Bangernomics: the art of free (or cheap) car ownership

[mender]

The Mrs fancies herself a money-savvy type, since almost all her family are financial peeps - Dad worked for the FSA, brother is an actuary, sisters are in accountancy, etc...

She tried a bit of this and kept showing me all these spreadsheets, with how much she'd save... the kicker was that most of the savings would be eaten up by the insurance companies in 'admin fees', every time she had to change her policy for a new vehicle!!

My mate was saying he gets charged £45 per change of car....I've got a trade policy as part of my business, takes 10 seconds online and is free!

[StevesTruck]

So in September , I bought a Seat inca (mk2 vw caddy) for £325.

So far, I've changed rear shoes and wheel cylinders (£40), fuelpump relay (Decided to treat it and spent £30 on a genuine one), wiper linkage (£26).

Doesn't seem that amazing? Well, I've also done 10k miles in it.

[mender]

So in September , I bought a Seat inca (mk2 vw caddy) for £325.

So far, I've changed rear shoes and wheel cylinders (£40), fuelpump relay (Decided to treat it and spent £30 on a genuine one), wiper linkage (£26).

Doesn't seem that amazing? Well, I've also done 10k miles in it.

Cheap vanning!

Respect...!

[mender]

Well the searching paid off and I'm due to pick up the latest one on Sunday, another "pensioner special" as per the normal formula.

 

Gone for a (yes it is super ugly!) mint Hyundai Amica 1.1 CDX with air-con: 20k-miler, one well-off 85yo owner, garaged from new, serviced yearly and looks new.

 

It is a flawed and gawky motor so  they are a tough sell-on, but I slowly fell for then loved the Atoz's I've owned prior-the Amica is a facelifted Atos/Atoz and called the Atos Prime in other markets...and it was too good to miss at the money.

 

My mate's single day spend on his 65 BMW 3 series last week, comprising a dealer service, 2 tyres and a tank of fuel was around the same money!

 

Will I get used to this version though?  The relaunch/facelift spoiled further an already odd looking car....James May described it as designed by sledgehammer  :D

[StevesTruck]

Cheap vanning!

Respect...!

Just failed its MOT.....

On a pair of track rod ends, and the drivers seat doesn't go back and forwards properly

[mender]

Just failed its MOT.....

On a pair of track rod ends, and the drivers seat doesn't go back and forwards properly

Down the scrap yard then.....to buy those bits!

[mender]

Well, the Amica is home and what a splendid thing it is for the money; literally like new having been owned by a recently deceased elderly affluent lady with a garage and done only a verifed 20,000 miles with FSH.  Apart from a couple of touch-ups and a cracked mirror case (on ebay £25), it has just been serviced and only needs a cambelt, c.£100 all in.  The son was trying to find the second key, if not I'll need to get one done.

 

Only issue is the seat does not go far back enough for me and I can't see an easy way of modifying this; my wife finds it perfect for her though.

 

Honestly, this is a bit "posh" for "banger"nomics but I know it will give us loads of use then a profit when sold on.

 

I am warming to its looks too!

[StevesTruck]

That's pretty much where I got the van from!

Not even I'm tight enough to use scrapyard track rod ends, so I spent £18 on a new pair.... eurocarparts wanted £35 each! Another fiver for a rack boot because it was out of shape and now was the easiest time to change it.

Seat out, fish a broken pen out of the runners and generally give them a clean and grease, and back it goes! Hoping to get another year, or 30k miles, out of it.

Much to my business partners disgust (they like new shiny things) I only drive it because it winds them up so much.

[mender]

Much to my business partners disgust (they like new shiny things) I only drive it because it winds them up so much.

Saves you hundreds a month on a new one and less likely to get nicked or broken into!

[pipsyp]

I bought a silver 2001 Y Subaru Forester S Turbo Auto in the summer as a cheap, interesting family holdall.

I arguably paid over the odds for it (about 1900 quid) but was on the basis that it was rather a find....ex demo with 2 owners (first for 12 years), 70k miles, full history and the guy I bought it off was fastidious with its maintenance even down to it being serviced and maintained at an offical Subaru service centre with 100% OEM parts.

Its a 15 year old car thats been kept exceptionally clean and well maintained but is not concourse. You'd struggle to find a better example nowadays though.

Ive spent a reasonable sum of money (perhaps 50%) sorting most of its mildly rougher edges which were v few, anthracite wheel refurb by Lepsons, Black Diamond 6 groove and predator pads all round, Pipercross panel filter, new sump, rocker gaskets, IC Y pipe and oil/filter change.

It starts on the button, runs exceptionally well, everything works down to the pano roof and heated seats and for a relatively large 4x4 goes like stink and will also pretty much go anywhere.

Its the first car Ive had that mixes performance with practicality so well. If it died catastrophically I'd certainly get another.

Only downsides are high tax (£275), short run MPG likely in the teens (though will get late 20's early 30's on a good run) and OEM parts are costly. Otherwise its fantastic.

SF Foresters are becoming increasingly rare (particularly UK S Turbos which were fairly rare in the first place) and by Subaru enthusiasts at least relatively sought after....Id like to think Id make a reasonable sum on it if I came to sell it but not sure I ever will.

[StevesTruck]

Saves you hundreds a month on a new one and less likely to get nicked or broken into!

Exactly. Plus, the few times it's actually had a problem, I've fixed it with what's in my pocket.

Although now it's got a fresh test on, I am thinking about selling it on and getting an early mk3 caddy.

[mender]

On 1/17/2017 at 07:31, mender said:

Well, the Amica is home and what a splendid thing it is for the money; literally like new having been owned by a recently deceased elderly affluent lady with a garage and done only a verifed 20,000 miles with FSH.  Apart from a couple of touch-ups and a cracked mirror case (on ebay £25), it has just been serviced and only needs a cambelt, c.£100 all in.  The son was trying to find the second key, if not I'll need to get one done.

 

Only issue is the seat does not go far back enough for me and I can't see an easy way of modifying this; my wife finds it perfect for her though.

 

Honestly, this is a bit "posh" for "banger"nomics but I know it will give us loads of use then a profit when sold on.

 

I am warming to its looks too!

Update

 

Took the Hyundai Amica home, did the cambelt and a service at a mate's garage, glued a blind-spot mirror to the cracked base which covered the missing bit perfectly and looked amazing, bought a genuine Hyundai bootliner for £22 delivered and then.....the neighbour fell in love with it for being as literally new, a great colour, mint condition, fully serviced/cambelted and 20k miles, so a deal was made....!!  I then sold his car on eBay for him.

 

Purchased a '58 Hyundai Getz diesel, negotiated ace deal as no cambelt history-took it to mate who then told me it is chain driven!!

It has had a service, valet, pair of fresh number plates, a £5 gearstick gaiter and some mats and wheel trims from an old car that were in my truck and now looks new, my wife likes it so happy days.  It is off my formula for simple cars though, being diesel, turbo etc-give me a simple base petrol any day.

 

Just bought another Perodua Myvi......awaiting collection!  Will probably be sorted out and go to one mate or other; they are really good cars

 

My old 2004 built 55 registered Kelisa soldiers on and is a delight; it is going nowhere!

 

This month I have driven, amongst others, an X6, X5, new A4, new A6, new 3 series, Range Rover and none of them impressed me much at all; I was impressed by a little Peugeot 208 1.0 Active though; soft little car with a tiny well shaped steering wheel, great stereo and decent comfort, plus cruise on a basic model.  I was staggered when the owner informed me it was only a one litre, I had thought it was the bigger engine.  Funnily enough, on the way back from taking that to the shop, I drove the X6 3.0 diesel auto back home 25 miles behind a 208 (possibly a GT) and it left me for dead; down the b-roads it was like chasing a rabbit with a slightly drunk and very fat rhino.  Just can't see the point in these uber-monsters, they only make sense over 100mph on a wide, smooth, un-rutted, dry road; on a wet and rutted b-road they are utterly horrid, especially when the ridiculously big wheels aquaplane on standing water......

 

I'm just happy to get happy free motoring, I suppose..!

[mender]

On 2/9/2017 at 23:28, mender said:

Update

Just bought another Perodua Myvi......awaiting collection!  Will probably be sorted out and go to one mate or other; they are really good cars

 

 

Well, that was a result, parked said Myvi in the works yard and a colleague has bought it; all it got was a 30 min wash, an hour of body tlc and a battery swap (had the old one off my Kelisa topped up and charged) and it was sold.

 

Three Peroduas in our yard now, three happy owners!!

 

My wife likes the diesel Getz and loves the mpg, not keen on fiddly (old-school standard din size) stereo buttons on the Getz though after the much better unique-fit Clarion stereo set-up on the Myvi.