Budget cars.

[CXRAndy]

If you're buying around £1k you need to keen eyed and savvy about possible money pits. You could fall lucky with a well maintained older vehicle, chances are they have long list of small issues or big one lurking under a code reset

 

[Drago]

If you're one a small budget I wouldn't try to be too clever.

Big flash cars may seem tempting, but they cost as much to fuel, insure, maintain and repair as when they were new.

Keep it simple, nothing flash, no unnecessary fripperies such as AWD, turbos, DPFs, try and minimise the items that could pull your trousers down. AWD is geat if all the previous owners religiously changed the Haldex oil, turbos are great if every single owner didnt thrash them from cold and it never missed a service, and so on... nothing wrong with any of those things if you know for sure where they've been and how they've been cared for, but for a grand you'll likely have to assume whatever you end up with will have been maintained on the cheap, missed services, and might even have suffered cost saving bodges such as DPF deletes, etc.

An older Berlingo with the 1,6 petrol engine, as a random example, may not be exciting, may not be as economical as the diesel version, but is simplicity itself. Tough, has very little to break, simple and easy to maintain and fix, and has the minimal amount of more complex items that previous owners probably won't have looked after by the book.

Keep it simple, don't try and be clever, and remember that at that budget you're never going to find a car that ticks every box so your best option is to avoid anything with the potential to stretch your sphincter.

 

[sleuthey]

If you're one a small budget I wouldn't try to be too clever.

Big flash cars may seem tempting, but they cost as much to fuel, insure, maintain and repair as when they were new.

Keep it simple, nothing flash, no unnecessary fripperies such as AWD, turbos, DPFs, try and minimise the items that could pull your trousers down. AWD is geat if all the previous owners religiously changed the Haldex oil, turbos are great if every single owner didnt thrash them from cold and it never missed a service, and so on... nothing wrong with any of those things if you know for sure where they've been and how they've been cared for, but for a grand you'll likely have to assume whatever you end up with will have been maintained on the cheap, missed services, and might even have suffered cost saving bodges such as DPF deletes, etc.

An older Berlingo with the 1,6 petrol engine, as a random example, may not be exciting, may not be as economical as the diesel version, but is simplicity itself. Tough, has very little to break, simple and easy to maintain and fix, and has the minimal amount of more complex items that previous owners probably won't have looked after by the book.

Keep it simple, don't try and be clever, and remember that at that budget you're never going to find a car that ticks every box so your best option is to avoid anything with the potential to stretch your sphincter.

^^ That is the right answer.

 

[Gillstay]

On that basis I bought a Toyota Auris just pre covid and it has been perfectly reliable since. 1.6 petrol, 6 speed box and with my few mods it does 48 mpg at the minimum. Went to Czech republic in it last year. Simple is best.

 

[Jameshow]

On that basis I bought a Toyota Auris just pre covid and it has been perfectly reliable since. 1.6 petrol, 6 speed box and with my few mods it does 48 mpg at the minimum. Went to Czech republic in it last year. Simple is best.

Definitely not having a Toyota as wife family gave them, nuff said.

Had both the VW and the pug 1.9 diesel engines - both top engines. (Along with the volvo d5 but that's a bit rich for me ATM!) I guess the VW build does it for me? What's a Berlingo like on the motorway.

 

[cyberknight]

If you're one a small budget I wouldn't try to be too clever.

Big flash cars may seem tempting, but they cost as much to fuel, insure, maintain and repair as when they were new.

Keep it simple, nothing flash, no unnecessary fripperies such as AWD, turbos, DPFs, try and minimise the items that could pull your trousers down. AWD is geat if all the previous owners religiously changed the Haldex oil, turbos are great if every single owner didnt thrash them from cold and it never missed a service, and so on... nothing wrong with any of those things if you know for sure where they've been and how they've been cared for, but for a grand you'll likely have to assume whatever you end up with will have been maintained on the cheap, missed services, and might even have suffered cost saving bodges such as DPF deletes, etc.

An older Berlingo with the 1,6 petrol engine, as a random example, may not be exciting, may not be as economical as the diesel version, but is simplicity itself. Tough, has very little to break, simple and easy to maintain and fix, and has the minimal amount of more complex items that previous owners probably won't have looked after by the book.

Keep it simple, don't try and be clever, and remember that at that budget you're never going to find a car that ticks every box so your best option is to avoid anything with the potential to stretch your sphincter.

i find a garage or drive the best place , i dont want to know where you keep you car

 

[gbb]

If the cars been looked after you can expect 200,000 but any more is down to just luck.

Working with many Polish colleagues who love German cars, my former close colleague Maciej had a 1.9 TDI Golf 2007 iirc. He loved it, had over 200k on it but you don't get there let alone beyond without needing to replace stuff.
He'd done multiple jobs on the suspension, injectors, etc etc etc. These kind of mileages don't come free on any car, VW as well. He got rid as the head gasket was beginning to show problems at 230k iirc

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Working with many Polish colleagues who love German cars, my former close colleague Maciej had a 1.9 TDI Golf 2007 iirc. He loved it, had over 200k on it but you don't get there let alone beyond without needing to replace stuff.
He'd done multiple jobs on the suspension, injectors, etc etc etc. These kind of mileages don't come free on any car, VW as well. He got rid as the head gasket was beginning to show problems at 230k iirc

Yes, it's reckoned heads 250-300k ISH is about right

 

[DCLane]

What's a Berlingo like on the motorway.

It's steady but not quick. Ours is a 1.6 petrol Peugeot that's done 170,000 miles - it'll run forever at 70 but anything above 80 and it starts to struggle.

 

[Jameshow]

It's steady but not quick. Ours is a 1.6 petrol Peugeot that's done 170,000 miles - it'll run forever at 70 but anything above 80 and it starts to struggle.

Lucky to do over 70 these days!!

 

[Alex321]

If the cars been looked after you can expect 200,000 but any more is down to just luck.

Not from a decent modern diesel.

My last three diesel estate cars each did over 230K before I got rid of them, and it was too many other things causing issues then, not the engine which were all still going strong.

 

[Drago]

Whereas the last car I took past 300k was a bit rattly but drove perfectly and every toy worked properly with no issues. It hadn't been unduly problematic and it was definitely a modern diesel.

But...

I had known where it had been, and its provenance prior to my ownership was first class and beyond question. Sadly that is rare so cannot be feloed upon.

 

[Chromatic]

Years ago when I was at work a colleague bought a 'bargain' 7 series BMW, things didn't turn out as he thought it would, it turned out instead to be the biggest pile of shite on 4 wheels ever.

 

[gbb]

Years ago when I was at work a colleague bought a 'bargain' 7 series BMW, things didn't turn out as he thought it would, it turned out instead to be the biggest pile of shite on 4 wheels ever.

Same with one of my former colleagues Ryszard, he brought a nice looking but slightly older 5 series. His fellow countryman Marek also one of my colleagues , a very proficient mechanic on cars said to him, you want to get those timing chains done, they're a bit noisy.
Ryszard failed to take his advice..about a month later, engine implosion.

Another Polish manager had a 3 series which had a rear diff explode, literally, on him.

Well maintained, these are doubtless good cars,,,but that maintenance is expensive and all too often overlooked...or unaffordable for many..

Ironically, two other Polish colleagues are singing the praises of Japanese cars nowadays.

 

[Jameshow]

Same with one of my former colleagues Ryszard, he brought a nice looking but slightly older 5 series. His fellow countryman Marek also one of my colleagues , a very proficient mechanic on cars said to him, you want to get those timing chains done, they're a bit noisy.
Ryszard failed to take his advice..about a month later, engine implosion.

Another Polish manager had a 3 series which had a rear diff explode, literally, on him.

Well maintained, these are doubtless good cars,,,but that maintenance is expensive and all too often overlooked...or unaffordable for many..

Ironically, two other Polish colleagues are singing the praises of Japanese cars nowadays.

Our mini cost a fortune at the last MOT...

It is BMW after all!