Best cars for under a grand?

[Misc]

Or maybe slightly over? I'm getting tired of the Alfa, it's a great car, except for the electrics, awful! Which is similar to the Italian motorbikes, coincidence...?

Anyway, i'm after something to see me through to Xmas. I'm very picky (even tho beggars can't be choosers) so i don't like anything too old, one of the reason i didn't like my MR2, it had that musty smell that old cars have. That said i'd prefer 1999> With electric windows.

VW Golf seems a good choice, owned a few of them. Like the idea of a 1.6. I'd love a little reliable Jap car too as i hear most are bullet proof.

Can't be RWD & needs to be something that i can sell easily.

[Misc]

Actually i think i'll keep it for a few months & see how it goes (and because of the hassle of buying/selling lol), but still would like to hear about cars for a grand.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Irony was I was going to suggest an Alfa 156. Can't say we have had any electrical issues with ours beyond a failed MAF sensor (Bosch thing common to a load of cars).

With a Golf you will just be paying £2k for a £1k car.

Oh, and just searching for what model you had I found this quote from not that long ago

[Misc]

What's that quote got to do with anything....? I get bored easily with bikes/cars, it has nothing to do with buying an unreliable car because i didn't give it a good check over. The error i made wasn't 'not' checking over the car properly, with the Alfa (most alfa's....) You can check them over all you like but the dodgy electrics show themselves the very next day, week or month. There was no problem is buying/selling fast

That quote would of been more suitable if i said i was bored of the Alfa, which i'm not & love driving it (more then any car i've owned) In fact a few months after i bought it i was surprised that i was still enjoying it.

You must be one of the lucky one's.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Didn't say bored, said buying and selling in a short space of time.

The 156 electrically has been fine (and the only common electrical issue with them seems to be the airbag warning lights coming on). My step mother had a 147 and the only real electrical issue was a failed crankshaft position sensor. My father owns another 156 which has been reliable. Charlottes mother had a 156 for about a decade and the only electrical problem has been the airbag warning light and dodgy Selespeed unit.

They should be reliable. And you can buy the diagnostic software to reset things if you want (about £50).

As said by a friend showing us under the bonnet many years ago when we first bought an Alfa 75. The only bits that go wrong are labeled Bosch.

I have no idea what problems you have had with it, but the problems should be rare and easy to fix.

Bigger problem with the 156 is that they have copied other makers and let them rust underneath so they still look fine when tin worm kills them.

All the best

Keith
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[t121anf]

get a saxo vts, mine was perfectly reliable, quick to the point of being fast just has a bad rep due to looking identical to a VTR

[Misc]

[Misc]

[garth]

dunno why you're ruling out RWD. I'd say mk1 mx5, for fun.
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[Misc]

[mistergixer]

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v137/GinoM/NotThisShAgain.jpg
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[The Artist]

[Misc]

[Shaft]

Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla.

Duller than dull things, deep fried in dull, but they don't break and are often full of toys, even older ones.
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[Misc]

[binge]

https://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/184626_10150119752020606_506045605_6393969_1399588_n.jpg


Got this for £250.
It's cost me about £100 so far (Rear brakes and an exhaust system).
It sailed through it's MOT. No rot on it at all, and literally, no rust what so ever. There was a couple of pea sized scabs which I sanded out and re-painted.

I fitted the tow bar, it tows my trailer, with both bikes on it fine. (YZF450 and Stomp KZ160SM).

It cost £40 to brim the tank from absolutely empty. And that will see me 400 miles on a run, 320/330 miles urban driving.

Insurance costs bugger all, TAX is about £65 for 6 months.

It's one of the best cars I've ever bought.

[Shaft]

[Keir]

i just bought this:

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v383/keir_compact/mondeo.jpg?t=1303423472

2001 model, 1.8 petrol that gets 35-40mpg so far. 47,000 miles on the clock and 6 services in the book. MOT to end of Jul and tax to sept. cam chain engine so no belt worries.

paid £900
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[swampy]

I've got a Mk2 Golf GTI 16v. Paid £650 with a years MOT and few bits and bobs needing doing (heater matrix, passenger electric window and few other niggles).

All in all its cost me less than £100 quid for bits, is nippy, suits my work (lot of town driving and parking) and although it doesn't set the world on fire, is a bit of fun for relatively little cash,
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[JonB]

[The Artist]

[Misc]

Cheers all for suggestions,

[hornetmike]

https://www.trade-it.co.uk/cars-bmw-3-series/region-w-uk-bristol-south-west-avon-bristol/BMW3163drcompact12MonthsMOT1MonthTAXjustedserviced-13477163.html?impression=normal_impression
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Current BMW R1200GS 2010

[The Artist]

[Misc]