Morning All

Your finest adviced is required please.

A friend has just had to scrap his hateful little 306 Diesel after it broke down on the motorway and refused to move ever again :'(

In looking for a new vehicle he has saved an N reg petrol Corsa from being scrapped by a colleague; but wants to replace it with something a little less...uh.... temporary.

He has next to no budget to spend, has only been driving for a coupe of years, and really doesn't care what the car is as long as it doesn't cost him the earth to buy/run/insure/tax.

He has been offered a couple of friend of a friend/family member of a friend cars as follows:

Vauxhall Astra 1.6 petrol

N reg

96,000 Miles

BMW 325 diesel

M reg

130,000 miles

Both are around the £500 mark and will be MOT'd on purchase.

He is aware of the high insurance issues with the Beemer but it's only £100 more than the Astra. Tax on both is pretty ridiculous.

I steered him towards this P reg Polo which i reckon would do the job and has the back up of coming with a warranty of sorts! Although no mileage in the ad which could mean it's cheap cos it's been to the moon and back.

What does anyone reckon? Bearing in mind this isn't about handling, B road speed, etc but just a cheap general town run about.

On a seperate note the same "cheap car dealer" has an M reg Celica GT for £750 - track day car?!

If not for the question of insurance, I'd tend for the BMW, because the Ashtray is a loathsome thing (if not as bad as the Coarser), and at that age things are liable to start falling off it.

If he doesn't have it, I might be interested in the BMW

If he doesn't have it, I might be interested in the BMW

you read my mind!

Given the objective of cheap motoring I'd go with the Astra - both the cars will be past their best, but at least the Astra will be dirt cheap to repair. Things like tyres, fuel and servicing will also probably be considerably cheaper.

Rob.

I had an N reg 1.6 8v Astra for a year or so, and passed it onto my brother who abused it for another couple of years, and neither of us had to do anything beyond tyres and brake pads. My mate had a P reg 1.7TD to 230k miles, and only sold it because he fancied a change! - very durable cars imho.

I stand by my comment in #2; most Vauxhalls that age I've seen have had bits, minor things like the doors and bumpers , starting to fall off them.

I stand by my comment in #2; most Vauxhalls that age I've seen have had bits, minor things like the doors and bumpers , starting to fall off them.

I think they were held together with blu tak. Also the electrics will probably has some interesting problems too.

Go for the Celica - great cars, though someone has stuck a ridiculous wing on the back of it.

I would go Polo TBH

My daughter drives one around at the moment and is a nice little

cheap car to run

I'm looking for a motor but I'm drawn towards the BM or Saabs currently. I saw a Sierra but I want something more....badass personally.

So in this vote the BM 325 diesel gets my vote. 6 cyl diesel goodness. The Vauxhall 1.6 petrol is good, relaible, cheap to run etc etc

But I'd go BMW given that choice

Hang on....a 325 diesel, run in at 130k miles for £500? Any pics..........

Edited 4 March, 201016 yr by Captain Sisko

325i... nikasil?

A 130k 325d for that money sounds a bit too cheap IMO. That's hardly any miles for that sort of motor from 1994!

The 2.5d from that era is a bit agricultural as well - but what can you expect I suppose for the money??

If it's a genuine, straight motor I'd go for that.

Ta all

the Beemer is owned by one of his best mates who has recently changed job and acquired a company car.

The price tag i would imagine is very much a mates rates price.

I think the insurance will be placed on a parent with him as a named driver to bring the price down and he's going down the German route.

Good, P-reg Astras make my skin crawl, hateful hateful hateful cars...had nothing but bad experiences with them.