What bargain buzzbox?

[Spiny Norman]

 Is a 1.6 Focus really going to be that much cheaper to run and park than a 1.0 Peugeot 205?

 

Very true, and were a decent one to turn up I'd consider it, but it wouldn't scratch that 'little car' itch I'm feeling. I'm not really into older small stuff either. Old big cars like a Merc or a Jag can still feel quite decent on the road but I had a 205 a few years ago and it felt like the old cheap car it was back then, so I'm really after something more 90s at the latest.

I'd rule out the 106 too, I've had experience of them and they just feel like shit to me, ditto a Seicento, although a Sporting might appeal if one came up. As ever with me, it's largely going to be a case of what turns up locally, if for no other reason than travelling 200 miles to buy a £500 car easily makes it a £600 car by the time I've bought a train ticket, sandwiches & a magazine for the journey and petrol for the trip home.

 

It's a shame that the one mention of the Micra has been negative, I thought they were quite well regarded. I drove a new-ish one a good few years ago but I don't remember much about it apart from it having a very sweet revvy engine which didn't make it move very fast. 

I quite like Clios, what goes wrong with them?

[cort16]

I think the Clios are reasonanly hardy other than the occasional complete electrical meltdown. My mate bought one from the auction a few years ago and the only way to sort it's problems was to replace a fair bit of the loom. Gulp.

 

What about a lupo?

 

 

Interior intact

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/vw-lupo-14-16-valve-full-year-mot-ideal-first-car/1077623382#photo-content

 

New shape (in 2003) Zetec Fiesta £750

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/ford-fiesta-zetec-14-53-reg-mot-1-year-tax-sept-89k-miles-new-clutch-and-brakes-750/1077526118

[cort16]

Sirion. FSH 1.3 Powerhouse

 

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/daihatsu-sirionmot-julyelec-pack-inc-rear-sensorsremote-locking-fsh-and-just-serviced/1077363512#photo-content

[HH-R]

K11 Micras are good IMO, I thought mine was plenty quick enough and handled really well for such a small car, despite their "driven at 35 MPH on the M1" image.

 

They rust like hell though, mine was rotten at 7 years old. Amazingly it lasted a good few years after I got shot. Engines are GR8, they last well but the gearboxes are SHITE and you can usually hear them whining away. Phantom EML is sometimes a reported issue.

 

New Pandas are shit. Fun to drive, and do everything a small car should do really well but I've had two and they were both unreliable as hell. My current one has been to three different garages, had hundreds spent on it and STILL won't start when it's been standing overnight.

[Asimo]

 

The word on the street is one of these would be wise. 

 

BMW Diseasel engine so no HGF fear, sensible ground clearance for laughing at potholes, also available in yellow.

[dollywobbler]

Streetwise never had a BMW engine! It was Rover's L-Series.

 

Lupo is a good shout. Fiesta Mkwhateveritis isn't. They're utterly hateful things. Was forced to use one as a pool car far too often some years ago. I was amazed something so poor could actually sell at all. 

[twosmoke300]

^^^ naa dw your all wrong , all mg's/rovers have either honda or bmw engines when sold on ebay/gumtree

[Honey Badger]

Not exactly small, or cheap.

 

It is however under 2000cc by 2cc, it is however quick and really really comfortable.

 

It also has white dials, which is always worth considering.

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201408166655827/sort/default/engine-size-cars/2l_to_2-5l/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/postcode/nn84sa/price-to/1000/radius/1500/model/civic/usedcars/make/honda/quantity-of-doors/5/advert-type/Classified/page/1?logcode=p

 

 

[twosmoke300]

Type s was a lovely car

[Spiny Norman]

media.jpeg

 

The word on the street is one of these would be wise. 

 

BMW Diseasel engine so no HGF fear, sensible ground clearance for laughing at potholes, also available in yellow.

 

 

I would rather stick pins in my eyes than drive one of those, thanks all the same.

 

[Angrydicky]

Yawn to pretty much all the suggestions so far. What you need is a nice Maestro, Metro, MK1 Mazda 323, K10 Micra, Triumph Acclaim, MK1 Toyota Starlet, MK1 Suzuki Alto, Renault 4, Fiat 126....the possibilities are endless.

[beko1987]

ZX! That's all I can offer on the subject!

[Honey Badger]

Fleabay Gold civic Coupe

 

 

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-Civic-1-7i-VTEC-2-Dr-coupe-/161397464706?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item259409de82