povo and has fog lights!
Negative Creep Posted November 22, 2011 Posted November 22, 2011 Swift would likely be the best bet, although the Pug would score the highest shite points
eddyramrod Posted November 22, 2011 Posted November 22, 2011 Of those, I'd be straight into that Volvo; if too late, the Suzuki. I've had both makes, but neither model, and would be happy to repeat the experiences. Either should serve you well enough. The Suzuki will score on economy, the Volvo can't ever match it there... depends what you need it to do besides get you to work!
Shep Shepherd Posted November 22, 2011 Posted November 22, 2011 My heart says the T5, but my head says the 405, as it would probably be less hassle long term, especially if run on a shoestring.
warren t claim Posted November 22, 2011 Author Posted November 22, 2011 Of those, I'd be straight into that Volvo; if too late, the Suzuki. I've had both makes, but neither model, and would be happy to repeat the experiences. Either should serve you well enough. The Suzuki will score on economy, the Volvo can't ever match it there... depends what you need it to do besides get you to work! If I had work to go to then the T5 would be on my driveway tonight.
Cavcraft Posted November 22, 2011 Posted November 22, 2011 Cavalier automatic. The choice of winners.
warren t claim Posted November 22, 2011 Author Posted November 22, 2011 Are the BMW baby dizzlers that bad?
trigger Posted November 22, 2011 Posted November 22, 2011 I'd be hitting that Pug, I'm pretty sure that it will run on chip fat and has plenty of room in the back for a mattress when things get REALLY bad. (or good depending on your luck)
Pete-M Posted November 22, 2011 Posted November 22, 2011 I had a T5 CD auto estate in the same colour as that one, "Undertaker Blue". I miss it. Just wish it went round corners a bit better as it used to make me furiously disappointed whenever I went anywhere with fun roads. Quick in a straight line and it gripped pretty well on the bends but it discouraged 'spririted driving' by having brakes that complained furiously and started to fade after 10 mins of 'making progress' and a shell that was bizarrely floppy when it came to torsional rigidity, The Dibble fitted bigger brakes and strut braces to 'em which makes things a bit better. Strut brace is £80 from Volvo and worth every penny. If you go to see it get it warm then let it idle for a couple of minutes. With the engine running, pull the dipstick out. If there's smoke coming from the dipstick tube the breathers are blocked. This buggers the crank oil seal at the clutch end, which in turn knackers the clutch (on manuals, obviously). There's a breather catch tank handlily situated where you have to take the inlet manifold off to get to it. This blocks up if the oil hasn't been changed with decent stuff every 6-8000 miles, which blocks the breathers, and causes a chain reaction which normally manifests itself by the clutch slipping and a puddle of oil on the path. Other than that, they're bloody good cars and I'd have another without hesitation. Oh, driven sensibly they'll do 24 mpg in town, up to 33 on a run. Comfy buggers on a run.
warren t claim Posted November 22, 2011 Author Posted November 22, 2011 I had a T5 CD auto estate in the same colour as that one, "Undertaker Blue". I miss it. Just wish it went round corners a bit better as it used to make me furiously disappointed whenever I went anywhere with fun roads. Quick in a straight line and it gripped pretty well on the bends but it discouraged 'spririted driving' by having brakes that complained furiously and started to fade after 10 mins of 'making progress' and a shell that was bizarrely floppy when it came to torsional rigidity, The Dibble fitted bigger brakes and strut braces to 'em which makes things a bit better. Strut brace is £80 from Volvo and worth every penny. If you go to see it get it warm then let it idle for a couple of minutes. With the engine running, pull the dipstick out. If there's smoke coming from the dipstick tube the breathers are blocked. This buggers the crank oil seal at the clutch end, which in turn knackers the clutch (on manuals, obviously). There's a breather catch tank handlily situated where you have to take the inlet manifold off to get to it. This blocks up if the oil hasn't been changed with decent stuff every 6-8000 miles, which blocks the breathers, and causes a chain reaction which normally manifests itself by the clutch slipping and a puddle of oil on the path. Other than that, they're bloody good cars and I'd have another without hesitation. Oh, driven sensibly they'll do 24 mpg in town, up to 33 on a run. Comfy buggers on a run. The T5 is a manual so I was hoping it might be a bit better than my auto W124 on fuel even though the engine is bigger. As an aside, how the hell do you manage to get the same fuel economy out of a 4.0 supercharged Jag as I do out of a 2.0 16 valve E200?
Pete-M Posted November 22, 2011 Posted November 22, 2011 As an aside, how the hell do you manage to get the same fuel economy out of a 4.0 supercharged Jag as I do out of a 2.0 16 valve E200? Easy. Don't use the brakes.
Volksy Posted November 23, 2011 Posted November 23, 2011 Regarding the Volvo, everything Pete said, plus they often get sticking valves, when stopped after a short run, which makes it sound like the cambelt has snapped. (no compression when cranking). I've a '96 S70 2.5T - So LPT, which I've had for about three years now, other than the thirst, which can be obscene, it's been utterly reliable. Front wheel bearings do not like pot holes. I've buggered two of them on the shit roads round here, they come as a complete hub, and are about £90. Put it this way, mines on 165k and still on the original exhaust so they are pretty durable. As to the breather system, it's entirely DIYable to change, mine suffered from complete blockage, which rather than blow the flywheel seal, pushed oil past the turbo seals, making me think I had a blown turbo. Cambelts are again possible DIY, and are due around 80k If you can cope with the thirst, they a grand cars, cheap to insure too, £700 cheaper than the quote I got for the Escort! As to the others, Suzuki should be reliable, and pretty frugal, Similar for the Pug, just check for Radiator and possible HGF of them. The Metro will be dismal, that Citroen/Peugeot Diesel in it had enough work pushing the bean can of an AX or 106 around, but they are capable of megaMPG.
Luxobarges_Are_Us Posted November 23, 2011 Posted November 23, 2011 405 all the way. Comfortable, reliable, cheap to maintain and easy to shift when you are in a position to upgrade.
Father Ted Posted November 23, 2011 Posted November 23, 2011 Would you pay £400 for a Metro 1360 diesel with decent tax and test? It's the most Povo and has fog lights!No, because as much as I like these things, you can guarantee it will be rusty as fook underneath.
M'coli Posted November 23, 2011 Posted November 23, 2011 Those diesel Metros are alright, ok not too fast but not dire. Fuel economy is good as Volksy said, and IIRC they all had the Bosch pump so veg oil friendly. However... You did your back in, didn't you? I'd choose the one that gives your back the least grief of all.
scooters Posted November 23, 2011 Posted November 23, 2011 405 850 T5 - well I had an 850 AWD when I was DSS and it's not the car when you are on a very tight budget. The fuel costs are expensive (ok the AWD is a bit more gutsy) - whilst the 850 is on the whole reliable the oil breathers (as mentioned), suspension and alternators do give trouble and the problem with 850s is that the parts are flipin expensive when they break. If I were going to recommend the volvo route I would suggest a 940 Dizzer if you could find one but all shite volvos are pretty tirsty (except maybe the 66!) Oh, Pete-M the AWD 850 goes round corners stupidly fast. No I would go for the 405 - getting rare, you can sell it again (850s are very common) and PSA parts are plentiful and pretty cheap
cms206 Posted November 23, 2011 Posted November 23, 2011 I'd have the Cavalier. I still would... but then again, I've got two already. Hmm... diverting off topic, how much?
face Posted November 23, 2011 Posted November 23, 2011 I'd go for the Swift - good MPG and Suzuki's have a pretty decent record for reliability. Plus you shouldn't lose anything when you sell it on.
sporty-shite Posted November 23, 2011 Posted November 23, 2011 For VFM, and general misery-minimisation I would have thought the 405 would be the best bet. Alternatively, I have a Cavalier 1.8LS here, M reg, but unfortunately without T&T can't see it needing much to test, but haven't had time. £200 as it stands.
warren t claim Posted November 23, 2011 Author Posted November 23, 2011 Off to look at the 405. I with there was a Xantia estate for sale locally....
R9UKE Posted November 23, 2011 Posted November 23, 2011 Bloody hell. The Pug, no doubt. Can't beat those 1.9 Ds! The Xantia would be the more intersting option with the added shite of the suspension system
ProgRocker Posted November 23, 2011 Posted November 23, 2011 My choice would be the Swift 1.3. Decent combination of (hopefully) reliability and cheap running costs.
Shep Shepherd Posted November 23, 2011 Posted November 23, 2011 Regarding the Volvo, everything Pete said, plus they often get sticking valves, when stopped after a short run, which makes it sound like the cambelt has snapped. (no compression when cranking). That happened to TV2 a couple of weeks ago, after I'd left it standing for a week, ran it long enough to move it a few yards, then left it for another three days before trying to start it again, whereupon it ran for a few seconds, cut out and wouldn't restart. Must admit that I thought the cambelt had gone and the car was bá´“rked at that point, but I managed to get it running after a bit of cranking the next day. It's been fine since... Time for some Wynn's hydraulic lifter treatment in the oil, perhaps?
The Reverend Bluejeans Posted November 23, 2011 Posted November 23, 2011 Are the BMW baby dizzlers that bad? The 318tds is a much maligned car. But not nearly enough - they're fucking terrible. The power band is about 500 rpm wide and wouldn't pull a greased stick out of a dog's arse. The only way these Tedious turds make any sense is running on Veg. Otherwise, 318i all the way. The Swift is a bit sad - the Volvo is the one. If I had to buy a shitter tomorrow I'd be looking at Scaab 900/9-3, Avensisis, petrol Passat, Nissan Primer....that kind of shit. Dull but tough, unfashionable and worthless.
Barry Cade Posted November 23, 2011 Posted November 23, 2011 Pete's right about the T5's,they're ace- although even my cop spec estate had horrible brake fade, with the bigger discs... I like that Compact- that's what I was after before I bRought the Accord... any more info on it?
pandamonium Posted November 23, 2011 Posted November 23, 2011 Swift is the best choice, but not great if your back is bad.
warren t claim Posted November 23, 2011 Author Posted November 23, 2011 So we have a winner. The 405 dizzler estate has been bought by myself for the princely sum of £295. I managed to get him to come down £55 so not all bad news. It's as slow as you like, even by non turbo standards so I think that maybe the throttle cable might be a bit stretched. The interior needs the mother of all valets and the paintwork could do with a good T Cut which I'll do tomorrow. The central locking needs looking at. The aircon doesn't work. A wheelbearing sounds like it's beginning to groan a bit. A bit of wind noise is coming from poorly sealed doors and windows. The tailgate gas struts are knackered. The lower tailgate trim is missing. It boasts 11 months ticket and it's taxed until March 2012. Pics to follow when it's daylight.
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