Changing car on a budget

kiddums

As my current car is giving me poor MPG I would consider changing it.
However I don't have any money to do so.
My entire budget would be whatever I can sell my current car for. But that means being without a car till I get a new one, which I can't do due to work.

I'm wondering what do other people do in this kind of situation? Where the sale of their current car is needed to fund a new car but they can't be without one?

DO you just use a dealership and take the trade in? Or take out a loan and repay it when you sell?

Well hung

what kind of car is it?

Stick it up on donedeal and say your lookinf for a swap for a diesel.

turbodiesel

kiddums wrote: »

As my current car is giving me poor MPG I would consider changing it.
However I don't have any money to do so.
My entire budget would be whatever I can sell my current car for. But that means being without a car till I get a new one, which I can't do due to work.

I'm wondering what do other people do in this kind of situation? Where the sale of their current car is needed to fund a new car but they can't be without one?

DO you just use a dealership and take the trade in? Or take out a loan and repay it when you sell?

My sisters car went bang back in March. She rented a car for 2 weeks (one week at a time) while she was hunting, thin it cost her about 150 a week with argus car hire for a petrol golf.

Idbatterim

what car are you driving now OP?

kiddums

Well hung wrote: »

what kind of car is it?

Stick it up on donedeal and say your lookinf for a swap for a diesel.

Idbatterim wrote: »

what car are you driving now OP?

Its an 01 Opel Agila, 1L.
I was kind of hoping for some generic advice tho.

I figure I can get 1k-1.4k for it second hand depending on how long I leave it.
I'll get a lot less trade in.

turbodiesel wrote: »

My sisters car went bang back in March. She rented a car for 2 weeks (one week at a time) while she was hunting, thin it cost her about 150 a week with argus car hire for a petrol golf.

Thats a slightly different situation. I'm talking about where you have a choice in when you change your car.
I had a car written off recently and I jumped at the first half decent car I could afford as I couldn't be without one much longer.

mailforkev

I wouldn't have thought you'll find much better fuel consupmption than a 1 litre Agila, surely that must practically run on fumes?

Has it been serviced properly along the way?

kiddums

mailforkev wrote: »

I wouldn't have thought you'll find much better fuel consupmption than a 1 litre Agila, surely that must practically run on fumes?

Has it been serviced properly along the way?

I hope thats not true. I'm getting 35-40 MPG on average.:eek:

I'm not sure, I only got it a few months back with no service history. I bought it off a mechanic & friend of the family who said it had been serviced recently.

I know it needs a proper service now tho and I just can't afford that. I need to get the fault codes cleared off it too.

dan hibiki

tbh, if you get a grand for it your doing well. 50+ mpg is what you would expect from the agila. didnt someone post a cinqecento recently with low miles from donedeal? anyways OP look for a swap or try to arrange your sale/purchase around your day(s) off work, which will be tricky. a deposit of some sort should hold a car as cheap as you are looking for, as least for a couple of weeks. the ideal way to go is to get a loan of around 300 quid for a rental for a few weeks inbetween your sale/purchase, and factor that into your car budget. ill have a look for that fiat...


found it

http://cars.donedeal.ie/find/cars/for-sale/Ireland/?filter%28make%29=Fiat&filter%28model%29=Cinquecento

third one.

Ferris

OP your car should be about as economical as they get. Don't change it (I doubt you'll get much for a car with loads of fault codes), get it serviced properly by a decent independant mechanic and examine your driving habits, that way you can influence the mpg you get yourself.

- Engines will run more efficiently when serviced/maintained.
- make sure your tyres are pumped up.
- remove excess weight - empty boot.
- Clean car for less wind resistance.
- Don't open windows/sunroof if possible while driving.

Then do the following:
- Block change gears, 1st to 3rd to 5th when accelerating.
- Avoid hard acceleration.
- avoid braking, seriously, braking wastes fuel. Look into the distance when driving and try to anticipate traffic movements.

Theres way more to this, research hypermiling on google.

kiddums

dan hibiki wrote: »

tbh, if you get a grand for it your doing well. 50+ mpg is what you would expect from the agila. didnt someone post a cinqecento recently with low miles from donedeal? anyways OP look for a swap or try to arrange your sale/purchase around your day(s) off work, which will be tricky. a deposit of some sort should hold a car as cheap as you are looking for, as least for a couple of weeks. the ideal way to go is to get a loan of around 300 quid for a rental for a few weeks inbetween your sale/purchase, and factor that into your car budget. ill have a look for that fiat...


found it

http://cars.donedeal.ie/find/cars/for-sale/Ireland/?filter%28make%29=Fiat&filter%28model%29=Cinquecento

third one.

The one with the engine problems and oil leak?
I don't think I'd fit in one anyway, i'm nearly 6'5 and I'm just over 18 stone.:o
At least I have an idea on how to go about it. I'll just have to leave it till I get some savings then.

Ferris wrote: »

OP your car should be about as economical as they get. Don't change it (I doubt you'll get much for a car with loads of fault codes), get it serviced properly by a decent independant mechanic and examine your driving habits, that way you can influence the mpg you get yourself.

- Engines will run more efficiently when serviced/maintained.
- make sure your tyres are pumped up.
- remove excess weight - empty boot.
- Clean car for less wind resistance.
- Don't open windows/sunroof if possible while driving.

Then do the following:
- Block change gears, 1st to 3rd to 5th when accelerating.
- Avoid hard acceleration.
- avoid braking, seriously, braking wastes fuel. Look into the distance when driving and try to anticipate traffic movements.

Theres way more to this, research hypermiling on google.

It's not loads, its 3. I know what one of them is and the problem was fixed, they just didn't have the gear to clear the code.
Im waiting on the part to get rid of the other problems.

What kind of money would I be looking at for a full service then?
Would 200 cover it?

I don't have much in the boot. Nothing I can leave out anyway.
Tyres are checked weekly, but I do need new ones. Pricing them later.
Car needs a clean.
Dont open windows unless its a warm day and I'm in traffic.

I must try the block shifting.
I already avoid aceleration and braking where possible.
I'll do a search for hypermiling and see.

kiddums

kiddums wrote: »

I hope thats not true. I'm getting 35-40 MPG on average.:eek:

..........

Hard to beat that with 1l tax on a small budget really.

Mr Benevolent

OP, 35-40 mpg is pretty good. On the same engine (Corsa) I'm getting 23-26 mpg. I can afford this mpg fairly easily as I don't do much mileage.

kiddums

RoverJames wrote: »

Hard to beat that with 1l tax on a small budget really.

That is one of the advantages to it.

Confab wrote: »

OP, 35-40 mpg is pretty good. On the same engine (Corsa) I'm getting 23-26 mpg. I can afford this mpg fairly easily as I don't do much mileage.

I thought this engine was ment to be good for 40+ average MPG?
It could be the fact the kurb weight is 1200Kg. I think thats a bit heavy for the 1L. The 1.2L would be nice tho.
I do like the head and leg room in it. And the fact it can be a van if need be.