€2.5K Use It And Throw Away

Supercell

I'm going to have to sell my current car to finance an operation in a couple of months time and reckon that i'll only have about 2.5K left to get a replacment motor.

Car needs to be <2,500
Insurance should be relatively low (35 y/o male full license/provisional [if test failed in a couple of weeks] , one year experience, one years no claims bonus )
Assuming its going to be worthless in a couple of years but not concerned by that.
Just that it runs, and keeps running and preferably has a little poke under the hood.

Looking at carzone am thinking maybe of an old Merc or Audi as they seem to be pretty indestructable and have reasonable trim and poke under the hood, not sure if will be slaughtered in insurance though?

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=460108
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=439479
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=357063
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=487566

Car doesn't have to big, just should have a little poke and run forever at a poverty price..not much to ask I know!

Any recommendations?

Bam Bam

Get a bike:)

mike65

Well I've driven both old 190s and have an A6 and can say if you can find an example with a history and which "feels right" then you can't go far wrong.

However I will say a manual shift 190e is not much fun (unless a 16v!) as its a long throw/narrow gate design. Can't comment on the A6 as I have an auto (which is smooth). The Audi also has quite a bit more space and its also got fully adjustable steering colume and seats so you'll find a good driving postion even if very tall. This is'nt the case with a 190.

The passive safety on the A6 is exellent and far better than a 1990 190e (abs/airbags etc not on 1990 190e). The diesel is a 2.5 btw which costs about 750 pa to tax

Go for an A6 as its got more power than the 100 (just 115.0 bhp 8v engine which is not enough for a 1.4 tonne car).

Mike.

Supercell

Thanks Mike, the A6 does have my eye currently, really like the look of them, what about the Audi 100 http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=460108 , is the seller trying to hard do you reckon?

mike65

Thats the nicest colour for an A6, I just did some more checking and Audi introduced thier 2.0 16v engine in 1991 but some older 8v units were still being installed until they ran out I guess. So you'd need to check the engine cover for "16v". I think the price is okay as he mentions the timing belt having just been changed - look for signs of work around the front cover and a paint mark showing the milage at which it was renewed.

I'd have a look but maybe you should phone a broker about insurance first, you could find your cover costs as much as the car.

Mike.

ninty9er

I'd have the 93 "C180"

mike65

I wish Carzone checked the details first!

Mike.