No such thing as a cheap car

[sierraman]

I agree, you live and you learn. Other bit of advice is don’t buy the orphans nobody wants, cars are cheap enough that I don’t know why you’d buy stuff with issues on to mend and sell on unless it’s a classic.

 

Everyone these days thinks they’re a bit of a Mike Brewer though. All this ‘owld aaat your and’ bollocks and all the shit he comes out with when he views a car. In summary the world is full of chancers that know jack shit about cars knocking at your door when you sell one.

[Matty]

Just fuck em off. I sell something I'm painfully honest in both describing it and what I want for it. When folk ring up and ask to come and view they get told that they're more than welcome but the price is the price. Don't waste a journey if you're coming to haggle!

[SierraMikeHotel]

Thing is though us and our dads have probably been saying this for years. "Cars are getting too complicated can't DIY em built in obselecence etc etc". We keep finding ways to do it though and learning as we go. I have a feeling we'll be reet

I remember my dad saying this when fuel injection was becoming common, before I'd even learned to drive. Same with electronics, hobbyists are repairing canbus stuff now.

[Dave_Q]

Yeah electrons are one thing, but I don't reckon anyone can DIY test and rebuild a 20,000psi commonrail diesel injector, nor can you weave your own DPF cores from leftover wool to save money.

[SiC]

Is there any need to rebuild a common rail injection pump? They're generally available pretty readily second hand for not too bad sums nowadays. Neither do they seem anywhere near as unreliable either than they were at the start of CR tech in mainstream cars.

[Snipes]

I agree, you live and you learn. Other bit of advice is don’t buy the orphans nobody wants, cars are cheap enough that I don’t know why you’d buy stuff with issues on to mend and sell on unless it’s a classic.

 

Yes, use to see that all the time, usually a Mercedes with a complaint of pulling left.

[Bobthebeard]

Agreed BTB, but you can change a KV6 cambelt. People like you are in a tiny minority of the great British public who own cheap cars. Most are a clutch away from the scrapyard. What I'm trying to say is the pool of cheap cars is dwindling fast. I don't think the 90's and early 00's cars we all revere here will have their place taken by Peugeot 2008's or BMW 2 series in years to come. If the car you've had for 2 years that cost £500 is my old 9-5 estate, I did loads of work to that in the time I had it, probably over a grands worth at garage rates, so if I didn't have it, it may well have been bean tins by now. I hope it lasts you for many years to come, but if I was doing it for the money, without man maths, it would have went to the bridge.

It is your old 9-5 estate Barry, yes.

I take your point and you are quite correct. It has had much work and money spent on it by you, to your credit it still performs the daily grind without complaining/failure to proceed.

I have spent probably around £1200 ish on parts and repairs in the last two years, tyres, oil etc not included. Some done by the local garage as I don't have a two post lift.

So, no. If people can't or won't do repairs themselves then I eat my words I guess. At garage rates this wouldn't have been a cheap car. The supply of cheap and reliable cars versus pcp new stuff is probably running out. I spoke personally, but for the general public then yes. Probably no such thing as a cheap car nowadays.

One of Mrs Beards friends bought a Smart Car thingy last year fairly cheaply. It has now shat it's gearbox and the best estimate is north of £1000 to 'hopefully fix it'