Simple cars

ampleforth

Hi all,

I am looking for a simple car --- simple in the sense of repairs, that is, simple in how parts are arranged, reached and exchanged. Any suggestions? I have basically no requirements as in age, or convenience.

E.g. I often hear that changing a timeing belt requires a motor to be removed and require 10 hours of work.

I know that the VW Beatle and the original MiniCooper had this flair around their construction --- obviously with a lot of non-comfort as its price. Are there any cars around now that have a similar simple philosophy (or at least in relation to others) ?

Many thanks in advance.

PukkaStukka

Fiat Punto. Grossly underrated and IMO probably the easiest contemporary car out there to work on.

biko

I found Micra k11 easy to work on with lots of room in the engine bay.

bladespin

Fords, usually fairly simple and easy to work on.

jca

bladespin wrote: »

Fords, usually fairly simple and easy to work on.

Up to about 1982:pac:

bladespin

jca wrote:

Up to about 1982

2005 Mondeo was very straightforward too.

Ubbquittious

Toyota hilux.

demanufactured

Harper Invacar

Cheensbo

bladespin wrote: »

2005 Mondeo was very straightforward too.

Even the tdci ones with the extremely tempermental fuel systems, dmfs & that fantastic analogue clock?


Op, imo, most small japanese cars from the 90s would fit your bill. Theyre mostly made of feck all so theres feck all to go wrong. And most will have a lot of interchangeability from within their own marque to allow skimping on parts.

Think honda civic/accord, toyota corolla/avensis mitsubishi colt/lancer..

jca

bladespin wrote: »

2005 Mondeo was very straightforward too.

Yea if you had a pit/lift and hands like a contortionist. A car made for the production line but not for repair,ever try changing a radiator in one? Now that's an experience to behold.
Dare I suggest it but a mid 2000's petrol BMW aren't as difficult as others and because owners get plenty of practice there's loads of help available, obviously keep away from the exotic models but something like a 316 would be rewarding to work on.

jca

Cheensbo wrote: »

Even the tdci ones with the extremely tempermental fuel systems, dmfs & that fantastic analogue clock?


Op, imo, most small japanese cars from the 90s would fit your bill. Theyre mostly made of feck all so theres feck all to go wrong. And most will have a lot of interchangeability from within their own marque to allow skimping on parts.

Think honda civic/accord, toyota corolla/avensis mitsubishi colt/lancer..

I wouldn't be that keen on Japs of that era parts can be shockingly expensive and access particularly on FWD Toyotas can be very tight without a lift.

jca

biko wrote: »

I found Micra k11 easy to work on with lots of room in the engine bay.

Great car definitely easy to work on, parts can be scaldy and some of the spurious stuff the factors will pawn you off with are dirt.

9or10

Triumph Herald. Lift the bonnet and you can sit on the wheel while you work on the engine.

Beautifully simple cars.

stimpson

Nissan Leaf. About 10 moving parts in the motor and none of them serviceable. Only things to worry about are brakes and tyres.

jca

9or10 wrote: »

Triumph Herald. Lift the bonnet and you can sit on the wheel while you work on the engine.

Beautifully simple cars.

A welding/fabrication course would be first on the list if taking on one of those rustbuckets quickly followed by AA breakdown assist. I'd imagine a Herald would become very tiresome as a daily driver, they were slow in their day I shudder to imagine how they'd cope in today's traffic, did Triumph ever sort the fuel vapour locking problem they were plagued with?

Cheensbo

jca wrote: »

A welding/fabrication course would be first on the list if taking on one of those rustbuckets quickly followed by AA breakdown assist. I'd imagine a Herald would become very tiresome as a daily driver, they were slow in their day I shudder to imagine how they'd cope in today's traffic, did Triumph ever sort the fuel vapour locking problem they were plagued with?

You're going to have to suggest one at some point too :pac:

dylbert

E36 3 series, well engineered but very simple mechanicly, I've owned a few over the years and most work is easy enough, all you need is a Haynes manual and a descent tool kit.

jca

Cheensbo wrote: »

You're going to have to suggest one at some point too :pac:

I did, a BMW 316:pac:

Cheensbo

jca wrote: »

I did, a BMW 316:pac:

Ah! misread your post as someone elses

bladespin

jca wrote:

Yea if you had a pit/lift and hands like a contortionist. A car made for the production line but not for repair,ever try changing a radiator in one? Now that's an experience to behold. Dare I suggest it but a mid 2000's petrol BMW aren't as difficult as others and because owners get plenty of practice there's loads of help available, obviously keep away from the exotic models but something like a 316 would be rewarding to work on.

Well I was coming from a 156 so maybe it was an illusion, that said I didn't find it hard to service etc. I'm used to bikes so have some contortionist experience.

On the other side I've never worked on anything as difficult as an Audi A5 jesus just changing a bulb defied physics.

bladespin

Cheensbo wrote:

Even the tdci ones with the extremely tempermental fuel systems, dmfs & that fantastic analogue clock?

Yup, never suggested they were reliable.

Cheensbo

bladespin wrote: »

Yup, never suggested they were reliable.

Fair point, i was more thinking of ease of ownership

Del2005

bladespin wrote: »

Yup, never suggested they were reliable.

If reliability isn't an issue then a €200 banger with NCT and tax would be the easiest to own. Just drive till it breaks and buy another, you'd be able to sell the broken one on for spares.

ampleforth

Del2005 wrote: »

If reliability isn't an issue then a €200 banger with NCT and tax would be the easiest to own. Just drive till it breaks and buy another, you'd be able to sell the broken one on for spares.

That would be my other idea. It is a bit of an extreme view to treat cars like a box of noodles, but why not ? Are there any costs for scraping to consider?

JohnBoy26

jca wrote: »

I wouldn't be that keen on Japs of that era parts can be shockingly expensive and access particularly on FWD Toyotas can be very tight without a lift.

You are joking? They are one of the easiest and most straightforward cars to work on.

Del2005

ampleforth wrote: »

That would be my other idea. It is a bit of an extreme view to treat cars like a box of noodles, but why not ? Are there any costs for scraping to consider?

Since multiple governments decided that any vehicle over 10 years old were only good for scrapping why can't we treat them similar.

If you can drive it to a vehicle end of life centre no charge, otherwise you'd have to pay for collection. You could even stick it up for sale again for €100 for parts, just make sure that you have a 2nd phone number that you turn off once the car is gone.

ampleforth

Del2005 wrote: »

If you can drive it to a vehicle end of life centre no charge, otherwise you'd have to pay for collection.

Does the AA (motor club, not sure if its called the same here) include a short distance transport to your home when you are a member? Just a thought...

DanielGibbons

OP, are you looking to buy a cheap/simple car or are you just curious?

I have a 1999 Seat Cordoba Vario, 1.9 SDI which I'd like to move on, if you were interested.