Backup vehicle
Discussion
Will be moving to a T350 from Chimaera soon.
Need 100% access to a working car during the week for work.
Not sure I can rely as much on a T350 as I can on my Chim so I think I need a second car lying around for emergency use.
What do you all use for this?
[small]Thinking cheap to buy/run/insure.
Need 100% access to a working car during the week for work.
Not sure I can rely as much on a T350 as I can on my Chim so I think I need a second car lying around for emergency use.
What do you all use for this?
[small]Thinking cheap to buy/run/insure.
Is your budget hundreds or thousands?
I know you could pick up something like a 2000 VW Polo (1.0) for about £3000, which is group 2 insurance and supposedly a good, solid, reliable car. Might be worth having something like that tucked in the garage should the worst happen.
P~
>> Edited by PhantomPH on Wednesday 27th July 14:53
I know you could pick up something like a 2000 VW Polo (1.0) for about £3000, which is group 2 insurance and supposedly a good, solid, reliable car. Might be worth having something like that tucked in the garage should the worst happen.
P~
>> Edited by PhantomPH on Wednesday 27th July 14:53
Well we went from an Audi TT to a Tamora and bought a 1.2L MTV renault clio for £4.5k. Its fantastic! Feels like is has no engine, gets dinged all the time at tesco's but to be honest its a mule and worth every penny!
Does 45 to the gallon, only on super unleaded mind and costs penny's to insure. We have racked up 14k miles in 18 months of ownership and its great!
The only downside is its an MTV edition which is quite sad and the interior is mega cheap, but a perfect second car!
>> Edited by maddog-uk on Wednesday 27th July 15:12
Does 45 to the gallon, only on super unleaded mind and costs penny's to insure. We have racked up 14k miles in 18 months of ownership and its great!
The only downside is its an MTV edition which is quite sad and the interior is mega cheap, but a perfect second car!
>> Edited by maddog-uk on Wednesday 27th July 15:12
maddog-uk said:
Does 45 to the gallon, only on super unleaded mind and costs penny's to insure. We have racked up 14k miles in 18 months of ownership and its great!
Do you only put super in it, or do you find that you get higher MPG with the super as opposed to regular fuel in the Clio?
>> Edited by PhantomPH on Wednesday 27th July 15:46
rfisher said:
Will be moving to a T350 from Chimaera soon.
Need 100% access to a working car during the week for work.
Not sure I can rely as much on a T350 as I can on my Chim so I think I need a second car lying around for emergency use.
What do you all use for this?
Thinking cheap to buy/run/insure.
A knackered £600 1.8 diesel Fiesta. 45mpg, cheap as chips insurance, can leave it anywhere. Does 70-80 on the Mway quite happily.
DJC said:
Will be moving to a T350 from Chimaera soon.
Need 100% access to a working car during the week for work.
Not sure I can rely as much on a T350 as I can on my Chim so I think I need a second car lying around for emergency use.
What do you all use for this?
Thinking cheap to buy/run/insure.
A knackered £600 1.8 diesel Fiesta. 45mpg, cheap as chips insurance, can leave it anywhere. Does 70-80 on the Mway quite happily.
1.5 diesel Metro. 60 mpg, even joy riders don't bother, it's topped 95 down hill and cheap TAX too, £400 for 100,000 miles. I know I look like a tit, but it makes the TVR seem faster. Infact it makes the Mrs old D reg 1L Polo seem fast
Z
rfisher said:
Will be moving to a T350 from Chimaera soon.
Need 100% access to a working car during the week for work.
Not sure I can rely as much on a T350 as I can on my Chim so I think I need a second car lying around for emergency use.
What do you all use for this?
Thinking cheap to buy/run/insure.
If you use a Chimaera daily now, the T350 will be a more reliable daily runner. Much easier to drive for commuting too. Only issue is the engine is more likely to let go. But it might never happen so don't buy a daily shed until it does. Problem over.
We have an Omega MV6 Estate (51 Plate 40k miles) that we got for peanuts, goes really well for a 3.2 V6 and has all the whistles and bells. Its also big enough to get both dogs in......result! Being a Vauxhall the depreciation is worse than most, but previous owner has taken the hit on that!, so cheap reliable motoring is what it provides!
targarama said:
If you use a Chimaera daily now, the T350 will be a more reliable daily runner. Much easier to drive for commuting too. Only issue is the engine is more likely to let go. But it might never happen so don't buy a daily shed until it does. Problem over.
I like the cut of your jib Sir.
Thanks for the replies. I must admit I'm tempted to just buy the cheap runaround and put the rest of the money into the mortgage.
Only joking
Used to run a Tuscan and a Cerbera as every day cars - and leave one at the dealer as they seemed to need attention at different times - worked out quite well.
Finally got rid of the Cerbera and just had the Tuscan. It was fine being used every day - all you need is a good dealer who can lend you a car if something does go.
Now though I use a Defender 90 (TD5) most days, with all the extras, and it is great fun. Tried the heated seats today!
Finally got rid of the Cerbera and just had the Tuscan. It was fine being used every day - all you need is a good dealer who can lend you a car if something does go.
Now though I use a Defender 90 (TD5) most days, with all the extras, and it is great fun. Tried the heated seats today!
PhantomPH said:
Does 45 to the gallon, only on super unleaded mind and costs penny's to insure. We have racked up 14k miles in 18 months of ownership and its great!
Do you only put super in it, or do you find that you get higher MPG with the super as opposed to regular fuel in the Clio?
>> Edited by PhantomPH on Wednesday 27th July 15:46
Well amazingly its more economical on super and when I asked Renault they said the 1.2 is actually only designed to run on uper and "had I read the manual sir". To be honest it makes a huge difference!
Citroen AX 1.4 Diseasel bought for £370, £200 to insure it and a minimum of 67 miles to a gallon, tho have seen an average of 73 mpg on a couple of tanks 
Only downside, its so slow it makes the Wedge feel like the Starship Enterprise hitting warp factor 9
...........which is a good thing........
Only downside, its so slow it makes the Wedge feel like the Starship Enterprise hitting warp factor 9
...........which is a good thing........
K plate BMW 320i, cost just over a grand and is cheap to service using a local village specialist, and 25-30mpg - less than a Metro I know but still some rwd fun and it is fairly modern and comfortable to drive.
I tried the cheap banger option with a VW Scirocco but it was too much of a comprimise so for me I was happier to spend a few hundred quid more and get something with much more refinement, poke and I'm not embarrassed to drive it.
I tried the cheap banger option with a VW Scirocco but it was too much of a comprimise so for me I was happier to spend a few hundred quid more and get something with much more refinement, poke and I'm not embarrassed to drive it.
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