credit crunch cars...

[daemonoid]

Now I've got a full bike license it seems a bit of a waste of cash to run two cars and a bike for just me and my missus - especially as she has an all zones travel card for free from work! So... downsizing the fleet it is. My car is an 05 KA - crap but cheap commuter - new enough for a few trips up north each year. My missus has an old 205cti - great fun and soft top but unfortunately 20+ years old and i don't particularly trust it for long journeys.

So now we have a few options, one of which is a new car - I want something small and fairly cheap to run (I've got the bike for performance) and my missus wants a cabriolet. Budget about 6k, I hate old style mx5s, must have just enough boot space for a weekly shop but not too bothered about practicality 2 or 4 seats. Any suggestions?
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current: ducati monster 750
past: hyosung gt250r, bajaj pulsar 180, hyosung gt 125 comet
@thomasgarrard | www.straitjkt.com | www.racingseven.com

[silky666]

6K ?? thats not a credit crunch budget.
I have nice bikes and crap cars - except for the wife who insists she needs a 4x4 to ferry the kids about in.

Because I dont care what my car looks like I go for 'Bangernomics'.
ie: Buy a car with a years mot, run it for a year and throw away .. or if you are lucky run it for another year or so.

My last car was a Saab 9000 - years MOT - passed a further 3 MOT's with no more thatn £100 each time (tyres, bulbs etc).
Cost me £400.

It has electric seats, climate control, the usual fancy stuff.
And best of all it looks such a sh*t heap that no one messes with you ... I have had big fancy Mercs trying to cut in with no indication etc .. all the attitude of "I am in a big fancy car and can do what I like" ...... which soon goes to shi*t for them when I put in place my " I have a chunky old car worth less than your tyres.. and dont care if I take a bumper off "

Bangernomics is the way
https://bangernomics.tripod.com
____________________
There's nothing that shouts "Poor Workmanship" more than wrinkles in the Gaffa tape.

Gaffa tape is like "the force" - it has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.

[daemonoid]

The 6k comes from turning 2 cars into 1 and adding my 'new vehicle savings' that have been sat in an account for a while.

I get the bangernomics thing, but i need to 'guarantee' the car will work for long journeys and as i said need* a cabriolet...

We basically have 3 options:
1. keep the 205 and tidy it up, but I'm not sure how worthwhile that will be and it really needs a garage which we don't have (old cti's tend not to have the most weather proof roofs).
2. keep the KA, but I've had it nearly 4 years now and I'm bored of it + no soft top.
3. get something new - as above, but all the cars i like are too expensive and/or not out yet (fiat 500 roll top, alfa mito cabrio, daihatsu ofc-1, new shape mx5 etc.) so I'm looking for suggestions around the 6k mark...





* read: missus wants
____________________
current: ducati monster 750
past: hyosung gt250r, bajaj pulsar 180, hyosung gt 125 comet
@thomasgarrard | www.straitjkt.com | www.racingseven.com

[Fawbish]

RX-7.



____________________
"Oh....it looks like Average Joe's is forfeiting the match!" - "Yeah, its a risky strategy but lets see if it pays off for 'em Cotton."

[daemonoid]

[jayvfr]

I'd agree with the bangernomics idea, I currently drive a saab 900 turbo I picked up for £350, no real problems with it yet, just about to send it off to MOT and the garage is confident it should pass with no work!

If your missis is set on a new cabrio though then maybe look into something like:
Saab 900/9-3 convertible
BMW 3 series convertible
Audi TT (you can find good high milers)
Toyota MR2
Alfa spyder

Those are what i'd consider over an MX5 but the mazda is a very good car.

Just depends entirely what your looking for in the motor, and of course what you're missis will be happy with.

You'll find most of the above are very good cars in general and should be pretty dependable and some will even be really rather good to drive (alfa spyder V6...yes please!).

Good luck
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A quater of a NC30 and a whole tatty ZX6R J2, that's plenty...
VFR bits for sale, PM me for details!
PSN ID: money85

[Faldo]

I'd go for an E36 cabrio. They're probably one of the most reliable cabrios going.
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Current: ZZR1400
Previous: ZXR 400 L9, ZX-7R P5, ZZR 400, ZX-7R P6, Bandit 600, GSXR 750 Slingshot, DRZ400, DR650, ZX10R C1H, ZXR 750 L1, ZXR 750 L3, '99 ZX7R P4, KTM 300 EXC, ZX-9R E1, TDM850

[silky666]

[Fawbish]

6K isnt a friggin credit crunch car.

And stop giving in to the wife! Pussywhipped!
____________________
"Oh....it looks like Average Joe's is forfeiting the match!" - "Yeah, its a risky strategy but lets see if it pays off for 'em Cotton."

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Ex MOD Soft top Landy, £3500 :-

https://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/advert+search/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146-236,N-24-51-57-240/advert.action?R=200903326920590

Stick a couple of RSJs on as bumpers, and you have the ideal commuting/shopping/post economic collapse vehicle.
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Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[.Chris.]

Soft-top did you say? One of these would fit the bill...

https://www.slowcarclub.com/santa-pod/land-rover.jpg

Can be a soft-top, van, pickup or estate car! I got mine for £250.


____________________
Chris
1985 Kawasaki Z550F

[.Chris.]

What? I was writing that post as the same time as Shaggy!
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Chris
1985 Kawasaki Z550F

[JonB]

Hardly a "credit crunch" car when you are being fussy about whether it has a roof or not.

If you really do want a cheap car to run and you have 6k to spend on it, look for a Toyota Aygo / Peugeot 107 / Citroen C1. They are all the same car with different cosmetics. The petrol ones get an average of 64MPG, car tax is £35 a year, going to go down to £20 a year soon though.

Group 1 insurance as well.
____________________
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[daemonoid]

[daemonoid]

[Suitor_Stu]

[yambabe]

One like mine? '51 plate 2 litre 206cc.

Not that economical to run on a commute as only does about 20 to the gallon round town, but picks up to about 30-35 on a long run. They also did it as a 1.6 IIRC which should be a bit cheaper both to buy and to run.

Looking on autotrader loads available, you should be able to pick up a decent 03-04 one for your budget no problem.
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[Misc]

[.Chris.]

Lol, that's not mine! Just an image I nicked off google.
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Chris
1985 Kawasaki Z550F

[daemonoid]

Well, i found something. Gotta finalize the sale tomorrow. Can't remember the name of the free detail check website. I've searched the forums but can't for the life of me find or remember it. Anyone?
____________________
current: ducati monster 750
past: hyosung gt250r, bajaj pulsar 180, hyosung gt 125 comet
@thomasgarrard | www.straitjkt.com | www.racingseven.com

[MinhDinh]

https://img204.imageshack.us/img204/7574/lz10wjuebowg6.jpg
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Hit the G spot.

[Misc]

[daemonoid]

[daemonoid]

[Fawbish]

Well, each to their own and that.


Wont even begin to list what I would get (whilst taking my gf's wants into consideration) with 6K...
____________________
"Oh....it looks like Average Joe's is forfeiting the match!" - "Yeah, its a risky strategy but lets see if it pays off for 'em Cotton."