cheapest options ?

sundula

Anyone got any opinions on what would be the cheapest form of motoring - excluding the insurance factor.

Is buying a priced to clear car and driving it till it explodes the best option ?
The depreciation on a new car would surely make it to costly for its own good ?

Anyone got any views ?

Con_316

Well it depends on how much you want to spend and what kind of car you want. 2 years ago a friend of mine got himself a car after having got sick of using his parents cars. He bought a 1989 toyota starlet with 68,000 miles on it and 2 years nct for €600. He's only spent $340 on it (mainly tyres and brakes and a replacement exhaust) in two years and it's always started and driven for him. Has 147,000 miles on it now and still is sort of ok. smoky now but still drives fine considering.
That's cheap motoring.
I'd a '88 Bmw 316i that i paid €520 for and it was fine for 2 and a half years i had it as a "spare car" to save my other Beemer which i didnt want to wreck .
Only ever spent €200 keeping that going apart from tax, insurance etc.

sundula

i do about 18000 miles a year but i will be moving closer to work in a couple of months a reckon my mileage will drop to 12000 so a run a round will do

colm_mcm

old toyotas seem to be the way to go, zero depreciation and will do intergalactic mileage without incident

Max_Damage

I myself have a '90 Micra (boxy shape). They're great cars, good fuel comsumpsion, and bullett proof reliabilty. I got mine for €200 from my uncle who was selling it at the time. However, only real fault with them is that the starter motors tend to 'skid' of the flywheel with age (worn teeth most likely). Nothing that should fail an NCT though. Parts are also easy to get in scrapyards and what not. My cousin had one that had 185,000 miles on it, and the engine was still going 'till the end (bodywork rust though killed it in the end).

Con_316

sundula wrote:

i do about 18000 miles a year but i will be moving closer to work in a couple of months a reckon my mileage will drop to 12000 so a run a round will do

OK i thought you meant a real real cheap car, that might not do for 12,000 per year. How's the old insurance? If not too bad then a BMW diesel (it 17xx cc or else like 2450cc for the 6 cylinder), good economy and looks Smart and presentable. A good 318tds or 325tds year about ('94 to '99) be between 4500 and 8000 depending on spec and which size engine. Those engines last very long if maintained well. The petrols use more fuel but are sportier. Can also last to huge mileages.
Give me an idea of price, insurance and spec you want and i can throw out some more accurate ideas. it is however up to you in end

netwhizkid

Con_316 wrote:

OK i thought you meant a real real cheap car, that might not do for 12,000 per year. How's the old insurance? If not too bad then a BMW diesel (it 17xx cc or else like 2450cc for the 6 cylinder), good economy and looks Smart and presentable. A good 318tds or 325tds year about ('94 to '99) be between 4500 and 8000 depending on spec and which size engine. Those engines last very long if maintained well. The petrol's use more fuel but are sportier. Can also last to huge mileages.
Give me an idea of price, insurance and spec you want and i can throw out some more accurate ideas. it is however up to you in end

Interesting read that about the Diesel beemers, I was always under the influence that the only Diesels they had were like 2.5litre or something, Which would break me in Road tax. The 318 TDS looks good and supposedly does 45MPG Motor tax would around €414 :mad: I believe they are a bit dead under the peddle though and don't have pick-up of a petrol one.