Sub 500 quid Charity Rally - V-tec YO!!

[cort16]

My work are wanting to get involved in doing a charity banger rally down to spain. It's for several good causes and I get to drive to spain so I'm really not complaining.

I have a bit more than £500 to precure and "customise" a car for the rally.

 

My main criteria for the car is

 

1: It needs to be cheap

2: I don't want to destroy anything rare or interesting.

3: I need to sell it and the money goes to charity when we get back so I don't want weld a telephone box or anything to the roof.

4: It needs to be reliable.

 

My current thoughts are to look for a Kia Magentis and make it into a US style Patrol car given they're very car shape (as in crown vic) shaped shape.

[Albert Ross]

SEAT Terra van. COnvert to 4x4 using Panda bits. Win. Sleep in the back or on a roof tent.

[ruffgeezer]

I have a xantia estate that would fit the bill well enough at £500 inc t&t, pm me for more details.

[Shep Shepherd]

Volvo 850

[AnthonyG]

You'll struggle to buy something cheap (Vectra Mk1, Mondeo Mk2, old Avensis etc), 'charity chav it up', and get more than scrap value when you try and sell it afterwards.

 

You have to try and find a way to 'customise' it that is either totally reversible or actually enhances the value of the car. That's going to be bloody tricky.

[Cavcraft]

Easy: Bedford CF ex ambulance. Instead of painting 'Team Paraletic' down the side just spray 'Tories/Labour/Unison wrecked the NHS. eBay non-bidders should be castrated' and a mention if this website. By the time you get to your destination you'll be knee deep un fanny batter AND you have plenty of shagging room in the back, but only if you paint the ambulance beige and brown and write 'Flange Police' on the back windows

[240gl]

This one has had several relists on eBay recently.

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI. ... 0959849539

 

Looks like the previous auctions have sold to a shil bidder though

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI. ... true&rt=nc

[cort16]

That granada is exactly what I want to try and avoid. How easy could I turn a mk3 astra into a giant hotdog?

[cort16]

You'll struggle to buy something cheap (Vectra Mk1, Mondeo Mk2, old Avensis etc), 'charity chav it up', and get more than scrap value when you try and sell it afterwards.

 

You have to try and find a way to 'customise' it that is either totally reversible or actually enhances the value of the car. That's going to be bloody tricky.

 

My shit plan to avoid this was to try to use Vinyl wrapping if possible so I could just peel it of. However my previous experience of applying this ended in it crumpled in a ball and booted across the yard 3 minutes into the application process.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

are you going to drive it back to the UK after you're done with the Spain bit?

[HMC]

My merc 190e was used in a banger charity run a few years ago, was apparently reliable and escaped unscathed aside from a few unusual dents in the roof from people climbing over/ standing on it. they can readily be had for under 500, and are not rare or interesting as per your spec

[ruffgeezer]

I can do vinyl stickers at cost price too, here is some of my previous work:

 

 

 

Cashed in on the "down n out" fad:

 

 

I made up all the stickers for the above, but left the fitting to the customers

[Formula Autos]

How about finding something old, shite and LHD?

 

Virtually worthless here, but probably saleable in the foreign parts you're headed to. Much easier to drive on the 'wrong' side of the road as well.

 

Perhaps something like this beauty?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OPEL-VECTRA-2 ... 4aba4dcdad

[cort16]

Hey, they're great ruffgeezer I'll defo give you shout if we need anything.

An old merc could be okay actually. I might look out for an old w124 or 190.

The car needs to come back to the UK to be sold for charidy. It also has a slightly harder task as it needs to get from Scotchland down south before the rally even starts.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

How about finding something old, shite and LHD?

 

Virtually worthless here, but probably saleable in the foreign parts you're headed to. Much easier to drive on the 'wrong' side of the road as well.

 

Perhaps something like this beauty?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OPEL-VECTRA-2 ... 4aba4dcdad

 

That's what I had been thinking, although you'd probably have to register on the Foro Automierda in order to get the ins and outs of importing a foreign car.

[Lacquer Peel]

I think he's driving the car back and selling it in the UK.

Anyway - Lancia Stratos. It's a much better choice than a fucking Vectra with a broken diesel pump.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

he is. Hence I am proposing wuvvum's Daihatsu. Going to be very good on fuel, too.

[Burnside]

I've got a 1993 Vauxhall Cavalier 1.8 which I could recommend as a choice as they are simple and reliable cars and I've done 50,000 miles in 4 years with it without any major drama's and think you would easily find one that's suitable for under £500 or maybe a Calibra as they aren't worth alot. I'd prob try and get a 2.0 if it's mainly alot of motorway driving myself though.

Mk3 Astras aren't bad or the Omega could be a good choice as well.

 

My wildcard choice would be the Fiat Marea 155 2.0 20v. They have the 5 cylinder engine from the Fiat Coupe so they go well plus you can easily bag a tidy one for under £500.

There one on ebay at the min 2000 V reg MOT April 2013. £500

[Des]

I believe there's a £252 Trabbie up for grabs in N. Yorks.

[John F]

... or maybe a Calibra as they aren't worth a lot.

 

Tidy unmolested Calibra V6 with MoT, £395 with less than a day to go... in London though:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1995-VAUXHALL ... 4d0390af89

 

Another Calibra V6 in Pogweasel Pink, low miles and long MoT, 2 days to go, down south again, currently at £1.04...!

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1998-R-VAUXHA ... 27c9cffc62

 

Alternatively:

 

Low mileage Celica, also in London, £335 with 9.5 hours to go:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Low-mileage-1 ... 43b23c7bab

 

Shame they're all so far away from you though.

[Cavcraft]

I'd go Cavalier too for all the reasons mentioned above. The ex-Spotty Shite, ex-CavCraft Cavalier hatchback is now up for sale for circa £500 I'm told and has long MOT plus a lot of work done to it.

[skattrd]

I'd look for something with a bit of luxury, barges seem to be quite cheap, theres an odd Lexus and a few Merc's sub £500. Theres also quite a few Omegas and Scorpio type things around as well. Then theres the previously mentioned big Volvos as well ... You would be spending a bit more on fuel down to Spain and back though.

 

Do you have a local auction? if so I'd be having a wander down there to see whats about.

[cort16]

I notices GS300 lexuseses are pretty cheap just now. MIght be a decent shout although I believe bits are expensive for them.

[HMC]

If your covering a reasonable mileage, a barge is a nice way to go. Ive sold my 500sel, but that was avaliable in budget. You dont end up being left behind or getting bored if you have a reasonably accelerative car (though fuel stops may be more frequent) You usually end up less tired so you can have more time and energy to put toward the evenings festivities.

My old w140- stick the cruise on and watch the world go by (and fuel guage drop)

A pic from a former owner of my banger rallied 190e. Not really a barge though.

Personally an old w126 s class would be my choice, plus if you need a theme, one of you can dress up as a sheik and lounge around in the back or whatever. Within budget they can be had, plus if you are going to plaster it in decals, rust holes and peeling laquer dont really matter. I bought a 500 quid 500sel w126 last year and went to Germany to see family and back in it, had a great trip. Plus if it gets damaged or whatever en route, they are worth more in spares at this sort of level in the market

[Micrashed]

I believe there's a £252 Trabbie up for grabs in N. Yorks.

THAT is exactly the sort of car that people should be entering into "banger" rallies, not modern crap which will have no trouble whatsoever driving to Spain and back.

 

Where is the fun or challenge in driving a Vectra or Xantia across Europe?

 

EDIT

Sub £500 A40

 

Sub £500 Scirocco

 

Safranne you could probably get for £500

 

£500 Fiat 126 Bis

 

Sub £500 1991 Camry Estate

 

Sub £500 Scimitar

 

And so on

[chaseracer]

 

Scally Rally 2006. Twenty-year-old Citroen GSA, possibly the last one registered in the UK, bought for £100. It returned, and still lives - just. I'm the ugly bastard on the left...

 

[cort16]

£449 with 6 months T&T.

Anyone got experience of these pez lagunas?

 

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/renault-laguna-6-months-tax-6-months-mot-2001-model/108132081

[Cavcraft]

If you were doing the Kelso to Berwick-Upon-Tweed Co-op charity fun run for 20 L&B you'd still need a back up car for the Laguna.

[cort16]

That good eh?

[Spiny Norman]

Bit of a fixer-upper but it's only £300.