Talk to me about.....Kia Rio 1.3's Car bought, Nissan Almera!

[dugong]

They're apparently shit hot on a banger track.

That's all I know about them.

 

That, and I still wouldn't buy a Kia for 'modern car' money. If their whole USP is that they're cheap, why do they cost more than an equivalent Focus or Astra?

[sierraman]

They're apparently shit hot on a banger track.

That's all I know about them.

 

That, and I still wouldn't buy a Kia for 'modern car' money. If their whole USP is that they're cheap, why do they cost more than an equivalent Focus or Astra?

I'd rather take a bath with a two bar heater than have a new Kia. I could sort of see the point with the older type ones that cost only £7k or so, cheap, run it for 10 year then throw it away. Now they are as dear as equivalent Ford, Vauxhalls, Peugeots etc, what's the point? Yes people bang on about the 7 year warranty but when you look what a warranty actually covers there's loads of stuff you've got no come back on, that can be described as wear and tear.

 

Back to the subject however, I'd be inclined to look at something like a Astra or a Mondeo or similar at that price level, cheap parts, cheap insurance. Avoid really small cars Fiesta etc as often overpriced. So long as the clutch/gearbox is good, it doesn't use loads of oil and it starts readily you should be ok. If you can find something private so much the better, if they are wanting shut they are likely to take the £650 on a car up at £750-800 if you wave the readies in the hand.

[oldcars]

I'd rather take a bath with a two bar heater than have a new Kia. I could sort of see the point with the older type ones that cost only £7k or so, cheap, run it for 10 year then throw money at it, fixing bodywork and engine.

 

 

FIFY

[Bren]

An ex work colleague had one from new.

 

Inside it was dire - reminder me of those awful grey coloured bathroom suites from the 80's that had been left to melt. Keep fit windows - it had a digital clock though.

 

One day he asked me if I wanted to buy it - I told him I would rather have Lassa fever.

[sierraman]

A kid I went to school with has got one, hadn't seen him for years, he'd got one of those quilted jackets on that make you look like an immersion heater, from a distance I saw him getting into a '03 Kia Rio in that cheerful blue colour they always seem to be in. It was at this point I suddenly remembered what a tit he was and this and his attire said all that needed to be said.

[Felly Magic]

Went and had a look at an Avensisisissisis earlier in giffer green, only done 110k on it, but it did look like it had been in a bump at some point, as the tailgate shut lines looked squiffy, and strangely the outer 2 rear headrests had gone walkies, but the middle one was still there. Bizzare

[sierraman]

If you can get one that's not been cabbed then an Avensis is a really good car, can use a bit of oil on the VVTI but should run and run. More likely to have had old fidget owner. See also Honda Accord or for anonymous uber mini cabbing a Mazda 626 is a good car. A lot get overlooked as people haven't heard of them so you can get a good car for your money.

[Felly Magic]

That's why I went to look at that Avensis, but something about it just didn't feel right, plus it was on a forecourt crammed in so tightly you could barely walk round the car, grass was growing around it, and it was filthy, every car on the forecourt needed a damn good wash, when I worked in the trade, every car got a hose down and chammy daily, clearly presentation meant not a jot to these folks

[Felly Magic]

Update on this, bought an X reg Nissan Almera from a dealer near Long Melford, let us take it for an unaccompanied test drive, only fault it has is a bit of grot on the offside front arch. Has a 6 disc in dash CD stacker, AC that blows absolutely fucking freezing, leccy windows, mirrors etc, an absolutely mint interior, fully stamped up history, 2 owners from new, last owner was a giffer in Colchester, and shock of shocks, it still has 4 pretty tidy Nissan wheeltrims! It's showing 109k on the clock, and has ticket til March next year, was £550, collect Tuesday after work as need to swap insurance etc, and they are going to valet it for us

 

 

 

 

[sierraman]

Looks tidy. I'd get some Waxoyl on the backs of the sills and the rear legs, that's where they go.

[HH-R]

Good work, it seems to have missed out on the world's most complex radio/climate control system too which is a win.

[Felly Magic]

Am I right in thinking these were screwed together at Nissangaff UK?

[HH-R]

I believe so.

[r.welfare]

Get on your hands and knees under the front bumper and make sure the front crossmember is still metal. If it is, you've done well. Also, curry hook.

[DVee8]

Am I right in thinking these were screwed together at Nissangaff UK?

Yep i will have made some part of it.

[Shep Shepherd]

Bargainous! Get some Waxoyl or similar in/on the front crossmember before the winter, as this area is a notorious rot-spot on Almeras.

[Felly Magic]

 Also, curry hook.

 

 

Yup, the Mrs wondered what that little hook was for in the footwell, cassette deck AND 6 disc stacker too, that means can still connect my phone up via a tape deck adaptor

[Stanky]

Top work, Almeras are the transportation choice of winners and you should be commended.

 

Chain cam for peace of mind, I don't know much about the QG series engines but the GA series are indestructible. Also, tape/cd combo for 200% obsolete format bonus.

 

Give it a service every 5-8k and it ought to keep going forever, as others have said though - whack a load of rust converter/prrofer and schutz on the front crossmember and both sills the whole way along for good measure - otherwise it should be a fine steed. I used to put 140 miles a day on my N15 and it lapped it up.

[MarvinsMom]

those datsuns nissans are ace, just the ticket for cheap transport.

 

that is a sweet looking ride for bugger all money.

 

top bombing sir....

 

are those almerra's all nissans own work and contain little or no renner bits that will/do fail?

[Lacquer Peel]

For their blandness they ride and handle pretty smartly.

My grandparents had one and it was fairly reliable apart from a sensor or two, but rotten through and on its second gearbox when it was scrapped.

[Noel Tidybeard]

should be pre renner

[loserone]

I don't miss mine, but I paid a lot more for it from a Nissan dealer at 5 years old.  Next MOT they tried on a four figure repair bill for the cross member, which eventually the deal split with Nissan.

 

Looks like a sensible sewing machine for the money though!

 

Cam chains stretch, first sign is usually the engine management light.  

[JohnK]

I quite liked the Almera runabout we had for a bit. It had been heavily abused but it just kept going.

 

Is it the 1.5 or 1.8?

[Felly Magic]

Its a 1.5 SE, that's been owned by an old Doris for years, serviced every year by the same garage while she owned it, and it's a local car as well, originally sold by the Datsun dealer in Ipswich, and I've seen absolutely fucktons of em since we slapped down the deposit on Sunday, no collexion fred as we will be picking it up on the way home from an 11 hr shift at work, and will be too bleedin knackered, it's come from a garage that has a good local reputation as well, and I was pleasantly surprised when they let us take it for a spin without accompanying us. Bonus that it has original Datsun wheeltrims, as these are well known for Japanese Hatchback Missing Wheeltrim Syndrome

[MarvinsMom]

should be pre renner

then  that car is nothing but win win win!

 

bloody crappy froggie bits....

[Felly Magic]

Just been going through the history, in 2011 it had a new front crossmember, 2012, new aircon pump, there are bills going back to 2004 for it, along with every MOT cert, including things like tyres, a serious paper trail, all from the same garage just outside Colchester, it had a new centre and rear exhaust in May, all the brakes were done front and rear fairly recently, and it had a full service back in March, I think we may have a gud un ere