Going Rate for a Banger?

[Jams]

You have to be lucky and drop on somthing tbh! Face fuck is brilliant for this! Got my 53 ep3 civic tidy one as Well for a grand!

[New POD]

£1000 and time and energy and a bit of luck should get you a low mileage, popular, hatchback with a full service history.  Especially if it's a bit too big for kids to insure cheaply, and Unpopular.

 

I picked up a 33K 54 plate mk4 astra 1.6 16V Sport in August 2015 for £850 in a fluke, log onto gumtree and see what's on sale within 3 miles of my current location moment. I took it to 50K and sold it a year later with 12 months MOT for £850 on gumtree.

 

 

Back in the day (1985) you could pick up the equivalent 10 year old motor for £150 with a full MOT.   Mates of mine had 1.1 mk1 escorts, and 1.3 Toledo's and 1500 dolomites and Viva's all under £200, so there has been inflation in the 10 to 15 year old banger.

[Fabergé Greggs]

I’m amazed that this hasn’t turned into the new “nailed on” thread

[PiperCub]

You can still get a gem for a few hundred. You just have to seek them out - a lot of £1500 cars are, quite frankly, fucked.

 

Patience is the key - and not being too fussy about what your mates think.

 

Would agree with both these statements. A good deal of stuff around the grand or so mark is (IME) very often dressed up/bodged up £3-400 stuff. If you can bide your time wait, something decent will apear on the radar before too long. The latter may not apply in the case of distress purchases of course! 

[lesapandre]

Criteria recommended: Long Mot

                                         Cleanish MoT history

                                         As low a mileage as possible

                                         Diesel impacting values

                                         Unfashionable brand/model

[clayts450]

Local Facefart car selling groups occasionally throw up some unusual chod for buttons, often because people need quick cash and liquidate their assets fast. Trouble is these groups are now infiltrated by wheeler dealer geezers and scrap metal merchants looking to make a quick buck.

 

Have much fun playing spot the dodgy sale - eg Rover 25 on sale on Autotrader by a dealer for £175 in Peterborough as leaking. Bloke bought it and tried to sell it on FB for twice that and no mention of the coolant loss. Mysteriously disappeared once I pointed this out, car then appeared on Gumtree for £200.

 

I agree there's still bargains to be had below £500, but you need to have a good awareness of what's out there locally before committing less than £300 as chances are it's only recently been bought off someone else, and they only have the green slip (fine by me as long as the car hasn't been marked up excessively and it's something I want).

 

Here is the best for bargain chod however - as noted, we're refreshingly honest here so no glossy ads that fail to mention the true horrors that await.

 

I have come over all nostalgic for car ads in the local rag and 'older citizen' handwritten cards in shop windows advertising bangers for £100

[Broadsword]

Just to add to the general consensus. We do have a new and powerful tool, which is the MOT history check. Great for discerning between potential deals and total heaps. I think the good sub £500 cars are there, but you definitely need more time. If you are able to wait, you will always get a deal. My view is that for the £500 mark you are merely buying an MOT. We recently bought a Clio 3 1.5 DCi PX to clear from a dealer. It was advertised at £400, I paid £350. It was dead clean and had masses of history. The reason it was cheap was that it needed rear brakes, rear shocks and most importantly, it had a ABS problem. The MOT was long so decided to buy and run till the MOT was gone. However within a few weeks it had rear shock changed, rear brakes overhauled and the most amazing bit was that the ABS fault turned out to be a fuse. It was extremely frugal and very practical, but a truly hateful car to drive. Sold it the same day the ABS fault was fixed for £800 (took 2 hours from advertising to cash in hand).

[Craig the Princess]

Anything up to about £400, but expect to get some rubbish ones or to spend a bit initially on getting a fault fixed.

[sierraman]

Its not worth the fucking about in my eyes buying sub £500 stuff with problems, costs you more than it would to buy a good one. Granted there's exceptions but 9/10 the problem isnt a simple one otherwise it would have been done.

[Craig the Princess]

Its not worth the fucking about in my eyes buying sub £500 stuff with problems, costs you more than it would to buy a good one. Granted there's exceptions but 9/10 the problem isnt a simple one otherwise it would have been done.

Problem is anyone buying something £1k - £5k has a similar chance of large expenditure but with more cash invested if you need to James Brown it.

[sierraman]

I don't know, like you say anythy could go wrong but for example buying an old Mondeo with a failed clutch for example, £200 to buy it, then another £400 to have a clutch fitted, the week after its still got the potential to shit its self the week after with something else.

 

I know what you are saying though, £1500 down the swanny comes a bit sharp as opposed to £600.

[SierraMikeHotel]

Inflation, inflation, inflation.

 

I used to set myself a £500 limit, which has lifted a bit in recent years - the Saab was £850.

 

I've just checked on an online calculator and that £850 would have been £490 in 1998, when I bought my first car, so actually the limit hasn't changed at all in real terms. Plus it's a considerably nicer car, so I'd say old cars have actually got cheaper!

 

I've twice owned cars that cost four figures and they were both shit, which just demonstrates that there's a lot of luck involved. Nobody could have foreseen all the electronic breakdowns that they had.

[stephen01]

Inflation, inflation, inflation.

 

I've twice owned cars that cost four figures and they were both shit, which just demonstrates that there's a lot of luck involved. Nobody could have foreseen all the electronic breakdowns that they had.

 

​pure luck, with 2nd hand motors, at the price range of 1k or less I'm happy with anything from 6-12 months from it. 

[tooSavvy]

I am a happy customer of 'A$ motors', thankyou

[Dan_ZTT]

£1000 and time and energy and a bit of luck should get you a low mileage, popular, hatchback with a full service history. Especially if it's a bit too big for kids to insure cheaply, and Unpopular.

 

I picked up a 33K 54 plate mk4 astra 1.6 16V Sport in August 2015 for £850 in a fluke, log onto gumtree and see what's on sale within 3 miles of my current location moment. I took it to 50K and sold it a year later with 12 months MOT for £850 on gumtree.

 

 

Back in the day (1985) you could pick up the equivalent 10 year old motor for £150 with a full MOT. Mates of mine had 1.1 mk1 escorts, and 1.3 Toledo's and 1500 dolomites and Viva's all under £200, so there has been inflation in the 10 to 15 year old banger.

Just run this through a historic inflation calculator and £150 in 1985 is apparently equivalent to £459 today, so it's not as much of a real terms difference as it seems

[Cavcraft]

Very generically speaking, what's the going rate for a decent car, maybe 13-14 years old that's got a good few years left in it? Something generic like an Astra, Focus, Vectra etc...

 

It used to be £500 and you could get something fairly decent, at that budget now its just old rubbish, either with imminent serious problems or just generally a shed. The general starting point now seems to be £8-900 for something not about to disintegrate. I've just realised that in my 15 or so years of buying cars I've never adjusted for inflation.

 

Back in about 2005 it would have seen you in a tidy late Sierra or a decent Cavalier. But by the same token unleaded was 78p a litre and a pint of beer could easily be had for £2.

Spot on, as I very recently found out. Don’t know if scrap prices played a part, probably did as they were quite good relatively recently.

[vaughant]

People always reminisce about how everything was cheap years ago but let's be honest a ten year old car years ago could be literally on its last legs, rotten everywhere, running rough and no doubt without power steering, immobiliser, airbags or anything else that we've most likely come to expect on our cars in this day and age.

 

My first car was a 1986 one owner fiat Uno which looked mint in 1993. It was too be fair quite solid but had loads of silly problems, mainly electrical but it broke down quite a lot, was squeaky and rattly, not particularly way to work on either, everything rusted, fittings breaking etc.

 

Escorts of that age (7 years) had usually had significant welding, carb issues, got nicked all the time and were generally, quite wank.

 

If you think about modern cars (I mean post 1995 really), they rarely suffer from fuelling issues, electrical problems are usually obvious and easy to cure as they all pretty much have OBD ports that with a half decent reader (which every shitter should have) can get you 80% of the way to the fault. The sort of stuff were looking at now will either be from a manufacturer that knows about rust proofing or a MOT check will reveal that is as rotten as a pear and won't do another.

 

I think the biggest advent for shitter buying is the interweb, cars to view everywhere but also folk that have actually repaired them or know of the common faults.

 

For me, £7-800 will get you a car that truthfully could last you a lifetime with standard maintenance.

 

Examples?

 

Anything 90's Toyota, particularly automatic mid nineties Corollas, engine is bulletproof, don't seem to rust anywhere, only issues seem with locks and keys, immense cars. All over Africa, never seem to break, tells you all you need to know.

 

Vauxhall up to about 2004, not TOO bad electronically, certainly still readable, don't rust badly in anyway, engines hit and miss but all faults are well documented, I spotted a 1 owner 2.2 Astra Sri in 3dr flava on the M4 the other month for sale for £800, it looked MINT and was sitting at a 80/85mph, not a puff of smoke, owner looked about 60 and a proper oily old rag so my guess is it's been well cared for under the bonnet,I bet that would do another 5 years no problem.

 

Vagshite 1.9tdi.

 

Yes not the greatest built cars ever but again, no major structural rot, the engines are VERY open to abuse and keep on going and going with only minor servicing and repairs. Always seem to go through the MOT with relative ease and they are very simple to work on. Do a cambelt and change the oil regular and they should keep going for very high miles, I'm not saying they're going to be mint for that sort of money but my Leon itself will be for sale soon with a fresh MOT for around £5-600, bodyworks not the best but it starts every morning, sits on the motorway all day long doing approx 50mpg. Really can't complain.

 

Ford make some excellent shitter level cars, focus are great, MK2 Mondeo (must have a long MOT due to rust), Ka/fiesta (same MOT rules) mechanically plod on forever, in fact the focus style fiestas are a really great car, very solid and easy to work on.

 

A lot of French stuff is good but probably only good until a major issue appears like rear beam bushes or electrical issues.

[Parky]

Unfashionable model is the key here. Things like Astras and Focii always enjoy demand even when old. And as we know they don’t always justify the pricing.

 

Something like a mid nineties Japanese car will be pretty cheap as they don’t have much of a following. Find one in an undesirable colour and spec and the prices will be low. And it should be decently safe and reliable transport.

 

Also something with a reputation for unreliability. Quite a few sub £500 Rover 25’s and MG ZR’s about and whilst they are generally solid cars, everybody thinks of a particular three letter acronym when encountering one.

 

Spares or repairs is an option too, especially if the car has minor body damage that a second hand wing and a rattle can can sort out. A few hours work in exchange for a few hundred saved could be worth it.

 

Look on the bay at Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Daihatsu, Hyundai, Kia, and Mazda for less than £500. Something decent should be possible.

[Junkman]

Very generically speaking, what's the going rate for a decent car, maybe 13-14 years old that's got a good few years left in it? Something generic like an Astra, Focus, Vectra etc...

 

It used to be £500 and you could get something fairly decent, at that budget now its just old rubbish, either with imminent serious problems or just generally a shed. The general starting point now seems to be £8-900 for something not about to disintegrate. I've just realised that in my 15 or so years of buying cars I've never adjusted for inflation.

 

Back in about 2005 it would have seen you in a tidy late Sierra or a decent Cavalier. But by the same token unleaded was 78p a litre and a pint of beer could easily be had for £2.

 

78 2005 p's are £1.14 now. £2,00 are £2.92 and £500 are £730.

If you made 25k in 2005, you should make 36,500 now just to have the same living standard.

 

There is a synonym for inflation: Theft.

[sierraman]

Did a bit of the time honoured mans hobby of browsing the Autotrader, Bumtree etc to practically try out my theory.

 

A brief search found a 52 plate Mondeo 1.8 with full test and admittedly looking very tidy for £750 though I'd say if you turned up with £650 in the hand you'd get it.

 

Another a 2.0 diesel, again long test on it at £700, late 2005 Ghia, done 20k in the last year so chances are its not a frequent visitor to the hard shoulder.

 

When you got to £4-500 the choice of something with months left on the test as opposed to hours was limited, another Mondeo with a failing DMF at £500, a fair few Mk1 Focuses but again they were all sheds.

 

Probably from my brief experiment the £700 stuff would last much better. I'm not suggesting for a moment that the diesel Mondeo won't end up flashing the glow plug light eventually but your buying transport for a few year not a life partner.

[wrenchvolt]

I've always driven bangers my whole life and they have proved to be equally reliable as the new cars my friends and family have driven. For example, I bought a Kia pride 4 years ago with 12 months MOT and 40k for £400.00 with an as new interior. Spent £180.00 on parts, beat the shit out of it for 2 years and sold it for £200.00. I follow a few simple rules (not exhaustive) and more often than not sees me driving something reliable for under £500.00.

• Good, quick (as in buy it now, as opposed to rapid acceleration) and cheap. You can have any two options but to get all 3 is so rare might as well be regarded as an impossibility. Can get <£500.00 and good but will take a bit of time.

• Something unfashionable. I stay away from performance, complicated or luxury cars.

• Honest ad and seller. Walked away from potentially great cars because seller was hiding things. Bought comparatively way shittier cars where seller was upfront about shitness.

• This forum seems to have honest, decent sellers from my observation.

• All cars are chod that waste your time and money. Something of higher value can be just a bigger expense/liability or PITA.

• I buy things for a value that if they break and die, I can accept the loss without feeling like I've been fisted.

• Something that ticks over smoothly, revs freely, doesn't smoke or overheat, no emulsion in the cap etc, pull to one side, drives nicely, passes clutch drop test and not filled with rot on structural areas is good.

• Decent tyres, exhaust, rad and battery are also good

• Get with a long MOT

• Do MOT history check

• I don't give a rats arse about dents , scratches, scabs and bullshit electronic items not working.

• Give it a full service including timing belt and associated tensioners and pumps.

• Try and get it through another MOT

[wrenchvolt]

.....your buying transport for a few year not a life partner.

That's a good point. I find it difficult to let go sometimes.

[Talbot]

The issue here I think is that the very very bottom of the market has now gone. 10-15 years ago there was still a market for a £50 car with tax and ticket on it, as the bridge value of the car was £0 to £20 at very most. This meant that people didn't just give up on cars and bridge them (or cartakeback or whatever) but sold them on, albeit with issues. I've bought plenty of cars with current MOT for less than £100 which needed a days work to sort, and have then been very reliable cars. These just do not exist anymore.

 

Example being a 1989 TD BX I bought in 2007 for £50. It had 3 months tax, 5 months mot, half-a-tank of diesel and a very leaky waterpump. Cambelt and waterpump done (another £50 all told) and it was a reliable car for several years.

 

Fast forward a decade, and you'd be looking at a 1999 Xantia now. I own a 1997 Xantia (near enough). It was valued at about £350 when it was roffled on here, and has a similar list of issues with it that need addressing. You'd *never* get a TD Xantia with mot now for under £100.. even with a leaking water pump.. it would just be bridged. Consequently the market now *starts* at £200 as an absolute minimum.

[Bren]

^^ bottom of market has gone because of bell ends wanting mint cars for £100.

[garbaldy]

Consequently the market now *starts* at £200 as an absolute minimum.

Not entirely true at least not where I live.

[sierraman]

In the grand scheme of things £7-800 is not a lot, you'll probably see a couple of hundred back at the end. Bearing in mind a new one would £250 plus a month.

 

Got £150 back at the breakers for the Focus yesterday, plus bits I've sold off its raised about £220. So bearing in mind I paid £500 2 years ago I've done well there I think. 'New' one cost £700, hoping that gives a few good years.

 

Really wouldn't fanny around selling £250 cars again, just frag it, quicker and saves hassle.

[Junkman]

That's a good point. I find it difficult to let go sometimes.

 

You aren't WilsonWilson AIDCMFP.

[sierraman]

Cars, when all is said and done are machines, when they are fucked they are gone. I wouldn't keep a broken cooker in the garage because of all the good meals its made over the years.

 

Some cookers are better than others though.

[wrenchvolt]

(£500-£220)/2 Years of ownership is storming value for money. When looking at PCP loans (Wasn't PCP a drug in the 80's???) and depreciation rates, that's some seriously good bangernomics IMO. Getting motoring costs like that is winning at life.

 

Really wouldn't fanny around selling £250 cars again, just frag it, quicker and saves hassle.

[sierraman]

I've had better to be honest. Had a Mondeo on 2005 for £550, sold it again in 2013 for £275. Still bitter about losing all that money in such a short space of time.